Hall of Fame Inductees

Fred Morrison, Inventor of the Frisbee
Walter F. (Fred) Morrison has provided pleasure to millions of people throughout the world. He was the first person to envision the creation of a plastic disc to be used as a substitute for a ball in a game of catch.

The Healy Brothers
"Boots" Bob, Jake, Tim, and Pete Healy created the International Frisbee Tournament, the longest running disc competition in history in 1958 at Eagle Harbor, Michigan, during a family picnic. Their North Central Team won the fabled Julius T. Nachazel Cup for the first nine years of the event.

Dr. Stancil E. D. Johnson, "Super Shrink"

Competitor and historian, Stancil Johnson has made giant contributions to the growth of disc sports. A member of the International Frisbee Tournament Champion California Masters in 1968 and the Foul Five in 1970, he also served as official event psychiatrist for many years. His book, Frisbee, is still considered the authority on disc activities.

Stancil Johnson is pictured with the Julius T. Nachazel Cup, symbolic of Guts supremacy, awarded to the winner of the International Frisbee Tournament, circa 1968, Eagle Harbor, Michigan.

Ed Headrick, "Steady Ed"
Perhaps the single greatest contributor to the growth of disc sports, Headrick founded the International Frisbee disc Association, developed the World Frisbee Disc Championships, and founded the Disc Golf Association, among his many achievements. He also captained the two-time International Frisbee Tournament winners, the California Masters. Also a member of the Disc Golf Hall of Fame.

Sad to report that Ed Headrick passed way in August 2002

New York Times obit
CNN.com obit

Steady Ed is listed on the patent for the Frisbee here.

Goldy Norton, "Golden Finger"

During the period of growth for disc sports, Norton was in large part responsible for the publicity that assisted in that growth. An occassional competitor, he competed on a team that finished second at the International Frisbee Tournament and he also authored the first book on the Frisbee disc.

Paul Richardson, "Sky King"
The ultimate sportsman, Sky King was one of the few disc athletes who bridged the old and modern eras of disc sports. An unflagging competitor, he earned respect from everyone he encountered and he personifies the spirit of disc sports.

Jon Davis

In 1970, Jon Davis began his reign as the guiding force behind the International Frisbee Tournament, which is now in its 38th year. Under his able direction, it grew from a family picnic to an internationally known event.

Back when he was Jumbo Jon, 1970 IFT, Calumet, Michigan.

John Kirkland, "Friz Whiz"
A tremendous all-around competitor, Kirkland was voted the disc athlete of the seventies. He won the men's overall World's Championship in 1977 and finished second on three other occassions, as well as winning several individual world titles.

Jo Cahow

A former member of the Humbly Magnificent Champions of the Universe, Jo Cahow won the women's World Championship 1974-75 and served for several years as assistant to the Executive Director of the International Frisbee disc Association. A dedicated competitor, she was also a great sportswoman.

The photo is of Jo from 1972 in Copper Harbor, Michigan, at the International Frisbee Tournament.

Dan Roddick, "Stork"

A disc sports activist for more than 25 years, Roddick was an outstanding competitor in many areas including freestyle and ultimate, and also helped create two events of the World Frisbee Disc Championships. In 1975, he was named director of the International Frisbee disc Association, succeeding the legendary Harvey J. Kukuk. Also a member of the Disc Golf Hall of Fame.

Victor Malafronte
A standout in the strong contingent of disc athletes from Berkeley, California, Victor Malafronte was an outstanding competitor for more than a decade. In 1974, he was the first World Frisbee Disc Champion, and in 1981 he was the World Senior (age 35 and over) titleholder. Victor also authored a early and influential book entitled The Complete Book of Frisbee.

John Connelly
Member of the three-time IFT champs Highland Ave. Aces (1971-73), Octad World Individual Flying Disc Champion (1975), World Distance Champion (1976), World Frisbee Golf Champion (1978), and National Ultimate Frisbee Champion (1983).

Jim Palmeri

Jim Palmeri's pivotal work in the early 1970's helped launch disc golf as a competitive sport. His personal sacrifice made possible many marvelous events, including the 1974 American Flying Disc Open and the 1984 PDGA World Championships. Jim's knowledge of the flying disc is positively encyclopedic. Also a member of the Disc Golf Hall of Fame.

Class of 1997

HANCOCK-Five new members have been voted into the International Frisbee Hall of Fame. Honored in the Overall Division is Joe Youngman of Laurium, Michigan, in the Guts Division, Bob Hansen of Calumet, Michigan, and John Hodges of Calumet, and in the Freestyle Division, Erwin and Jens Velasquez (vell-OZ-kwez) of California.

The induction ceremony will take place at the 40th Annual International Frisbee Tournament, which will be held at the Condon Baseball Field in West Hancock on Saturday and Sunday, July 5th and 6th. The ceremony will be Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and is open to the public.

Hansen and Hodges were members of the famous Library Guts Frisbee Team, which won the 1974, 1977, and 1978 IFTs, 1974 Canadian Open, 1975 Ann Arbor Open, 1977 U.S. Nationals, and 1978 World's Championships, among other tournaments. Guts Frisbee pits two teams fourteen meters apart, throwing the orange Professional Frisbee at speeds up to 80 miles per hour.

Youngman was also a member of the late 1970s Library Team, and he held World or U.S. Open (held in the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA) Records in Throw, Run, and Catch, Distance, Indoor Distance, and Maximum Time Aloft in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's record distance throw of 363 feet.

The Velasquez brothers were famous for fast freestyle, hurling the Frisbee back and forth at a high rate of speed while performing their routine. They were 1976 and 1977 Rose Bowl, 1980 Freestyle Players Association Champions, and 1982 United States Open Champions. Erwin was the 1994 United States Open Champion and 1995 Freestyle Players Association Champions.

The International Frisbee Hall of Fame is located in the Houghton County Historical Museum in Lake Linden, Michigan.

Bob Hansen

The devastating thumber of Bob Hansen carried the Library Bar to numerous Guts Frisbee titles in the mid- to late-1970s, including 1974, 77, and 78 IFT's. Excellent on tipping also.

Bobby Hansen, ca. 1974 at Cliff's Ridge, Marquette, MI. Point machine for the Library Bar.

Johnny Hodges

The captain of the Bosch Hunt-hers and Library Bar Teams that would dominate Guts in the 1970s. A great strategist.

Johnny Hodges, ca. 1973, Bosch Hunt-hers, Library Bar

Erwin and Jens Velasquez

Originators of fast freestyle, these brothers astounded crowds in the 1970s and 1980s with their incredible routine. Erwin continued to compete and win into the 1990s.

Erwin Velazquez performs in front of 50,000 people at the Rose Bowl, 1977

Joe Youngman

World and U.S. Open Record holder in several competitions: Distance; Throw, Run, and Catch; and Maximum Time Aloft in the 1970s and 1980s. Also a member of the Library Bar Guts Frisbee Teams of the late 1970s.

Frisbee Joe practicing distance in L'Anse, MI, ca. 1980s.