'This might be our most newsworthy class yet' chairman says of Montana Football Hall of Fame class (2024)

BILLINGS— Montana Football Hall of Fame chairman Rick Halmes loves the organization and has cherished every class that has been inducted since the inaugural set of inductees was honored in 2016.

So, when Halmes gushes over this year’s inductees— the eighth class, as the Class of 2020 was honored in 2021 due to the coronavirus crisis— one knows those being honored with enshrinement in either the Players, Legacy, or Support category are truly a remarkable group.

“This might be our most newsworthy class yet,” Halmes recently wrote in an email to The Billings Gazette and 406 MT Sports.

Halmes, 75, who moved back to his hometown of Belt last July after spending 34 years in Billings, said he couldn’t wait to make it back to Billings for the event.

“Even with all the health issues I’ve had the past three years, it is still exciting,” he said.

The banquet begins at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center. A meet and greet, “where you can shake hands with the players and take pictures with them” Halmes said, starts at 5 p.m.

Only a limited number of tickets remain, with 36 left as of Wednesday afternoon, said Halmes. Tickets are available for $100 by calling Janet Schuh at 406-598-3297 or at Universal Athletic stores in Montana.

Halmes said crowds have averaged between 350 and 400 on induction night and the largest attendance over the years was approximately 420 people. He’s expecting a crowd approaching 400 on Saturday and said many will have attended past ceremonies but every year the attendees include a “broad” range of first-timers.

‘All of these guys have been gentlemen’

In the Players category, those being honored with induction are: Chase Reynolds, Drummond High School, Montana, RB, NFL (St. Louis Rams/Los Angeles Rams 2013-16); Mark McGrath, Montana State, WR, NFL (Seattle Seahawks 1981, Washington Redskins 1983-85); Matt Clark, Missoula Hellgate, Montana, WR, CFL (BC Lions 1991-1996, Edmonton Eskimos 1998); Brock Osweiler, Kalispell Flathead, Arizona State, QB, NFL (Denver Broncos 2012-2015, Houston Texans 2016, Broncos 2017, Miami Dolphins 2018); and Marc Mariani, Havre, Montana, WR/kick and punt returns, NFL (Tennessee Titans 2010-2011, Chicago Bears 2014-15, Titans 2016).

“All of these guys have been gentlemen and are very courteous,” said Halmes, who also rattled off stories about those in the Players category that attendees will undoubtedly hear Saturday night, of his interactions with those receiving honors.

“Frosty Peters, who played at Montana State, kicked 17 drop-kick field goals in one game, whoever heard of that?” Halmes said. “And Paul Szakash will have some of his family in attendance. It is great to have family of a Legacy person there.”

“You couldn’t find a finer gentleman who worked with student-athletes,” Halmes said of Karnop.

“I have just been so impressed with this class across the board.”

Speak Up/Let’s Talk

The symposium begins at 10 a.m. Saturday and runs through 2 p.m. at the Billings Hotel. Halmes noted “lunch is part of it,” and the event is free to the public.

The target audience is coaches, administrators and athletes ages 15 through 25, said Halmes. Logan Health is a partner in bringing the Speak Up/Let’s Talk Symposium to the public through hall of fame weekend this year.

Speakers include Robert Doore, who helped create the first Speak Up symposium, D-I basketball coach Dennis Harp, former pro basketball player Ryan Wetzel, former pro volleyball player Capri Richardson, and Joe McClafferty of Logan Health.

“The speakers this year bring an awful lot of mental health information to the table,” said Halmes.

‘Blood, sweat and tears’

Saturday night will be a special time for those enshrined, their family, friends and fans, and those in attendance, he said.

“Now all the people who told me it wouldn’t work eight years ago say, ‘We are really glad you didn’t listen to us.’ And I say, ‘I’m too-hardheaded not to try.'"

“Those players that put in the blood, sweat and tears deserve to be recognized.”

Fast forwarding to next year, Halmes said 28 nominations have been turned in so far. Those who want to nominate someone for HOF consideration can visit the Montana Football Hall of Fame website and click on “Selection Committee” and click on the link to the form. Or, if interested, call Halmes at 406-208-8142 and he’ll get you a form.

The Class of 2025 is expected to be announced in early September.

The physical location of the Montana Football Hall of Fame is at the Universal Athletic store in Bozeman.