Dr. Herbert E. Hamel (right) and Tom Hamel. Dr. Herbert E. Hamel and athletic trainer Tom Hamel will be inducted into the LaSalle High School Hall of Fame, receiving the Distinguished Service Award during induction ceremonies Sunday, December 28, and Monday, December 29.

Dr. Hamel served as a physician in St. Ignace for more than 30 years and assisted with athletes in St. Ignace and Rudyard High Schools.

After serving in the United States Navy, Dr. Hamel came to St. Ignace in 1947 with the encouragement of the late Nan Rudolph, and opened a practice in downtown St. Ignace before moving to the newly built Mackinac Straits Hospital in 1957.

"We grew with the hospital," said Dr. Hamel. "It was a great time with the opening of the Mackinac Bridge and just as important, the opening of the new hospital."

Ralph Swanson, an athlete and 1965 graduate of LaSalle High School, said he had three experiences with Dr. Hamel.

"I suffered bone fractures during my freshman, sophomore, and senior years," he said. "Two incidents while playing sports, and each time Dr. Hamel was there to take care of me. Even after I was healed, he was concerned about my health. He was a very generous person and took great concern about not just the athletes, but everyone."

Saints athletic trainer Tom Hamel on the sidelines during the St. Ignace-Cedarville football game, tending to Jimmy Campbell. Dr. Hamel, one of the last physicians in the area to make house calls, had a daily schedule that included 20 to 30 patients per day.

Dr. Hamel brought more than 2,000 newborns into the world.

In 1970, he suffered a heart attack that limited his work schedule. Nine years later, he retired. He remains in the St. Ignace area.

He and his wife, Jean, have three sons and a daughter, Tex, Tom, David, and Carolyn.

Tom Hamel has been the Saints' athletic trainer for 22 years before serving in the Portland St. Patrick school system for 11 years.

Athletic training started while Mr. Hamel was a student at LaSalle High School, with the encouragement of the late Saints head football coach Art Haege to get involved with the school's sports programs.

"Coach Haege got me involved with athletics and eventually with the training aspect," said Mr. Hamel.

Mr. Hamel was graduated from LaSalle in 1967 and is an alumnus from Marquette Univer sity in Milwaukee.

He has taught American history, world history, freshman and sophomore English, thesis, speech, novels, government, and senior social studies in St. Ignace.

In his first teaching assignment at Portland, Mr. Hamel starting taking athletic training classes at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, completing his education in Grand Rapids.

Mr. Hamel has spent numerous hours with the football, wrestling, and girls and boys basketball teams in taking care of the athletes.

John Evashevski, the first wrestling coach at LaSalle High School, has high praise for Mr. Hamel.

"You respected his outlook on the athletes," he pointed out. "Tom has vast knowledge on how to handle injuries and not only helped St. Ignace athletes, but students from other schools. He has the respect of all the athletes."

"Tom has helped all the athletes at LaSalle," said Harvey Bentley, current head coach for St. Ignace's wrestling team. "At wrestling meets, all of the coaches respect Tom's diagnosis. There is no worry about the athletes with Tom around, and during meets, he is also an unofficial assistant coach."

"Tom is a very valuable part of the athletic program," said Saints football coach Marty Spencer. "Not many schools have a person with his knowledge about athletic training."

Mr. Hamel has spent 40 summers working at the Straits State Park and enjoys sailing, biking, and teaching. During the school year, he can be seen on the wrestling mat, football sidelines, or on the basketball court taking care of the athletes.