2013 Hall of Fame Inductees

Norman L. Anderson: Norm excelled in football, basketball, baseball and track while at St. James High School graduating in 1954. The Saint standout ended with sixteen letters, four each from his respective sports. He was nominated to the All-State Football team and participated in the State 100-yard, 200-yard and broad-jump at the state competition level. He ran a state record 9.9 second 100-yard dash. He was an integral part of the 1953 State football championship team and State final 8 in basketball in 1953-1954. He went on to play football at the University of Minnesota and was the team's track captain.

Emily Susan Anderson: Emily was one of the more decorated athletes in St. James High School history. She finished her high school academic time with a 4.0 grade point average. Along with her stellar performance in the classroom, she accumulated a total of twelve letters in softball (5), volleyball (3), and basketball (4). She participated in six state tournaments in her three team sports. She was named to the All-State tournament teams in basketball, volleyball and softball. She holds school records in volleyball (match kills, match digs, and season digs), basketball (individual free throw percentage), and softball (shutouts, no-hitters, strike outs, earned run average (.07), won-loss record from 629 1/3 career innings pitched).

Al Firchau: Al graduated from St. James High School in 1961 where he was an outstanding athlete in football, wrestling and track. Al was St. James' very first individual champion in wrestling starting a long line of great state wrestling champions for the Saints. He also participated at the state level in track. Al went on to wrestle in college before serving our country in the United States Army for twenty-seven and a half years.

Sandy Fredrikson Flohrs: Sandy graduated from St. James High School in 1983 excelling in volleyball, basketball and track. Sandy was named the most valuable player for the Saints volleyball team in 1981 and 1982 along with basketball in 1983 and track in 1982 and 1983. She was named captain in all three sports her senior year. She earned eight letters in her respective sports as a Saint. The Saint standout was selected the KNUJ All-Area Volleyball 1st team in 1982 and went on to achieve South Central Conference honors in volleyball, basketball and track. In college, she made four appearances at the Nationals and currently holds the a school record in the Long Jump of 19'-1" set in 1984.

Gerald Kintze: Gerald graduated in 1954 a very highly decorate athlete for the Saints. In his high school career, Gerald played football, basketball, baseball and tennis lettering a total of sixteen times. He was also another integral part of the 1953 State Champion on the gridiron. He also went on to play football at the University of Minnesota and Mankato State University before injuries cut his career short. Gerald went on to teach, coach and held the Athletic Director position at Belmond Public School for thirty years in Belmond, Iowa. He is also a member of the Iowa State High School Hall of Fame as an administrator in 2001.

Paul Krueger: Paul is St. James High School's Hall of Fame's first standout coach and administrator to be inducted. He excelled as the Saints wrestling coach and Athletic Director for many years. Paul was mat side for the Saints from 1963-1975 and compiled an impressive 111-18-1 dual meet record giving his tenure a .854 winning percentage. His Saint grapplers captured the 1972 State Championship along with runner-up finishes in 1969 and 1973. From 1975-1991, Paul served as the Saints Athletic Director, Community Education and Pool Director. Paul was named in 1972 Minnesota Wrestling Coach of the Year and inducted into the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 1973. Paul has been inducted to following Hall of Fames: Luther College Athletic, Minnesota Coaches Association, Minnesota Athletic Administration, National Wrestling (Minnesota Chapter) and the St. James Wrestling.

Jeff Nessler: Jeff graduated in 1972 from St. James High School participating in football, basketball and baseball. He was named captain in all three sports both his junior and senior year. Jeff was selected All-South Central Conference for football, basketball and baseball for three years in a row. He ended his playing career at St. James High School a total of ten letters (football - 3, basketball - 3 and baseball - 4). He was also the integral part of the magical 1972 Title Town season winning the basketball state title. Jeff is also a member of the Augsburg Hall of Fame from his playing days on the court and diamond in college.

Bill Nordgren: And that's the way it was 50 years ago. His face is recognized everywhere by the residents of St. James. He was the long time sports editor of the St. James Courier and the Watonwan County Plaindealer. Bill Nordgren has been a part of the St. James community for 50 years. He first came to St. James in 1963, moving from Olivia, Minnesota, after seeing an advertisement for an open news editor position here in a city twice the size of Olivia, St. James. Nordgren worked in a newsroom at the Olivia Times Journal starting in 1954 as a typer, floor sweeper, window washer and finally a sports writer. Nordgren covered a wide variety of stories in his time at St. James. Stories from fires, car accidents, school board and council meetings to sporting events and the state champion teams of St. James High School. "St. James has been good to me, and for me," said Nordgren. The city that has been so great to Nordgren has changed a lot through his 50 year residence. St. James has become more diverse, busier and businesses that were once spread throughout downtown have since moved on. "There used to be a lot of retail, but now there isn't," said Nordgren. "There were two ladies clothing, men's clothing, a shoes store - there is nothing like that anymore. There weren't any places like Shopko, you had to go to Mankato or New Ulm for stuff like that." While retail has slowed down through the years, the restaurant business has picked up in St. James. "There are plenty of places to dine, there weren't back then," said Norgren. The only evening dinner in the St. James area was in Ormsby, but that business too has been driven out of the area, replaced with the growing number of restaurants here in St. James. The newspaper Nordgren worked at for so many years has changed a lot too, changes that are evident from an empty back room in the Plaindealer office. "When I came in we were printing two papers a week, that was a chore," said Nordgren. "Everything was set by line and type with a big press in the back." The once staff of eleven is now down to six in the Plaindealer office - and the printer in the back room has long since been removed. In fact, the whole office has moved. When Nordgren began in St. James, the paper was located in the MVAC building. It has been five years since Nordgren quit proofing the St. James Plaindealer, and nealy 10 years since he was awarded the prestigious and rare Minnesota Newspaper Association's 50 year award for working in the newspaper business for 50 years. That was a day he shook hands with Governor Tim Pawlenty, but it wasn't the first time he had met someone important in government. Nordgren also spoke with Walter Mondale, who called the paper while he was Vice President of the United States. Nordgren can still be found at nearly every sporting event here in St. James and still remembers fondly the spectacular wrestling and basketball seasons of 1972. And, if you've heard of the Champion Saints of 72, chances are you heard it from Bill Nordgren.

Steve Strommen: Steve Strommen graduated in 1961 from St. James High School playing five sports his senior year (football, basketball, baseball, tennis and golf) lettering in all. He ended his high school career with a total of twelve athletic letters. He was selected to the all-tournament baseball team after the State Baseball Tournament in 1960. Steve led the South Central Conference in scoring in football (1960) and basketball (1960-1961). He played on the Region Tennis Double's Champions in 1959 and 1961. No surprise but Steve was involved in three different sports all on the same day. He played tennis in the afternoon qualifying for the state tournament and played a baseball game later that day as his golf team was participating in District play. Mr. Strommen taught American History at Bloomington Kennedy for thirty-two year and coached boys and girls basketball along with baseball for many or all of those years. Steve is also a member of the Augsburg College Hall of Fame, Bloomington Sports Hall of Fame and Bloomington Kennedy Hall of Fame.

Arnold "Judge" Veglahn: "Judge" Veglahn is the most decorated basketball coach in St. James High School history. Judge mentored the Saints courtside from 1951-1978 compiling a 356-221 record for a .617 winning percentage. As the Saints basketball mentor, his teams earned seven conference, five district, three region and one state championship. The state title came in the 1971-72 season where the Saints were 29-0. Judge also coached baseball from 1954-1964 for the Saints. The Saints earned four conference, four district and two region championships on the diamond for Judge. Judge also coached girls golf from 1980-1984 before retiring. He is also a member of the Luther College Athletic, Minnesota State High School Coaches Association, and was named Basketball Coach of the Year in 1972.