By Anthony Williams
After a three year absence, the Bordentown Regional Athletic Hall of Fame has been resurrected with the help of athletic director Joseph Sprague and principal Patrick Lynch. From the first induction class in 1999 to its last in 2010, the Bordentown Athletic Hall of Fame annually recognized the best athletes and coaches to come through the Bordentown athletic ranks. But, with nobody to run the organization the past three years, the Athletic Hall of Fame has remained dormant. Along with performing their administrative duties, Sprague and Lynch spent the better part of the winter sports’ season trying to compile a “selection and induction” committee to get the ball rolling again. “Over the past winter months, solicitations were sent out to recruit members of the Athletic Hall of Fame Selection and Induction Committee,” Sprague said. “Applications were sent to Principal Lynch and I, and together we built a committee we thought would be able to handle the re-organization of the Athletic Hall of Fame.” With the new committee meeting monthly, Sprague and Lynch are eager to get to work on the 2013-14 induction class and expect to hold an induction ceremony in the winter of 2014. “After a three-year hiatus, it is extremely exciting to begin the process of nominations and planning an Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,” Lynch said. “Our current committee of community members, coaches, alumni, adjuncts and school administrators are passionate about their responsibility to honor our former athletes and their accomplishments.” The Bordentown Regional Athletic Hall of Fame accepted its inaugural class in 1998-99 with the lone induction of Burtis C. “Bunker” Hill. The committee followed up the next year with a list of who’s who in Bordentown athletics when they enshrined current assistant wrestling coach Larry Kipp Sr., By Crammer, the late Charles “Cressie” Williams and former professional baseball player Cameron Drew. Twelve classes of athletes were eventually inducted into “The Hall” which proudly displays the success of Bordentown athletics in nearly every sport. Among other members is current Trenton Thunder Director of Operations Ryan Crammer, who joined his father as an inductee in 2006. “The committee is eager to move forward and once again honor the accomplishments of our athletes, teams and coaches,” Sprague said. Even though the new committee has been formed and working diligently toward announcing a new class, they are always open to new volunteers coming on board to assist in all aspects of the decision making process. Interested individuals should contact Sprague for more information. The Hall of Fame is currently displayed at Bordentown Regional High School on the “Wall of Honor” in the hallway between the “Larry Kipp Wrestling Room” and the main gymnasium directly across from the cafeteria entrance. An electronic version of the Hall of Fame can be found online in the district portion of the school’s website at bordentown.k12.nj.us. There, you will find a complete list of the induction classes along with pictures and profiles of the athletes. You can also check the website for information regarding nomination, selection and induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Businesses and individuals looking to support for the Bordentown Regional Athletic Hall of Fame can contact Sprague at (609) 298-0025, Ext. 1100 to discuss sponsorship for the 2014 induction ceremony. Sprague can also be contacted via email at jsprague@bordentown.k12.nj.us.
