GAYLORD, Mitch Inducted: 1984 – Olympic Gold Medal Team Inducted: 1998 – Individual. Inducted: U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame – 2005 Born: March 10, 1961 Mitch is quoted by BrainyMedia.com as saying “The greatest memory for me of the 1984 Olympics was not the individual honors, but standing on the podium with my teammates to … Read more
GABLE, Martha A. Inducted: 1978 Born: Philadelphia, PA-USA Martha Gable was elected to the USGHOF as a long-time and highly respected judge in women’s gymnastics. As a national and international judge, she also had the reputation of being able to listen to the athlete’s gymnastic problems and immediately set to work finding appropriate solutions. Her … Read more
FREDERICK-BLANCHETTE, Marcia Inducted: 1995 Born: Springfield, Massachusetts Strasbourg is a city whose name means “town (at the crossing) of roads.” For Marcia Frederick it must have symbolized the crossing of the first of many lines she envisioned crossing in her gymnastics career. With America’s first World Championship Gold Medal glistening from her neck, she had … Read more
DUSSERRE-Farrell, Michelle Inducted: 2006 Born: Long Beach, California-USA Michelle Dusserre-Farrell was blessed with the three elements of athletic success; namely, opportunity, the wherewithal (nearby gyms), and encouragement. Her father was a high school Athletic Director and provided an early push for his girls to enter the world of athletics. Michelle’s sister, Shawna, was already playing … Read more
NEUMANN-ELSTE, Meta Inducted: 1974 Born: Bremen, Germany – 1919 Meta Neumann-Elste is a study in perseverance. Her performances on the women’s events were outstanding at a time when she would have been a strong contender for our 1940 and 1944 Women’s Olympic Gymnastic teams. But it was the ‘40’s, and even with a … Read more
BROWN, Margaret (1892-1990) Inducted: 1976 Born: St. Lambert, Quebec Dr. Margaret Brown appears to have led a highly academic and administrative life, but her work with boys and girls in gymnastics was not well recognized in the gymnastics competitive arena. Physical educators knew her better. However, she was a pioneer in her efforts to establish … Read more
BHARDWAJ, Mohini Inducted: 2015 Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mohini Bhardwaj competed at the 1997 and 2001 World Championships and earned a team silver medal at the in . She was the first gymnast, and the second Indian-American athlete overall, ever to medal at t he O lympics. One of the very few American female gymnasts to compete in college and … Read more
BERUBE-SCHNEIDER, Michelle Inducted: 2004 Prelude to Rhythmic Gymnastics The history of Rhythmic Gymnastics can be traced as far back as 1814 by Per Henrik Ling. Ling promoted aesthetic gymnastics in which students expressed their feelings and emotions through bodily movement but it was still calisthenics without apparatus. Then it 1864 proponents of the activity began … Read more
BAKOS, Maria (1931-1990) Inducted: 1990 Born: Budapest, Hungary Maria Bakos was in the right place at the right time. She happened to be teaching and coaching dance and rhythmic gymnastics at clinics, camps, and schools in the USA at the same time as a new sport called Modern Rhythmic Gymnastics (MRG) was developing throughout … Read more
BAGIU, Mihai Inducted: 2004 Born: April 10, 1971, Timisoara, Romania Mihai was a solid performer under pressure competing as a three-time World Championship Team member. He helped the USA team by scoring well in the six events of international competition especially PH, his favorite event. He competed for the SCATS, a private club in Huntington … Read more