SELECTION PROCESS

The Selection Committee (selectors) are charged with the vital task of assuring that new inductees are the finest and most qualified representatives of Sports in Hawai’i. The Selection Committee consists of sports media representatives from the State of Hawai’i.

The Selectors are appointed by the Commission after agreeing to serve and can be terminated only by retirement or resignation as long as they attend regularly scheduled meetings. Once appointed, the Selection Committee will meet once annually, in the month of December to select new inductees.

Athletes are nominated in chronological order and/or by decade, so that the story of Hawai’i Sports Legends will have continuity and a greater impact on the Hawai’i Sports Hall of Fame’s primary audience-the youth of Hawai’i. The first class was inducted in 1998 and selected from among those who distinguished themselves from 1849-1959, the historical benchmark prior to Statehood. Current rules do not set a number for any new class of inductees; however, the Commission’s current guidelines allow the selection of between two and five new inductees each year.

Every nominee for induction must receive an 80 percent approval rating by the Selection Committee and unanimous approval by the Commission. Anyone may nominate a qualified person by submitting an Official Nomination Ballot and submitting it with information that will help to substantiate qualifying achievements. Each nomination will be researched to substantiate information submitted and a nomination folder will be established for each nominee and will be the on-going repository for required, elective and new information from the nominator or nominee. Only new and “non-selection” folders from previous years with new substantive information will be reviewed by the Selection Committee at its annual meeting. Selections, only, will be announced in the media after the annual Selection Committee meeting.

The major function of the Commission is to ensure the integrity of the entire process, coordinate the annual selection meeting in December and the Hawai’i Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet in the spring of every year.