The Norfolk County Sports Hall of Recognition will hold its next Induction Dinner July 13, 2024 at the Hungarian Hall in Delhi. The event will honour 2022 inductees Shane Bergman and Shirley Shaw, as well as 2023 inductees Barry Boughner and the late Paul Smithson.
Bergman spent seven seasons with the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders, and was a member of two Grey Cup-winning teams. Shaw is a long-time coach and organizer for Special Olympics, and was named Special Olympics Ontario Female Coach of the Year in 2016.
Boughner played six years of professional hockey in the IHL, CHL, AHL, and NHL. A standout baseball player, he was also named to the Gold Bat Club as one of the top 100 Intercounty Baseball League players since 1919.
Smithson’s curling career spanned 37 years and included two provincial championship titles, two berths in the provincial finals, and 15 Zone championships. Described as “a great ambassador for the sport,” Smithson also assisted with running bonspiels, promoting the game, and introducing new people to curling.
John Axford, who was named as a 2023 inductee, is unavailable for this year’s ceremony due to previous commitments, and will be honoured at a future induction event.
Tickets for the Induction Dinner are on sale until June 20, and are available for purchase at the Simcoe Recreation Centre Customer Service Desk and at Dave’s Variety in Delhi. Tickets are $60 per adult, and $20 for children aged 6 to 12. Admission is free for children 5 and under.
Doors will open at 4 p.m., with the 2022 and 2023 inductees being introduced at 4:45. The dinner will begin at 5:00, with the induction ceremony to follow.
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Norfolk County Sports Hall of Recognition, whose displays can be viewed on the pool viewing deck of the Simcoe Recreation Centre. More information about the Norfolk County Sports Hall of Recognition and its activities is available at our web site, https://www.norfolksports.ca/.