Roger Dalkin, Mike Hennessy and Martha Burton elected to USBC Hall of Fame

Roger Dalkin, Mike Hennessy and
Martha Burton elected to USBC Hall of Fame

Retired United States Bowling Congress Chief Executive Officer Roger Dalkin, Greenfield, WI; longtime news media contributor Mike Hennessy, Bluffton, SC and the late Martha Burton, a pioneer in the advancement of bowling among African-American youth in the 1950s, have been elected to the USBC Hall of Fame.

Dalkin and Hennessy were elected in the Meritorious Service category by the USBC Hall of Fame Committee during its annual meeting in Milwaukee October 29. The committee revived its dormant Pioneer category to recognize the long overlooked efforts by Burton in an era when minorities were first allowed to join what was then known as the American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress and fledgling American Junior Bowling Congress.

Those three, along with any others elected from the upcoming national Performance balloting, will be inducted during ceremonies held at the 2008 USBC Convention in Kansas City, MO May 9.

Dalkin joined the USBC staff as collegiate manager in 1977. He became group executive-technical in 1985, ABC assistant executive director in 1989, and succeeded the late Darold Dobs to ABC's highest administrative post in 1997 where he played a pivotal role in the merger of bowling's membership organizations into USBC. In 2004, he was named USBC's first CEO, a position he held until his retirement in August.

Hennessy, who got his start in bowling as a sports writer and bowling columnist in Dayton, OH, worked in advertising, public relations and marketing and as a public speaker. He served stints as both media and tournament director for the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour. The former Bowling Writers Association of America president is semi-retired, but remains active as a freelance writer, public speaker and BWAA board member.

Burton, who died in 2006, got her start in bowling in World War II years in Chicago. When she was transferred to the Washington, D.C., area, her involvement in the sport accelerated. She became the first black president of a WIBC local association, and was a driving force in TNBA. She was the first black delegate to the WIBC Convention (1954).

But her first love was children. As a charter member of the Vir-Mar-District YABA board, she served 32 years as a coach and mentor. At its peak, the association served 10,000 youth members. Burton also served on local, state and national youth boards.

In other actions at the annual meeting, the USBC adopted new voting procedures for its men's and women's Performance category, which combines candidates previously considered "professional" and "non-professional" into a single category. The national hall of fame voting panel, consisting of USBC Hall of Famers, veteran bowling writers and USBC leaders, will be asked to vote for up to three candidates from lists of six men's and six women's finalists. Candidates must receive a minimum of 70 percent of votes cast in order to be elected.

Men's Performance finalists for 2007 balloting are Tom Baker, Brian Voss, Del Ballard Jr., Parker Bohn III, John Handegard, and Jeff Richgels. Women's finalists are Dede Davidson, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Shirley Levens, Debbie Kuhn, Leanne Barrette-Hulsenberg and Cheryl Robinson.

No candidates received the necessary 70 percent of votes cast in the Veterans category.

The USBC Hall of Fame was created in 2005 by merging the former ABC and WIBC Halls of Fame. With the three new inductees, there are now 365 members of the USBC Hall of Fame - 238 in Performance, 108 in Meritorious Service and 19 Pioneers.