thirteenth Congratulations! annual Class of 2021 2021 Lorain County Track & Cross Country Hall Of Fame Orville Thomas (Oberlin), 1931 Bob Francis (Lorain Catholic), 1972 Jim Welte (Amherst), 1978 Mike Kozma (Elyria Catholic), 1979 Doug Molnar (Admiral King), 1982 Orville Thomas • Bob Francis • Jim Welte Mike Kozma • Doug Molnar Valerie (Holland) Kirkland (Clearview), 2001 Valerie (Holland) Kirkland Ranger Stadium, North Ridgeville High School Friday, April 16, 2021 Sponsored by: Lorain County Athletic Administrators Association www.loraincountytrackxchof.com Lorain County Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame PAST INDUCTEES 2015 Al Ed Herman Karin William Greg Buckeye Dohanos Hudnell Jedick Macarthy Norman 2014 Lorain County Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame Clarence Colleen Jerry Rodney Tom Jim Reynolds Bowman (Byrne)THE BeyerPASTKlyop INDUCTEESMISSIONMoore Schoemig The Lorain County Track and Cross Country Hall of Fame was founded in 2009 as a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of track and cross country by collecting, preserving and exhibiting records and pictures for Lorain County, by honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to track and cross country. Through its mission, the hall of fame is committed to honoring, by enshrinement, those individuals who had exceptional careers and records, and recognizing them for their significant achievement. 2013 THE MISSION The hall of fame has made tremendous progress in its short history, but is seeking additional financial support in order to cover expenses. For additional information, please contact chair Paul Heyse at 440-897-0493 or [email protected]. Tammy Anne Glen Tarver ‘Cy’he Lorain CountyMike Track and Cross Country Hall of Fame was founded inmarv 2009 as (Porter) (Densmore) ‘Sonny’ Inductees for thePerkins 13th annual class of theBeetler Lorain County Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame were chosen by a vote of county trackHoagland and cross country coaches. a non-profit organizationDerrico dedicated to fosteringFox an appreciationWilburn of the historical Tdevelopment of track and cross country by collecting, preserving and exhibiting records and pictures for Lorain County, by honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to track and cross country. 2012 Through its mission, the hall of fame is committed to honoring, by enshrinement, those individualsBob who hadMike exceptional careersDick and records,Larry and recognizingMarnele them Ronfor their Bryant D’Andrea Elsasser Fortner Jackson Rick significant achievement. The hall of fame has made tremendous progress in its short history, but is seeking additional financial support in order to cover expenses. For additional information, please contact 2011 chair Paul Heyse at 440-897-0493 or [email protected]. Francene Inductees for theMark eighth class of the LorainDick County Track and CrossLeroy Country Hall of Fame were chosen by a votePeter of county track andMark cross country coaches. (woods) Cannon Cooley Fields Kummant Walden Johnson 2010 Amy Theresa RAY OTIS NORRIS JACK (McKinley) (Feldkamp) ARMSTRONG JENKINS SINCLAIR WILHELM Agrella Brannen 2009 George Tianna Dan Tianna TOMMie William Jackie Below Phineas (Madison) Kinsey Madison SMITH Stevenson Guthrie III Bartoletta 1 2 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................Lorain County Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame 2021 INDUCTEE Orville Thomas Track and field highlights • 1929: Class B 100-yard state champion, 10.5 seconds. • 1929: Helped the Indians to a team runner-up finish behind Rocky River at the Lakewood Class B Sectional Professional experience • 1976-78: Customer service representative at Oberlin Savings Bank • 1942-76: Clerk for Ball, Burge and Kraus investors on the New York Stock Exchange Education • 1931: Oberlin High School • Ekles School of Mortuary Science (Philadelphia, Pa.) Born: February 2, 1911 in Oberlin, Ohio _____________________________________ Died: November 21, 1999 in Oberlin, Ohio _____________________________________ Family: Wife: Ethel (died, 1998). Stepdaughters: Renee Haskins, Yvonne Etter and Marie Wakefield. He had eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren in the year when Thomas passed. _____________________________________ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................Lorain County Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame 2021 INDUCTEE Bob Francis Athletic highlights Lorain Catholic (1968-72) Track and field • 1972: Francis became the Spartans’ first and only Ohio state champion for any sport in school history (1969-2004) when he won Class A state high jump title at Ohio Stadium as he defeated Clearview freshman Larry Fortner. Both jumpers cleared 6-5, but Francis won out on fewer misses. Fortner went on placed second at state again in 1973 before winning state titles in 1974 and ’75. • 1972: Captured the Kent Class A District high jump crown with a meet-record height of 6-7, beating the 1971 meet record of 6-2 set by Lutheran East’s Phil Pickens in 1971. Earlier he won the Cuyahoga Heights Class A Sectional title with a mark of 6-6.75, shattering the previous record of 6-2.75 set by Pickens in 1971. • 1972: Francis capped his prep career as he set the Ohio Classic meet record with both a meet- and Lorain County record jump of 6-7.25. The meet was an all-star competition held after the state meet at Mansfield Malabar. • 1972: Broke his own North Central Conference meet record with a jump of 6-4.25. He also cleared 6-6 at the prestigious Bellaire Relays. • 1971: Francis got his start in high jumping as a junior. There was no varsity track team at LC in the early 1970s so Spartan basketball coach Jim Lawhead organized a mini squad to go to the • 1971 NCC championships in Parma. Francis won NCC title Born: January 24, 1954 in Lorain, Ohio with a meet-record 6-3.25. ____________________________________ Basketball Residence: Coppell, Texas • 1968-72: Four-year varsity letterwinner. A key bench player ____________________________________ for the Spartans. He helped Lorain Catholic to a 16-4 won- Mentors: John Binder and Jim Lawhead lost record as a junior and to a 19-2 record as a senior before ____________________________________ the Spartans were eliminated in the Class A district semis by Cortland Maplewood. Halls of fame Kent State University (1972-76) • 1993: Kent State University Varsity “K” Athletics Track and field Hall of Fame • Francis lettered four times each in indoor and outdoor track • 1994: Lorain Sports Hall of Fame for KSU under legendary Doug Raymond. The Amherst native Professional experience qualified for the NCAA championships on several occasions for • 1977-2012: Shermco Industries (Irving, Texas) the Golden Flashes and one of only two Lorain County athletes Education to clear 7-1 career wise, in track and field’s high jump. • 1972: Lorain Catholic High School • 1976: Francis earned All-America honors by finishing sixth • 1976: Kent State University in a field of 39 as he cleared 7-1 at the NCAA Championships at the University of Pennsylvania. He just missed the Olympic qualifying standard of 7-2 and a higher placement when barely nicked the bar attempting a career-best 7-3. • 1976: Won the MAC indoor title with a career-equaling 7-1 at Western Michigan University in March. • 1974: Francis became the first KSU high jumper to clear 7-0 when he finished third at the 34th annual Knights of Columbus meet in Cleveland. He captured MAC championships both indoor and outdoor. Francis took the MAC outdoor title with his 6-8 upset of triumph over defending champ Chris Adams of Ohio University. • 1973: Francis tied the KSU school record at 6-10 as a freshman. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................Lorain County Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame 2021 INDUCTEE Jim Welte The 1982 Indiana University 4x400 relay of Carey Hardwick, Jim Welte, Doug Morris and Jim Spivey following a 3:12 clocking at a home dual meet. Born: December 11, 1959 in Bellville, Illinois Baseball (1975-78) cont. _______________________________________ • 1978: Earned All-Ohio Class AAA honorable mention and Residence: Dublin, Ohio All-Lakeland Conference first team. Posted a 7-1 won-lost _______________________________________ pitching record along with a .353 batting average. Helped lead Amherst to the sectional finals where Comets lost a Family: Wife: Kathy. Children: Andrew; Katie and Julia one-run decision. (twins); Ellie. Parents: Jim Sr. and Peg _______________________________________ Basketball (1974-78) • Four-year basketball player including varsity as a junior Athletic highlights and a senior. Amherst Steele (1974-78) University of Indiana (1979-82) Track and field Track and cross country • 1978: Finished third at the Division I state for the 880- • Lettered all 4 years and was a part of 4 Big Ten yard run in a time of 1:52.1 behind Hilliard’s Scott Rider Championships: 1979 and 1980 indoor track, 1979 outdoor (1:52.4) and Cleveland Heights’ Joel Albers (1:52.6). track and 1980 cross country. • 1978: Finished second in the 880 (1:52.8) behind Albers’ • Team