The Milton Sports Hall of Fame (MSHOF) announced on Wednesday, June 21 that five new inductees have been selected for induction in the categories of athletes and builders, including renowned race-caller Dan Loiselle.
Dan Loiselle is one of two new inductees to the Hall's builder category.
Loiselle started working for The Ontario Jockey Club on Aug. 1, 1967 and, for almost 30 years, was the voice of Canadian horse racing. In that role, his unique grasp of quickly developing storylines within an event was very evident. Clarity, accuracy, comedic jargon and a sure grasp of improvisation were staples when Loiselle was at the mic.
Loiselle’s dedication to his craft was always evident, whether he was calling a weeknight race or announcing the Queen’s Plate on national television.
Loiselle retired a year ago from The Ontario Jockey Club and Woodbine Entertainment after an incredible 48 years in the industry (19 years in the Standardbred division and 29 years in the Thoroughbred division).
Over his career, Loiselle announced more than 55,000 Thoroughbred races, 28 editions of the Queen’s Plate and called the first million-dollar race in 1988.
Loiselle was recently honoured at the Milton Chamber of Commerce 14th Annual Sports Celebrity Dinner and Auction.
He was also inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2018 and the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
Other MSHOF inductees include The Milton Oldstars Hockey Club as a builder and athletes David Anderson (bowling), Mildred “Millie” Evans (bowling) and Leigh Armstrong (curling).
A series of voting rounds took place in May and June, until a final vote was held at a recent meeting of the Board of Directors in Milton, Ont., where nominations submitted by the wider public were assessed and examined.
For the second time in three years, two women will be recognized in the same class, increasing the number of female inductees in the Hall to seven overall.
“The Milton Sports Hall of Fame is pleased to welcome five new outstanding inductees who have put Milton on the map, both on the field of play and off it,” said Joe Yaworski, Chairman of the Milton Sports Hall of Fame. “Since our first inductee class in 2016, we have been blessed with successive classes of incredible athletes, builders and teams year after year, and the Class of 2023 is no exception.”
This is the seventh induction class elected by the MSHOF, with 31 previous inductees having been bestowed with Milton’s highest athletic honour.
New this year, the 2023 Milton Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Inductee Panel Unveilings are tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 16 at the FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton. Online ticket sales will open later this summer and will be publicly announced. Further updates and announcements will be made in the weeks to come and will be communicated via the Hall’s social media channels, as well as its website at miltonsportshof.com.
(With files from Milton Sports Hall of Fame)