On January 22, 1978, a meeting was held by a group of 21 men at the Elk Club in Mount Carmel. The purpose of the meeting was to try and establish a local chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. The meeting was organized by Ed Romance. The result was the formation of the Lower Anthracite Chapter, which was given its charter in May, 1978. During its first year, it became the third largest chapter in the state.

 

It seemed only fitting that in March, 1979, the name of the chapter was changed to the Ed Romance Lower Anthracite Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame; for without Ed, there would not have been a local chapter for many years. Let us also remember the others who helped to establish our organization – Gerald Breslin, Joe Cheddar, Jazz Diminick, Dan Ficca, Nick Ficca, Jose Gonzalo, Gary Howanec, Andy Leanski, Joe Lech, Bill Ruffling, all from the Mount Carmel Area and Bernie Romanoski, Eugene Troutman, Rev Woodrow Jones, Ralph Victoriano, John O’Brien from the Shamokin Area.

 

The chapter was split in 1985 with the formation of the Bernie Romanoski Chapter, covering the Shamokin Area and the Romance Chapter taking in the Mount Carmel Area. The local chapter boasts 315 inductees as of the Class of 2017.