WPHS Athletics to Hold Hall of Fame Inductions on Friday November 3 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFFI: Chuck Stogel, 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com White Plains High School to Hold Athletics Hall of Fame Inductions on Friday evening, Nov.. 3 WHITE PLAINS, NY Sept

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FFI: Chuck Stogel, 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com

White Plains High School to Hold Athletics Hall of Fame

Inductions on Friday evening, Nov 3

WHITE PLAINS, NY (September 2017) - The White Plains High School Athletics Hall of Fame, with a

roster of 14 outstanding individuals, will hold its third annual Induction Event on Friday evening,

November 3, in the Media Center at the high school

The ceremonies begin at 5 pm and are open to all: family, friends, interested persons and groups There is

no charge to attend the event, which includes a reception prior to the inductions The actual inductions

begin at 6:15 pm

The roster of honorees for 2017: Frank Becerra Sr., Kristin Donahoe Becerra, Sam Bowers, Bill Cain,

Michelle Donnelly, Ricky Edwards, Dick Gardella, Jim Gray, Bob Horton, Dave Jackson, Jermaine

Johnson, Frank Lyman, Lou Mark, John Messemer

Last year, the honorees included: Tom DePaso, Manson Donaghey, Alan Egler, Whitney Ford, Otis Hill,

Aaron Hopkins, Charlie Jenkins, Ed Kehe, Oscar Moore, Frank Navarro, George Rooks Sr., Don Salls,

Art Schult, Carl Waite, Bruce Weinstein, Brant Wintersteen, Sal Yvars, 1966 WPHS 880 & One Mile

Relay teams (Dave Jackson, Carl Reed, Larry James, Otis Hill)

In 2015, the first WPHS Athletics Hall of Fame class comprised: Nicole Boykin, Frank Briante, Mal

Graham, Larry James, Harry Jefferson, Grover Jones, Dean Loucks, Glenn Loucks, Dr Anthony

“Champ” Marano, Craig Masback, Art Monk, Dick Nolan, Dr Jason Parker, Jay Saldi, Len Watters

For further information, please contact Chuck Stogel, Sports Hall of Fame president, at 914-428-6111

(phone) or chstogel@aol.com (e-mail)

Here is a capsule look at the induction class for 2017:

Frank Becerra Sr.: Graduated 1945 He captured the humor, drama and spirit of the Metropolitan area

-sports, and otherwise - for five decades as chief artist and cartoonist for the Westchester Rockland

Newspapers He was known for his unique style of artistry, often portraying local figures from the realms

of politics, society and sports A former radioman in the U.S Coast Guard, he created cartoons and

White Plains High School Athletics Hall of Fame

(Care of White Plains Athletics)

550 North Street White Plains, NY 10605

914-422-2237

Web site: http://www.whiteplainspublicschools.org

“123 Years of Athletic Tradition”

Executive Committee

Officers President Chuck Stogel Vice President Skip Stevens Secretary Nick Panaro Treasurer Sue Adams Fred Singleton John Donahoe Dan Woodard Don Gano Patty Gilmartin

Ellen Doherty – Principal Matt Cameron – Athletic Director

illustrations not only for WRN, but for NBC Sports, the Football Giants, National Lampoon, Sport magazine, Field & Stream, the Met Golf Association and many others He passed away in 2009.

Kristin Donahoe Becerra: Graduated 1995 A four-year starter and two-year captain of the Tigers girls

baskeball team, selected All League and All Section three times Outstanding female athlete at WPHS in

1995 Played four seasons for Colgate at the Division I level; captain in her senior year Coached at various levels Now a teacher at Briarcliff HS

Sam Bowers: Graduated 1975 Football and basketball player All county football in 1973 and 1974, All

State sixth team in 1973, All State first team in 1974 Starting forward in basketball Played football at Westchester Community College and Fordham University Numerous tryouts with pro teams; was a starting tight end in the USFL with the New Jersey Generals

Bill Cain: Graduated 1966 Starting center for two seasons on varsity boys basketball team Averaged

15.2 ppg in 1965-66, and was named All County, leading Tigers to 20-1 record and Section 1

championship Inducted into the Iowa State University Hall of Fame, was named All Big Eight in

basketball 1969 and 1970, leading Cyclones in both scoring and rebounding Third round draft pick by NBA’s Portland Trailblazers, played pro basketball in Belgium and France Currently lives in France

Michelle Donnelly: Graduated 1980 Cross country, track & field star Holds school records in six events,

which have lasted 37 years Still owns top times in Westchester County outdoors for 800 meters, 1,500 meters, mile run and numerous indoor times, including Section 1 best 2:34.8 for 1,000 yards All County and All Section multiple times

Ricky Edwards: Graduated 1979 Football, basketball, track & field 1979 Westchester County and

Section 1 champion in the long jump, and still ranks among all-time leaders All County football in 1978, and All State sixth team Outstanding rusher, receiver and returner Averaged 16.0 ppg as a senior in basketball Standout running back and returner at Northwestern University, where he was All Big Ten; led conference and was second in the nation with 83 receptions in 1983

Dick Gardella: Graduated 1953 Practicing attorney in Westchester Former chairman of the WPHS Tiger

Fans Committee and current president of the school’s Alumni Association A four-sport athlete in high school (football, basketball, baseball, track) Played center in football; earned All County and All

Metropolitan honors playing on three consecutive undefeated Tigers teams (1950-51-52) Played football

at Williams College for former WPHS coach Len Watters and played on a U.S Army team in Germany Currently special counsel to the Village of Scarsdale

Jim Gray: Graduated 1959 Football, track & field Standout halfback and defensive back for Tigers

football Two-sport athlete at University of Toledo (Class of 1964); member of school’s Athletics Hall of Fame Ran sprints, relays and competed in broad jump in track, winning several conference titles Had 1,336 all-purpose yards for 1963 Rockets football team, then played for coach Ara Parseghian and East team in American Football Coaches All-America Game as a senior in 1964 Drafted by New York Jets of AFL, played briefly for Jets and then NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles

Bob Horton: Graduated 1960 Tight end and defensive end for Tigers in football, named All County third

team as senior in 1959 Star wide receiver and fullback at Boston University Drafted in 1964 by San Diego, played two seasons with Chargers in the American Football League

Dave Jackson: Graduated 1966 Football, basketball, track Exceptional all-around athlete, now being

recognized individually after induction into WPHS Athletics Hall of Fame last year as part of 1966 Tigers relay quartet Starting halfback with combination of power, speed and versatility for three seasons in

football Also played three seasons of varsity basketball (teammate of Bill Cain), winning Section 1 championship with 20-1 record in 1965-66 On track, was New York State champion at 100 yards, and part of relay that set two national records (880, mile) at a time when many races were held on cinder tracks Won numerous individual and relay events, including the Penn Relays Letterwinner at halfback for three seasons at University of Illinois, leading Illini in rushing in 1969 senior season

Jermaine Johnson: Graduated 1991 Long and triple jump specialist Seven times Section 1 champion

and three times Loucks Games champion in track & field; still school record holder in four events Holds New York State freshman outdoor record in long jump, and still second best in Westchester County and third all-time in Section 1 Holds freshman and sophomore State records in triple jump, and still among the leaders in both Westchester and Section 1 Indoors, still has best-ever in Westchester and Section 1 long jump; won State championship in 1991 His 50-3.25 indoors for triple jump still second best in both Westchester and Section 1 annals

Frank Lyman: Graduated 1969 Football, wrestling, track & field All County for five consecutive

seasons in three sports Two-time Section 1 wrestling champ; two-time Section 1 pole vault champion; All County fullback in football, was leading scorer on undefeated 1968 Tigers Winner of Con Ed and Dellwood Awards Senior wrestling record in Section 1: 25-0 WPHS Athlete of the Year, 1968-69 Attended Hofstra on football scholarship and also was captain of wrestling team Qualified for NCAA Division I finals in wrestling twice 11 varsity letters in three sports at Hofstra Played preseason for NY Jets, catching a TD pass from Joe Namath, and was on practice squad with New England Patriots

Lou Mark: Graduated 1934 Starting center and defensive lineman on Tigers in 1932 and 1933 Named

best center in Metropolitan area in 1933 Played linebacker and center on North Carolina State varsity for three seasons (1935-36-37) Played 39 games across four pro football seasons for Brooklyn Dodgers and then Boston Yanks

John Messemer: Graduated 1980 Tri-captain for Tigers in three sports (football, wrestling, track &

field) Two-way lineman/linebacker and placekicker in football, starter in 1978 and 1979 with Tigers overall 18-1 record (including 10-0 in 1979 Named All State as linebacker All County wrestling

selection in 1980 with 26-7 individual record and third place in Section 1 championships as Tigers won sectional team title All County in discus as a senior when WPHS won Section 1 team title in track Played football for four years and wrestling for two seasons at Marian University Coached both football and wrestling at various levels Currently teaches at Westlake

www.whiteplainspublicschools.org