Eastern Pennsylvania Horseshoe Pitchers Association:
Great Pennsylvania Pitchers and friends of EPHPA
Now passed ... Much missed... Always part of our future
Has a deceased pitcher from your area made a difference in your lives and the sport of pitching horseshoes? Want to memorialize a local pitcher for his or her accomplishments? Send us an email and/or photo with the details.
Frank McAllen, Roxbury
Former EPHPA President, good friend, and long-time NHPA member Frank McAllen passed away on Sunday 6/20/2010.
This is a tremendous loss to our charter. Many of you know that Frank was one of the kindest and warmest human beings you would ever want to know. We will all certainly miss Frank’s gentle smile, his quiet calm, his professionalism and skill on the horseshoe courts, and the invaluable leadership he provided to our organization over the years.
Joe Shipula (Dallas)
Glenn Jameson (NHPA Statistician)
Ken Battram (founder, Susquehanna Valley Horseshoe Club)
Ron Gillette (Groton, NY)
John Urbanc, Dallas
John Urbanc was a founding father of the Dallas Area Horseshoe Club. John loved his community and he loved the game of horseshoes. Those two loves merged at the Luzerne County Fair Grounds.
As 1976 approached, a gentleman by the name of Ray Greenlaw of Philadelphia decided that his hometown would be a fitting location for the 1976 NHPA World Tournament. In spite of the fact that John lived in the little town of Lake Silkworth, approximately 100 miles away, he became one of Ray's staunchest supporters in the quest to bring the world tournament to Philadelphia.
Ray and John's dream became reality, and in 1976 the NHPA World Horseshoe Tournament was held in Bristol Township near Philadelphia. After that World Tournament John purchased Mr. Greenlaw's indoor horseshoe court building for $1,400.00. For another $100.00 John was able to have the dismantled building brought to Luzerne County. John was actively involved with the Luzerne County Fair Board and was able to arrange for the new "horseshoe building" to be placed on the Fair's property, becoming the first building on what is now the Luzerne County Fairgrounds. It remains the proud home of the Dallas Area Horseshoe Club.
In 1978 John arranged to add 5 regulation horseshoe courts next to the new horseshoe building. The project was completed with the help of several young men, including Al (Peanuts) Long and Bernie Wierbowski. Over the next couple of years courts number six, seven and eight were added to complete the present day configuration of the Dallas facilities.
John was a regular participant at tournaments each summer and served as the Dallas Club Tournament Director until 1982 when Peanuts Long assumed the duty. John's love of community continued for years with his commitment to the Luzerne County Fair Grounds, the Lake Silkworth Fire Company, and the Dallas Area Horseshoe Club. Our community and our sport suffered a terrible loss when John died tragically in a house fire in 1998, but his memory lives on with all who had the privilege to know him.
It is with the greatest respect that on June 15, 2002 the first annual John Urbanc Memorial Open tournament will be held at the Luzerne County Fairgrounds, on the same courts that John's efforts made possible for future generations.
Rev. Bill Yost, Mackeyville
A dear friend and pitcher, the retired Rev. Bill Yost, was instrumental in forming a Thursday AM league for retirees for the Clinton County Horseshoe League. He spent countless hours helping at the courts while battling ALS. During Fair Week 1997, the pavilion which had been erected in his honor was dedicated.
The spring of 1998, Bill passed on and our annual spring tournament was renamed the BILL YOST MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT.
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