Mars resurrects Hall of Fame

By DEREK PYDA Eagle Staff Writer

September 13, 2007 Last Updated: September 13, 2007 03:24 PM High School

After 20-year hiatus, 16 inductees will be honored Sept. 21

ADAMS TWP — It's never too late to recognize greatness.

The Mars High School Sports Hall of Fame will induct its first class in 20 years Sept 21, with 16 people receiving an honor long overdue.

A ceremony featuring this year's and previous inductees will be held at 5 p.m.

The 2007 Hall of Fame Class then will be recognized before Mars' home football game against New Brighton, which begins at 7:30 p.m.

The original Hall of Fame members were inducted between 1970-87.

"From what I've heard, they just ran out of people who were willing to put the time in," said Tim Tyler, president of the Mars Sports Hall of Fame.

"About two years ago, I approached (athletic director) Scott Heinauer about getting it started again," he added. "We decided to wait until after I retired so I would have a lot more time to spend on it."

The Hall of Fame went public with its efforts last December and accepted nominations through April.

"We received nominations for 32 different people," Tyler said. "Through the bylaws and criteria we had agreed upon, we narrowed it down to 16.

"Just because we have gone 20 years without inducting anyone, this year's class is much larger than it would be in a normal year."

One of the Hall's bylaws states that former athletes at the school have to wait 10 years after graduating to be eligible.

The Hall of Fame seems to have taken the correct approach by voting in the people who have waited the longest.

The youngest member of this year's class is former football star E.J. Wheeler, who graduated in 1986.

Of the 16 inductees, 11 are women.

"There are currently just two women in the Hall of Fame," said Tyler. "Girls sports really didn't get started in full at Mars until 1970 and the original Hall of Fame required athletes to wait 15 years after graduating. Since the Hall kind of dissolved in 1987, there were few women who had a chance to get in."

One of this year's inductees is Edna Ritts, longtime owner of Rittswood Golf Course.

Though she never played or coached sports at Mars, she was voted in via special recognition.

This year's inductees include Cathy Woods (Class of 1978), Kim Courson-Zollner (1975), Pam Best (1976), Eileen White-West (1971), Kathleen Doman (1977), E.J. Wheeler (1986), Bill Crummy (1975), Sandi Starr (1981), Mary Malloy-Weaver (1978), Gary Warman (1978), Mike Sheehy (1985), Carol Cress (1985), Craig Penny (1971), Carol DeVenzio (basketball coach), Marcia Semple (basketball coach) and Edna Ritts (Special Service Award).

1987: Thomas D. Purvis (1964)1986: Russell E. Schleiden (1959), Charles D. Clark (1967), William Cress (1970), Avonnell Zeigler Miles (1927), Ralph Terrill (Special Service Award)1984: Larry Keith Cress (1953), William H. Penney (1959)1983: Charles R. Marburger (1945), David "Guff" Wiegand (1956)1982: Edward Totin (Special Service Award)1981: Robert Trump (Special Service Award), Jack Danner (1949)1980: James "Slim" Ellis (Special Service Award), John Colonello (1948)1979: Mac Purvis (1948), William Cress (1946)1978: Arno H. Thompson (Special Service Award)1977: David Colton (1948)1976: Loyal Park (1948), Garry Molloy (1946)1975: Francis Smutney (1946)1974: William McDonald (1927)1973: Chester Marburger (Special Service Award)1972: Milton B. Ellis (1921), W. Clyde Penney (1922)1971: Maude J. Neithercoat (1922)1970: Howard E. Eyth (1927), Josh Williams (1923), James "Ham" Hudson (Special Service Award), Hunter Dunlap (1913), Henry B. Keisler (1912)