By Ken Clapp

It has taken countless hours by Owen Kearns, the Board’s administrative director and its research committee to develop the 25 nominees for the 2017 final nominations list. From a list of over 60 names, we had to come up with 25 to start the elimination process to get us down to the final five.

It has been very enlightening and we all discovered historical facts that we either had forgotten or simply didn’t know existed.

As I look at the final 25, to say the least, I am impressed beyond words.

Every one of the finalists is worthy of nomination and – in time – induction into what has become the most revered and prestigious Hall in western America.

I can’t wait until we start the final elimination process, beginning in in few days. For many in the west, it will have the same excitement built into it that the Chase has developed in NASCAR culminating in the Homestead-Miami Speedway championship race.

I extend my sincere congratulations to all 25 who will go before the voters in round one, then round two and eventually the final five.

As many know, we have had five finalists in recent years, however, with Michael Gaughan being unable to join us in 2016, we voted to extend this year’s total inductee list to six.

In future years it will go back to five unless there are compelling circumstances that warrants we allow a final inductee a one-year bye.