Inductees

Jim Schrader was a graduate of Scott Township High School in Carnegie, PA and the University of Notre Dame. An offensive linemen, “Big Jim” helped lead the way for Heisman Trophy winning running back Johnny Lattner. In 1953 Notre Dame finished the season 9-1 and had an unprecedented 12 players drafted to the ’54 NFL. Jim went in the 2nd round to the Washington Redskins. He played in 116 NFL games, starting 48 of them. During his 10-year career he played for the Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles and never played on a team with a winning record. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 1958, 1959 and 1961.

A football player, Clyde graduated from Carlisle,PA High School and Purdue University. A cornerback, Washington was drafted in the 10th round by the Cleveland Browns. He chose the AFL over the NFL and signed with the Boston Patriots (1960-1961) and played for the New York Jets (1963-1965). In five seasons, he played in 63 games and had nine interceptions.

Peter Carlesimo was a football and basketball player In high school and college and coached football and basketball at Scranton University. However it was as an athletic administrator that he left his mark in sports.Beside coaching, he was the athletic director at ScrantonUniversity from 1953 to 1968 and Fordham University from 1968 to 1978.
As the AD at Fordham, Peter was on the committee that ran the annual National Invitation Basketball Tournament (NIT) at Madison Square Garden In New York City. An active committee member, he went on to become the first full-time Executive Director of the NIT from 1978 to 1988 He is a member of the University of Scranton. Fordham University And NCAA Athletic Director’s Halls of Fame.

In November 2008 Temple University officially named its Athletic Office “The Earnest C. Casale Intercollegiate Athletic Suite”. Casale served Temple University Athletics as Athletic Director from 1959 to 1982 and was regarded as one of the most influential athletic administrators in Philadelphia Sports.Ernest graduated from Germantown High School in 1935 and entered Temple University. He played three seasons of baseball for the Owls. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the military and
served his country during both World War II and the Korean War. After WW II he returned to Temple to teach mathematics and following his Korean tour he return as head baseball coach and guided the Owls to two NCAA Tournament appearances and first MAC Championship, while compiling a record of 85-48-3. Ernest retired from coaching to become Temples Athletic Director. Improving Temple’s athletic facilities and competitiveness and serving the NCAA Council and its committees.

Mike Holovak was born in Lansford, PA. He went to Boston College, where he was an All-American running back and placed 4th in the Heisman voting in 1942. He was drafted by the Cleveland Rams in the fifth round in 1943 then enlisted in the Navy. Mike officially signed with the Rams in 1944, but did not take the field until 1946, by which time the franchise had moved to Los Angeles. He was traded to the Chicago Bears in 1947 and led the pass- oriented Bears in rushing the next two- years. Mike retired in March, 1949 to become the freshman coach at Boston College. Undefeated for two seasons, Mike was named the head coach in December, 1950. After nine winning seasons and subject to constant verbal abuse from Eagles fans he was fired in December, 1959. Mike became an assistant and then head coach of the AFL Boston Patriots in 1960 to 1968. Then the coaching
merry-go-round began with various teams and various roles. Mike retired as a scout with the Tennessee Titans in 1999. He was elected to the National Football Foundation’s College Hall Of Fame In 1981,

Ted Kick was a Harrisburg Native and Wharton School graduate. He took over his father’s business, Harrisburg Paper, and sold it to Hammermill Corp in 1977, which he continued to manage.
His extensive community service included the Lady Keystone Open Golf Classic, the Arthritis Foundation and the Shippensburg University Board.
Lick was also a noted big-game hunter who traveled the world in search of prey and cultural experiences.

Roger has an unrivaled Record of wins at the Indianapolis 500 and a virtual presence In every major national series. A graduate of Lehigh University and founder and Chairmen Of Pienske Corporation, a closely held diversified on-highway transportation services company Including professional motor sports.

Born and raised in Jeannette, PA, Buster was a power hitting shortstop and third basemen in the Negro Leagues. Debuting in 1937, he terrorized pitching wherever he went, whether in the United States or Caribbean. He finished second to Josh Gibson in home runs inthe 1941 Mexican League. As Major League baseball turned to younger Negro League players, Clarkson headed north to Canada in 1948. There he blasted 31 home runs and batted .408 for St. Jean in the Provincial League. Despite these numbers he got no notice from major league organizations and returned to the Negro Leagues. By 1950 Major League baseball could not ignore Clarkson’s talent and he was signed by the Boston Braves and assigned to their Triple A farm club in Milwaukee. In 1951, Clarkson at 35, played a solid third base or shortstop leading his team to the Junior World Series Championship. T he 37 year old rookie was finally called up while hitting .382 in late 1952 and was used sparingly as a pinch hitter.

Tom Ferrick was a Major League Baseball pitcher (primarily relief), Pitching coach and scout. Pitching in the minor leagues he caught the eye of Connie Mack and he made his major league debut in1941 with the Philadelphia Athletics. Although getting off to a great start, he began to sputter toward seasons end and finished with an 8-10 record and 3.77 ERA in 36 games and was selected off of Waivers by the Cleveland Indians. He appeared in 31 games for the Indians and went 3-2 with a 1.99 ERA. That Christmas, he inlisted in the Navy and served and played baseball with the fifth fleet team. After the war, Tom pitched well for several losing ball clubs. At the 1950 trade deadline he was traded to the New York Yankees, he was with a winning ball club for the first time. With the help of stellar performances by Ferrick, out of the bullpen, the Yankees beat the Phillies in the World Series. He became a coach in the minors and was named the pitching coach of the Cincinnati Reds in 1953. and later served that role with the Phillies in 1959, Tigers in 1960-1963 and Athletics 1964 to 1965. He was a team scout for over twenty years before he retired.

Sam was a graduate of Steelton High School and DickensonCollege. At Dickenson, Sam excelled in football as a running back, setting Records for rushing yard, touchdowns, total points and yards per carry, During World War II he served in the Navy from 1944 to 1946.He enjoyed officiating high school football and basketball and he was honored to be selected as an official on a Big 33 game.
Sam was very active in his church and community.

Max Patkin was best known as the “Clown Prince of Baseball Patkin performed for 51 years in that capacity. After an arm injury curtailed his minor league career he joined the Navy during World War II. He was pitching in a game in Hawaii and Joe DiMaggio hit a home run. In mock anger, Max threw down his glove and followed Joe around the bases and a career was born. He was hired as a coach
by Bill Veeck and the Cleveland Indians. After Veeck sold the Indians in 1949, he began touring the country. As a barnstormer he played minor league stadiums throughout the United States and Canada.While some derided his act as corny, he became a beloved figure in Baseball circles.

About This Inductee:

Born in Ribwik, Czechoslovakia, Elmer William Valo’s name ranks high in major league baseball action. After three years in the minors, the fence-bustin’ outfielder from Palmerton completed 20 years in the majors. He played with nine teams, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Cleveland, New York, Washington, and Minnesota, all-American League clubs, and also performed with Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia in the National League. He had his diamond career launched regionally while playing with the Lehighton Moose. Valo, a lifetime .282 hitter, always found a way to deliver. He was the ultimate contact hitter. He knew how to put the ball in play, striking out just 284 times in almost 6,000 plate appearances during a splendid 20-year major league career. To put that in perspective, Mike Schmidt whiffed 180 times in the 1975 campaign alone. The 5′ 11″, 190 pound, left-handed hitting outfielder compiled six .300 seasons.

He was one of the greatest pinch hitters of all-time, ranking first with 90 hits and 91 walks when he retired in 1961. He played 13 years with the A’s, batting .305 with 1,124 hits, 179 doubles, 68 triples, and 98 stolen bases, in 1,240 games. In 1949, his best overall season, he hit two bases-loaded triples in one game. Defensively,

Valo was the original Harvey Wallbanger. His spectacular crashes into the right field wall at Shibe Park are vividly recalled by his legion of fans. Valo never took his cherished spot on a major league roster for granted. “It was an honor to play the game. Baseball provided for my family and I’ve always been grateful for that,” he said. “To me, it was a thrill to put on the uniform every day.” Valo was a professional in every respect. He is still the perfect role model for his legion of fans. Brooklyn’s Pete Reiser and Valo raised the act of splattering into an outfield fence an art form. Both sacrificed their body to haul in long flies. “We never sat down and compared notes,” Valo said. “But I do know he had his problems and I sure had mine.”

Longtime Valo followers said you could make out his silhouette in Shibe Park’s right field wall until they tore down the tradition-rich yard at 21st and Lehigh. Valo joined Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons, Mickey Cochrane, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Lefty Grove, Eddie Plank, Rube Waddell, Ed Delahanty, Jim Bunning, Eddie Collins, Cy Williams, Jimmie Dykes, Del Ennis, Wally Moses, and Connie Mack in the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame. He died in July of 1998 at the age of 77.