|
|
|
Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame
|
In 2008 the Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame recognized the initial class of inductees. These individuals, through competitive accomplishments and/or organizational achievements, including areas such as development, promotion, and leadership, have made outstanding contributions to the sport of disc golf in Indiana. Their selfless devotion merits the honor, remembrance, and respect that this recognition bestowes upon them.
In 2009 another individual was honored for his achievements and dedication to the sport of disc golf with induction into the Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame.
In 2011 a fifth member was recognized for his career accomplishments in the sport of disc golf and inducted into the Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame.
The members of the Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame are...
_________________________________________________________
|
 |
 |
|
|
Mike Mavrick
Inducted 2008
Date of Birth: 3/5/54
Club Affiliation: Peru Disc Golf Club
Home town: Peru, IN
Major Disc Golf Contributions/Accomplishments:
Mike began playing disc golf in 1978 at the KOA (now Honey Bear Hollow) in Peru. He helped form the Peru Disc Golf Club in 1979 and ran his first tournament that same year. By working with the city of Peru and the State, Mike was able to get courses installed at Maquonaquah Park in 1983, and at Mississenewa Resevoir in 1984. Also in 1984, the Circus City Open was started. In 1985, along with Allen Pier, Brian Cummings, and Bruce Cunningham, Mike helped found the Indiana Fall Series, the longest running disc golf series in the country. Mike now runs nearly every event on the PDGC schedule. By best estimate, Mike has run over 500 disc golf events!
Abstract:
With his cooperative nature, Mike has been instrumental in growing the sport of disc golf all over the state for 30 years. He has expanded the Fall Series to as many as eight events by fostering cooperation among all of the clubs in the state. This has also led to the creation of the Indiana Summer Series, now in its 5th year. He has also set the standard for integrity and consistency in running tournaments. He is a leader by example, mentoring newer clubs and tournament directors, and guiding them towards success. When he actually plays disc golf, Mike always has a great time, no matter what his score or who he played with. Mike is undoubtedly the hardest working TD in disc golf and the recognition that comes with his induction into the Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame is long overdue.
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
Date of Birth: 11/10/53
Club Affiliation: Peru Disc Golf Club
Home town: Peru, IN
Major Disc Golf Contributions/Accomplishments:
Allen Started making pole holes in 1979. Since that first one he has gone on to produce the baskets for Maconaquah Park in Peru, Sweeny and Shoaf Parks in Ft. Wayne, France Park in Logansport, Highland Park in Kokomo, Crestmont Park in Bloomington, as well as, Cabin Creek in Cincinnatti. In addition to making targets, Allen has also designed some of the finest courses in North-central Indiana. These include Highland Park, Sweeny Park, France Park, and what used to be the longest course in Indiana, Ross Hills in West Lafayette. Since then he has turned his attention to the piece of property that he and wife Jeannie own. They are the proud parents of 4 courses at the Pieradise Disc Golf Country Club, a little slice of heaven just south of Peru.
Allen is one of the original founders of the Peru Disc Golf Club in 1979, the oldest club in Indiana. He is also one of the creators of the Indiana Fall Series, the longest running disc golf series in the country. Allen is very proud of being the host of the 1987 World Cup tourney in Peru. This was one of the first “Women's targeted tournaments” and was one of the richest tournaments of its day.
Abstract:
Allen has been a pioneer, player, organizer, and now a promoter. He has helped build disc golf in Indiana from the first scramble at Honeybear back in the spring of 1978 to building pole holes, designing courses, promoting and running tournaments, and of course, playing. Allen crowns his playing career with a 37th place finish (in the cash) at the Tulsa Worlds in 1985. Since its opening in the summer of 2001, Pieradise has been a mainstay on the Peru tournament schedule, running some of the best events around, including the Summer Series Finale…the Pieradise Open. He is the epitome of sportsmanship, always heralding a nice shot from a competitor, or going out of his way to talk to all the people who come by to play, not just his old friends. Everyone is equal in the eyes of one of Indiana’s own legends of disc golf, Allen Pier, truly a friend to all.
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
Brian Cummings
Inducted 2008
Date of Birth: 2/26/56
Club Affiliation: Red Roc Disc Golf Club
Home town: Munster, IN
Major Disc Golf Contributions/Accomplishments:
Brian began playing disc golf in 1976 at Wilmette, IL. In 1980 Brian helped install the Munster course and began running tournaments in 1983. In 1984 Brian took over the Indiana State Championships and has been the TD ever since. He has designed 11 courses including Munster, Riverside Park in Hammond, and the Lemon Lake Park complex of 4 courses in Cedar Lake. Brian is also a co-founder of the Indiana Fall Series, the longest running disc golf series in the country. He is an innovator by being one of the first to use added holes at events to accommodate more players. A technique that is used at most large tournaments today. He is also one of the first disc golf entrepreneurs by being a major distributor of discs to many clubs in Indiana. Brian is also very proud of the tournament he runs in honor of his late friend, Homie (Matt Lovasko). This has grown to be one of the biggest one day events in the state.
As a player, Brian was a beast on tour in the mid ‘80’s and was one of the early power players in the game. Brian has finished as high as 14th in the Worlds at Rochester in ’84, and 6th in the Masters at Dayton in ’91. He has placed in the cash 5 times at the World Championships.
Abstract:
Brian has helped grow the sport of disc golf in numerous ways. He has hosted over 100 tournaments. He has tutored 2 or 3 generations of tournament directors at how to run a tournament. By providing low cost merchandise to clubs, he has allowed them to raise funds for growing the sport all over the state and the region. He is willing to share his opinion about disc golf issues and is always outspoken (and loud). He really is a gentle giant…a giant of disc golf in Indiana.
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
T.S. Condor
Tom Stieglitz
Inducted 2009
Date of Birth: 7/18/55
Club Affiliation: Fort Disc Golf Club
Home town: Ft. Wayne, IN
Major Disc Golf Contributions/Accomplishments:
Condor began playing disc golf in 1977 at SwinneyPark on a temporary course layout. By working with the Ft. Wayne Parks Department., Condor and Bruce Cunningham were able to get the targets at ShoaffPark retrofitted to more traditional home made baskets in 1986 and ’87. The course at SwinneyPark was also installed in 1987. In 1985, the first Ft.Fall tourney was held. In 1993 he spearheaded the effort to upgrade ShoaffPark from the homemade baskets by buying and installing the first Spider Web basket. With his traveling course, Condor also set up and ran several World’s Biggest events, one of which won the Decatur area the city-without-a-course category and a brand new 9 hole disc golf course. The course was designed by Condor and installed at Bearcreek Farms in Geneva, IN.
He has played in the Worlds 5 times in the Open, Masters, and Grand Masters divisions.
Abstract:
His massive wing span led to the “Condor” nickname…which has stuck with him throughout the years on tour, and also outside of disc golf. As a player, Condor cites as his most memorable event a 2nd place finish to Steve Wisecup at the 1987 Madeline Bertrand Fall Series event, a tournament in which he threw two aces in one round with the same disc. Condor was to see most of his success in the Masters division winning several tournaments and garnering three consecutive Indiana Fall Series Overall titles.
Throughout the 90’s, with his traveling disc golf course of 19 baskets, Condor would drive the state and set up courses or expand courses for tournaments. During the Fall Series it would not be unusual for him to drive to South Bend and set up baskets on Saturday, tear down and drive to Bloomington and set up a course on Sunday. Doing this allowed TD’s to run bigger events with larger fields and propelled the Indiana Fall Series to the status it enjoys today as the longest running disc golf series in the world.
Ft. Wayne has been a mainstay of both the Indiana Summer and Fall Series’ circuit and over the years Condor’s steady guidance has helped set the standard and expectations for how disc golf tournaments in Indiana are now run. In disc golf, Condor’s reach extends far beyond his wingspan.
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
Jerry Suiter
Inducted 2011
Date of Birth: 9/16/61
Club Affiliation: Indianapolis Disc Golf Club
Home town: Indianapolis, IN
Major Disc Golf Contributions/Accomplishments: Jerry began playing disc golf in 1979 at S&H Campground. In 1988 he became one of the founding members of the Indianapolis Disc Golf Club. The IDGC was the catalyst behind the expansion of disc golf in Indianapolis. He has directed over 100 tournaments and has served as a leader with the IDGC ever since. It was his vision for the IDGC to host the 1992 World Amateur Championship and to use that as the opportunity to convince Indy Parks to install the Brookside Park course. Jerry served as Tournament Director and, at the time, the tournament was the biggest amateur tournament ever held. Jerry is also the founder and Director of the Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame.
He began playing on the Pro tour in 1988. He has won over 60 tournaments in the Open and Masters divisions including 3 Indiana State Championships, 2 Illinois State Championships, over 30 Fall Series tournament victories, 4 Indiana Fall Series Overall Championships, and 1 Indiana Summer Series Overall Championship.
Abstract: As a player, Jerry is known as a “cool customer” and dead-on putter. He recalls as his most memorable tour performance the1994 Bowling Green Super Tour Open. After leading the third and fourth rounds, he finished in a tie for second with Ken Climo and Scott Stokely after a heated nine hole final.
He has been a driving force for the growth of disc golf in central Indiana and beyond. In 1994, Jerry suggested to Ice Bowl coordinator Rick Rothstein that the Ice Bowl be made into a charity event. Since then the Ice Bowl has raised over $1 million dollars to help feed the hungry. Jerry has also designed several courses in central Indiana, including Camp Cullom in Frankfort, McCulloch Park in Muncie, Lions Club Park in Yorktown, and Boondocks Farms in Knightstown. Jerry has served, and continues serving, as a mentor to many upstart clubs over the years such as Bloomington, Lebanon, Muncie, and Crawfordsville, helping them to establish a basis for success.
His success, and sometimes dominating victories, earned him the nickname “The Legend”, but his calm demeanor, sportsmanship, and unselfishness, combined with a great sense of humor are why Jerry is so often the go-to-guy for Indiana disc golf.
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
Current members of the Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame at the 2011 induction ceremony. They are (from left to right): Jerry Suiter, Allen Pier, T.S. Condor, Brian Cummings, Mike Mavrick.
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
Jerry Suiter says a few words after being honored at the 2011 induction ceremony on August 28th at the Pieradise Disc Golf Course. Mike Mavrick (left) looks on.
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
T.S. Condor (right) receives his award from Allen Pier (left) during the 2009 induction ceremony held on August 23rd at the Pieradise Disc Golf Course.
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
The inaugural inductees into the Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Fame: Allen Pier, Brian Cummings, and Mike Mavrick (L to R).
_________________________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
|
