Double induction
How versatile of an athlete was 1981 Butler graduate Paul Stanley?
He is entering two Halls of Fame in the next three months — for two different sports — and he was inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.
“I’m not a big accolades or awards type of guy,” Stanley said. “But this is pretty humbling.”
Stanley, 60, will be part of the Greene County Sports Hall of Fame’s second induction class during that organization’s banquet at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 in the Waynesburg University dining hall. After a stellar basketball career at Butler that saw Stanley lead the section in scoring his senior season and play in the Dapper Dan Holiday Classic, Stanley went on to a record-setting hoop career at Waynesburg.
That career landed him in the Greene County Hall. Stanley is third on Waynesburg University’s all-time scoring list with 1,916 points. He then played in the Australian National Basketball League, reaching 1,000 and 2,000 points faster than any player in ANBL history.
“Coach (Dick) Hartung had contacts over there. That’s how I wound up playing,” Stanley said of Australia. “That was so much fun. I was recently over there doing a two-week basketball camp that went very well.
“Those points in college ... there was no 3-point shot when I played there and I hit a lot of outside shots.”
Stanley still hasn’t ended his athletic career. He still plays competitive slow-pitch softball and is considered one of the most successful professional slow-pitch players of all-time. He’s played on 31 national and and world championship teams. He was selected to the All-World team 40 times and has been named MVP of the World Tournament on three occasions.
He is being inducted into the Amateur Softball Association of Pennsylvania Hall of Fame at 7 p.m. March 4 during its banquet at the Holiday Inn in Grantville.
“When I came back from Australia in 1991, I began playing softball and really enjoyed it,” Stanley said. “It was a fun way to stay in shape. I’ve always been a runner. Even now, I play center field for my team.”
Stanley has played for a number of softball teams — many of them based down south — in national and world tournaments. He said the 2023 season will begin in approximately four weeks.
He is a Senior Pro Staff member of DeMarini bats and has a model named after him.
“God-willing, I’m going to play for as long as I can,” Stanley said of softball. “The senior circuit in softball is amazing. Everybody still plays hard ... you should see the 75-over guys get after it.
“Like I said, it’s a great way to stay in shape. I love the game and I love the guys.”
During his Australian basketball career, Stanley played for the Melbourne Tigers during their tour of America in 1986. He scored 35 points against Pitt, 30 against Connecticut, 40 against Seton Hall while playing for ANBL teams against Big East colleges.
He was a three-time ANBL all-star and ended his career wit a league-record 32.6 scoring average.
Stanley’s son, Brennan, now 23, played basketball and baseball at Beth-Center High School. Stanley’s family lives in the California (Pa.) area.
“I appreciate these Hall of Fame honors,” Stanley said. “It’s nice to be recognized for what you’ve done. Sometimes it gets a little embarrassing, that’s all.”
