The Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame Committee announced today the four individuals selected for induction for the club's upcoming Hall of Fame Night, which is set to be held on Sunday, March 30 at GIANT Center. The Bears battle the Utica Comets that evening at 5 p.m., and the ceremony will take place prior to puck drop.
Inductees include Lou Franceschetti (player), Michel Harvey (player), Mike Stothers (player), and Mark French (builder), and these four represent the Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Lou Franceschetti
Lou Franceschetti played parts of five seasons for Hershey, helping the club capture the 1980 Calder Cup in his first AHL season, highlighted by scoring two game-winning goals in the club's playoff series versus New Haven, and recording 15 points (6g, 9a) in 14 playoff games. He generated over 50 points in all five of his seasons with Hershey, including a personal best of 75 points (31g, 44a) in the 1982-83 campaign. Over the five-year period of Franceschetti's tenure in Chocolatetown, he led the club in regular-season games played (347), assists (176), and points (314). He went onto a lengthy pro career after Hershey, playing in 459 NHL games with Washington, Toronto, and Buffalo.
Michel Harvey
Michel Harvey played seven seasons for Hershey and is one of the greatest scorers in team history, ranking 15th all-time with 394 points. He was a member of Hershey's 1969 Calder Cup team, earning AHL First All-Star Team honors that year with a career-best 93 points (41g, 52a) in just 74 games to finish second in league scoring. He added six more points (2g, 4a) in 11 playoff games en route to the title. Harvey scored 50 or more points in four of his seasons in Hershey, and his 394 points during his tenure with the organization rank third behind only Mike Nykoluk and Jeannot Gilbert during that time frame. Harvey passed away in 2017.
Mike Stothers
Mike Stothers was a stalwart on the back end for Hershey for parts of eight seasons before he moved into coaching with the Bears. His 487 games rank 15th in team history. He is the club's all-time penalty minutes leader with 1,519 and was revered as a fearless competitor who never backed down from the toughest players in the AHL. His best offensive season came with Hershey in 1984-95 when he logged 26 points (8g, 16a) and 142 penalty minutes in 59 games. He appeared in the playoffs five times for Hershey, skating in 40 postseason games. He served as a player/assistant coach in 1991-92, then launched a successful career in coaching by starting as an assistant coach with Hershey from 1994-96. He has coached in the OHL, AHL, and NHL, leading Manchester to the Calder Cup in 2015. He most recently was an assistant coach for the NHL's Anaheim Ducks.
Mark French
Mark French was an assistant coach in Hershey for parts of two seasons, including the club's 2009 Calder Cup title, before he took over as head coach in 2009-10 and led Hershey to the East Division title and Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as regular-season champions with a 60-17-0-3 record, before going on to win the 2010 Calder Cup title. The 2009-10 Bears team set franchise records for wins (60), points (123), home wins (34), road wins (26), consecutive wins (12), consecutive home wins (24), and playoff overtime wins (eight). The marks for wins, home wins, consecutive home wins, and playoff overtime wins all still stand are also AHL records. French served as head coach of the Bears for four seasons from 2009-13; he is the fastest Hershey coach in team history to 100 wins, achieving that mark in just 147 games. He earned a 180-100-10-23 record as head coach in Hershey, ranking fifth in team history in wins. His 22 playoff wins are tied for sixth in team history among coaches. His points percentage of .628 is tied for fourth in franchise history.
Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame Committee members include: John Lawn, President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company (ex officio); Bryan Helmer, Vice President of Hockey Operations of the Hershey Bears; J. Bruce McKinney, retired President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company; Vikki Hultquist, Vice President, Hersheypark and Entertainment Operations for Hershey Entertainment & Resorts; Doug Yingst, retired President/General Manager of the Hershey Bears; Dave Parro, President of the Hershey Bears Alumni Association; Don Scott, former Hershey Bears public address announcer; Bruce Hancock, Co-Supervisor of Hershey Bears Off-Ice Officials; and Zack Fisch, Hershey Bears Senior Manager of Hockey Communications and Broadcasting.
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