Inducted 2019
Promoter/Organizer: On February 26, 1919, through the efforts of Harry, who
hailed from Akron, Ohio at the time, and Dr. Beach from St. Petersburg, Florida,
an organization was formed which included horseshoe pitchers from 29 states. The purpose of the organization was to hold
an official national tournament and to meet after each day's pitching to set up
the new organization with rules, by-laws, a constitution and to elect officers.
This tournament was one of the most
successful tournaments of all time in terms of publicity and public interest. The name NHPA was arrived at a few years
later. However, in the NHPA
horseshoe history it acknowledges World Tournaments back to 1909. This organization and its leaders
certainly created the building blocks and were founding fathers of the actual NHPA.
Harry Haynes was elected as its first
President and the NHPA was legally formed later that year in the state of Ohio.
Harry Haynes is considered the founding
father of the modern NHPA.