Fischer Family Hall of Fame Award

Premise: Strong family principles represent much of the basis for high school athletics and is hoped current school programs may benefit from an annual example of what a family accomplished.

The family of Joe and Viola Fischer, orginally from the St. Edward area, consists of six boys and three girls: Cletus, Ken, Rex, Jack, Pat, Jerry, Bernadine, Joan and Donafae. The values exhibited by the Fischer family and their many and varied contributions to high school sports in the 1940's & 1950's, and into the college, professional and coaching ranks, are symbolic of the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame's ideals. The Fischers and their contribution to sports is one of the top achievements in Nebraska sports in the 20th century..Click here for a picture & more about the Fischers.

An annual award, starting with the 1999 banquet. The Syracuse Nannens' were the first recipient.

To be based on efforts of several members of the same family, to include one, two even three generations. Emphasis should be on the athletics prowess of the family, but can also be tied to coaching, officiating and making over-all contributions to high school sports.

Suggested nomination form can be found by clicking on the following: Fischer Family Award Nomination Form.

RETURN TO HOME PAGE

2008  Albion's Borers

Victor and Ann Borer’s eight children figured prominently in Albion High School’s athletic success dating from the 1960s through the 1980s. All six sons carried the family name onto the wrestling mat, and into the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, winning nine medals at the state meet. Ted, Tom, Mark and Pete won state championships. Ted, in 1966, and Jay, in 1984, wrestled for Albion’s state championship teams. All six sons also played football with Tom, Pete and Jay winning all-conference honors. Daughters Tori and Beth participated in volleyball and track, helping to set school records in relays and helping Albion win the state track championship in 1980.

Front: Ann & Victor Borer Back: Paul, Ted, Tom, Mark, Pete, Tori, Beth and Jay

1999 Selection:
Family of
Raymond & Margaret Nannen
SYRACUSE
Click here for more about the Nannens.

Raymond played four years of basketball and was a member of Hallam's 1925 Class F State Championship Team.Margaret Nannen played basketball for three years at Sprague-Martell.
They are the parents of seven children: Bob, Joyce, Lyle, Dick, Gene, Neil and Michael. The boys made significant high school sports contributions at Syracuse High School in the 50's and 60's and the family continues to contribute to high school sports in their adult life and into the next generation.

2000 Selection:
Family of Richard and Lois May
HAYES CENTER
Click here for more about the May family.

The family of Richard and Lois May has been contributing to Nebraska's sports heritage for three generations. Richard was a three sport athlete in high school placing third in the 880 at the 1935 State Track Meet. After high school, he played semipro baseball, officiated high school basketball and coached summer league baseball. Lois was the family’s head cheerleader and chief laundry handler of team uniforms. Sons Kent, Kim, Kent and Rocky picked up the pace during their high school careers, all playing for Hayes Center High School. Their children have continued the three-sport barrage.

2001 Selection
Family of Earl and Lenore Thorell,
LOOMIS
Click here for more about the Thorells.

Loomis was where Earl and Lenore Thorell raised their family. Sons Stuart, Jim, Charlie and Dennis and daughter Gloria didn't just stop with being good athletes.  They all went into high school coaching, passing along all the positive points they received from high school sports on to generation after generation. When inducted, the kids had a total of 133 years in the coaching profession.

 

2002 Selection

   Family of Bob & Lorraine Schnitzler, Battle Creek
Click here for more about the Schnitzlers.

Bob & Lorraine Schnitzler and their family became a legend in Battle Creek. Bob was coach and athletic director. His football, girls basketball and track teams won13 state championships. Their six children all were outstanding three-sport athletes in high school lettering all four years, all received All-State recognition and all have college degrees with five participating in sports in college

2003 Selection
  
The Chester and Ruth Bailey Family of Schuyler.

 Chester and Ruth Bailey had four sons — Keith, Gary, Don, and Steve — who gave years of time and dedication to the student athletes of Nebraska and Iowa.  The brothers are graduates of Schuyler High School and attended either Wayne or Midland where they received their  degrees and launched careers in the teaching and coaching profession.  By the time their coaching careers ended in 1999 they had a total of 117 years of directing the athletic endeavors of high school athletes. In 1978 Gary and Don became the first brothers to coach in Nebraska Class A schools at the same time. Keith added to the big-school coaching family when he took the head job at Ames (Iowa) Central.   Click here for more about the Baileys.

2004 Selection:
Bertrand's LeRoy and Patricia Hoehner;
 Children Kyle, Kelly, Chris and Carrie; and grandchildren.

Back in mid-1950's, collegian LeRoy Hoehner, a star athlete at McCook Junior College, fell in love with the head cheerleader.  LeRoy and Patricia later married and together raised a family which stands for everything good in high school activities.

Click here for more about the Hoehners..

2005

Leon and Mayme Dostal family of Scribner

and the families of their sons (Bob, Larry, Ken, Norm, Rich, Dave and Don) and daughters (Irma Dostal, Mary Ann Johnson, Janet Bailey and Rosie Hanna)
250 High School Letters, 34 All-State Awards, 50 College Letters......

The family of Leon and Mayme Dostal of Scribner and the families of their children, Bob, Larry, Ken, Norm, Rich, Dave, Don, Irma Dostal, Mary Ann Johnson, Janet Bailey and Rosie Hanna are honored as the 2005 Hall of Fame Family.

Sports have been for many year, and continue to be, the recreation and vocation of the Dostal family.

Ken, who was a two-time all-state selection in football and basketball, was offered a contract by the Denver Broncos. Norm has coached youth football. Rich and Dave had standout football careers at Kearney State College. Larry played college basketball at Norfolk Junior College and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Bob, the oldest, still enjoys playing basketball, while the others remain active in other sports.

The second generation has been just as successful. Scott and Shawn, Ken’s sons, played football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, while their brother, Dan, played at Iowa State. Shawn and Dan went on the play in Berlin in the World Football League. Shawn also played for the U.S. Olympic handball team.

Vincent, Norm’s son, played football for Solano Junior College and the University of California-Davis.

Jennifer, Rich’s daughter, played for the two-time state championship Kearney Catholic girls basketball team.

Jay, Dave’s son, played football for four years at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Darcey Johnson, Mary Ann’s daughter, earned Academic All-American honors at the College of St. Mary and played on three national tournament teams.

 Pam, Bob’s daughter, was the first female from Midland (Mich.) High School to receive a college basketball scholarship, while her sister, Marcie, was a scholar athlete on the Purdue University swim team.

Terry Hanna, Rosie’s son, is the director of the Omaha Cox Classic golf tournament and has worked on many other charity sporting events.

As a group, the Dostal family has nearly 250 high school letters, 34 all-state honors and 50 collegiate letters.

,,,read about the Dostals...

2006


--Wolbach’s Algie and Lollie Wibbels, their children Edsel, Leonard, Ray, Florence Teter and Mel, and their families.

 The boys starred at Wolbach, with Edsel’s discus achievements bringing his induction into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame. They were all four-year standouts in football and track. After high school, Leonard signed a pro baseball contract and played in the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system. Ray played semipro baseball. Mel added all-conference basketball to his high school exploits. Their families spread beyond Wolbach and continued to excel in sports. All told, Algie and Lollie had 22 grandchilden in high school and college athletics, 26 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. They branched beyond the track-football concentration, also being involved in basketball, golf, gymnastics, softball, volleyball, soccer and baseball, not to forget Meredith McDaniel’s letter on the crew team at Georgetown University in 1993.

2007

Rothers from Wolbach
 

Henry and Ethel Rother Family of Wolbach Married in 1941, Henry and Ethel have seen their family grow to 18 children, 55 grandchildren and 41 greatgrandchildren.

Each family has excelled in multiple high school activities including football, basketball, wrestling, track, softball, baseball, golf, soccer, rodeo and cheerleading.

The family trophy case includes numerous All-Conference and All-State honors. Sons John, Rollie, Ted, Stan and Charles (Perky) won state wrestling championships. Doug earned All-Big 8 defensive end honors. Grandsons and granddaughters have enjoyed success in youth sports, prep sports, college sports and indoor football.

Several state championship teams have had Rother family members on their rosters. Family members have set numerous state, conference and school records, and several members of the family have enjoyed successful coaching experiences in numerous sports.

Picture IDs

Front: Cheryl, Mary Middle: Bob, Charles, Minnie, Ethel,Donna, Patti, Mike, Ted Back: John, Sandy, Stan, Doug, Rollie, Henry Sr., Tom, Henry Jr., Ed

2008

Albion's Borers

Victor and Ann Borer’s eight children figured prominently in Albion High School’s athletic success dating from the 1960s through the 1980s. All six sons carried the family name onto the wrestling mat, and into the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, winning nine medals at the state meet. Ted, Tom, Mark and Pete won state championships. Ted, in 1966, and Jay, in 1984, wrestled for Albion’s state championship teams. All six sons also played football with Tom, Pete and Jay winning all-conference honors. Daughters Tori and Beth participated in volleyball and track, helping to set school records in relays and helping Albion win the state track championship in 1980.

Front: Ann & Victor Borer Back: Paul, Ted, Tom, Mark, Pete, Tori, Beth and Jay