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Letter from 
Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame Inducts Class of 2004
By Maria Vitto
The Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame (ADHOF) on Thursday, October 14, 2004 officially inducted six new members at a dinner reception held at the Ford Conference and Event Center in Dearborn, Michigan. The annual dinner was sponsored in part by Wright & Filippis, Unisys and Sunrise Medical.
Over 500 guests celebrated the new inductees after a keynote presentation from former University of Michigan baseball player and Major League Baseball star, Jim Abbott. All six new members received formal congressional recognition from Senator Debbie Stabenow prior to the dinner. At the end of the evening, a 2005 Chevrolet Impala SS was raffled off and won by Matt Miller from Beverly Hills, California. The car raffle promotion raised over $28,000 for the ADHOF Education Endowment which will enable the ADHOF to create scholarship programs for young athletes with disabilities to attend a college within the state of Michigan.
Being inducted into the Class of 2004 were: Scout Bassett of Harbor Springs; Maurice Phillips, Jr. of Southfield; Aaron Scheidies of Farmington; the late Andy Siwarski of Westland; Elizabeth Stone of Grand Rapids; and Duncan Wyeth of Lansing.
A special tribute to the late Mark "Doc" Andrews was presented by A.J. Filippis, President of ADHOF, who announced the Rising Star award will be renamed after Andrews. Andrews, best known for his 20-year tenure as a sportscaster and impressionist on Dick Purtan's Morning Show on WOMC-FM radio, hosted the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame Annual Induction Ceremony and Dinner for the past five years.
"The evening was a big success and it was great for these inductees to be honored amongst their peers, family and friends. That's what the Hall of Fame is all about: family," commented Tony Filippis, Sr., founder of the ADHOF.
The Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame was created in 1999 by Tony Filippis, Sr. of Wright & Filippis. The ADHOF's mission is to honor Michigan's athletes with disabilities how have demonstrated achievement in sports and are positive role models in the community, as well as to educate the public about sports for the disabled. Currently in its sixth year of existence, the ADHOF now includes 48 inductees representing more than 20 different sports.
By Maria Vitto
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| Former U of M baseball player and Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott gives his keynote address. |
Over 500 guests celebrated the new inductees after a keynote presentation from former University of Michigan baseball player and Major League Baseball star, Jim Abbott. All six new members received formal congressional recognition from Senator Debbie Stabenow prior to the dinner. At the end of the evening, a 2005 Chevrolet Impala SS was raffled off and won by Matt Miller from Beverly Hills, California. The car raffle promotion raised over $28,000 for the ADHOF Education Endowment which will enable the ADHOF to create scholarship programs for young athletes with disabilities to attend a college within the state of Michigan.
Being inducted into the Class of 2004 were: Scout Bassett of Harbor Springs; Maurice Phillips, Jr. of Southfield; Aaron Scheidies of Farmington; the late Andy Siwarski of Westland; Elizabeth Stone of Grand Rapids; and Duncan Wyeth of Lansing.
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| ADHOF Class of 2004 (back row: Mr. Siwarski, Jim Abbott, Tony Filippis, A.J. Filippis, Maurice Phillips, Jr., Maria Vitto. Front row: Mrs. Siwarski, Aaron Scheidies, Elizabeth Stone, Scout Bassett, Duncan Wyeth. |
A special tribute to the late Mark "Doc" Andrews was presented by A.J. Filippis, President of ADHOF, who announced the Rising Star award will be renamed after Andrews. Andrews, best known for his 20-year tenure as a sportscaster and impressionist on Dick Purtan's Morning Show on WOMC-FM radio, hosted the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame Annual Induction Ceremony and Dinner for the past five years.
"The evening was a big success and it was great for these inductees to be honored amongst their peers, family and friends. That's what the Hall of Fame is all about: family," commented Tony Filippis, Sr., founder of the ADHOF.
The Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame was created in 1999 by Tony Filippis, Sr. of Wright & Filippis. The ADHOF's mission is to honor Michigan's athletes with disabilities how have demonstrated achievement in sports and are positive role models in the community, as well as to educate the public about sports for the disabled. Currently in its sixth year of existence, the ADHOF now includes 48 inductees representing more than 20 different sports.
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U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow chats with ADHOF founder Tony Filippis, Sr. before the program begins. |
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| Senator Stabenow poses with ADHOF founder Tony Filippis Sr. and ADHOF president A.J. Filippis. |
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| Matt Miller (right) of Beverly Hills, CA was the winner of the Chevrolet Impala SS. |