MA Hall of Fame

There should be a Massachusetts Hall of Fame, in Worcester - the heart of the commonwealth, to promote and celebrate our history and the people that have made the state, country, or world, a better place.

To answer the question from a January 1st 2017 Worcester Telegram & Gazette blog, 'Will Worcester Ever Truly Move Forward?" which first proposed a state Hall of Fame, the answer is yes, but only by creative and big thinking. 

In a subsequent blog, Erin Williams, director of the Worcester Cultural Coalition, in 2019 stated “a hall of fame celebrating the MA film industry and its creative communities would be a great asset to the Commonwealth.” 

Beyond the benefits of job creation and economic growth, a Massachusetts Hall of Fame in Worcester could be a cultural and economic centerpiece for the city - a place for all ages, interests, and seasons. For others, inspiration.

As the reputation of a community creates more of how it got its reputation, showcasing our best and most notable would elevate the city's and area's reputation, and that helps retain and attract talent and keep the city vibrant.

Beyond the hall's initial purpose, it could develop into a research center. It would certainly inspire young people to follow the paths of our most notable, whether it's in industry, business, science, politics, literature, entertainment, sports, or anything else. To use a famous movie line starring two Massachusetts natives, "there's no place like home."

Worcester does not have to reinvent the wheel; it just needs to do what's been done before, but only better. Some states already have statewide halls of fame. 

A Worcester city councilor has said for the city to move forward with the idea it needs to pass a resolution that includes a basic outline or framework. Makes total sense, and passing a resolution helps keeps the idea in Worcester. Much of that framework would logically fall under categories and basic eligibility guidelines. As starting points, here is as follows:

The first and primary requirement for any nominee is their place of birth must be Massachusetts, or Maine prior March 15th 1820. Exceptions of birthplace may be made, such as for historical figures, or under certain circumstances, longevity of residence before becoming a notable personality. 

If a person is currently or becomes a member of their respective hall or walk of fame, such as sports or entertainment, they are automatically eligible for the MA HoF.

The MA HoF may have modified eligibility criteria from those halls or walks of fame to accommodate deserving nominees, such as receiving an award or significant recognition in their field but are otherwise ineligible to be inducted into their field's hall of fame.

Wes Parker, former first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers is a prime example for a state Hall of fame, though he was not from Massachusetts. Parker played for two World Series teams (1965 and 1966) and won the gold glove award every year between 1967 - 1972, but is ineligible for the baseball hall of fame because he played 9 seasons, one less than the required 10 for consideration. 

Same principles and modifications would apply in the entertainment fields.

A person receiving a 'star' or a primary award from the categories listed below is automatically eligible. 

The 5 Hollywood Walk of Fame categories are: film, television, music, radio, and live performance (added in 1984) and the primary awards: Emmy (television), Grammy (recording), Oscar (film), and Tony (theater). There are other awards such as Marconi, lifetime achievement , et cetera. 

All other nominees shall be considered based on their contributions to their field, longevity of career, body of work, et cetera, and other common determining factors in inducting a hall of fame member. 

Most other potential inductees would fall under the categories of industry/ business, science/ medicine, literature, historical/ political figures, and possibly infamous. Nominees, where applicable, can be inducted as groups and also as individuals (such as the Pilgrims collectively and Miles Standish separately), with similar eligibility requirements such as historical importance, body of work, individual achievement. 

Though most people, products or things, or events inducted into the MA Hall of Fame would have national recognition, there are many others that are so profoundly unique and popular, if not iconic, to Massachusetts, they should have considerations, too - the Antony Martignetti commercials, the Great Molasses Flood, or the First Thanksgiving in 1621.

Archival footage or clips from movies and television significant to viewing Massachusetts' past should be available. Possibly the MA Film Office can assist with listing all titles featuring the state. 

Television shows like 'Cheers' or 'Spencer for Hire' will show a much different Boston than the opening scenes in the movie 'Fuzz' (1972) starring Raquel Welch and Burt Reynolds. Movies filmed in Massachusetts dating back a century, including 'Down to the Sea in Ships' (1922) and 'America' (1919), will be much different than other recent movies, such as 'The Assault' (2014) and 'American Hustle' (2014). 

Massachusetts has produced more than its fair share of notable figures since the Pilgrims landed 401 years ago. Some of them, in no particular order:

Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross (Oxford), Robert Goddard (Auburn), Eli Whitney (Westborough), David Clark Company headsets (Worcester), Henry Kloss/ KLH speakers (Cambridge), Necco Wafers (Boston), Converse (Malden), Bose (Framingham), Dunkin' Donuts and Howard Johnson's are from Quincy, and Friendly's is from Wilbraham. 

Mass produced Valentine's card, the pill, the smiley face, and the monkey wrench - all from Worcester. The Farmer's Almanac: West Boylston 

Many of our founding fathers like Benjamin Franklin and other founding fathers, presidents, presidential candidates, and other iconic political figures. George Bancroft from Worcester established of US Naval Academy and Samuel Morse (Morse code) was from Charlestown. 

'Dr Seuss' (Springfield) and Edgar Allan Poe (Boston). 

In film, without founding father of cinema Cecil B DeMille (Ashfield), there is no pioneering cinematographer Billy Bitzer (Roxbury). Without Bitzer, 1939's Wizard of Oz could have been just another black and white movie, featuring scarecrow Ray Bolger (Dorchester) and tin man Jack Haley (Boston)?

June Foray (Springfield) did the voices for Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha, and Granny (Tweety & Sylvester), among other characters.

Bette Davis (Lowell), Jack Lemmon (Newton), and Barbara Walters (Boston) are iconic, but we should not allow others to fade as decades pass, such as Charles Bickford (Cambridge), Lee Remick (Quincy), Madeline Khan (Boston), or Zara Cully (Worcester) who played George Jefferson's mother. The 1910 census puts Cully at 181 Shrewsbury Street.

Baseball: Jack Chesbro (North Adams), Tom Glavine (Concord/ Billerica), Pie Traynor (Framingham), Harry Agganis (Lynn), Tony Conigliaro (Revere), and Mark Fidrych (Northborough). 

Boxing: Rocky Mariciano (Brockton) 

Boston Marathon: John Kelley (Medford) 

Golf: Francis Ouimet (Brookline) 

Football: Howie Long (Charlestown) 

Olympic skating: Tenley Albright (Newton) and Nancy Kerrigan (Stoneham), and 1980 Olympic hockey team 

Leonard Nimoy (Boston) is obvious, but shouldn't Lezlie Dalton (Weymouth) be recognized for her time on the original Star Trek series and her years on The Guiding Light?

From the television series Bewitched Agnes Moorehead (Clinton) and Mabel Albertson (Haverhill), Mabel's brother Jack (Malden), Walter Brennan and Leslie Stahl are both from Lynn, and desperate housewife Marcia Cross (Marlborough). Geena Davis (Wareham) and Eddie Mecca (Worcester, and best known for Laverne & Shirley) were in 'A League of Their Own', designated "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the National Film Registry. 

There's a long line of musicians and groups, including singers Georgia Gibbs (Worcester) and Donna Summer (Boston); Chick Corea (Chelsea), drummer Hal Blaine (Holyoke) is one of the most recorded musicians ever, including the Ronettes' song "Be My Baby" and it's iconic drum intro - (boom, ba-boom chik boom, ba-boom chik), and drummer Steve Smith during Journey's heyday. 

Though Vaughn Monroe (the song Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow) was born in Ohio, most of his training and accomplishments were in Massachusetts, including The Meadows  nightclub in Framingham. And, of course, Leonard Bernstein. 

There are many younger and current notable people that would certainly qualify to be inducted into a Massachusetts Hall of Fame, and Worcester can have the hall if it wanted it. It would be a huge undertaking but the benefits would make the undertaking more than worthwhile.  

If Cleveland OH can capitalize on Alan Freed coining the phrase 'rock'n roll' into the Rock' n Roll Hall of Fame, if the Hollywood CA chamber of commerce can turn a gimmick (Hollywood Boulevard's walk of fame) into a destination spot, and if New Jersey and other states can have their statewide hall of fames, so can Massachusetts - and it belongs in Worcester. 

And imagine the annual inductee ceremonies !?!?!?!?