Loralee Miller (right), third generation owner of Miller's Recreation in Laurium, is inaugurated into the Copper Country USBC Association Hall of Fame by Donna Martin (left) and Dave Baril (center). (Kent Kraft/For the Gazette)

BARAGA — More than 100 friends and family members gathered at the Baraga Lakeside Inn to celebrate the inaugural Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for the Copper Country United States Bowling Congress (USBC) on Saturday. Four categories welcomed a first class including Performance, Meritorious, Ring of Honor, and Special Awards.

The Performance category honored bowlers who have achieved impressive statistics through their time bowling in the Copper Country USBC Association. Bowlers in this category have bowled multiple 300 games (a perfect score in bowling), sustained 200+ averages for multiple years, and had series scores (a grouping of three games where a perfect score would be 300) above 800 as examples of their bowling prowess. Inaugural Performance honorees included Alex Loukus, Scott Gipp, Tony Mihelich, Mike Jurmu, and Jim Therrian.

The Meritorious category honored those who have given back to the bowling community in the Copper Country. People in this category have dedicated multiple decades to the Copper Country USBC, promoted bowling in their communities, helped people participate in bowling leagues, organized tournaments, and often served on the board of the Association among other accomplishments. Inaugural Meritorious honorees included David Baril, Paulette Archambeau, MaeBelle Schmitz*, Robert Massicotte, Sheila Rolando*, and Carol Harry.

The Ring of Honor category honored people who have worked tirelessly to provide spaces for people to bowl. Opening, owning, operating, improving, and expanding bowling lanes are some of the tasks performed on a near daily basis. Those who bowl at these establishments know how much more the owner/operators have put into supporting bowling in the Copper Country USBC. Inaugural Ring of Honor inductees included Loralee Miller (Miller’s Recreation in Laurium), Ronald Whitman (Whirl-I-Gig in L’Anse), and Derek Bradway (Gitche Gumee Lounge & Lanes in Munising and Mine Shaft in Houghton).

The Special Awards category honored one team and one individual for impressive feats in bowling. Derek Bradway who, despite stepping away from bowling competitively, has impressive statistics from his time in the sport, including 16 300 (perfect) games. The team was a group of five men who collectively bowled the highest recorded team series for this association on March 10, 1996. Team members, with individual series scores, included Eddie Grampo (763), Brian Cadwell (681), Robert Poirier (706), Daniel Schmitt, Sr. (712), and Bill Kallio* (560).

Though the Copper Country USBC Association has been around for several decades, no one had established a Hall of Fame for the bowlers involved. Donna Martin, current administrative manager of theassociation and a member of a bowling association Hall of Fame in Wisconsin, set to work rectifying the situation this year. She was shocked this area did not yet have one and knew several people who should be in such an organization had already passed away. That provided the impetus for her to help put this inaugural group together.

“We needed to get this organized before anyone else passed,” said Martin early in the ceremony.

The three inductees mentioned earlier in the article with asterisks are the three members who were posthumously awarded in this first class.

Martin continued, “It is important to recognize those who do well in bowling, but also those who give so much of themselves to help others be able to bowl, and we need to recognize them when they still have a chance to celebrate with us.”

Martin relied heavily on suggestions from current Copper Country USBC Association members as well as friends and family of bowlers who had someone they thought should be honored. Nominations will be an ongoing process with plans to continue expanding the Hall of Fame in the years to come. Many of those at this inaugural reception were openly appreciative of Martin taking the initiative and putting so much work into this celebration.

Bradway took the microphone when he was presented with his award.

“I’ve had a lot of ideas over the years, and this [Hall of Fame] was not one of them – and it should have been,” he said. “So thank you, [Donna], for doing this.”

Rounds of applause from the audience echoed this thanks to Martin.

“Unbelievable. I never thought this would happen in my lifetime,” said Grampo, now 89 and still bowling as one of the oldest bowlers in the association. It just wasn’t something we thought about.

“Someone at my table told me they can’t believe he is still bowling, and I replied, ‘I can’t believe I’m still alive!’ I’ve been bowling since I was nine, when I was setting pins, and I’m still bowling now. I’m glad I was able to be here tonight.”

Several people spoke in recognition of the honorees after the awards were handed out, and conversations at the tables were full of reminiscing. Most conversations throughout the evening focused on the memories collectively created as they played the game they all love. This is the first of what those in the association hope to be many induction ceremonies for the Copper Country USBC Association Hall of Fame.