Inductees

Nellie King was a relief pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1954-1957. After his MLB career Nellie’s natural story-telling excelled in radio as sports reporter for WHGB in Greensburgh, and later as Bob Prince’s KDKA broadcast partner for the Pirates from 1967-1975. From 1957-2004 he served as Sports Information Director and Golf Coach for Duquense University. A graduate of the Milton Hershey School, Nellie was instilled with a passion for giving back. King served on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western PA for 25 years, raising over $1,000,000.

An All-City running back at North Catholic High School, played in the Dapper Dan Classic, and earned a scholarship to Pitt where he was a four-year starter on both sides of the ball. His tough, durable, intelligent play led him to a seven year career in the NFL with the Steelers (4), Redskins (1), and Bills (2). Following a knee injury, he moved on to coaching defensive backs in the NFL and was the Defensive Coordinator with Buffalo and Cleveland for five seasons and was in his fifth year as Dever’s Defensive Coordinator when he died of cancer in 1983.

Mel was inducted into The Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Drafted in the 3rd round (1970) out of Southern University, a starter in 1972 and, became the prototype cornerback of his era. He possessed the ideal size, speed and quickness, plus the toughness and mental ability to adjust to coverage as the rules changed. He was All-Pro four years; Defensive Player-of-the-year in 1975, leading the league with 11 interceptions. He played in four Super Bowls, 200 of 201 regular season games with 57 career interceptions (736 yards) for two touchdowns and 13 fumble recoveries for two more.

In 2003 Jim was inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame, acknowledging his 1981 and 1982 status as a consensus All-American offensive lineman at Pitt. A three-year starter that allowed only three sacks (zero his senior season) and played in the Hula and Senior Bowl games. A 1st round draft choice of the Chicago Bears, he was an NFL All-Rookie pick in 1983, a vital cog on the 1985 Super Bowl XX team, and the 1986 NFL “Offensive-Lineman-of-the-year”. The late Walter Payton called him the NFL’s “Best offensive tackle”. He was born in Conway, PA.

In 2020. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Walter was a professional soccer player, and considered one of the greatest ever in his country. He was the long-time captain of the U.S. national team and played in the 1950 FIFA World Cup when the U.S. defeated England 1–0.

Bahr, a native of Philadelphia, began playing soccer at the age of 11 and joined the Philadelphia Nationals of the professional American Soccer League as an amateur player. He was paid a great compliment during the Scottish national team tour of the U.S. in 1949 by former Scottish international Tommy Muirhead, who wrote in the Glasgow Daily Mail, "Bahr is good enough to play for any First Division team in the United Kingdom."

After participating in the 1948 Summer Olympics, Bahr turned professional and helped his club win ASL titles in 1950, 1951, 1953, and 1955. In the summer of 1953, he helped Montréal Hakoah FC reach the Canadian final. He then switched to the Uhrik Truckers, another team in the Philadelphia area, and won the ASL title in 1956. He then joined Montreal Sparta in late August where he won the 1956 Quebec Cup.

Professional soccer players at that time made little money, however, and Bahr also was a high school teacher during his playing years. He coached the Philadelphia Spartans of the American Soccer League from 1969-70. He moved to the college ranks to coach Temple University from 1970-73. He then coached Penn State to 12 NCAA tournament appearances from 1974–88, including taking the Nittany Lions to the 1979 semifinals, when he was named College Coach of the Year.

Bahr was selected to the U.S. national team in 1949 and appeared in 19 games, with one goal. In the 1950 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. upset the English team 1–0, with the goal scored by Joe Gaetjens off a pass by Bahr. The entire team was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1976. Bahr was featured in the 2009 soccer documentary A Time for Champions discussing the U.S. upset victory over England in the 1950 World Cup.

He died June 18, 2018 at the age of 91.

A standout lineman and team captain at the University of Pittsburgh earning NSCA and AP/UPI All-American recognition. Starred with the New York Jets from 1984-1994, playing in 166 consecutive games/158 consecutive starts at guard, tackle or center. Was a Pro-Bowl Alternate at three different positions. 1984 All-Rookie Team. Sports Illustrated All-NFL in 1988, and the Jets All-Time 4-Decades Team. Moved to Seattle where he started 16 more games (174 total) and finished his career as a valuable backup for three seasons with the Steelers in 1999. Has continued in football as a high school and college offensive line coach.

From his roots in West Reading, a 4 sports athlete, Carl is entering his 50th year as Ridley HS outstanding Wrestling Coach. He is the all-time winningest wrestling coach in PIAA history, (690-194-8). His teams have won 17 Central League Championships. Carl is listed in the top 10 on the National Wrestling Coaches Win list & was inducted into the PA Wrestling Hall of Fame (1988), Delco Athletic Hall (1992), Delaware County Chapter of PSHF (1992), Berks County Chapter of PSHF (2010). In 2008 he was honored to be selected Nationally as Head Coach of “USA Dream Team”, in the USA vs. Iowa tournament (USA 40-Iowa 15). Forty plus former wrestlers have become coaches and referees. For 41 years he was a top assistant for an outstanding football program winning over 400 games competing in several PIAA District & State Tournaments. As a head track coach he helped develop 2 State Champions. At age 77, he is still an active coach.

Larry was an outstanding running back at Bishop Egan High School from 1964 to 1967, under the direction of Coach Dick Bedesem, he helped the Eagles to back-to-back Philadelphia City Title wins in 1966 and 1967. He was All-Catholic and MVP of the 1967 city title game.

After Egan, Larry played at the University of Maryland where he garnered All-ACC honors and the Maryland MVP award in his senior year as defensive back.

He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1972; that year he won the Mack Lee Hill Award as the Chiefs top rookie. Larry led the Chiefs in punt and kickoff returns in 1972 & 1973.

He played the next four seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles where he set Eagle records for punt returns and yards while leading the National Football conference with 10.6 yard average.

A 1982 graduate of Bristol HS, was one of the finest athletes in Bucks Co. history. As a student-athlete at Bristol, Jeff scored 1,000 points in basketball and passed for 1,000 yards in football. In 1982, Jeff was named Honorable Mention All-State in both sports.

After graduation, Jeff attended Temple from 1982 to 1985 where he earned All-Atlantic 10 and All-East Coast honors in baseball. Jeff is tied with John Marzano for highest career batting average (.413) and stands alone with the highest career slugging percentage (.778). During his Temple career he also held Owl records for most bases, extra base hits, highest HR percentage, and highest slugging percentage. Member of 2 Atlantic 10 Championships. Inducted into Temple University HOF in 2000.

From 1985 to 2000, He played professional baseball. Jeff was drafted by the Yankees in 1985, but signed with the California Angels that same year. He was a member of the 1993 Phillies NL Champions, the 1997 Indians AL Champions, and the 1999 World Champions Yankees. Jeff holds the major league record for consecutive home runs (4) and the AL record for 5 home runs in 3 days. He was the MVP in both the Texas and International Leagues.

After his playing career ended, he worked as a hitting coach, as well as manager for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was hired as the Pittsburgh Pirates Hitting Coordinator in 2003 and then was named the Pittsburgh Pirates hitting coach in November 2005.He was the hitting coach for the Pirates for two seasons from 2006–2007. In 2006 helped guide Freddy Sanchez to the NL Batting Title with a .344 batting average. Also, during his time as the Pirates hitting coach, Manto saw the future breakout potential of then Pirate, José Bautista.

On October 31, 2011, Manto was named hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox where he helped guide Adam Dunn to AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2012.

He currently serves as the Minor League Hitting Coordinator for the Baltimore Orioles.

A veteran of 47 years in professional baseball and has managed more than 3,000 games. This includes managinv the Pittsburgh Pirates (86-96), Florida Marlins (97-98), Colorado Rockies (99), and Detroit Tigers (2006-11). He won three straight NL East divisional championships with the Pirates (90-92), won the World Series with the Marlins (97) and took the Tigers to the 2006 World Series. Named NL and AL Manager of the Year. Spent six seasons as a minor league catcher in the Tigers organization(64-69). Lettered in football, basketball and baseball at Perrysburg (OH) High School. Makes his home in Pittsburgh with wife Katie and children Patrick and Kellie.

Mention all-around athletes in the Mid-Monongahela Valley in general, Monessen in particular, the name Sam Havrilak is sure to come to mind. He was born on December 13, 1947.

Havrilak is a 1965 graduate of Monessen High School, where he earned varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, and track. As a senior at MHS, he was the 1965 recipient of the school’s prestigious best Scholar-Athlete Award.

A former high school classmate recalls that Havrilak “had the reflexes, coordination, talent, and determination to be a great athlete. In high school and college football, Sam was the quarterback, and in the professional ranks he performed with the special teams on defense and offense. That certainly demonstrates his versatility. He had talent, intelligence, common sense and great leadership abilities. Other kids looked up to him throughout his high school career.”

In 1964, Havrilak missed part of his senior year in football at Monessen due to an injury in a pre-season scrimmage. He returned to play against Clairton, McKeesport, Charleroi, and Donora and served as co-captain of the Greyhounds that year. Most of his high school career was limited with injuries.

Although he was an outstanding baseball player, Havrilak devoted his springtime to track and field. Among the highlights of his endeavors in that sport, were victories over LaRoyal Wilson of Mount Pleasant, who went on to set a number of track records at Westminster College.

A native of Fairhope in Washington Township, Dale was born September 12, 1937. As a youngster, delivering the Charleroi Mail and Monessen Independent in Fairhope, Dale read about and dreamed of making an athletic accomplishment someday like the stars honored at the Big Six Banquet and the Mon Valley Hall of Fame. Quoting poet Robert Frost, Dale took “a road less traveled and it has made all the difference.” A NFL official since 1978, he has 14 years as a head linesman and eight years as a referee. He worked two Super Bowls as a head linesman and is the Executive Director of the Western Chapter and Pennsylvania Sports Halls of Fame. Jim Hamer, another Mon Valley Hall of Fame inductee, is Dale’s uncle and former NFL official as well.

A 1955 Bellmar High School graduate, Dale played football for Coach Bap Manzini, and was a two-year letterman, one-year as a guard and the next year as middle linebacker. Dale received a Bachelor of Science degree from California State College in 1960.

From 1960 to 1964 Dale taught mathematics in the Clairton and West Mifflin North school districts. He left teaching for a position at USX Corporation and retired in 1992 as vice president of Leasing and Finance. In 1970 he received his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

In 1962 Dale began an officiating career that would eventually take him to the National Football League. He officiated high school and college basketball from 1962 to 1980, working over 450 games. He started officiating football in 1963 on the high school and college ranks, performing in about 400 events.

In 1978 Dale got his break into big time officiating with the NFL and has worked over 400 games, including 13 playoff games and two Super Bowls in 1983 and 1988 as a head linesman. Dale performed referee duties in the 1992 AFC Conference Championship. Some of Dale’s local mentors along the way included Bud Roman, Armand Niccolai, Francis Delmastro, Walt Malinchak, Jack Green, and Melvin Bassi. When asked about officiating, Hamer likes to say, “You’re in control, and everybody else around you is going totally nuts.”

In 1995 Dale was unable to perform his officiating duties due to a deteriorated aortic valve, which controls the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta, the largest artery in the body. Hamer had a 5-hour operation on July 25th at Pittsburgh’s West Penn Hospital in which Dr. Bob Gardner chiseled out the calcified valve and replaced it with the biological valve from a cow. Unfortunately, Dale suffered two minor strokes after surgery and developed liver problems. Initially, his heart was out of rhythm and it wasn’t until the next year that a shock treatment put his heart back in rhythm. Although his rehabilitation was slow, the NFL cleared him to work on April 3, 1996 and he will be entering his 23rd season in 2001.

In 1994 Dale participated in the Jeep Superstars competition from Honolulu, Hawaii, on ABC-TV as the Commissioner of Events. Dale is a member of the National Football League Referees Association and served as president from 1996-1999. He also edits the Association Newsletter, “The Official Word.”

From 1994-1996 Dale served as interim Alumni Director for California University of Pennsylvania.
Dale was honored with the Michael Duda Illustrious Alumni Award at California University in 1988. In 1996 he was inducted into the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.

Dale and his wife Arden are the parents of three daughters and have two grandchildren. They make their home in Murrysville, Pennsylvania.

The Mid-Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame is certainly honored that Dale’s athletic “road less traveled” has brought him this accolade.

Fred was an All-American & All-Conference player on Duke’s 1955 Orange Bowl Championship Team. He was the NFL’s top ACC lineman draft pick (Chicago Cardinals). He served as an officer and Recon Commander in the U.S. Marines where he also played and Coached Wrestling and Football! Later Fred became a legendary pioneer in the sports marketing world. The first ever marketing director for the “AAU” & “Americas Cup”. He was also the first ever VP Marketing Director for the NBA and first president of the NBA’s properties company. In 1974 he founded and directed for over 20 years the “First” USA Sports Marketing organization to bring corporate sponsorship to Amateur sports Governing Bodies and USA Winter and Summer Olympic Teams.

Melanie was an outstanding swimmer at Penn Hills HS, the University of North Carolina, and the US National Swim Team. She was Dial Corporation’s National High School Female Scholar Athlete-of-the-year in 1984. An 8-time WPIAL and a 5-time PIAA Champion, held the National Record in the 100-Butterfly, held PIAA record for 25 years, and the WPIAL record still stands. Melanie was a 4-time All-American at UNC, undefeated in dual meets and ACC Conference Championships. She held school and conference records in the 100 and 200-Butterfly. She was an 8-time ACC Champion and was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.