Three elected to Sportsman Hall of Fame for La Salle County on 25th anniversary of original event

The concept that gave birth to the Sportsman Hall of Fame for La Salle County and surrounding areas turned 25 years old this year.

The Sportsman Hall of Fame has inducted 56 individuals and three organizations, stemming from Hank Walsh’s Backwoods Outdoor Show.

This year’s inductees are Jason Allen, Dr. Mike Harney and Jeff Stillwell.

“I feel honored to induct these individuals, events and organizations into the Hall of Fame as they’re all well-deserved people that do a lot for the community,” Walsh said. “I’ve had people come up to me that have nothing to do with hunting, fishing, bow and arrows, and they come to the event because they know somebody who’s being inducted. They’re all complimentary, and it’s touching.”

Inductees are nominated anonymously by family members or friends, and they don’t know they’re being inducted until their letter is read and they’re named.

Families and friends nominate inductees by sending a letter explaining why they believe their nominee is worthy of being in the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame inducts from three to five people every year.

“Almost every single letter has the words tradition, family, and carry on,” Walsh said. “I think that is so cool, and I’m not just talking this year. I’m talking when I started this, every letter seems to carry how important the tradition of hunting, fishing and trapping is.”

The Hall of Fame started in 1999, four years after Walsh started the Backwoods Outdoor Show, which was eventually renamed the American Sportsman Show and Hall of Fame. The committee looks at three categories to decide whether a nominee will be inducted: They can excel in hunting, teaching and promoting, and Walsh said sometimes inductees hit all three categories.

Walsh said the Hall of Fame has members that include doctors, teachers, police officers, tradesmen, factory workers and conservation officers.

Conservation officers serving in La Salle County automatically are inducted after reaching 10 years of service.

Walsh has run many other events through the years, including Hank’s 4x4 Jamboree, Classic Cruisin’ Auto show andThe Tractor Show. He also runs the La Salle County Motorsports Hall of Fame, which he started in 2014. He also has organized more than 25 fundraisers.

The Backwoods Sportsman Show, the Better Fishing Association out of Peru and Pheasants Forever are the three organizations or events that have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.