SPRINGVILLE, Tenn., & CELEBRATION, Fla. — Garry Mason, founder and CEO of the “Legends of the Outdoors” National Hall of Fame, announced that the B.A.S.S. organization would be the 2011 recipient of the “Legends of the Outdoors” National Hall of Fame’s American Outdoor Organization of the Year award.
“It’s an honor for ‘Legends of the Outdoors’ National Hall of Fame to salute the achievements of such a great organization as B.A.S.S. for its pioneering accomplishment of being the world’s largest fishing organization as well as its unwavering commitment to improving the fishing environment through natural resource conservation efforts,” said Mason.
The presentation of the 2011 American Outdoor Organization of the Year award will take place during the 10th Anniversary “Legends of the Outdoors” National Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony to be held in conjunction with the Bass Pro Shops Land and Wildlife Conservation Expo in Nashville, Tenn., at the beautiful Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center on Aug. 14. The doors for this year’s event will open at 8 a.m. (CT), enabling guests to socialize with honorees and other “Legends of the Outdoors” members, and the banquet and awards ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. (CT).
Among the “Legends of the Outdoors” National Hall of Fame members scheduled to be on hand at this year’s event are Peggy Vallery, Tommy Akin, Jerry Martin, Soc Clay, Roland Martin, Gary Yamamoto, Harold Knight, Brenda Valentine, Alex Rutledge, Jack Oliver, Ray Scott, Ralph McDonald, Emily Shaffer and Jimmy Holt. In addition to B.A.S.S., numerous others will be present to help welcome and induct this year’s class of inductees that currently consists of Steve Coleman, Ronnie Capps, Roger Raglin, Larry Shockey, Mark Sosin and Joella Bates.
“It’s a privilege for B.A.S.S. to be recognized by ‘Legends of the Outdoors’ this year,” said Jerry McKinnis, one of three owners of B.A.S.S. “B.A.S.S. has been and continues to be a positive, driving force behind this industry, promoting its anglers, conservation issues, education and the competitive aspect of bass fishing.”
Open to the public, the event offers individuals the opportunity to personally meet many of the outdoor sportsmen and sportswomen, in both hunting and fishing, who have helped set standards and guidelines for the rest of the outdoor world to follow.