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
Avener, Marshall Inducted: 2012 Born: Brooklyn, NY During the 1972 Olympic Games, Marshall and his wife Judi took a trip to Austria after the gymnastics competition had ended. While they were gone, Palestinian terrorists took Israeli athletes and coaches hostage, massacring 11 of them. Avener later said, “When we left, it was just a nice … Read more
BROWN, Marshall Inducted: 1960 Marshall Brown was another founding Father of Gymnastics. It has been said that nothing is possible without desire, wherewithal, and encouragement. Brown is a USGHOF Inductee for providing the wherewithal in the form of an Athletic Club catering to gymnastics and encouragement, plus he attracted athletes who had plenty of desire. … Read more
ZWARG, Leopold F. Inducted: 1959 – Original class of USAG Honorees Born: Germany Leopold Zwarg was an athlete, coach, and an early contributor to the development of gymnastics in the U. S. While numerous generations of today’s elite gymnastic athletes were unable to profit from Zwarg’s direct influence, it is only right that his contributions … Read more
WELSER, Lyle Inducted: 1964 Born: Kane, Pennsylvania Lyle Welser has been named as one of the founding fathers of American gymnastics. In an editorial on his website*, Bruce Davis provides an explanation of why changing governing bodies for gymnastics in America takes so much time. In his article, he provides an interesting analogy between the … Read more