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.
Reuben Waltman
Basketball and Tennis
Inducted: 1981
Reuben E. Waltman '40 graduated from Hibbing Jr. College and came to Gustavus as a junior, lettering in both basketball and tennis his two years at GAC. In '39 and '40 he was captain of both the basketball and tennis teams. In '39 he was the MIAC Singles Tennis Champion. He was named to the second team of the All-Conference in basketball in '39'; and in '40 was among the top 10 scorers in the conference (2nd highest scoring guard). In 1940 he was U.P. All-Conference selected by coaches and sports writers, Mpls Tribune State College All-Conference, Mpls. Times Tribune All-State including all Minnesota colleges and the Univ. of Minn., and Associated Press All-State. He was especially noted for his basketball dribbling ability and successfully stalled out several games.
He taught and coached all sports at Frost, Janesville, and Appleton, where in 1943 he had the first undefeated football team since 1913. He then went to Watertown, South Dakota, as basketball coach and athletic director. His basketball teams went to the state tournament three of the five years he was there - once losing in the semi-finals and once as consolation winner. He was president of the South Dakota Coaches Association in 1947 and 1948.
He left the teaching profession and worked for Pickands, Mather & Co., Coal Div., for 10 years, returning to St. Peter in 1962 as assistant coach and senior social studies teacher. He retired in 1977. He was a counselor at American Legion Boys State in South Dakota for five years and in Minnesota for seven years.
Ruben and his wife Margaret have a daughter, Mary, and a son, Ed, and live in St. Peter.