Hall of Fame Information

Selection Committee
The Selection Committee shall consist of 3 members of the Executive Committee (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary) and up to five additional members selected by the Executive Committee.

Classification of Hall of Fame Members
There shall be three classes of membership in the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame:

  1. Players
  2. Builders
  3. Teams

For the purpose of selection, all individual nominees, other than players, shall be considered as builders.

Eligibility for Election
1. Athlete candidates must have concluded their careers as active players for a minimum of five years before their election.

2. The Selection Committee may reduce the five year waiting period for reasons of outstanding prominence, skill and special circumstances.

3. Notwithstanding 1. and 2., an athlete who has reached his or her fiftieth birthday will be eligible for nomination and consideration by the Selection Committee. This recognizes the fact that many outstanding athletes continue to compete in various sports long after their peak competitive years.

4. Builder candidates may be either active or inactive at the time of their election.

5. All candidates must have resided in Belleville and area for a period of five years, not necessarily continuously.

6. Members of the Selection Committee are not eligible for election.

Procedure for Nomination
Nominations should be made on the official nomination forms and submitted to the Selection Committee Secretary by the Governing Body of the particular sport or by an individual. The nomination should contain the fullest possible data concerning the record and merits of each candidate.

All nominations submitted will be considered for election in the year nominated and succeeding years.

Nominations that have been active for five years, without the individual (or team) being elected to the Hall of Fame, may be placed in an inactive file at the discretion of the Selection Committee. Any nomination placed in the inactive file may be reactivated for consideration by the Selection Committee upon the request of any Hall of Fame Committee member.

Basis for Election of Candidates
1. Nomination to the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame does not guarantee induction into the Hall of Fame.

2. Candidates for election shall be chosen on the basis of playing ability, sportsmanship, character, contributions to their particular sport and the honour brought to Belleville, and to sport in general.

3. To be elected into the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame a candidate must secure six (6) votes of the Selection Committee.

History
In 1987, fifteen Inductees into the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame were announced at a ceremony held in the Sir James Whitney School Auditorium. It was an emotional scene for all in attendance.


This event was the culmination of a group of individuals who strongly believed that the rich sporting history of the City of Belleville, Prince Edward and Hastings Counties should be permanently enshrined in a Sports Hall of Fame. In 1986, under the leadership of founder Paul Kirby and with support from the City’s Recreation Department, a Committee that included James Hurst, Drury Denyes, Denis Newman and Fred Brooks put together the necessary framework to make the Hall of Fame a reality. We are forever indebted to these individuals and the vision they had.


Since the inaugural Induction Ceremony in 1987 and up to 2010, a total of 87 athletes, builders and teams have been inducted into the hall. The plaques recognizing the achievements of the inductees were annually added to the Hall of Fame display at the Yardman Arena and the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre (QSWC). Eventually, as the number of inductees grew, additional space was required.


In 2016, a new HOF Committee was introduced and they led the way to have the HOF plaques relocated to a larger, more easily accessed location on the 2nd floor of the QSWC.


Display cases were added early in 2017 to ensure that all visitors to the QSWC could enjoy the history and artifacts of the members of the HOF. A “Re-opening Ceremony” will be held in September 2017, with a number of HOF members, local dignitaries and media in attendance.


The HOF Committee also manages the McDonalds Belleville High School Athlete of the Year Program, which recognizes the top female and male athletes from eight high schools in the region.


We invite the public to enjoy The Belleville Sports Hall of Fame and to support it with nominations of worthy athletes, builders and teams.


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