Honour, integrity and perseverance were all personified during an emotionally charged Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Fairmont Southampton Resort on Saturday night.

For the fourth straight year ten of the Island's former elite athletes - all of whom epitomised their chosen sport - took their rightful place in local sports immortality before a host of dignitaries that included acting Premier Paula Cox, who was on hand to enshrine this year's honourees in the absence of Premier Ewart Brown.

Those inducted were:

• Heather Brewer-Segal (tennis)
• Albert Darrell (sailing)
• Charles Daulphin (cricket)
• Joe Ferreira (football)
• Austin (Cheesey) Hughes (football, cricket and billiards)
• Frederick (Skipper) Ingham (martial arts)
• Lloyd James (cricket)
• Eldon Raynor (cricket)
• Ray Swan (road running)
• DeForest (Shorty) Trimingham (sailing).

"The annual Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony has rapidly grown in stature as one of the most important events in the Island's sporting and social calendar - and rightfully so for it provides a glitterring stage for public recognition of our Island's sports heroes," said Minister of Education, Sports and Recreation and inaugural Hall of Fame inductee Randy Horton.

"The Mission statement of the Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame reflects the immense value that the Government and people of Bermuda place upon sports. The committee's mandate from the outset was to acknowledge the contribution of local sporting giants by tangibly preserving their contributions for prosperity and by expressing gratitude to them for driving their respective sports to heights to which other sportsmen might aspire.

"And as a life long lover of sports, former player, proud member of the Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame and Minister with responsibility for sports in Bermuda, I am especially honoured and pleased to salute the Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame honourees for 2007."

Just as he had done so many times in the past with the bat, swashbuckling Warwick and St. George's Cup Match cricketer and 1994 US Senior Open golf veteran James led from the front as he was the first nominee to be inducted during Saturday's gala event.

"With all of the wonderful opportunities our young athletes have today sometimes I think to myself 'what if I had some of these same opportunities back then . . . . what if?'," pondered James, who previously held the record for the highest individual score in Cup Match (173 not out) that stood for 39 years.

During a Cup Match career spanning 19 years, James ammassed 988 runs from 28 innings before bowing out in 1974 just 12 runs shy of becoming the first batsman to score 1,000 runs in the classic.

"I used to practise for long hours on end hitting either a ping pong ball or a golf ball against the wall," James recalled. As for his decision to walk away from Cup Match well within reach of a then unprecedented milestone, James said: "I don't have any regrets. . . . I just felt it was the right time to move on."

Perhaps just as predictable were the inductions of late Wimbledon and French Open semi-finalist Segal and long distance runner and 1990 Boston Marathon masters' division champion Swan.

Karate Sensi Ingham proved that even tough guys have a soft spot after tearfully accepting his award to set the tone for heart-felt tributes for late inductees Daulphin, Trimingham, Ferreira, Darrell and Segal that followed.

But with Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) president Reggie Pearman, senior national team skipper Irving Romaine and members of Bermuda's World Cup-bound Under-19 national youth squad in attendance, it was inevitable cricket would regain the spotlight before the pageantry ended.

And who better to bring the curtains down than legends Raynor and Hughes who warmed the hearts of all those gathered when he dedicated his life-time sports achievement award to the memory of his four deceased sons (Randall, Irving, Howard and Austin Jr.) and supportive wife (Ethelyn).

"I did all of this for them . . . . but sadly none of them are here to see it," an emotional Hughes said.

Raynor, one of the best cover fielders the Island has produced, would not be outdone as he read a touching three-page tribute saluting the likes of late Somerset Bridge and Somerset Cup Match all rounder Mackie Simmons, late Devonshire cricketer McDonald (Bull) Swan as well as former St. George's Cup Match team -mates Jackie Durham and Leroy (Tubby) Richardson, to name a few.

During an outstanding cricket career, Raynor played on some of the finest St. George's teams ever assembled, including Cal (Bummy) Symonds' powerful squad that dominated Cup Match in the 1960s.

"Those were some very great memories," he smiled. "We did everything together as a team."

With the Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame now firmly established, Sports Minister Horton said it is "incumbent" upon Govermnent and the community to continue to uphold the Island's sports icons.

"May they long live in the knowledge that their contributions to sports in Bermuda are greatly valued and appreciated," he added.

"Indeed, the occasion presents us with an opportunity as a community to celebrate publicly and in the most fitting manner the honourees' lifetimes of achievement and contribution in the realm of sports."