Hall of Champions nears completion
9/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
The University of Montana used to have a baseball team that was consistently among the best teams in the Big Sky.
The team has since been cut, but not forgotten.
Members of the National Advisory Board for Grizzly Athletics, a group that serves as a cabinet of sorts for UM Athletic Director Wayne Hogan, pushed for a museum that would honor the past and present of UM athletics.
That was two years ago; now, as the exhibit nears completion, members of NABGA are still trying to improve upon their original idea.
"We had lost a sense of history following the renovation of the Adams Center," said Jim O'Day, director of Development for Intercollegiate Athletics. "With the Hall of Champions, we are trying to restore that sense of history."
The Hall of Champions was the brainchild of Jim Kastelitz, a UM alumnus who wanted to see former Grizzly athletes recognized for their achievements.
Kastelitz passed died of a heart attack at the age of 56, two months after he made his idea public. NABGA has dedicated the hall in his memory.
Under the leadership of Kastelitz's close friend Dave Enger, a Griz football player from 1963 to 1967, the "museum" is nearing completion.
Six of 21 glass cases are completely filled with memorabilia and others are being vigorously researched by a team of volunteers.
"This is not only a focal point for athletics, but also for the University of Montana," said Enger, campaign chairman for Hall of Champions. "(UM) has held us in good stead for all these years and now this is our way to show people how much it means."
The cases proudly display trophies from past Grizzly teams that were stored after the renovation of the Adams Center in the mid-'90's.
Major construction of the cases and lighting around the area has been completed, and all of the cases will be filled by April 2004, Enger said.
More money is still needed to fund the last phase of the project, an interactive video component that will feature every Grizzly athlete who ever participated in a sport here.
The interactive station that will be housed in three separate video kiosks will be set up in the Hall of Champions.
At the kiosks, patrons will be able to type in the names of athletes or search through the archives of different sports and view pictures and statistics about every Grizzly athlete past and present.
"It's like a museum," O'Day said. "But since we have the room for that, this will be a huge asset to the project."
NABGA has raised $350,000 through donations and still needs $80,000 to $90,000 to complete the interactive video portion of the Hall of Champions, but Enger remains optimistic.
"I am new at this whole fund- raising thing," Enger said. "But I know that will we finish."
Enger expects the kiosk portion of the construction to be finished by fall 2004.
The next step will be at the induction ceremony of four former Grizzly football players into the Hall of Fame on Sept. 26 in the UC Ballroom. Enger said NABGA hopes to receive donations at the induction by leading people through the unfinished tour in the hopes that it will spark interest.
Regardless of the funds raised, all those involved are proud of service they are performing.
"This is all about getting the trophies out of cardboard boxes and into display cases where they belong," said Don Nicholson, project manager of the Grizzly Hall of Champions.
The team has since been cut, but not forgotten.
Members of the National Advisory Board for Grizzly Athletics, a group that serves as a cabinet of sorts for UM Athletic Director Wayne Hogan, pushed for a museum that would honor the past and present of UM athletics.
That was two years ago; now, as the exhibit nears completion, members of NABGA are still trying to improve upon their original idea.
"We had lost a sense of history following the renovation of the Adams Center," said Jim O'Day, director of Development for Intercollegiate Athletics. "With the Hall of Champions, we are trying to restore that sense of history."
The Hall of Champions was the brainchild of Jim Kastelitz, a UM alumnus who wanted to see former Grizzly athletes recognized for their achievements.
Kastelitz passed died of a heart attack at the age of 56, two months after he made his idea public. NABGA has dedicated the hall in his memory.
Under the leadership of Kastelitz's close friend Dave Enger, a Griz football player from 1963 to 1967, the "museum" is nearing completion.
Six of 21 glass cases are completely filled with memorabilia and others are being vigorously researched by a team of volunteers.
"This is not only a focal point for athletics, but also for the University of Montana," said Enger, campaign chairman for Hall of Champions. "(UM) has held us in good stead for all these years and now this is our way to show people how much it means."
The cases proudly display trophies from past Grizzly teams that were stored after the renovation of the Adams Center in the mid-'90's.
Major construction of the cases and lighting around the area has been completed, and all of the cases will be filled by April 2004, Enger said.
More money is still needed to fund the last phase of the project, an interactive video component that will feature every Grizzly athlete who ever participated in a sport here.
The interactive station that will be housed in three separate video kiosks will be set up in the Hall of Champions.
At the kiosks, patrons will be able to type in the names of athletes or search through the archives of different sports and view pictures and statistics about every Grizzly athlete past and present.
"It's like a museum," O'Day said. "But since we have the room for that, this will be a huge asset to the project."
NABGA has raised $350,000 through donations and still needs $80,000 to $90,000 to complete the interactive video portion of the Hall of Champions, but Enger remains optimistic.
"I am new at this whole fund- raising thing," Enger said. "But I know that will we finish."
Enger expects the kiosk portion of the construction to be finished by fall 2004.
The next step will be at the induction ceremony of four former Grizzly football players into the Hall of Fame on Sept. 26 in the UC Ballroom. Enger said NABGA hopes to receive donations at the induction by leading people through the unfinished tour in the hopes that it will spark interest.
Regardless of the funds raised, all those involved are proud of service they are performing.
"This is all about getting the trophies out of cardboard boxes and into display cases where they belong," said Don Nicholson, project manager of the Grizzly Hall of Champions.
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