BUTLER TWP — The word "overwhelmed" was used a lot Saturday night.

That's how the seven inductees into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame felt during the organization's 45th annual banquet at the Days Inn.

Approximately 400 people — one of the Hall of Fame's largest crowds ever — jammed the banquet hall to witness the inductions of Eugene "Pud" Craig, Ralph "Sonny" Westerman, Les Shoop, Elaine Carson, Jennifer Crouch Kopac, Matt Clement and the late Don Gaiser.

"I must say, I'm overwhelmed," said Carson, a standout golfer at Moniteau and present-day golf instructor. "I never expected anything like this."

"This is a bit overwhelming," Kopac said. "This evening ... This whole experience has been incredible."

The seven inductees raised the county HOF membership to 325. Butler's undefeated 1950 football team was recognized Saturday night as well.

Walter Lonchena, Joe Monteleone, Victor Wollen, Gordon Yengling, Joe Ditullo and Rich Minto were members of that team in attendance. Lonchena spoke on behalf of that group.

"We won one game in 1948 — 19-0 over Kittanning — and thought we were on our way," Lonchena said. "Then we played New Castle, lost 67-0 ... and we cried.

From there, we went 5-4 in 1949 and 9-0 in 1950. There were two other undefeated teams, though, in Uniontown and Ambridge."

It rained all day on the final Friday of the season. Butler played its game in the mud that night and defeated Penn Township, Allegheny County, 12-0.

"Uniontown and Ambridge held off until Saturday. Both played and both lost, so we were the champs," Lonchena said.

Dennis Gaiser accepted the induction of his father, Don, who played for the national sandlot baseball champion Daugherty Refinery team in 1935.

"Dad's baseball career spanned 30 years," Gaiser said. "My Uncle Jack is sitting next to me tonight because he and Dad played ball together for awhile, even though they're 15 years apart.

"They even built their houses side-by-side and raised their families together.

"Dad played third and batted third on that Refiners team, which recruited all of the top players in the area. That tells me he must have been pretty good," Gaiser added.

Craig attended a one-room schoolhouse and his graduating class at Chicora consisted of 22 students, only eight boys. Yet he played sports with former Rutgers basketball coach Tom Young, Chicago White Six pitcher Gary Peters and NFL player and coach Ted Marchibroda.

"I played for so many great coaches and with so many great people," Craig said. "(Former coach) Ed Gaisford sent money out of his own pocket for his players. Our first baseman told him he didn't have a mitt and Coach Gaisford had a brand new one for him the next day."

Westerman, founder and organizer of numerous baseball events and teams, entered his fifth Hall of Fame.

"My wife probably knows more about baseball than most of the men around," Westerman said. "This Hall of Fame is more of an honor to me because it's my home Hall of Fame."

Longtime Knoch basketball coach Les Shoop, who won 299 games at the school, lauded the loyal assistant coaches who stayed with him through the years.

"Dee Faulx was with me all 24 years at Knoch and was as loyal as they come," Shoop said. "My first assistant coach at Punxsutawney was (Freeport coach) Garrie Davies.

"When we coached against each other, when I had better talent, I won. When he had better talent, he won. When the talent was equal — he won.

"My assistants laid down the fundamentals, did all the groundwork ... All I did was polish the finished product," Shoop added.

When Carson was 6, she said she'd grab one of her father's golf clubs while he was at work, go into an open field nearby and swing it.

"Pebbles, rocks, dog bones, I hit whatever objects I could find," she said.

She lauded her parents for introducing her to golf and taking her to numerous tournaments.

"My brother (Steve) always knew what to say to me at the right time. He was a great caddy, a great brother and a great friend," Carson said. "Mr. (Moniteau golf coach Tom) Ward kept pushing me outside of my comfort level and I'm grateful for that.

"I played with some of the best women golfers in the world. To be able to share that knowledge with others as an instructor is pretty incredible. To this day, after 21 years, I can't wait to meet my next fellow golfer."

Kopac was a track and field and volleyball standout at Knoch. She praised her coaches and brothers for molding her into a successful high school and collegiate athlete.

"My brothers and I played rough and tough football in the living room with a pillow," she said. "We played slamming and jamming basketball using a bucket with the bottom cut out, on a back porch in gravel, so there was no dribbling ... You had to be tough.

"I gave up football (after eighth grade) because I wasn't going to get a scholarship to Penn State that way, though I would have loved to have played inside linebacker for them."

Kopac excelled in track and field throwing events at Penn State, won WPIAL and PIAA track titles and section volleyball crowns in high school.

Kopac and her husband have a son and a daughter today.

"I watched my daughter pitch for the first time and thought I was going to throw up," Kopac said. "I'd never been that nervous in my whole life."

Clement's basketball teams were 73-14 when he played at Butler. He coached the Golden Tornado to a 16-5 record this past season.

In between, he enjoyed a professional baseball career that enabled him to pitch in the postseason, an All-Star Game and get a World Series ring.

"Butler High School was good to me when I was going throuh there as a student, and years afterward," Clement said. "They always let me use their facilities to get myself ready for spring training.

"The community of Butler always supported me and now they're supporting my basketball team. I've always appreciated that."

Clement thanked all of his coaches, dating back to fourth-grade basketball coach Bill Quigley. He played catch with his father at Highfield Park quite often.

"Highfield Youth Baseball was important to me and now it's important to my sons," he said.

"With Major League Baseball, I was so lucky ... the 84th pick in the third round ... I know the hand of God was involved. He had to be."

Clement said his wife Heather "was on this journey with me from the beginning. Celebrating every win with her was so special. I treasure those memories.

"My sons are the greatest gifts in my life. Sports, piano ... whatever they go into, I'll be their biggest fan."