Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
The Clinton Walk of Fame in Iowa announced the following:
Clinton Walk of Fame 2025 Ceremony Information
Mark your calendars!
The 5th Annual Walk of Fame Ceremony will be held on Sunday, September 28, 2025 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. This year, the ceremony will be hosted at the Copper Mill (formerly Gil's Ballroom), 2750 South 27th Street in Clinton, Iowa - right next to the Wild Rose Casino & Hotel. Ticket prices are $30.00 per Individual, or $240.00 for a table of eight.
To obtain tickets, please contact our board member Matt Parbs at mparbs@growclinton.com, or call the Grow Clinton office at 563-242-5702 (ask for Matt). Or purchase below on PayPal, and we will have your tickets at will call.
Single Ticket $30.00 USD
Walk of Fame Class of 2025
The 2025 Walk of Fame Class includes seven awesome individuals. This year's inductees are:
Martin "Farmer" Burns (athletics). Burns was born in rural Cedar County in 1861 and later moved to Big Rock in Clinton County. He started wrestling as a teenager, competing for money at carnivals and fairs throughout the Midwest. Under the nickname of “Farmer,” Burns competed in over 6,000 wrestling matches in his career and lost only seven, taking championship titles in middleweight, light-heavyweight, and heavyweight wrestling. He then started a wrestling school in Omaha, Nebraska, and coached the team at Cedar Rapids Washington High School to win the first Iowa high school state wrestling tournament title. Burns has been inducted into the International Wrestling Institute and Museum Hall of Fame, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Nebraska Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame, and WWE Hall of Fame.
William Durward Connor (military). An 1893 graduate of Clinton High School, Connor graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1897 at the top of his class. He fought in the Spanish-American War in the Philippines as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army and reached the rank of colonel when appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the American Expeditionary Forces in France under General John Pershing. In the years following 1920, Connor served as Commandant of the U.S. Army Engineering School, U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, Commanding General of U.S. Army Expeditionary Forces in China, Commandant of the U.S. Army War College and superintendent at West Point. Connor retired in 1938, but was called to serve as Chairman of the U.S. War Department’s Construction Advisory Committee in 1941. For his military service, Connor was given two Silver Stars, the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal, Order of the Bath from Great Britain, Commander of the Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre from France. He is buried at West Point.
Larry Davis (fine arts). Larry Davis is a Clinton native and an artist known for colorful vivid paintings. His career has spanned sixty-years with a lifelong dedication to the arts and deep ties to his hometown. Davis’ work has received national and international recognition including exhibitions at the Springfield Art Museum, Galex National Juried Exhibition, the Maler Museum of Art in Virginia and Cummer Museum in Florida. Davis has also served as an educator, beginning his career at Clinton Community College before moving to Florida State College in 1981. Strongly tied to Clinton, Davis created a series of local scenes as a fundraising initiative for Clinton Community College and a piece for the College’s 75th Anniversary. Through his work and impact on students, Davis has fostered artistic growth and education.
Henry “Hank” Dihlmann (professional achievement). Dihlmann, for 26 years, was the broadcast voice of Clinton Minor League Baseball. He had started on the radio with KROS in 1942, before leaving to serve in the U.S. Army during WWII. He returned afterward to KROS to deliver the play-by-play of Clinton High School football and basketball games for the next more than 40 years. He broadcast over 5,000 sporting events during his career and served as the general manager of the station from 1976 until his retirement in 1987. He delivered his last broadcast in March 1986. Dihlmann has been honored as 1981 Iowa Sportscaster of the Year and with induction into the KROS Hall of Fame, Clinton Baseball Club Wall of Fame, and Clinton High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also awarded the 1983 Iowa High School Athletic Association News Media Award. Dihlmann died in 2021 at 100 years old.
James and Pauline Durgin (professional achievement & humanitarian acts). The Durgins founded CustomPak in 1974 in Clinton where the manufacturer of blow-molded plastics remains headquartered. The company employs 600 people in three Clinton County locations, plus others in plants in Arkansas and Mexico. The Durgins also contributed to the Izaak Walton League, Benevolent Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Clinton Community College Paul B. Sharer Foundation, and Sawmill Museum, as well as Camp Courageous, Ashford University, and Information, Referral and Assistance Services.
Ted Tornow (athletics). Tornow served as general manager of the Clinton LumberKings for 25 seasons, during which time he oversaw a $4 million renovation to NelsonCorp Field, led the change to the Prospect League, and saw the second-best attendance in the franchise’s history. Tornow also led the effort to erect a statue of Duke Slater at Clinton High School and start a scholarship in Slater’s name. Tornow served on the board of the Clinton County United Way, Clinton Substance Abuse Council, and other local organizations. Tornow was honored in 2024 with an MLK Peace and Justice Award.
The Sisters of St. Francis (humanitarian acts). Rooted in the teachings of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi, the mission of the Sisters of Saint Francis emphasizes promoting nonviolence, justice, and nurturing relationships with all. The sisters began in leadership at Mount St. Clare College, and have since taken stances on social issues that have included the death penalty, nuclear disarmament, immigration reform, human trafficking, and the housing and care of homeless individuals.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
