Introduction: Youngest son of Elmer Hohl and Hilda Seyler, Stephen Hohl was born in 1962. He pitched the 1 and 1/4 turn, left handed.
Growing in the shadow of his legendary father, Steve went on to have an impressive horseshoe pitching career that made him a very deserving inductee as an outstanding player.
Steve started pitching in 1973, his first tournament being the Canadian Championships where he won the first of 4 Canadian Junior Boys Title.
He went on to become World Junior Boys Champion in 1978 and set many records, that same year, at the 1978 Canadians. His 87.1% tournament average
in 1978 was the highest ever recorded in any division at the Canadians (Diane Cantin later averaged 88.03% in 1989).
Steve was probably Canada's greatest junior ever. His loss (by a score of 16-17) to Dale Schafers in 1974 is the only game Steve ever lost at the Canadians in that division, compiling a 28-1 win-loss record.
Steve made his debut in the Men's division in 1979, placing 6th at the Canadian Championships. In 1980 he made the championship group at the World Tournament, finishing 25th with 68.7%.
In 1983, at age 20, Steve went on to win the Canadian Men's title, defeating his father Elmer Hohl (defending champion) in the semi-finals, and Fernand Thibeault in the finals. The last game between Steve and Fernand still stands as the longest game ever pitched at the Canadians (138 shoes).
Steve made the championship group at the World Tournament three more times: 1990 (16th with 71.5%), 1994 (69%) and 1999 (19th with 63.1%).
In 35 participations at the Ontario Provincials, Steve was 5-time Ontario Junior champion and 6-time Ontario Men's champion. His highest average at the provincials (from 40 ft) was 76.3% in 1989.
An impressive feat giving a good overview of his caliber would certainly be the seven consecutive years in which he averaged over 70% at the Elmer Hohl Ringer Classic.
A streak that very few Canadians have been able to achieve.
