Oct 24, 2013 3 min read

The Keystone Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association have announced the first inductees into the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Hall of Fame, and several have ties to either The Meadows or Washington and Greene counties.

The inductees are Bowman Brown Sr., Roger Huston, Max C. Hempt, Delvin Miller, Dave Palone, Ed Ryan, Lawrence Sheppard, John Simpson, Sr., Paul E. Spears and Mary McCune.

All but McCune were elected by the membership of the Keystone Chapter from a list of candidates prepared by the chapter’s Hall of Fame Committee. The committee selected McCune as the “Veteran” honoree for her achievements in the sports before the pari-mutuel era.

Browman is president of the trade publication The Harness Horse and vice president of the sales company holding the annual autumn auction in Harrisburg. He is breeder of Hambletonian winner Hickory Smoke and top sire Hickory Pride.

Huston is the “The Voice” of the Meadows. He has been an announcer for the Little Brown Jug and Grand Circuit Week in Delaware, Ohio, master statistician and one of the most-traveled and busiest racing announcer’s in the sport’s history.

Hempt is founder and owner of Hempt Farms, the “Home of the Keystones,” with the likes of Horse of the Year Keystone Ore. Hempt owned Hambletonian winner Stenographer. He has been an influential member of the sport’s leading organizations.

Miller was known as “Mr. Harness Racing” and “Harness Racing’s Goodwill Ambassador.” Miller was one of the founders of The Meadows and owner of Adios, one of the sport’s most influential sires. Miller introduced many celebrities to the sport of harness racing.

Palone is the winningest harness racing driver of all-time in North America. A regular at The Meadows, Palone’s career wins total is closing on world record-holder German Heinz Wewering. Palone has led The Meadows driving ranks for more than two decades.

Ryan, a leader in the home construction business, joined with associate Joe Hardy and purchased The Meadows in the 1970s, and under Ryan’s stewardship the track helped usher in the era of telephone wagering and television broadcasting. Ryan also was a noted driver.

Sheppard was the pioneer of the Hanover Shoe Farms dynasty. He began with the 1926 purchase of Cox disbursal to acquire top broodmares and, later, stallions, to build the leading Standardbred nursery in the world. He served as president of the U.S. Trotting Association from 1950 to 1958.

Simpson was a top-level horseman, joining the Hanover team as trainer/driver. He produced champions, and then became Lawrence Sheppard’s choice to take on oversight of the Hanover dynasty.

Spears went from accountant to more responsible positions in the Hanover administration, rising to the farm’s president and chairman, and in the sales company management. He was the most-successful high-level amateur driver of the last 50 years.

McCune was a driving force behind the promotion of amateur racing across the country for the first half of the 20th century. She set a world record to wagon for an amateur, the 2:05¾ with trotter Mingola when McCune was only 17 years old.

A Keystone Chapter website, honoring this initial Pennsylvania Hall of Fame class, is currently under construction. There will be ceremonies at tracks and other gatherings honoring the Hall of Famers.