1. The nominee must have inspired Californians to take part in the great outdoors or California conservation.
2. The nominee must have taken part in California outdoor adventures of paramount impact.
After consulting with Larry, Dave Rush and Vince Harris and a few others, I authored a great(less than 300 word) biography of what Larry did for California fishing community, and sent it in. There was no way to save "the e-mail" as it was a direct submission from their site, naturally assuming they'd received it. (because there is no return message of nomination received) Months go by and nothing. Finally in November (candidates are not voted on until December), I contact COHOF, inquiring about my nomination. Well, of course they changed something to do with their web page and lost ALL nominations. With no way to contact the nominators, it was an OH Well, resubmit the nomination. So to scramble to meet their deadline (typical of writers having deadlines
) I resubmit, but again there's a problem, this time the form asks for attachments, so I try to attach the Silver Eagles Magazine WCB story. Anyway I digress (told you this was a rant)So today I check their web site and low and behold we have a Fishing Guide/Tournament angler and 2 Squaw Valley folks total of 3. I get the Squaw Valley, but a guide over a gentleman who invented the Pro Am concept in California, that is now used nationwide, jump started the careers of Gary Dobyns, Bobby Barrack, Kent Brown COHOF 2020 inductee (whose bio reads "he virtually has fished every bass lake in the western United States" thanks in part to Larry imo and was once employed by Larry), planted thousands of Florida strain bass with Dennis Lee in California waters that he purchased with his own money. The West Coast Bass Classic which brought revenue and media attention to the Sacramento area........... over a guide? This was a no brainer. Guess the writers have to stick together.
Larry told me he would be blocked by one or more of the previous recipients, but I didn't believe him. Not even sure he made it past the nomination process.
Don't get me wrong, there are many deserving past inductees, like Bill Rice, Dee Thomas, Tom Stienstra, Bob Franko and others, but Larry Viviano should also be there too.
I want everyone one to know that this rant is mine and mine alone, and Larry has no knowledge of me authoring it. To me it's an outdoor writers clique and I had enough of cliques when I was in High School.
f you have a billion dollars to by a ski resort, your in. (Olympics or not), but don't change Bass fishing nationwide.
To quote Gary Dobyns "I can't understand why Larry Viviano isn't in the HOF". I agree.
My apologies to Larry who is dealing with the effects of agent orange from his serving time in Vietnam.
I'm sure I'll hear from lots of folks including those from the COHOF, but I'm ready.
Too bad 2024 is staring so bad, especially with no electricity, but that my friends is another story for another time.
TL
FE
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