The Lehigh Valley Sports Hall of Fame will be inducting 22 new members – representing two classes – at its annual induction ceremony and banquet on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at the Northampton Memorial Community Center, the organization has announced.
The new members to be inducted include former high school, college, recreational, semi-pro, and professional athletes, coaches, and others who were among the very best in their particular sport from the Lehigh Valley over the past 50 years. Here are the inductees:
The Class of 2016:
Dave Schneck, former Major League Baseball player with the New York Mets
Billy Kern, former Major League Baseball player for a brief stint with the Kansas City Athletics after a 9-year minor league career
Jim Druckenmiller, former NFL and XFL quarterback after a stellar career at Northampton High School, Fort Union Military Academy, and Virginia Tech University
Milo Sewards (deceased), legendary William Allen High School basketball coach, for whom the gymnasium at William Allen High School is named
Dick Schmidt (deceased), the legendary Dieruff High School boys basketball coach for whom the Dieruff gym was named in 2009
Robert “Skeeter” Steckel (deceased), long-time health and physical education teacher, coach, and athletic director at Whitehall High School from 1938-1983; he was the first inductee into the Whitehall-Coplay School District Athletic Hall of Fame and an inductee into the Lehigh Valley Basketball Hall of Fame
Ron Stoneback, former standout bowler from Hellertown, who has a perfect 300 game and several 800 series among his outstanding achievements on the lanes
Mark Brown, longtime East Stroudsburg South HS basketball coach and athletic director
Cori, Kelsey and Carly Gallagher, former East Stroudsburg South HS stars in multiple sports who went on to achieve athletic success in college as well, who will be inducted together to recognize their collective achievements
The Class of 2017:
Billy Sheridan (deceased), legendary Lehigh University wrestling coach who led the then Engineers to a record 13 EIWA Wrestling titles in his 41 years on South Mountain; he was a charter inductee to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
Darryl Dawkins (deceased), known as Chocolate Thunder, former Philadelphia 76ers player and Valley Dawgs coach
Jack Logic, former baseball player, longtime equipment manager, statistician, announcer and radio personality; he also is credited as the founder of the Easton Lions All Star Wrestling Classic, where he was chairman of the event for 25 years
Doug Snyder, former William Allen HS basketball player and the last captain under legendary coach J. Milo Sewards and now coach, who just earned his 400th coaching victory this season in leading Allen to a 21-1 regular season record and a share of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference regular season title
Tony Stellar, founder of the Stellar “Catch A Rising Star” basketball showcase tournament, which has become one of the must see events of the summer in the Lehigh Valley
Jim Booros, former PGA professional golfer and golf pro
Ed Stinner, longtime softball coach and instructor who led the William Allen High School softball team to their only state title and helped Parkland High School to several more; also ran the Carol Weil Memorial Scholarship Tournament at Allentown Patriots Park for many years
Marty Nothstein, 3-time World Champion and Olympic gold and silver medal winner in cycling and currently the Executive Director of the Preferred Cycling Center in Upper Macungie Township
Ed Christian, longtime East Stroudsburg High School football coach, who compiled a record of 257-157-3 in 36 seasons with the Cavaliers
Tim Fischer, former 3-sport star at Liberty High School and long-time standout baseball player in the Blue Mountain League with the Bethlehem Cardinals
Mario Andretti, the longtime race car driver and owner who is one of only two drivers in racing history to have won races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship, and NASCAR; his wins include the Indy 500, the Daytona 500, and the Formula One World Championship
The group also will be recognizing eight outstanding high school student athletes with its Big School and Small School Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year and Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards for the 2016-2017 school year. The high school award winners will be announced in May at or near the conclusion of the spring season. Nominations will be accepted from the public until May 6. To be considered, a student athlete must a senior who has excelled in two or more sports during high school for the athlete of the year awards and in addition must have been an outstanding student for the scholar athlete awards.
This year’s event will begin at 5:30 p.m., with doors open for mingling, autographs, and bidding on silent auction items, and purchase of raffle prizes, followed by a country style at 6:00 p.m. and the Induction Ceremony and Awards beginning at 7:00 p.m. Sportswriter Keith Groller of The Morning Call will emcee the event, and Service Electric Cable TV-2 Sports is expected to broadcast the event live.
The Lehigh Valley Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 2009 by Joe Zemba and Don Zangl, Directors Emeritus, as the Lehigh Valley Recreational Sports Hall of Fame to recognize recreational athletes who excelled in the Lehigh Valley. It was later renamed the Lehigh Valley Sports Hall of Fame and began to recognize high school, college, semi-pro, and professional athletes who also excelled while playing in the Lehigh Valley and beyond. It was reorganized and incorporated last year as the Lehigh Valley Sports Hall of Fame, Inc., with plans to become a chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame later this year.
The LVSHOF is run by an 11-member board of directors headed by Ed White of Allentown as Chairman, Joe Mayer of Easton as Vice Chairman, Mike Kuzy of Discover Lehigh Valley as Secretary, and Ron Spinner of Stroudsburg as Treasurer. The other board members are Angel “El Bravo” Cruz, Horatio “Ishky” Fatzinger, Alden “Red” Fetherman, Robert “Bobby” Shoemaker, Denton Lakatosh, Bill Reese, and Pete Heard.
For more information or to purchase tickets or advertising for the event, please contact LVSHOF Board Chairman Ed White at 610-739-3414 or via email at LVSportsHOF@gmail.com or any board member.
Information provided by:
Ed White
Chairman, Board of Directors
Lehigh Valley Sports Hall of Fame, Inc.
