On October 31st, the Hershey Bears Hockey Club announced their 2016 Hall of Fame Class. Each member made significant contributions to the Bears during their time spent with the team. Below is the official press release:
Press Release via Hershey Bears
HERSHEY BEARS HOCKEY CLUB ANNOUNCES 2016 HALL OF FAME CLASS
The four members of the Class of 2016 will be inducted December 18
(Hershey, PA – October 31, 2016) –The Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame Committee today announced the four people selected for induction into the Class of 2016. The announcement was made by Bears Vice President of Hockey Operations Bryan Helmer.
Honored by the Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame Committee as the fifth group of enshrinees are Mitch Lamoureux (player), Mike Mahoney (player), Bobby Perreault (player) and Charles “Chuck” Hamilton (builder).
“It is with complete respect and admiration that we happily add these four outstanding individuals to the Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame,” Helmer said. “They have earned this distinction, and they should be proud of all they have accomplished while being a part of this historic franchise.”
The Class of 2016 will be inducted on Sunday, December 18, prior to the puck drop between the Hershey Bears and Springfield Thunderbirds at GIANT Center. The Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame is housed on the GIANTCenter concourse.
Mitch Lamoureux
Mitch Lamoureux played for the Bears from 1986-89, 1993-95 and 1997-99 and is ranked seventh in club history in career goals (194), 10th in career assists (254) and is tied with Roger DeJordy for ninth in career points (448). A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Lamoureux led the Bears in scoring in the regular season and the postseason in 1987-88 as the club recorded its first 50-win season and went 12-0 in the playoffs en route to the Calder Cup. Lamoureux is tied for the AHL single-season record for power play goals (27 in 1993-94), ranks eighth in all-time AHL goals (364) and 10th in all-time AHL points (816). The centerman, who recorded two 100-point seasons, scored 57 goals as a rookie with the Baltimore Skipjacks in 1982-83, was voted the recipient of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award (sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey) in 1998-99 and was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2011.Mike Mahoney
Mike Mahoney played for the Bears from 1961-71 and ranks third in club history in games played by defensemen (538, which is sixth among all Hershey players) and fifth in scoring by defensemen (195 points). A native of South Porcupine, Ontario, the late Mahoney was a member of Hershey’s 1968-69 Calder Cup team and spent 10 of his 11 AHL seasons with the Bears. Mahoney, a tough defensive defenseman, surpassed the 20-point mark five times with Hershey. He played on the Guelph Biltmore’s Junior A OHA championship team in 1956-57.Bobby Perreault
Bobby Perreault played for the Bears from 1957-62 and ranks second in all-time Hershey shutouts (21), fourth in goalie wins (135) and fourth in goalie games played (279). A native of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, the late Perreault backstopped Hershey to back-to-back Calder Cups in 1957-58 and 1958-59 and earned Second Team AHL All-Star honors both seasons. In 1961-62, he led the AHL in wins (36) for Hershey. Perreault also won two Calder Cups with the Rochester Americans (1965-66 and 1967-68), and his four Calder Cups are tied for the most ever by a goalie. Inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2014, Perreault ranks fourth in all-time AHL shutouts (37) and sixth in all-time AHL wins (229).Charles “Chuck” Hamilton
Charles “Chuck” Hamilton served as head coach of the Bears from 1973-79 and ranks second in all-time Hershey coaching wins (187). A native of Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Hamilton led the Bears to the Calder Cup in 1973-74. Hamilton won the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding coach in 1975-76, when he led Hershey to the Calder Cup Finals. As a Hershey player (1963-70), forward Hamilton recorded 238 points in 459 games and was a member of the 1968-69 Calder Cup team, when he enjoyed a career-best 28-46-74 season.Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame Committee members: Bill Simpson, President-CEO of Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company; Doug Yingst, retired President-General Manager of the Hershey Bears; J. Bruce McKinney, retired President, CEO and Chairman of Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company; Ken Hatt, retired President and COO of HERCO; Dr. Bob Goodman, AHL linesman; Dave Parro, President of the Hershey Bears Alumni Association; Don Scott, Hershey Bears public address announcer; Randy Waybright, former Hershey Bears supervisor of off-ice officials; Vikki Hultquist, Managing Director of Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company; Maria Stouffer, Hershey Bears manager of business services; and Tim Leone, former reporter-columnist of The Patriot-News.
The Bears will host the Hall of Fame night on Sunday, December 18th. There will be another silent auction of 20th Anniversary 96-97 Championship Team Jerseys held that night as well.
