ESCANABA — The induction banquet has again been postponed for those honored this year for enshrinement in the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 49th annual induction banquet, originally scheduled for May before being moved to August, will now be held May 8, 2021, at the Island Resort and Casino, 15 miles west of Escanaba in Harris.

“There are still too many areas of concern to even think about keeping the banquet on Aug. 21,” said UPSHF secretary Dennis Grall. “We also had to postpone the original date (May 11) due to the virus.

“With crowd size a major concern, there is no way we could feasibly consider holding the banquet as scheduled.”

He noted most UPSHF banquets have attracted 250 to 450 attendees. Current crowd limits from executive orders issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer call for outdoor activities to be limited to 100 people or less.

The UPSHF previously had also canceled the U.P. All-Star Classic basketball games that were scheduled for June 13 at Marquette Senior High School because of virus concerns.

Also canceled is the annual UPSHF executive council meeting that was planned for July 31 in Menominee. That meeting would have been when 2021 inductees were selected. That executive council get-together will now be held in July 2021 to select the 10 people for the class of 2022.

The council considered four plans regarding the 2020 induction banquet, with a large majority of the 23-member council selecting postponement to next May.

Because of that decision, there will not be a class of 2021. Council members decided it would not be appropriate or reasonable to try to induct the 2020 and 2021 classes in the same program.

Those who have purchased a ticket for the now-postponed banquet can turn it in for a refund of the $30 price or hold it for next year’s induction ceremony.

For more information, call Dennis Grall at 906-789-9005 or executive director Cathy Shamion at 906-364-0961.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.