U.S. Squash Hall of Fame Grand Opening Celebration: April 2, 2022

Peggy & Leo Pierce U.S. Squash Hall of Fame Officially Opened; Four New Inductees Welcomed

(Pictured, l-r: David and Palmer Page--accepting on behalf of their late brother, Tom--Gail Ramsay, Nancy-Gengler Saint, John Fry) US Squash formally opened the Peggy & Leo Pierce U.S. Squash Hall of Fame, housed at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia, and inducted four new members to the Hall of Fame: Tom Page, John Fry, Nancy Gengler-Saint, and Gail Ramsay, April 2, 2022. The special ceremony was held Saturday evening after the conclusion of the semifinals of the National Singles, which is being played April 1-3 at the Specter Center. Nearly 400 attendees enjoyed a welcome reception ahead of the festivities, before gathering to celebrate the unveiling of the permanent home of the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame. The entire ceremony can be viewed below, including the dedication of the Hall of Fame space at the Specter Center along with speeches and videos celebrating the four new inductees. Soo Venkatesan, the Chair of the Board of US Squash, opened the formalities by welcoming the entire squash community, both on site and those watching online. “The gift of the Specter Center keeps on giving,” she said. “The Hall of Famers continue to elevate and inspire us. This class of inductees honor us as...
47 members of the Pierce Family were present for the Grand Opening of the Peggy & Leo Pierce U.S. Squash Hall of Fame, along with nearly 400 guests in attendance for the ceremony. The ribbon was cut by Michael Pierce, a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2015.

Watch a Replay of the Ceremony

United States Squash Hall of Fame

Induction into the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame is the highest honor in the game of squash. The U.S. Squash Hall of Fame is open to distinguished players in all aspects of squash: hardball, softball, singles, doubles, men, women, professional and amateur, with some consideration due to performance in age-group competition (junior, intercollegiate and masters) but more weight given to performance in open competition. The Hall is also for individuals who have made extraordinary contributions off-court, both as coaches and/or administrators, to help the game to grow and flourish in America. Integrity and sportsmanship are considered in the selection of inductees. The basic criteria is whether the individual has had a major, positive impact and influence on the U.S. game. There is a five-year waiting period from the end of active open play before a player is considered, and generally, an inductee has been a citizen or resident of the U.S. during a substantial portion of their career. To nominate someone for the Hall of Fame, click here.

Class of 2022

Nancy Gengler-Saint

(1956- ) Nancy Gengler-Saint was an outstanding player and coach who epitomized sportsmanship. After picking...

Gail Ramsay

(1957- ) One of the most impactful people in U.S. squash history, Gail Ramsay has...

Class of 2021

John A. Fry

(1960- ) A squash player, parent and leader, John Fry has played an unprecedented role...

Class of 2020

Thomas E. Page

(1956-2001) Tom Page electrified the squash world with his physicality, will to win and an...

Class of 2019

Ginny Akabane

Ginny Akabane learned squash at Radcliffe in the late 1960s and became a dominant...

Bunny Vosters

Bunny Vosters (1919-1999) was one of the greatest squash doubles players in history. A...

Class of 2018

Anil Nayar

Anil Nayar was the silky smooth breaker of...

Carol Heffelfinger Thesieres

Growing up in Bethlehem, PA, Thesieres played intercollegiate...

Class of 2017

Michael Desaulniers

The lightning-fast Mike Desaulniers was the Sandy Koufax of squash: for a short period he...

Benjamin H. Heckscher

Ben Heckscher was a dominant singles player in the mid-twentieth century. Hebwas fast on...

Maurice Heckscher

Maurice Heckscher, skilled and steady, was one of the greatest right-wall doubles players in...

Class of 2016

Paul Assaiante

Paul Assaiante, the Ganek Family US Squash Head National Coach, began coaching forty years...

Norm Bramall

Norm Bramall was a teaching professional at Cynwyd Club outside Philadelphia from 1942 to...

Jane Stauffer

Jane Stauffer won one national singles, six national doubles and six national mixed doubles...

Class of 2015

Michael J. Pierce

One of the best left-wall doubles players in history, Michael Pierce was a dominant...

Gary Waite

One of the best left-wall doubles players in history, Gary Waite was a dominant...

Thomas Wrightson

Thomas Wrightson was the first national squash leader from the West: he was the...

Class of 2014

Barbara Strobhar Clement Hunter

Barbara Hunter was a major mid-twentieth century squash figure. An outstanding athlete (she played...

Donald Strachan

Donald Strachan, a Germantown Cricket Club tennis prodigy, captained the 1931 Princeton squash team...

Class of 2013

Marigold Edwards

Marigold Edwards is a pioneering woman who won twenty-eight masters national singles championships, more...

John G. Nelson

Jay Nelson is the top men’s masters player in U.S. squash history with twenty-eight...

Class of 2012

Leonard A. Bernheimer

Lenny Bernheimer has been a beloved figure on and off the squash court for...

Thomas M. Poor

Tom Poor has won more than forty-five United States and Canadian national age-group singles...

Class of 2011

Robert W. Callahan

Bob Callahan is the legendary coach at Princeton University. Raised in Philadelphia, he learned...

Joyce V. Davenport

Joyce Davenport is a lesson on longevity. She began playing in the early 1960s...

John F. Herrick

Jack Herrick has been more influential globally than any other American in history. A...

Class of 2010

Hazel White Jones

(1942 – ) One of the most influential women in squash history, Hazel White Jones...

Thomas B. Jones

(1935 – ) Tom Jones was a pivotal and ebullient leader who revolutionized squash in...

Class of 2009

F. Elizabeth Richey

(1913-1988) Betty Richey created women’s intercollegiate squash. A graduate of Radcliffe where she captained the...

Gregory H. Zaff

(1962 – ) A man and an idea-that is the heart of Greg Zaff’s simple...

Class of 2008

Kenton Jernigan

(1964 – ) A precocious player who had a penchant for late-match heroics, Kenton Jernigan...

Albert G . Molloy, Jr.

(1928-2000) The beloved coach at the University of Pennsylvania, Al Molloy was the amiable but...

Class of 2007

Carol Hunter Weymuller

(1949 – ) An unassuming and graceful squash revolutionary, Carol Weymuller pried open the door...

Fred Weymuller

(1928 – ) The innovative founder of the modern junior squash scene, Fred Weymuller changed...

Class of 2006

Elizabeth Woll Meade

(1936-1990) Betty Meade was pure perseverance. A Philadelphian who went to Penn, Meade picked up...

John G. Nimick

(1958- ) A clutch champion on the court and a visionary off the court, John...

Class of 2005

Peter S. Briggs

(1951- ) One of the greatest left-wall players in doubles history, Peter Briggs was renowned...

Harry Lee Cowles

(1889-1958) The founder of intercollegiate squash, Harry Cowles coached more national champions than any college...

Agnes Bixler Kurtz

(1941- ) Aggie Kurtz was the innovative pioneer of women’s intercollegiate squash. A leading player...

Class of 2004

Edwin H. Bigelow

(1886-1970) Ned Bigelow revolutionized the relationship between amateurs and professionals. An avuncular and sometimes bluntly...

Demer Holleran

(1967- ) Earning more open national titles than any person in U.S. history, Demer Holleran...

Sharif Khan

(1949- ) The eldest son of Hashim Khan, Sharif Khan was the best player in...

Class of 2003

Edward C. P. Edwards

(1958- ) One of the most devastatingly brilliant players in US Squash history, “Ned” Edwards...

Margaret Howe

(1896 – 1989) Women’s squash began at Boston’s Union Boat Club in 1926 when Margaret...

Ann Wetzel

(1931- ) A product of Norm Bramall’s legendary women’s program at the Cynwyd Club, Ann...

Class of 2002

Cecile M. Bowes

(1914- ) With a greater span between first and last hardball national victories than any...

Ralph E. Howe

(1941- ) The younger brother of Sam Howe, Ralph Howe played an up-tempo, attacking game...

Samuel P. Howe, III

(1938-2022) Sam Howe began his competitive squash career at the inaugural national junior tournament in...

Class of 2001

John M. Barnaby II

(1909-2001) Without question the greatest collegiate teacher of squash of the twentieth century, Jack Barnaby...

William T. Ketcham, Jr.

(1919-2006) One of the longest, most loyal and most influential leaders in the American squash...

Mohibullah Khan

(1938-1994) One of a fearsome foursome -Hashim, Azam and Roshan -that rode the first wave...

Darwin P. Kingsley, III

(1927- ) A part of the Kingsley clan that has given so much to squash...

Eleonora Randolph Sears

(1881-1968) Winner of the first women’s nationals and the early leader of the national women’s...

John Skillman

(1907-1977) For forty-one years the words Skillman and Yale were interchangeable with squash excellence. Born...

Class of 2000

Charles M. P. Brinton

(1919-2011) The top player in the 1940s, Charlie Brinton was an early pupil of Bill...

Elizabeth Howe Constable

(1924- ) The dominant squash player of the 1950s, Betty Constable was a central force...

Germain Green Glidden

(1913-1999) Germain Glidden, the last great Harvard champion coached by Harry Cowles, was a record-breaking...

Anne Page Homer

(1909-1985) The first dominant woman player in the U.S., Anne Page played at Merion Cricket...

Hashim Khan

(1916- ) One of the most celebrated men in the world of squash, Hashim Khan...

Hunter Lott Jr.

(1914-2005) Hunter Lott was considered the greatest right-wall doubles players of the twentieth century. Armed...

Barbara Maltby

(1948- ) After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970, Barbara Maltby was taught...

G. Diehl Mateer Jr.

(1927- ) Diehl Mateer, with his unmatched eleven national titles, was the greatest doubles player...

Alicia McConnell

(1962- ) Inarguably one of the greatest American players ever, Alicia McConnell made women’s squash...

Victor Niederhoffer

(1943- ) One of the hardest working and intense players ever, Vic Niederhoffer was per­haps...

Stanley Webster Pearson, Sr.

(1890-1950) Along with Charles Read of London, Stan Pearson was the first great world champion...

Henri Raoul Marie Salaun

(1926- ) Born in Brest on the Brittany coast, Henri Salaun came to the U.S....

Gretchen Vosters Spruance

(1947- ) The leading player of the 1970s, Gretchen Spruance came from the Wilmington Country...

Mark Talbott

(1960- ) The most dominant American player in history, Mark Talbott rewrote the record books....

Margaret Varner

Margaret Varner (1927- ) A racquet sports maestro, Margaret Varner picked up squash at age...