NATIONAL CROQUET MUSEUM

Ellery's great-grandfather came to California during the Gold Rush and started the family newspaper business. His descendants have continued and Ellery currently serves as a Director and Officer of the company.

Ellery has remained at the center of croquet since his introduction to the sport. He recognized early on the many diverse people (and views): all trying to make a contribution to croquet. Both East and West agree that Ellery has served as a bridge to bring them together.

His beliefs are strong and well known. They include his desire to make croquet available to people of all ages and to see croquet lawns in a great variety of places.

Ellery encourages all of us to join the "Friends of the Foundation" to enlarge the base of giving, thereby providing more depth and variety to the governance of the game. He is concerned about the declining civility among the croquet players who are very opinionated about the future direction of Croquet in America. Very often public controversy is self-defeating and drives away the people we count on to support all of the worthy efforts that need funding and volunteers. He feels strongly that we have to be aware of this and work hard to counter it.

Tonight, Ellery stands proud with his friends Archie, Stan and Forrest and gets as much pleasure out of their induction into the Hall of Fame as his own. Ellery's wish as we move forward developing and enjoying the Sport of Croquet is that we learn to work together with more civility and respect.

W. Ellery McClatchy was inducted into the United States Croquet Hall of Fame in 1995.

Ellery died 20 September 2011. His obituary appeared in the Sacramento Bee,