Athletic Hall of Fame
The Gustavus Adolphus College Hall of Fame was established in 1978 at which time 19 "Charter Members" were inducted either as coaches or as athletes. As of the fall of 2022, 348 individuals (321 athletes, 16 coaches and 11 benefactors) have been elected to the Hall of Fame.
The former Hall of Fame room on the second floor of the Lund Center was originally partially endowed by the families of both Dwight Holcombe's (the only father/son combination holding membership in the Hall). The hardwood plaque upon which the individual plates are permanently displayed, now in the Hall of Champions, was donated by the family of former football coach and Hall of Fame member Jocko Nelson, who passed away in 1978.
Raymond Sinder
Football
Inducted: 1992
Ray Sinder enrolled at Gustavus after helping his St. Peter High School football team win a state championship in his senior season of 1929. Not long after moving up the hill, Sinder moved into the starting lineup on the offensive and defensive lines and he remained there for four years.
Similar to his efforts in high school, Sinder lead the Gusties to a conference championship in his senior season and earned all-conference honors as well. Following graduation, Ray played pro football in Minneapolis for three years and also refereed high school sports.
In 1941, the Sinder family moved from St. Peter to Leavenworth, Kansas. where Ray became an employee of the Federal Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons. During his work with the Bureau of Prisons, he supervised such well known criminals as Al Capone and "Machine Gun" Kelly. Ray was a former vice president of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and was very active in representing its members. He enjoyed excellent health until suffering a severe stroke in June 1992 and passed away two months later on August 23, 1992 at the age of 81. He is survived by his wife Louella, son Ray, and daughter Gail.