Longevity counts.

That is almost always the case when it comes to Hall of Fame inductions at any level.

But three names among the 2019 inductees into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame truly stand out in that regard.

Dick Swartzlander, Lew Liparulo and the late Bob Cowoski have transcended generations in their respective sports careers.

Cowoski spent 61 years as a referee/umpire in basketball, baseball and softball. Swartzlander was a race-car driver for 34 years and remained involved in the sport more than 30 years after he got out from behind the wheel.

Liparulo is entering his 26th year as Butler High School boys volleyball coach and is the only head coach that team has ever had.

If the illness that eventually took his life had not forced Cowoski to stop officiating high school sporting events, he would still be out there doing it today. This man dedicated much of his life to athletics.

For a portion of his officiating career, he coached as well. Cowoski was involved with Meridian and Penn Street football, Butler Catholic boys and girls basketball, Butler Junior High basketball, among other things.

He gave his time to kids in many positive ways.

The Swartzlander name has been part of racing in this region since 1932. Dick raced various types of cars from 1951 through 1985. without ever officially retiring.

He said he quit in 1985 because he didn’t have a competitive car. He went on to own his son Dan’s race car and helped that race team.

Few names become an institution with a particular sport. Dick Swartzlander’s name is among them.

Few people are as dedicated to a sport as Liparulo is to volleyball. While in his 15th year coaching the Golden Tornado girls volleyball team, he was approached by four boys who wanted to play.

Eventually, this interest led to the formation of a boys volleyball team at Butler that Liparulo was instrumental in beginning. He circulated a petition around school to drum up interest and the boys team was implemented.

Now that program has been to the WPIAL playoffs 12 times in the past 14 years and Liparulo is still the head coach — and still works as hard at promoting his sport as anybody I know.

There are seven other individuals entering the county HOF next month and all are very deserving.

Again, longevity plays a factor with each of the other inductees as well.

Cowoski, Swartzlander and Liparulo have simply taken longevity to another extreme, each in a different way.

Dedication, success and class go hand-in-hand with each.

To do it for as long as they have just makes them that much more incredible.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle