ABOUT US

The Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame is sometimes also known as the “Beach Shaggers Hall of Fame,” the “Shaggers Hall of Fame” or just the “Hall of Fame”). It is the original Hall of Fame for shag dancers and is generally considered the most prestigious organization honoring proficient shag dancers (wherever from or residing) who deserve special recognition for their contributions to shag dancing, its music and the atmosphere in which it historically has been cultivated and enjoyed.

        Over the years the location of the Hall of Fame’s members’ pictures and biographies has changed several times, and they are currently located in the Ocean Drive Beach and Golf Resort in the Ocean Drive Section of North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Its members’ names and induction dates are also engraved on pavers located in the sidewalks on Main Street in Ocean Drive. Pictures and biographical information are also included in other sections of this website.

BRIEF HISTORY:

        The Beach Shaggers Hall of Fame was “conceptualized” by Rick Hubbard of Greenville, SC and came into existence with the first inductees in April 1983. The Hall of Fame went through several ownership changes during the 1990’s. In 2000 its owner, Chick Hedrick, gratuitously transferred the Hall of Fame’s assets to a new, independently governed, non-profit South Carolina corporation, now named “Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame.”

       In a tradition that is carried on to this day, from the Hall of Fame’s beginning each new inductee was given the right to one vote at meetings during the following year, and annually four males and four females were elected and inducted into the Hall of Fame. According to its original bylaws, the inductees were to be chosen from people (i) who had been “on the beach” prior to 1955, (ii) who had contributed to the shag by expanding and refining the dance, and (iii) who had continued shag dancing “during either a period of resurgence...or while...in a dormant period or period of remission.” (Note: shag dancing was generally dormant or in remission from the late sixties to the late seventies).

PRESENT ORGANIZATION:

The Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame corporation is a membership organization which serves as the “umbrella” for three distinct categories of memberships:

1. Shagattack Members are individuals (including members of the Hall of Fame and Keepers of the Dance) who join “Shagattack” on an annual basis for the purpose of attending the two weekend social functions sponsored by the corporation. New inductees to the Hall of Fame and Keepers of the Dance are also announced and honored at these functions. Learn more about Shagattack memberships from the Shagattack website, a link to this website.

2. Keepers of the Dance Members are individuals (usually one male and one female) selected annually by the corporation’s Keepers of the Dance Committee from a list of young people who are at least 25 years old, participated in Shag events as juniors (under 21) and have helped insure the continuation of the dance, its music and the atmosphere in which it is cultivated and enjoyed. Learn more about the Keepers on its website, a link to this website.

3. Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame Members are all of the people who have been elected into the Hall of Fame regardless of the year of election and the ownership of the sponsoring organization. More about becoming a Hall of Fame member is discussed below.

        The corporate organization is operated by a four person Board of Directors known as the Executive Board, the members of which must be members of the Hall of Fame. The Executive Board appoints: the officers of the corporation, an eight member Advisory Board, the Keepers of the Dance Committee and an eight-member Selection Committee.

    The current members of the Executive Board and their offices are:

              NAME                              OFFICE
     Sam McIntosh      President & Chief Executive Officer

      Maureen Little     Vice President & Chief Operating Officer


      Bob Myrick             Vice President & Chairman Keepers of the Dance


      Danny Johnson    Vice President



Roger Burris resigned as a member of the Executive Board and as Vice President in 2016. He had held that office and similar positions with the Hall of Fame for 22 years of meritorious service. Upon his resignation Roger was appointed "Director Emeritus," entitling him to attend all meetings of the Executive Board in a non-voting capacity.
(Roger died on August 10, 2019)

Bill Drew served as Vice-President and Treasurer until his untimely death on February 21, 2020. He was responsible for maintaining the tax- exempt status of the Hall Of Fame and worked tirelessly to ensure all documents were organized and properly filed. In addition, Bill worked with the S.C. Department of Archives to establish historical markers for three Myrtle Beach area pavilions.


      The other corporate officers are:

            NAME                                   OFFICE
      Marilyn Burrage                Secretary & Parade Coordinator

      Judy Eastwood                   Selection Committee Advisor

      In addition Crystal Hummer serves as the Shagattack Membership Coordinator, but is not a corporate officer.

The eight member Advisory Board consists of eight Hall of Fame members and serves as advisor to the Executive Board. Advisory Board members have no vote in the affairs of the corporation except when a member is appointed to serve on the Selection Committee.

The eight member Selection Committee consists of eight Hall of Fame members appointed for staggered three-year terms. No member
of the Executive Committee may serve on the Selection Committee.

ELECTION OF HALL OF FAME MEMBERS:

        Each year all new Hall of Fame members (except Honorary members) must be elected from the List of Nominees. This List of Nominees consists of those individuals who in prior years were added to the list at the Spring meetings by a member of the Executive Board, the Selection Committee or a voting new Hall of Fame inductee. At the time a person is added to the list, he or she must be either (i) a Keeper Of The Dance who is age 40 or older or (ii) and individual who is at least 49 years old, generally recognized as a proficient shag dancer and, in the opinion of the person making the nomination, deserves special recognition for his or her contributions to shag dancing, its music and the atmosphere in which it is cultivated and enjoyed.

        Each Spring eight new members (four males and four females) of the Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame are elected by a majority of the combined votes of (i) the Selection Committee and (ii) the prior year’s new Hall of Fame inductees. The election is by secret ballot following open discussions by all present. No member of the Executive Board has any vote on these eight new members.

        In addition to the regular admission process, the Executive Board may annually elect one or two individuals to the Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame in each of the following categories: “Charlie Boone” members (named for the first Secretary of the Hall of Fame), “Posthumous” members and “Honorary” members. “Charlie Boone” members and “Posthumous” members must be chosen from the List of Nominees discussed above and otherwise meet all of the qualifications for Hall of Fame membership. Only thirteen people have been elected as “Charlie Boone” members. “Honorary” members may or may not meet the qualifications required of the other categories, but nevertheless deserve to be members because of their unique contributions to shag dancing, its music or the atmosphere in which it is enjoyed.

HALL OF FAME FOUNDATION:

        The Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame should not be confused with the Hall of Fame Foundation. The Foundation is a completely separate, non-member charitable organization. While the Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame supports and maintains close ties with the Hall of Fame Foundation, the Foundation is managed and operated independently. Find out more about the Hall of Fame Foundation on its website, a link to this site.