By Randy Whitehouse,Staff Writer

AUBURN – The mythical gallery of the Auburn-Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame is practically bursting at the seams, with membership now approaching 100 honorees. But that doesn’t mean the latest class of outstanding Twin City sports figures hasn’t distinguished itself from the rest.

The A-L Sports Hall of Fame announced four new inductees at a Friday luncheon at Gipper’s Sports Grill. Normand Bureau, William Lever, Fern Masse and William “Bud” Schultz will be inducted at the annual banquet on April 24 at Lost Valley.

“This will be our 22nd induction and the four individuals to be introduced will bring our total number to 94,” said Hall of Fame chairman Anita Murphy.

Masse, 70, is usually helping the Hall select its new inductees each year. This year, however, he was shut out of the voting as it considered his candidacy as a lifelong contributor to the local sports scene.

Masse first made a name for himself as a basketball player at Lewiston High School and then Gorham State (now part of the University of Southern Maine), where he was inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame. He spent summers playing baseball for several area town teams, including the Bates Manufacturing team that went to the Amateur World Series in 1954.

He then distinguished himself as a basketball coach at LHS, leading the Blue Devils to 250 wins and two Western Maine titles in 1965 and 66. He was also co-founder of the Hoop Basketball Camp in Casco.

“You never really get tired of athletics,” Masse said. “I’ve enjoyed it my whole life. You work with young people all the time and you see how they handle themselves and what they have. Coaching has changed a little bit. Parents are getting more involved, particularly at the lower levels.”

After an 11-year stint as the LHS’ athletic director, Masse retired briefly before joining Jim Murphy’s staff as an assistant for the women’s basketball team in 1998.

“That’s been a great experience,” he said. “Working with Jim Murphy has been great and getting the opportunity to work with athletes (including 2005 Chamber President’s Award winner Olivia Zurek) has been good.”

Lever, a Lewiston High School and Bates College graduate, is one of the best golfers the Twin Cities has produced since World War II. He was ranked among the best blue-ribbon golfers in the state throughout the 1950s and earned four championships at his home course, Martindale, between 1951 and 1960.

A six-time member of Maine’s Tri-State championship team between 1951 and 1985 and former president of the Maine State Golf Association, Lever counts among his greatest thrills meeting two-time PGA champion Leo Deigel and playing with four-time British Open champion Bobby Locke.

“The big thing is all of the wonderful people that you meet,” he said. “Golf has been a tremendous help as far as getting into areas that you probably wouldn’t normally be involved with.”

Now 85, Lever still plays three times a week, mostly at Martindale.

“It keeps the joints loose, and it keeps me interested,” said Lever, who lives in Auburn. “Nobody really figures the game out, but it’s great attempting to figure it out.”

Schultz, another Bates grad, figured out tennis pretty early, going undefeated in Maine competition and reaching both the NCAA Division I and III tournaments his senior year with the Bobcats.

As a pro, he upset sixth-seeded Aaron Krickstein at Wimbledon and reached the third round of the U.S. Open before bowing to John McEnroe and the second round of the Australian Open before losing to Stefan Edberg. He reached his career best ranking on the ATP Tour, 39th, in 1986.

Bureau left his mark on local hockey as a standout at St. Dom’s, Bates Manufacturing and other central Maine teams. He also coached Lewiston High School to a state title, served as director of the U.S. Amateur Hockey Association, officiated local high school, Maine Nordiques and Maine Mariners games, and was key to the formation of the L&A Twins, serving as president, manager and player.

Also being honored this year are Chamber President’s Award winners Bryan Lambert, Anne Martin, Monica Morin, Chantal St. Laurent, Vanessa Williamson and Olivia Zurek (college) and Kris Bennett, Michael Burke, Ryan Guerin, Matt Nadeau, Lindsey Visbaras and Adam Wilding (high school). Lewiston’s Class A boys 2004 state tennis champions and the 2005 Class C cheering champions from St. Dom’s will also receive the Chamber President’s Award. The 1960 Lewiston High School state championship football team has been named as the “Flashback to Fame” team.