NATIONAL CROQUET MUSEUM

Daniel J. Mahoney III started playing croquet in 1981 while attending Vassar College when Johnny Osborn introduced him to the game. Over the years, Dan has played in many tournaments, finishing often in the Championship Flight winning bracket. His major playing accomplishments include winning the National Club Team Championships four times. He served as President of the Florida Region, Vice President of the Southern Region for several years, and on the USCA Management Committee for many years.

Dan is much admired as having been an amazing President of USCA from 1997 to 2001, a period when the Association was in a difficult transition period, burdened with financial troubles and a search for a permanent home base. In addition, a long-standing divisive rift existed between East and West Coast players. Dan personally made critical financial contributions, enabling the USCA not only to survive, but to move forward with membership growth. Among many things, he helped purchase computers, hardware, and software for the office. Her personally financed USCA inventory and underwrote numerous fundraising functions and honorary dinners for his fellow croquet members. He got the Bank of America to provide $75,000 to sponsor the USCA for three years. He and his wife, Susanne, opened their Palm Beach home on many occasions to host fellow croquet players from around the world. He also assisted U.S, croquet during his tenure by underwriting expenses for the United States international team activities. He was instrumental in development a new USCA committee responsible for oversight of all Association (UK) croquet activities in the USCA. This committee was successful at softening criticism from Association Rules players, mostly from the West Coast, that the USCA wasn’t representing their needs.

During his presidency, Dan made a totally unselfish commitment to stabilize and for our sport. Traveling throughout the country at his own expense, to visit croquet clubs and their members, Dan’s good will and ambassadorship went a long way to heal the rift between the East and West. This problem is now forgotten, largely because of Dan’s journeys and unflagging dedication to his mission. His presidency was probably the most peaceful and well-run term in the history of the USCA. A reserved gentleman, Dan’s good cheer and sportsmanship in all situations were essential elements in his success as a USCA president and fine representative of the sport.

Additionally, and together with Chuck Steuber, Dan embarked on an effort to find a new permanent home for the USCA and CFA. Chuck soon purchased the land we now know as the National Croquet Center. The dream of a soon-to-be constructed national home for U.S. croquet re-energized the overall croquet spirit both in Florida and nationwide, and Dan was a stabilizing influence during that period. His enthusiasm for the N.C.C. and for the possibilities it represented was an encouragement to many of the early donors to the project of which he was a major one.

Dan Mahoney is a croquet player and leader who deserved national recognition as one of the few that has made all the necessary sacrifices to be honored by the CFA. He has earned his place in croquet history and the Hall of Fame.

Daniel J. “Dan” Mahoney, III was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.