Ramapo Al Taylor – Nyack Jerome Whidbee - Nyack
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Congratulations to the 2017 Inductees of the Rockland County Sports Hall Of Fame North Rockland’s Own Fred Adler – Joseph Holland Lifetime Achievement Award John Castellano – Nyack Phil Donnelly – Pearl River Tom Mulroy – Ramapo Al Taylor – Nyack Jerome Whidbee - Nyack The Honorable HOWARD T. PHILLIPS, JR., SUPERVISOR AND THE TOWN OF HAVERSTRAW ELECTED OFFICIALS Isidro Cancel................................Councilman Raquel Ventura ............................Town Clerk Vincent J. Gamboli .....................Councilman George E. Wargo, Jr.......Supt. Of Highways John J. Gould .............................Councilman Ann McGovern .................Receiver Of Taxes Hector L. Soto .............................Councilman John K. Grant...........................Town Justice Michael Grant .................................Legislator Ivonne S. Santos .......................Town Justice Jay Hood, Jr...................................Legislator Thomas P. Zugibe ...............District Attorney Paul Piperato.............................County Clerk ~ HAVERSTRAW~ Home of The Bricks That Built New York • Three Medal Of Honor Recipients • Where Henry Hudson Docked The Half Moon • General George Washington’s Troop Encampments • The 95th Civil War Regiment Flag Carried At Gettysburg 2017 ROCKLAND COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME Chairman’s Message We celebrate our 44th Rockland County community is all about, and we are pleased to honor him with the Sports Hall of Fame induction with a star- Joseph Holland Lifetime Achievement Award. studded group of athletes, coaches and an The Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame is doing its part to honor official. Each year's class takes on a distinctive Rockland's athletes, coaches and others who have contributed in character and this year's group is defined some meaningful way to sports. We work closely with all the other by achievement at the highest echelons of school's halls of fame and are doing our share to keep sports relevant. their respective sports. We have athletes We are currently helping to fund scholar-athletes and those less who excelled in multiple sports, single- fortunate. As such, we will be holding our Rockland County Sports sport stars, and a coach and official who Hall of Fame night at a Rockland Boulders game on Thursday, June reached state and national prominence. Rockland County continues 29 at 7 p.m. when the Boulders take on the Cuban national team. to produce outstanding athletes year after year, so there is no shortage Proceeds will benefit Tommy McGuire, the former Clarkstown South of qualified candidates for future years. football quarterback who is paralyzed from the waist down after a The Pirates of Pearl River present us with Phil Donnelly, a 1993 graduate tragic swimming pool accident in June 2016. We hope that many of who excelled as a wrestler with 155 total wins under the guidance and you might join us in a worthy cause while having a fun night, seating tutelage of legendary coach Julius D'Agostino. Phil received a schol- in the Sunset Deck, at the ballgame at Palisades Credit Union Park arship to Old Dominion University where he competed successfully in Pomona. until he was sidelined with an injury his senior year. It's always a pleasure In the past year, we experienced the loss of three of our past inductees. to see Phil and his lovely wife Laura and family supporting the Coach Gloria Callen Jones, a 1976 inductee who was by far the best swimmer Dag Memorial Scholarship Fund each year at Blue Hill Golf Course. to grace Rockland County, was a national champion who had made Nyack has a trio of inductees this year. Al Taylor was a superb the 1940 Olympic team for the Helsinki games in Finland, only to basketball, football and track athlete often quoted as being among have them cancelled due to WW II. I had the occasion to speak to the best all-around athletes in Rockland County between 1956-1960. Gloria, who was living in West Virginia, when I was researching the Jerome Whidbee excelled in football, basketball and baseball and was records of Elizabeth Ryan, a 1936 Olympic swimmer from Pomona. named All-Daily News starting quarterback in 1965, his senior year. Gloria was most helpful and gracious. Mike Rotundo, a 2013 honoree, After receiving an athletic scholarship to Tennessee State University, was a four-sport athlete amassing 16 varsity letters in his four years at he returned to Rockland and achieved excellence playing shortstop Tappan Zee in the early 1950s. He was a superb basketball player for the Apollo XII softball team. John Castellano, or “Cas“ as he is who later went on to coach the Albertus Magnus freshman team for affectionately known, compiled an amazing record of 180-49-1 as 21 years. A good friend and colleague of mine, Mike was always a head coach for the Indians, achieving two State championships along fierce competitor. Michael Coffey, the 2016 Joseph Holland Lifetime the way. His excellence as a head coach for 23 seasons and his work Achievement recipient, sadly died shortly after last year's induction. with students and the Nyack community are all major accomplish- Michael was an outstanding assistant basketball coach for Pearl River ments. Cas has now brought his talents and winning ways to High School and Dominican College, and was a tireless worker and Westlake, where his team won a Section 1 championship in 2015. inspiration to everyone that he met. They will all be missed. Ramapo's Tom Mulroy, a 1974 graduate, is arguably the best soccer The Hall of Fame has a website that serves as a rich repository of Hall player to come out of Rockland County. He led the Gryphons to a of Fame information, including bios and photos on all 262 inductees. Section 9 championship in his senior year and sharpened his soccer Visit our website at www.rcshf.org. skills while playing for Ulster County Community College. From I wish to thank the people who keep our organization a vital force in there he went on to play professional soccer for the Miami Toros of the community: Gibby Sweet, dinner arrangements; Jamie Kempton, the North America Soccer League, competing and defending against secretary and program editor; Pete Castellano, treasurer and ticket players such as Pelé and other major stars. Since his playing days he chairman; Bob Veltidi, master of ceremonies and screening committee has coached and trained other coaches. He currently heads up his chair; Vince Sciortino, vice chairman and fund-raising director; Chuck own company and travels the world doing what he loves – promoting Maze, for community relations; Dan White and Tom Doherty, for soccer. their behind-the scenes support; Bruce and Phyllis Schweizer of Fred Adler is a 1953 Haverstraw High School graduate. According Quality Graphics; and the entire Board of Directors for contributing to Jamie Kempton, founder and chairman of the Rockland County to the support of the organization throughout the year. Track & Field Hall of Fame, “Adler made his mark as a top-rated track Regards, official on the high school, college and elite levels for more than 35 years. A master-level official for USA Track & Field, he has worked as a clerk, chief starter and coordinator of officials at numerous open and collegiate national championship meets, the Olympic Trials, Millrose Games, Penn Relays, and many other elite events; World Masters, Special Olympics and Paralympics, the Warrior Games at West Point, and a multitude of college and scholastic championship meets.” Pete Scheibner Chairman One often sees Fred holding court at Sparky's Diner in Garnerville with his friends in the morning hours and makes the rounds to charity sports gatherings and events. Fred epitomizes what true service and VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.RCSHF.ORG 2017 ROCKLAND COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME The Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame wishes to thank the following businesses for their generous support of our organization: J. J. Donnelly, Pearl River 1-Hour Photo Lynch’s Restaurant Fink’s BBQ Marcello’s Flower Peddler Mt Fuji Restaurant Bryan Hassett Patsy’s Pizzeria The Hudson House of Nyack Portuguese Churrasqueira Restaurant La Fontana Quality Graphics Tristate, Inc. Louie's on the Avenue Union Restaurant Cocktail Hour (6–7 pm) Sponsored by INTERSTATE TOYOTA Congratulations All Inductees – Past, Present & Future With gratitude, JOE HOLLAND FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN EMERITUS -2- 2017 ROCKLAND COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame 2017 List of Inductees JOHN CASTELLANO – NYACK INTRODUCED BY: Bob Veltidi, Hall of Fame Committee TROPHY SPONSOR: Joe King, Brian Murray, Chuck Scarpulla, Noel Schultz & Brian Vescio PLAQUE SPONSOR: Former Nyack Players And Students PHIL DONNELLY – PEARL RIVER INTRODUCED BY: Gibby Sweet, Hall of Fame Committee TROPHY SPONSOR: Pearl River High School Wrestling Club PLAQUE SPONSOR: Pearl River High School Athletic Department TOM MULROY – RAMAPO INTRODUCED BY: Dan White, Hall of Fame Committee TROPHY SPONSOR: Clarkstown Sports Club PLAQUE SPONSOR: Ramapo High School Athletic Department AL TAYLOR – NYACK INTRODUCED BY: Chuck Maze, Hall of Fame Committee TROPHY SPONSOR: The Rockland County YMCA PLAQUE SPONSOR: The Rockland County YMCA JEROME WHIDBEE – NYACK INTRODUCED BY: Robbie Woods TROPHY SPONSOR: Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame PLAQUE SPONSOR: Nyack Indians Athletic Department FRED ADLER INTRODUCED BY: Jamie Kempton TROPHY SPONSOR: Southern Catskills Track & Field Association, Rockland County Chapter PLAQUE SPONSOR: Howard Phillips, Supervisor, Town of Haverstraw -3- 2017 ROCKLAND COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF