By Ron Hoffman | April 14, 2005
More than 400 people attended the 2005 South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet April 2 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. It was the largest crowd in the history of the event. The 10 inductees were Larry Luitjens, the state?s winningest boys basketball coach; Jeffrey LeMair and Pat Jefferson, boxing contemporaries in the 1970s who were among the nation?s best; wrestling coach Marv Sherrill; world saddle bronc champion Clint Johnson; basketball player and coach Mel Klein; basketball referee/baseball player/broadcaster Pat Morrison; amateur baseball pitcher Dave Gassman; softball shortstop Blanche Even; and Hall of Fame founder Don Bierle. LeMair, Klein and Even live in Sioux Falls, Luitjens in Custer, Morrison in Mobridge, Gassman in Canova, Sherrill in Watertown, Johnson in Canyon, Texas, and Jefferson in Alaska and Reno, Nev. Bierle was honored posthumously. Along with the 10 inductees, 18 current Hall of Famers also attended the banquet: Rex Swett, Jim Scherr, Bill Scherr, Larry Jacobson, Clyde Hagen, Roger Ferrie, Rich Andrzejewski, Bob Winter, Joe Salem, Jim Marking, Gayle Hoover, Rich Greeno, Gordie Fosness, Dwane Clodfelter, Hod Nielsen, Don Lindner, John Egan and Howard Connors.
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