Don't Forget the Hall

Every year I make this same plea, but I shouldn’t have to do so for true fans of bass fishing: If you’re within a reasonable distance of Springfield, Missouri, make an effort to attend the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame annual induction ceremony. It’s not only a chance to mix and mingle with all of the movers and shakers in the world of bass fishing, but also an opportunity to bid on some one-of-a-kind items. Last year you could’ve bought a gator-hunting trip with one of the Swamp People, or a fishing trip at Jimmy Houston’s Ranch. I promise you this year’s selection will be every bit as good, and some can be won at bargain prices if you’re a savvy shopper. Now, for the second time, you’ll be able to bid for those items online as well, but I guarantee you it’s more fun to do it with a bar in the room and Dave Mercer goading you on. 

There’s tons to do in the Springfield area, too. If you’re still in the social distancing bubble, that includes plenty of outdoor activities.

 I’m on the Board of the Hall, so I suppose this is all a little self-serving, but it’s really for your own good. As we were reminded once again this past week with the death of my friend Lonnie Stanley, the sport’s innovators and early figureheads are in increasingly short supply. We have to celebrate them while they’re still able to enjoy it. Posthumous recognition is better than nothing, but it’s not ideal. 

Of course, the election process is as objective as such a mostly subjective process can be. We’ve established guidelines for who can be inducted, and how they shall be nominated and chosen. In practice, that means there’s a bias towards recency – the voters tend to favor candidates whose accomplishments they recall, and tend to discount the accomplishments of candidates who were around long before them. That leads to certain (deserving) candidates getting elected as soon as they turn 50, while others (who may be equally deserving) remain on the back burner. I don’t know if there’s a fix for that, or if one should even be attempted, but I can assure you that the all-volunteer board is most concerned with doing what is best for the sport, however difficult that may be to define.