In a few weeks, the panel that decides the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame inductees for 2010 is going to deal with what could be a thorny problem — the almost-certain nomination of Mother Road artist and ambassador Bob Waldmire, who died Dec. 16.
There are two potential pitfalls with Waldmire’s nomination.
First, he technically already is Illinois Hall of Famer because the Ed Waldmire Family, which included Bob, was inducted years ago.
Second and more problematic, the Hall of Fame’s own criteria would almost certainly prevent him from consideration.
The Ed Waldmire Family, which owned and ran the Cozy Dog Drive-In in Springfield, was inducted in 1991. However, there is plenty of precedent to allow an individual to be inducted after being in a Hall of Fame as a member of a group.
For instance, Eric Clapton was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in addition to his being inducted as a member of Cream and the Yardbirds. Also, Roy Rogers was twice elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame — once as a member of Sons of the Pioneers and once as a solo artist.
So Bob Waldmire being elected as a solo artist (no pun intended) to the Illinois Hall shouldn’t be a big deal.
The bigger hurdle is Illinois Hall of Fame eligibility. As a recent news release about the nomination process spelled out:
It must include a fact-based essay about the nominee’s contributions to the character or history of the Illinois portion of Route 66 while it was an official United States highway in the State (1927-1977).
Nearly all of Bob Waldmire’s unique contributions to Route 66 occurred after 1977. So, based on that criteria, he wouldn’t be eligible.
It wasn’t always that way. The nomination process until a few years ago didn’t have a lot of hard and fast rules. But that changed when late Illinois Route 66 Association co-founder Tom Teague persuaded the committee to tighten the criteria and make the process more specific.
As a member of the Illinois association at the time, I questioned whether the new rules were too restrictive. The criteria, as written now, would preclude candidates such as Rich Henry, Jeff Meyer and Teague himself — folks who didn’t get involved with Route 66 until after 1977 but indisputably have made a positive impact.
Since the announcement of Bob Waldmire’s terminal cancer and his death, I’ve been hearing a lot of sentiment from roadies to induct him into the Illinois Hall of Fame posthumously — many of them unaware that the association’s rules may prevent it.
I e-mailed Illinois Route 66 Association President Cathie Stevanovich about the potential problems with a Waldmire nomination. This, in part, is her reply:
I agree with you that when they tightened up the rules, it changed many things. Originally the Hall of Fame was about the businesses on the road, and the people, and it honored those folks even a block or two off the 2-lane. When Tom wanted to change the rules, to make it more precise, he did limit who could be eligible. The board voted in the changes Tom wanted. […]
We’re losing more old-timers each year, so there will have to be changes in the rules in order to accommodate the future. The road is viable, and our rules need to reflect those that have come along since 1978 and have worked to breathe new life into towns along the route.
Johnny Miller is the new chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee 2009-2011 and he is aware of the need to have his committee look at the rules. I will forward your concerns to him. I believe someone had already contacted Kathy about a nomination for Bob — and I anticipate we’ll hear from many others as well. […]
I am hoping that our board will work with me to put together a “Spirit of the Road” or some kind of award in Bob’s name for Bob and for others that do as he did — share the word, give of themselves, and make the world a nicer place. I’m up for helping to create a Bob Waldmire Creative Arts Museum or exhibit somewhere on the road in Illinois as well.
So it seems that the association is well aware of the conundrum. I suspect they will make changes in the rules in an effort to induct more members such as Waldmire before they die. It would be the proper and sensible thing to do.
Or the panel will ignore the rules and induct Waldmire by sheer acclamation. If that happens, the ever-maverick Waldmire would be grinning.
Bob’s entire life has only unifying thread: other people’s rules do not apply to his life. Good luck with your decision. Even after death, he will not fit neatly into anyone’s else’s box.
If I may offer a compromising thought: Bob actually lived on Route 66 as a child on 6th Street in Springfield, Illinois. He was an active Boy Scout and had numerous community service projects on Route 66 as a child. Wouldn’t that count?
“Or the panel will ignore the rules and induct Waldmire by sheer acclamation.”
Wouldn’t a better solution be to ammend the rules? There probably are few people around now who affected the Road prior to 1977, and many who did after that.
I did mention that changing the rules as the other option. So, yes.
Glad you brought this up with them Ron, and also glad to hear that they are already aware of the problem, and thinking of ways to deal with it, present and future.