Eureka!!  What A Great Find!! 

It is 19 years since I began writing about Shuffleboard. It was in Clearwater, FL on the occasion of the 21^st ISA that I began thinking about, writing about, and wondering about how the ISA came about.

During the intervening 19 years, the names of the Founding Fathers became well known to me; however; never was I able to obtain a photo of the illustrious group.  To-day, 2012 05 03, while assembling some material for ISA President Zellner, I came across two photos which excited me!! One pic had a heading: CHIEF OFFICERS OF ISA, St. Petersburg Club Hall of Fame; March 10, 1979**. The other pic has a heading MEETING AT HALL OF FAME, St. Petersburg Club, March 10, 1979.  If I needed hard evidence as to the official launch date of the ISA, this was it!!  As supported by this type of research, the Japanese played a significant role in the early development days of the ISA!

For the very first time I was able to see the First ISA President, William R. Johnstone, a Canadian who served as President from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1992 to 1993.  No Canadian has held that office since. (Stan writing on 2021 07 08 > Canadian Myrna Bilton is now the Serving President of the ISA.)

All the Officers are clearly named in the photos which I will link you to.  The note beneath pic 2, Officers seated, is addressed to “Vincent” > I am confident that will be Vince Crawford who is credited with founding the ISA Hall of Fame.

** The reference to the HOF in this article is the Hall of Fame in St Petersburg; it would be the HOF of the US National Shuffleboard Assn.  The current ISA HOF was approved in 1993 by the Board while meeting in Las Vegas, and subsequently by Mayor Rita Garvey of Clearwater.  President Kleckner appointed Vince Crawford (USA) as Chairman and Curator, and Mr. Hisashi Sogabe (Japan) Assistant Curator.

Here are the links I promised you:  1979 ISA Founders St Petes HOF, March 10th, 1979   1979 2) Pic Of 1979 Meeting HOF at St Petes

Stan McCormack. 2012 05 06. And again on 2021 07 08)