In honor of Larry Banner…
For those of you that do not know, Larry Banner entered his eternal rest with the Lord on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2013. He died peacefully at home in Modesto, surrounded by his loving family. The full obituary can be found .
Larry was more than a friend, it’s hard to explain what he meant to me. I guess it’s like so many people in your life, it’s how they make you feel. Larry always believed in me. He always encouraged me. He always supported me. I will be forever thankful to him, and I miss him a lot! I first meet Larry about 15 years ago, he was an English teacher at one of the local high schools. He was looking for some one to help him with his computer. I remember thinking he was a crazy old man! He told these fantastic stories about Olympics, his travels around the world, his work, his education and all the obstacles he had overcome thought his life. It was really hard to believe it all. And I didn’t… At first. Through the years, I’ve gotten to know Larry very well. I’ve seen the pictures, the newspaper articles, the printed publications, the awards and degrees, all documenting this mans truly inspiring life.
I had lunch with Larry a couple of days before he passed. We talked about Marti, we talked about his boys, we talked about golf, the things he loved the most. He even talked about another fishing trip.
Larry asked me to create this web site, because he believed that American Olympic athletes deserved more. That their contributions to their family’s and community were just as important as their contribution to their sports. That these are people, not just statistics.
I will do my best to maintain this site, in honor of one of my best friends, Larry Banner.
Bios: 1904-2004 by Dr. Larry Banner, Web Manager & 1993 USGHOF Inductee
Bios: 2008-2010 by Jerry Wright, Assistant Web Manager and 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Welcome to the 260+ lives and achievements depicted in stories, records, photos, and some films of all of America’s Gymnastic of Fame Inductees & Honored Guests, (1904-2012). This web site is the only comprehensive record of U.S. Gymnastics HOF Honorees in the artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline subdivisions of our sport. Think Retton, Miller, Connor, Dawes, Vidmar, Daggett, the Beckners, Zmeskal, Fie, Gaylord, Graves, the Grossfelds, the Hennessys, Kormann, Kotys, Loken, Lynch, Rigby, Metheny & Mulvihill, Sakemoto, Strug (the “one leg up woman), Shurlock, Todd, Szypula, Thomas, Vidmar, and Bordon. Read about those who are true American heroes beyond gymnastics such as Karl Heger and “Hubie” Dunn. Read about our guests: Nadia, Olga, & others who brought their talents into our homes and gyms. Each is a lot more than the medals, trophies, and ribbons they won. They are more than words on a page. They are people with lives before and after their competitive years. They will tell you about their special moments, and there are many.
Special thanks to Dr. A. Bruce Frederick, Bruce Davis, and Abie Grossfeld who, whenever possible, provided information and vetted the biographies. Also, appreciation is extended to all the athletes, coaches, judges, and contributors as well as , our Web Master all of whom made this project possible.