A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

INDUCTION JUNCTION: Yep folks, your favorite new feature is back again. In case you missed it last week, "Induction Junction" is your weekly (or semi-weekly) look at the happenings in Halls of Fame.

• Van Halen is still set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12, but that big summer concert tour with Diamond Dave fronting the band for the first time in two decades has been postponed indefinitely. No reason, as of yet, has been given, but you VH enthusiasts can drown your sorrow or at least your chicken wings in former bassist Michael Anthony's newest addition to his line of hot sauces, Mad Anthony's XXXTra Hot Private Reserve.
• Plans are under way to open a National Cheerleading Hall of Fame. Sites for the Hall, which hopes to open by the fall of 2008, include Dallas or Orlando. My knowledge of cheerleading is somewhat limited, but I have some ideas for the hall's inaugural class: Bambi Woods, Kristen Owen and Angela Keathley, the Fab Five, Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri, Claire Bennet, Sheri Cowart, and Natasha Lyonne. Now that would be an induction ceremony worth attending.
  
• It only took 14 years for the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame to get around to inducting Mark Spitz. The Hall, which already includes such iconic Jewish athletes as Brad Ausmus, Jay Fielder (he's been inducted twice!?!), and Danny Schayes, is also adding Howard Cossell, Bonnie Bernstein, NFL referee Jerry Markbreit, and Dwight Stones, who used to kick butt on Superstars. The Hall, which is located in the Suffolk JCC in Commack, N.Y., will hold its induction ceremony on April 29.
• The Baseball Hall of Fame Veteran's Committee will announce the results of its balloting next week, but perennial bridesmaid Ron Santo isn't getting his hopes up that this is his year. Others on the ballot this year include Gil Hodges, Roger Maris, Thurman Munson, Bobby Bonds, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Joe Torre, and newcomer (relatively speaking) Al Oliver, who hit for a .303 lifetime average and retired in 1985 with 2,743 hits, which today still is the 48th highest total in MLB history.
  
• Awhile back we discussed the greatest attribute and residents of Connecticut here (scroll down to Aug. 7), and now the Nutmeg State has its very own Hall of Fame. The first three inductees were Mark Twain, Katharine Hepburn, and Igor Sikorsky, who invented the helicopter.

And that's it for this week's edition. I'll be back next week with more exciting Hall news including reports on the WWE Hall of Fame, Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.