Freeport duo joining Armstrong HOF
FREEPORT — Fred Hamilton is part of the football legacy at Freeport High School.
Vicki Keasey began the volleyball and softball legacy at the same school.
Years later, both are being recognized for their accomplishments. Hamilton and Keasey will be inducted into the Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame during the organization's 45th annual banquet April 30.
The banquet begins at 4 p.m. and will be held at Laube Hall in Freeport.
“This is long overdue for Fred,” his brother, Art Hamilton, said. “He should have been inducted years ago.”
A Freeport graduate from the early 1950s, Hamilton played running back for the Yellowjackets and was one of the leading rushers in the A-K Valley. He was named A-K Valley MVP and was selected to the all-state team his senior year.
Art Hamilton, a teammate of Fred's at Freeport, described his brother as “a powerful runner who ran over people.”
Fred Hamilton received a scholarship to the University of Maryland and missed only one game in his three hears as a starter. He was teammates with Har-Brack graduates Dick and Ed Modzelewski, who went on to play in the NFL.
Hamilton rushed for 269 yards and caught six passes for 58 yards for the Terrapins in 1956, helping the team to an undefeated season and a berth in the Orange Bowl. Maryland lost to eventual national champion Oklahoma in that game.
“Fred was primarily a blocking back in college,” his brother said. “He was one of the more physical players on the team.”
Former Maryland coach Jim Tatum described Hamilton as “one of the greatest players I ever coached. He was all heart.”
Hamilton died in April of 2013 at age 78.
“He got some looks from the Giants and Packers in the NFL, but nothing ever materialized,” Art Hamilton said.
Keasey graduated from Freeport in 1970 and went on to Slippery Rock State College for her degree in education. Shortly after graduating from The Rock, she returned to her alma mater as a teacher.
She was also asked to start a girls softball and volleyball program.
“I was thrilled to do that,” she said. “I was excited for the girls at that time because I never had a chance to play varsity sports when I was in high school.”In 13 seasons as the Yellowjacket volleyball coach, Keasey never had a losing season. Her teams won two section titles, shared two others and made the WPIAL playoffs repeatedly.The softball team won five section titles and finished second in the WPIAL tournament in 1980.“All of those successes were a tribute to the players,” Keasey said. “They were dedicated to learning and getting better. Their effort was fantastic.“It does me proud to see that those two programs are still successful today. I feel like we started something positive all those years ago.”Keasey coached girls basketball at Freeport in 1975-76, but gave that up “when I realized I was doing a little too much.”She organized many summer softball leagues and ladies golf leagues as well.Keasey said the key to starting the volleyball and softball programs was “keeping it fun for the girls.”“We stressed that it was a game and was supposed to be fun,” she said. “But it's always more fun when you win and the players were willing to put in the work in order to win.”Keasey now lives in Holmes Beach, Fla., after moving south two years ago.Four area high school senior student-athletes — Maggie Ward and Robert Reichenbaugh of Freeport, Alison Boltz and Ian McElroy of Karns City — will be honored at the banquet as well.Tickets are available by calling Dennis Wolfe at 724-882-3557.
