Category: Hall of Fame

Long-time NMRA player Marcia Richards was formally inducted into the NMRA Hall of Fame at our tournament banquet in Atlanta. It was a rather chilly December evening, but we had a great banquet at the Sonesta Hotel in Duluth/Lilburn. With 40 total NMRA medals and many more for USAR and WSMRA competitions, Marcia is a true champion. Everyone loved hearing her stories of the old days and seeing slides of her as a young competitor. In addition to playing racquetball, as a Physical Education teacher and coach, Marcia has also taught hundreds of high school and elementary kids how to play over the years. A few years ago, Marcia got a knee replacement and felt like a new person, wishing she had done it sooner so she could play her best racquetball all along. In her home town of Denver, she serves on the Colorado Racquetball Association board, runs tournaments, and was among the founders of Racquet for the Cure, a huge, long-running...

Again in 2019, the committee of NMRA Hall of Fame voters chose several inductees for our prestigious Hall of Fame. Two of the newly-elected inductees had their ceremonies at the July NMRA tournament banquet in Chicago. They were: Bill Baker of Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Bill is currently on the NMRA Board of Directors and has many medals that made him eligible for induction. Bill’s wife, Pearl, created an amazing video of slides and video of Bill’s work career and his racquetball career. Congratulations to Bill, and Pearl for her great video show! Mike Grisz of Alexandria, Virginia (previously Dallas, Texas). Mike is a longtime NMRA player and joined the Board of Directors in 2016. Mike met his wife, Karen, at an NMRA event a few years ago and Karen did a great job of introducing Mike to the crowd with slides of his long racquetball career. They both run the NMRA tournament desk and help the President run the organization. The...

Mildred Gwinn (North Carolina) | At the time of nomination, Mildred already boasted 27 total NMRA medals, 18 of them Gold, with no slow-down in sight. Given both her demonstrated ability and continued prospects (!), the pool of voters had no qualms about voting her into the NMRA Hall of Fame as an athlete. Mildred rarely misses an NMRA event, where she and fellow Hall of Famer, Marquita Molina, often pair up for Women’s 75+ Doubles. She continues to work hard to improve by taking lessons for her game and her serve. Mike Hiles (Minnesota) | Like his father before him, Mike Hiles is a major contributor to the NMRA and was very emotional when he inducted into the Hall of Fame in Denver. Mike is a recent board member and, while most retirees fade into the background, he has continued to be our source for medals and awards, including his own! His father, Cap Hiles, is very proud of his...

In ceremonies at the 2017 International Championships in West Allis, Gladys Leonard was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Athlete category. From Eclectic, Alabama, she spent many years in the Washington, DC area playing with the Fort Myer military base group. They introduced her to the NMRA about a decade ago and she earned a medal whenever she competed since then. Her regular Mixed Doubles partner, Scott Kraemer, delivered her HOF introduction with a delightful presentation featuring pictures from her past. Everyone asks to play with Gladys — who is a great competitor and so worthy of the Hall of Fame.  Mike Martin from Golden, Colorado, was also inducted for his amazing contributions to the organization and specifically on behalf of the 75+ players. At 90, Mike has been a dues-paying Member for over 15 years, entered almost 30 NMRA tournaments, and won 34 medals in Singles and Doubles. He's also been an active participant in the annual Man of...