Former Nashua Mayor Maurice Arel was one of the inductees into the Nashua Lions Club Holman Hall of Fame, Class of 2020.

The 2020 Holman Stadium Sports Legends Hall of Fame induction, usually held in conjunction with the 4th of July, has been set for Sunday, August 9th prior to the Nashua Silver Knights game with Brockton.

Originally started by the former American Defenders baseball team, the Lions club took over the program in 2009. Due to the Covid19 pandemic, the city cancelled the fireworks on the 4th and the Silver Knights were more than happy to include the ceremony in their schedule. Game time is 3pm and the induction will take place prior to the first pitch.

The class of 2020 is unique and includes former Nashua Mayor Maurice Arel, well known youth sports advocate Al Savage and former broadcaster with WOTW, WSMN and WMVU, Reverend Robert “Woody” Woodland.

Arel is being recognized for his support of a project that brought sorely needed improvements to Holman when he took over as Mayor. In addition, he was instrumental in returning minor league baseball to the Gate City when he lured the Eastern League Holyoke Millers to Nashua in 1983 with the arrival of the Nashua Angels. The irony of this was several Angels front office executives had ties to the management of the former Nashua Dodgers.

Savage, like Arel, played sports at Nashua High, and as a local businessman was an advocate for youth sports on all levels. While he was unsuccessful in convincing the city to put an outdoor track at Holman, he and the late NHS Track coach Fran Tate got their outdoor facility when Fairgrounds Junior high was built. Savage and Tate formed the Nashua High Track club and created the State Decathlon, which continues to this day. In addition, Savage was a moving force with the Spartans and Elks Trojans Drum and Bugle Corps and the city’s Biddy Basketball program.

Woodland, a raspy voiced broadcaster and ordained minister, came to Nashua from Pennsylvania and began doing news and local sports at the former WOTW. He later moved over to WSMN, and in addition to high school sports, became the radio Voice of the Nashua Angels, and later their successor, the Nashua Pirates. Using his ministry, he was invited to participate in the minor leagues club house ministry during his stint. He concluded his broadcast career at the former WMVU.

Club president Erin Freda said the club is “Proud to be able to carry on this program. There are so many deserving men and women and we (the Lions) are glad we can recognize their contributions.”

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