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NJ Hall of Fame Ceremony Review - 2008

June 22, 2008

A Birthday Present for Bruce’s Mom: Einstein and Springsteen Inducted into the NJ Hall of Fame on Adele’s Birthday!
By John Zur

On Sunday, May 4, 2008, at the NJ Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Bruce Springsteen, along with 14 other NJ luminaries was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class.

“Albert Einstein, Bruce Springsteen... my mother's going to like that. She's here tonight. It's her birthday and it's the only time she's going to hear those two names mentioned in the same sentence, so I'm going to enjoy it.”

The honorees, as listed on the NJ Hall of Fame web site included:

Historical: The Historical Category is open for deceased New Jerseyans whose contributions transcend any one particular category.

Clara Barton (Bordentown)A teacher, nurse, activist and humanitarian, Clara Barton created New Jersey’s first free public school in Bordentown, where attendance grew to 600 students under her leadership. With the start of the Civil War, Barton’s tireless work as a wartime nurse earned her the title “Angel of the Battlefield.” After the war, she founded the American Red Cross and devoted much of her later life furthering the rights of women.

Thomas Edison (Newark; Menlo Park; West Orange) Considered the most prolific inventor in history, Thomas Alva Edison moved to New Jersey at the age of 28 when he opened his famous laboratory in Menlo Park. Time Magazine named him the most influential figure of the Millennium.

Albert Einstein (Princeton) Regarded as the most important scientist of the twentieth century, Einstein emigrated from Germany to New Jersey in 1933, joining the Institute for Advanced Study. He lived in Princeton for 22 years until his death in 1955. Awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics, Albert Einstein is best known for his theory of relativity and the ubiquitous formula E=MC².


Enterprise: The Enterprise Category is open to scientists, business leaders, inventors, leaders in medicine, entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

Buzz Aldrin (Montclair) Born and raised in Montclair, Buzz Aldrin distinguished himself in West Point and during the Korean War. Selected as a NASA astronaut, Buzz earned the privilege to be part of the historic Apollo 11 flight to the moon where he and Neil Armstrong became the first humans to walk on the moon.


Malcolm Forbes (Far Hills; Princeton) A graduate of the Lawrenceville School and Princeton University, Malcolm Forbes became as famous for his lifestyle as he was for his business acumen. Under his leadership, Forbes Magazine grew dramatically to become one of America’s most successful business magazines, enabling Forbes to expand his empire into real estate and other ventures. Always enjoying life to the fullest, Forbes was a great philanthropist in his later years.


Robert Wood Johnson II (New Brunswick; Highland Park; Raritan)The son of the founder of Johnson and Johnson, Robert Wood Johnson II provided the vision and leadership that took this New Jersey company to the ranks of the great international corporations. Another of New Jersey’s great philanthropists, Johnson left the bulk of his 400 million dollar estate to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Arts & Entertainment: The Arts & Entertainment Category includes musicians, singers, songwriters, actors & actresses, artists, dancers and those who work in the related fields.

Frank Sinatra (Hoboken) Born in Hoboken, “Ol’ Blue Eyes” became one of New Jersey’s best known celebrities. Francis Albert Sinatra is considered by many as the finest male popular song vocalist of all time, but his list of accomplishments goes well beyond. His 12 Academy Award nominations, second only to Meryl Streep, three Oscars, 7 Golden Globes and 11 Grammies just suggest the prominence this New Jersey native son achieved in music, film, television and business.


Bruce Springsteen (Asbury Park) Born in Long Branch and most frequently associated with Asbury Park, the Boss is true New Jerseyan who is the Garden State’s best known star. He has sold more than 60 million albums, been awarded 15 Grammies and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.


Meryl Streep (Bernardsville) Born in Summit and raised in Bernardsville, Meryl Streep is considered by many to be the greatest of all living film actresses. With more Academy Award nominations than anyone, this “Jersey Girl” has earned two Oscars, six Golden Globes, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Grammy nomination and a BAFTA Award.


Sports: The Sports Category is open not only to athletes, but also to coaches and others in the field of sports.

Yogi Berra (Montclair) A New Jersey resident since 1952, Lawrence Peter Berra is one of the most beloved baseball players in history. This Hall of Fame New York Yankee, played on 10 World Championship teams, was selected to 15 All-Star Games and won thee most valuable player awards. One of only a few managers to win pennants in both leagues, at 82 years young, Yogi is still going strong.


Bill Bradley (Princeton) New Jersey’s best known scholar-athlete, Bill Bradley was a three-time All-American basketball player at Princeton University and 1965 National Player of the Year. Graduating with honors, Bradley was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University after which he returned to lead the New York Knicks during their glory days in the late sixties and early seventies. Elected to the Hall of Fame, Dollar Bill used his fame and intellect to become a U.S. Senator from New Jersey. Now out of politics, Bill Bradley works now as an investment banker and consultant whose views are continuously sought.


Vince Lombardi (Englewood) One of the most successful football coaches in history, Vince Lombardi began his career at St. Cecilia’s High School in Englewood, where he spent nine years. His success led him to the college ranks and he eventually was offered the head coaching position for the Green Bay Packers where he became the face of the National Football League. His philosophy and motivational skills still inspire people today and he is legendary for his commitment to winning.


General: The General Category is a large category encompassing educators, military leaders, writers, poets, scholars, religious leaders, civil servants, politicians and others not specifically falling into the other categories.

Toni Morrison (Princeton) Born in Ohio, Toni Morrison has carved out a career as one of this country's most popular and respected authors. From 1989 until her retirement in 2006, Professor Morrison held the Robert F. Goheen Chair in the Humanities at Princeton University. Named one of the 30 most powerful women in America in 2001, Toni Morrison has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award and a Grammy. Some of her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Beloved.


General Norman Schwarzkopf (Trenton) Born in Trenton and raised in Lawrenceville, Norman Schwarzkopf went on to become one of the most distinguished military leaders of the 20th Century. Before he became the very visible commander during the Gulf War, Schwarzkopf had very distinguished military career, which took him to a high position in the Pentagon. His awards are too numerous to mention, but include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Purple Heart and France’s Legion of Honor.


Harriet Tubman (Cape May) Born in Maryland, Harriet Tubman became a leading African-American abolitionist who helped liberate scores of slaves through the Underground Railroad. Using Cape May as her base, she led expeditions into Maryland, leading slaves to freedom and serving as an inspiration for others to escape. She was the first American woman to plan and lead a military operation, a raid that freed more than 700 slaves.


All honorees still living were present with the exception of actress Meryl Streep and former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley. However, they have asked that the presentation of their awards be held until they can receive them in person. Family members, friends and/or colleagues represented those honorees that are now deceased.The Hall of Fame exists only as a virtual entity now, but officials are raising money to build a permanent museum. The first class was chosen through an online vote after 25 finalists were announced in 2006.All inductees must have lived in the state for at least five years, though organizers made an exception to that rule for Underground Railroad pioneer Harriet Tubman.

Governor Jon Corzine hosted the ceremony and Labamba and the Hubcaps were the house band.


"The New Jersey Hall of Fame, photographs by Christopher Duggan. "


Prior to the ceremony starting, a large video screen displayed images and quotes from many of the honorees and included a few Springsteen tunes when his images were displayed.

I was fortunate to be able to purchase two tickets online for ONLY $23.50/ticket and even though our seats were all the way in the upper tier it was just a nice time being a part of history and feeling proud - as I usually do - of my state of NJ.

The ceremony began in dramatic fashion: the stage went dark and one by one, each inductee was introduced under a circular spotlight. Bruce was the last announced and received the loudest ovation.

Bruce was also the last honoree inducted but appeared earlier to induct Frank Sinatra. Aside from Bruce, most of the induction and acceptance speeches were short and perfunctory with the exception of Yogi Berra, who received the loudest ovation next to Bruce. Yogi inducted Buzz Aldrin and stated that not only was he his neighbor but also his favorite astronaut. Mr. Aldrin responded by asking Yogi how many astronauts did he know? To which Yogi replied: Only one but you are my favorite!

As is par for the course, Bruce took the time to write a very thoughtful, humorous and poignant introduction for Frank Sinatra and for his own induction speech.

A couple of the highlights from Bruce’s induction speech for Frank Sinatra:

“I’ve always said that Frank owned NJ but lent me a little piece of it down the shore” and

“I attended Frank’s funeral and as I was standing on the church steps taking it all in, amidst news trucks, tons of media and people on rooftops, I felt someone standing behind me and it was Jack Nicholson from Neptune, NJ and he tilted his head and gave me that smile and said “King of NJ” and I said “yup, King of NJ”

Nancy Sinatra and her daughter accepted the award on Frank’s behalf.

Danny Devito (also a NJ Native) inducted Bruce and provided the audience with a few laughs. Some of the highlights from his animated and enthusiastic induction speech:

“Bruce, you have won many many awards, including a ton of Grammies and I’m sure you’ll win a bunch more… BUT this is an award/honor that is ONCE IN A LIFETIME” and

“When you think of NJ, you think of him, when you think of him, you think of NJ”

Bruce came on stage to the sounds of “Glory Days” and after some hijinks with Danny, delivered a wonderful acceptance speech (see the entire transcript).

My personal highlights of his speech included the humorous:
“When I first got the letter I was to be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame I was a little suspicious. New Jersey Hall of Fame? Does New York have a hall of fame? Does Connecticut have a hall of fame? I mean, maybe they don't think they need one.”

The heartfelt:
“It was also a place that really protected me. It's been very nurturing. I could take my kids down to Freehold, throw them up on my shoulders and walk along the street with thousands of other people on Cruise Night with everybody just going, "hey Bruce...." That was something that meant a lot to me, the ability to just go about my life. I really appreciated that.”

The poignant:
“I look towards the shore and I see my two sons and my daughter pushing their way through the waves. And on the beach there's a whole batch of new little kids running away from the crashing surf like time itself.
That's what New Jersey is for me. It's a repository of my time on earth. My memory, the music I've made, my friendships, my life... it's all buried here in a box somewhere in the sand down along the Central Jersey coast. I can't imagine having it any other way.”

And the NJ fortitude:
“And even with this wonderful Hall of Fame, we know that there's another bad Jersey joke coming just around the corner.
But fear not. This is not our curse. It is our blessing. For this is what imbues us with our fighting spirit. Theory of relativity anybody? How about some electric light with your day? Or maybe a spin to the moon and back? And that is why our fellow Americans in the other 49 states know, when the announcer says "and now in this corner, from New Jersey...." they better keep their hands up and their heads down, because when that bell rings, we're coming out swinging.”

As Bruce completed his acceptance speech, he joined Labamba and the Hubcaps on guitar (searing) for an abbreviated version of the Sam and Dave classic “Thank You” followed by a rousing, funny version of “Glory Days” with Danny Devito taking Little Steven’s role and all the inductors and inductees and the Governor joining Bruce and the band on stage.


Overall, a great night but I was surprised that there were a lot of empty seats in the upper tiers and I think in the future, they should enlist some Hollywoodites to assist in what was a very minimalist production. I also wondered why none of Bruce’s band mates nor children attended such a monumental occasion, although he did have two of his favorite Jersey girls with him: Patti and Adele!



Check out Youtube to see various clips from a historic evening.

I've been following Bruce since 1975 and haven't missed a tour. I have seen Bruce on his b-day, my birthday, xmas eve, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve (the over 4hr 1980 show), the famous capitol theater shows, his 1st time playing convention hall in Atlantic city, many times at the Paramount and Convention Hall in Asbury Park, some of the great Philly shows, I met him at the Kristin Carr benefit concert and met him again after the 1st Devils and Dust rehearsal show and his 1st appearance at Carnegie Hall... It's so weird.... I don't even know the man but I feel like he's family and I felt very proud to be a native New Jerseyan and witness this very special event.

Congratulations Bruce!


BRUCE'S SPEECH AT THE NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME

Bruce Springsteen was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame on May 4. Here's a transcript of his speech:

When I first got the letter I was to be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame I was a little suspicious. New Jersey Hall of Fame? Does New York have a hall of fame? Does Connecticut have a hall of fame? I mean, maybe they don't think they need one.
But then I ran through the list of names: Albert Einstein, Bruce Springsteen... my mother's going to like that. She's here tonight. It's her birthday and it's the only time she's going to hear those two names mentioned in the same sentence, so I'm going to enjoy it.

When I was recording my first album, the record company spent a lot of money taking pictures of me in New York City. But...something didn't feel quite right. So I was walking down the boardwalk one day, stopped at a souvenir stand and bought a postcard that said "Greetings from Asbury Park." I remember thinking, "yeah, that's me."

With the exception of a few half years in California, my family and I have raised our kids here. We have a big Italian-Irish family. I found my own Jersey girl right here in Asbury Park. I've always found it deeply resonant holding the hands of my kids on the same streets where my mom held my hand, swimming in the same ocean and taking them to visit the same beaches I did as a child. It was also a place that really protected me. It's been very nurturing. I could take my kids down to Freehold, throw them up on my shoulders and walk along the street with thousands of other people on Kruise Night with everybody just going, "hey Bruce...." That was something that meant a lot to me, the ability to just go about my life. I really appreciated that.

You get a little older and when one of those crisp fall days come along in September and October, my friends and I slip into the cool water of the Atlantic Ocean. We take note that there are a few less of us as each year passes. But the thing about being in one place your whole life is that they're all still around you in the water. I look towards the shore and I see my two sons and my daughter pushing their way through the waves. And on the beach there's a whole batch of new little kids running away from the crashing surf like time itself.

That's what New Jersey is for me. It's a repository of my time on earth. My memory, the music I've made, my friendships, my life... it's all buried here in a box somewhere in the sand down along the Central Jersey coast. I can't imagine having it any other way.

So let me finish with a Garden State benediction. Rise up my fellow New Jerseyans, for we are all members of a confused but noble race. We, of the state that will never get any respect. We, who bear the coolness of the forever uncool. The chip on our shoulders of those with forever something to prove. And even with this wonderful Hall of Fame, we know that there's another bad Jersey joke coming just around the corner.
But fear not. This is not our curse. It is our blessing. For this is what imbues us with our fighting spirit. That we may salute the world forever with the Jersey state bird, and that the fumes from our great northern industrial area to the ocean breezes of Cape May fill us with the raw hunger, the naked ambition and the desire not just to do our best, but to stick it in your face. Theory of relativity anybody? How about some electric light with your day? Or maybe a spin to the moon and back? And that is why our fellow Americans in the other 49 states know, when the announcer says "and now in this corner, from New Jersey...." they better keep their hands up and their heads down, because when that bell rings, we're coming out swinging.
God Bless the Garden State.