A Potential Third Class for the WHA HOF

Should there be a third class for the WHA Hall of Fame, the following initial nominees are proposed for consideration:

• Donors to the 1974 Save the Jets Fund (Builder) - When it looked as though the Jets were going to leave Winnipeg following the 1973-74 season, ordinary Winnipeggers opened up their wallets with unparalleled generosity, and against all odds, raised enough capital to not only keep the club in Winnipeg, but see it through its best years. Without their efforts, one of the greatest teams in the history of the game might never have been known.
• Dr. Gerry Wilson (Builder) - It was Dr. Wilson who recommended the Winnipeg Jets' signing of Swedish stars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson, among others, which opened the floodgates for a wave of European talent that set the WHA apart from other major leagues. Dr. Wilson was also initially part of the ownership group which stepped forward to rescue the Jets in 1978 after the team had become insolvent under community ownership.
• Tim Gassen - The late WHA Hall of Fame founder worked tirelessly to promote the WHA and its legacy through his many books and video productions. “The Steve Sabol of the WHA” could not be a more fitting description of Tim.
• Winnipeg Jets Booster Club (Builder) - Far from being simply a group of fans who cheered on their favorite team, the Jets Booster Club, led by Gary Bigwood, Ron Bunio and Rose Glesby, among others, effectively acted as the club's PR department. They published a regular newspaper, organized fan bus trips and put on the team's annual awards banquet, all at their own expense.
• Rick Vaive (Legends of the Game) - Following his rookie season with the “Baby Bulls,” Vaive went on to score 441 goals in 876 games in another major league. He scored 50 or more goals three times and was the first 50-plus goal scorer in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
• Paul Henderson (Legends of the Game) - Prior to joining the Toronto Toros, Henderson had an outstanding career in another major league, most notably with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Without question, he is best known for scoring the winning goal for Canada in the final game of the 1972 Summit Series.
• Jim “Bearcat” Murray (Legends of the Game) - The former Calgary Cowboys trainer, “Bearcat” Murray went on to work for the Calgary Flames from 1980-1996 and was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• Ken “Friar” Nicolson (Media [new category]) - The ”Friar” called Winnipeg Jets games throughout the league's seven-year history and his voice became legendary with Jets fans.