Ten set for induction into Maine’s new Ski Hall

AUBURN – The newly created Maine Ski Hall of Fame will induct its first 10 members on Oct. 24 at Lost Valley Ski Area.

The inaugural class includes four members of the National Ski Hall of Fame.

Members of the Maine Ski Hall of Fame Class of 2003 are the following:

. Wendall “Chummy” Broomhall, who participated in the 1948 and 1952 Olympics and has been a key figure in cross country skiing both nationally and worldwide;

. Otto Wallingford, inventor of the “Powdermaker” at Lost Valley that revolutionized ski grooming;

. Robert “Bunny” Bass, developed Bass ski boots worn by competitors throughout the world when skiers still wore leather boots;

. Aurele Legere, an international ski jumper who kept the discipline alive at Black Mountain in Rumford and was instrumental in the development of several jumpers who went on to NCAA-level competition;

. Amos G. Winter, a Kingfield storekeeper whose quest for a place to ski resulted in the development of Sugarloaf/USA;

. John Bower, an Auburn native who was the first American to win the prestigious Holmenkollen Nordic combined title;

. Ralph A. “Doc” DeRoches, a Rumford native who became head of Ski Industries of America and helped found the University of Maine at Farmington Ski Industries Program;

. Wes Marco, Pleasant Mountain’s first ski instructor, he was involved in the beginning of Sugarloaf and devoted 24 years to the junior racing program at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington;

? Russ Haggett, one of the initial developers of Pleasant Mountain during the late 1930s and managed Maine’s first commercial ski area for 39 years.

Broomhall, Merrill, Bower, and DesRoches are members of the National Ski Hall of Fame.

The Maine Ski Hall of Fame was established by a committee set up under the Ski Museum of Maine.