Inductees

About This Inductee:

• Coughlin High School-football-All League, All-State
• College of the Holy Cross-senior first team All-American
• First team Academic All-American, first team All-East Coast
• First team All-New England
• NFL 9th round draft pick-Cincinnati Bengals
• 12 year pro football career-three honorable mentions-Pro Bowl
• Played in Super Bowl XXIII 1989
• Head football coach at Holy Cross District High School
• Inducted into PA State Hall of Fame in 2005

He graduated from James M. Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA with a major in Physics and later acquired a Master's in teaching from Xavier University.

Bruce played twelve seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was an alternate in the 1988, 1989, and 1990 Pro Bowls. "Mr. Versatile", as he was called, retired after the 1995 season.

He is a teacher and the head football coach at Holy Cross High School in Covington, Kentucky where he teaches physics, pre-calculus, and calculus. On November 25, 2011, Kozerski, in his 8th year as head coach, led Holy Cross High School's (Covington, Kentucky) football team to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Division 2A, state football championship. It was the Indians' first appearance in the state championship game. Holy Cross defeated Glasgow High School 33-14 in the championship game.

Linda Kreiser was a graduate of Lower Dauphin High School, Coach Kreiser went on to play field hockey, basketball and lacrosse at Millersville University. She earned 12 varsity letters. She returned to LD to teach and became head field hockey coach in 1978. Four years later, Linda captured her first District 3 championship, 11 years later she won her first state title with an undefeated 1993 season. In 2003, Linda won a 6th District 3 title on top of two State Championships, and a 475-76-32 career record. Coach Kreiser was inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame on January 10, 2004.

About This Inductee:

• Coughlin High School-football
• 1980 Wyoming Valley Conference champs
• All-Scholastic, All-State, All-American
• University of Maryland-4-year starter
• Played in Aloha, Tangerine, Japan, North-South Bowls
• 1983 Atlantic Conference Lineman of the Year, first team All-ACC
• 1983 Rookie of the Year with NFL’s Indianapolis Colts
• Named to AFC Pro Bowl, UPI All-Pro Team 1987
• Lineman of the Year with Philadelphia Eagles 1990
• Outstanding Lineman of the Year with Colts 1991
• Inducted into PA Sports Hall of Fame in 2005

Ron Solt graduated from Coughlin High School in 1980 with a 3.8 grade point aver­age. Along with his honors as a student, Ron excelled in football, wrestling and track at Coughlin. Ron starred on Coughlin’s undefeated 1980 football team, which went on to become Wyoming Valley champions. Ron was All-Scholastic two years in 1979 and 1980. He was named to the PA All-State team in 1980, as well as being named to the High School All-American team as an offensive guard and a defensive tackle. He was also named to the Adidas All-American Team. Ron also excelled in wrestling at Coughlin High where in 1980 he was district cham­pion, regional champion, and finished second in the state wrestling tournament that year. Ron also led Coughlin’s track team, earning a first place in the Shot Put in the district meet and a fourth place in the PA State meet.

Ron earned a football scholarship to the University of Maryland and graduated with a 3.5 scholastic average. He played four years at Maryland, participating in the Aloha Bowl, Tangerine Bowl, Japan Bowl, and the North and South Bowl. He was voted the Atlantic Conference Lineman of the Year in 1983, and also named to the First Team All-ACC in 1982 and 1983.

Drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 1983, Ron was “Rookie of the Year.” Ron was named to the AFC Pro Bowl and the UPI All-Pro Team in 1987. In 1988, Ron was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and in 1990 started his 100th straight game. Ron was named the Philadelphia Inquirer Lineman of the Year that same year. Ron went back to the Colts in 1991 through 1993, and was named Outstanding Lineman again in 1991.

Ron again resides in the Wyoming Valley and has six children, Kierra, Lauren, Tayler, Jarred, Matthew and Ryan.

Gary E. Bower has 24 perfect games and eight 800's, three game series. A member of the 1979 United States FIQ team that competed in the World Tournament in the Philippines. Two ABC National titles, seven State titles, 40 local titles and many other titles. Harrisburg Patriot News honored him as one of the Mid-States top 50 Athletes of the Century. Inducted into the Capital Area Chapter, Lebanon, Harrisburg and Pennsylvania Bowling Halls of Fame. Inducted into the ABC National Hall of Fame, March 15,2001 in Reno, Nevada.

About This Inductee:

• Two-time PIAA Wrestling champion
• Three-time Southern Conference wrestling champion
• Football All-American at Wake Forrest
• Second round draft choice of the Chicago Bears, he became "Mr. Bear" for 14 years
• The original NFL middle linebacker
• Selected NFL All-Pro eight times
• Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974

He played professionally as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League.

George was born in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh. He is among numerous legendary football players born in football-rich Western Pennsylvania. He attended college at Wake Forest University, and was the Bears' second-round draft pick in 1951. He began his pro football career the following year as a middle guard in the then-standard five-man defensive front. He was selected to play in eight consecutive Pro Bowls, from 1954 to 1961.

George is credited as the first true middle linebacker in football history and, inadvertently, the creator of the 4–3 defense. Noting during a 1954 game with the Philadelphia Eagles that his tendency to hit the center right after the snap led to the quarterback passing right over his head, he began to drop back from the line, not only enabling him to intercept and otherwise disrupt several passes from that game forward but also creating the familiar 4–3 setup (four linemen and three linebackers).

In addition to his 18 career interceptions, George also recovered 19 fumbles, and in 1954 scored 25 points on 13 PATs and four field goals. In 1963, he led the Bears defense when they won the NFL Championship.

George was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. The Bears retired his uniform number 61. In a 1989 article, in which he named his choices for the best athletes ever to wear each uniform number from 0 to 99, Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly not only chose George for number 61, but called him "the meanest Bear ever," no small thing considering the franchise's long history and reputation for toughness. In 1999, he was ranked number 49 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

George was killed in an automobile accident in Rockford, Illinois on September 30, 1982.

About This Inductee:

• Also known as the "The Boy Wonder”
• Hit .300 as rookie second baseman for Washington 1920
• As player/manager, won 2 flags in a row and World Series 1924
• Won 2,159 games in 29 years as manager-Tigers, Red Sox, Phillies, Yankees
• Led Yankees to World Championship 1947
• 1975 inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY
• Inducted into PA Sports Hall of Fame in 2005

Stanley "Bucky" Harris spent seven decades in majors as player, manager and executive.

When Harris was 19, the Detroit Tigers, signed him to his first contract and farmed him to the Class B Muskegon Reds of the Central League, where he struggled as a batsman and was released. Harris then caught on with the Scranton Miners, Norfolk Tars and Reading Pretzels through 1917, before reaching the highest level of minor league baseball with the 1918–1919 Buffalo Bisons of the International League. Harris improved his batting skills during the latter season with the Bisons, making 126 hits and raising his average to .282.

He then was recommended to the Washington Senators by baseball promoter Joe Engel, who led the Chattanooga Lookouts at Engel Stadium. In August 1919, at the age of 22, he came up to Washington was a regular second baseman in 1920. He was batting .300 and making a mark for himself as a tough competitor, standing up to even ferocious superstar Ty Cobb, who threatened Harris when he tagged Cobb in their first encounter.

Harris spent most of his playing career as a second baseman with the Senators (1919–1928). In 1924, he was named player-manager; at the age of 27 he was the youngest manager in the Majors. He proceeded to lead the Senators to their only World Series title in Washington in his rookie season, and was nicknamed "The Boy Wonder." He won a second consecutive American League pennant in 1925, but the Senators lost the 1925 World Series in Pittsburgh in the late innings of Game 7 after leading 3–1 in the Series. He batted .333 and hit two home runs in the series, including an important round tripper in Game 7 which opened the scoring and gave Washington a 1–0 lead in the 4th inning. These feats are even more impressive considering that the light-hitting Harris only hit 9 home runs in his entire career.

Harris’ initial departure from the Senators in 1928 (he would twice return to manage them again from 1935–42 and 1950–54) came in a trade to the Tigers as player-manager. Although he retired as a player after the 1931 season, his playing career effectively ended with his trade to Detroit. Harris only made 11 cameo appearances in the Tiger lineup: seven in 1929 and four in 1931. In all, he appeared in 1,263 games over parts of 13 seasons, and collected 1,297 hits, with 224 doubles, 64 triples, nine home runs, 472 bases on balls, and 167 stolen bases. Harris batted .274 lifetime with 508 career runs batted in.

In addition to Harris‘ three separate terms as field leader of the Senators, he also managed the Tigers twice (1929–33 and 1955–56), Boston Red Sox (1934), Philadelphia Phillies (briefly known as the Blue Jays, 1943) and New York Yankees (1947–48).

Harris signed as manager of the Red Sox for 1934. As a new manager, and despite an injury-riddled season by newly purchased ace left-handed pitcher Lefty Grove, broke the losing-season streak, finishing at .500 (76–76). But Harris's stay in the Boston dugout lasted only one season. He and Eddie Collins, the Red Sox' general manager, had feuded since their playing days and Yawkey may have hired Harris without consulting Collins. Harris' second term in Washington lasted for eight seasons (1935–1942), his longest tenure as a skipper. However, he never approached the highs of 1924 or 1925. Only one of his teams, the 1936 Senators, had a winning record (82–71) and first-division finish. Harris kept the club out of the American League basement, but three consecutive seventh-place finishes from 1940–1942 led to his departure and his only season in the National League as skipper of the 1943 Phillies.

Perhaps the worst team (42–109, .278) in baseball in 1942, the Phillies had just been sold to lumberman William D. Cox. Under Harris, the 1943 edition improved to play .424 baseball (39–53), just four fewer than they had in all of 1942. However, Harris chafed at Cox' constant interference. When Harris protested, Cox abruptly fired him on July 27.

Harris then played a role in Cox' banishment from professional baseball for betting on games. On the day after his firing, Harris dropped a bombshell at his hotel room–he had evidence that Cox was betting on baseball. Harris's friends, outraged at his firing, informed Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis that Cox was violating baseball's anti-gambling mandate. Landis then summoned Harris to his office to testify in person about Cox' behavior. The owner was suspended indefinitely three months later and banned from baseball outright soon afterward. The Phillies were sold to R. R. M. Carpenter in November 1943.

Harris then spent three seasons out of the big leagues, then served as general manager (1944–1946) and field manager (1944–1945) of the Buffalo Bisons, his old team in the International League.

In August 1946, the Yankees' co-owner and GM, Larry MacPhail, appointed Harris to a front-office position. Harris was named the Bombers' 1947 manager, and he led them to his third American League pennant — the Yankees' 15th league title. Behind Most Valuable Player Joe DiMaggio and newly acquired starting pitcher Allie Reynolds, the 1947 Yanks won 97 games and prevailed over the Tigers by a 12-game margin. Then they won Harris's second World Series championship, defeating the Jackie Robinson-led Brooklyn Dodgers in a thrilling, seven-game Fall Classic.

Although MacPhail sold his stake in the Yankees and left baseball immediately after the 1947 Series, Harris returned for a second season as manager. His 1948 Yankees won 94 games to finish a close third in a hectic pennant race, two games behind the Cleveland Indians and Red Sox, who ended the regular season in a tie for first place. But the result dissatisfied the Yankees' post MacPhail ownership team, Dan Topping and Del Webb, and their new general manager, George Weiss, and they replaced Harris with Casey Stengel.

Harris returned to the minor leagues in 1949, as manager of the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League, before launching his third stint as skipper of the Senators, coming off a 104-loss 1949 season. His first campaign, 1950, saw a 17-game improvement for Washington, then he led the Senators to a winning (78–76) mark in 1952, but the team could not escape the second division in Harris's five-year, final term as Washington's manager.

In 1955, and in the first season of his second term in Detroit, Harris again produced a turnaround. The 1955 Tigers won 79 games (eleven more than 1954's edition) and had their first above-.500 season since 1950, then Detroit won 82 games in 1956. Harris closed out his 29-year MLB managing career with a win-loss record of 2,158–2,219 (.493). As of September 2019, Harris ranked seventh in MLB manager career wins.

In 1957, at 60, Harris rejoined the Red Sox in a front office capacity. He was assistant general manager to Joe Cronin for two seasons, and then, when Cronin was named president of the American League, succeeded him as GM in January 1959, 24 years after Cronin had displaced Harris as Boston's field manager. On his watch, the Red Sox finally broke the baseball color line by promoting Pumpsie Green from Triple-A on July 21, 1959, more than a dozen years after Robinson's debut with the Dodgers. They were the last of the 16 pre-expansion teams to integrate.

Harris ended his long MLB career as a scout for the White Sox (1961–1962) and special assistant for the new expansion Washington Senators franchise that played in D.C. from 1961 to 1971 before moving on to Arlington, Texas. All told, he spent over 55 years in baseball. He died November 8, 1977 on his 81st birthday.

Four-time Olympic Medalist Bruce Baumgartner is considered by many as the greatest heavyweight freestyle wrestler in American history. He won the 1986, 1993, and 1995 World Championships. In 1996 Bruce was voted Co-Captain of the U.S. Olympic Team and carried the Flag in the Opening Ceremonies at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. He was the winner of the James E. Sullivan Award in 1995 as the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. From 1981 through his retirement in 1997, he did not lose a match to an American Wrestler. One of eight athletes in U.S. history to medal in four different Olympiads winning a bronze, a silver, and two gold medals.

Jerry was an official in the National Football League from 1966 until 1995. His tenure of 30 years is the third longest in the history of the league. He was the head linesman in four Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, and numerous post season games. He is a graduate of North Catholic High School in Pittsburgh where he quarterbacked the football team. He has coached sandlot teams and presently coaches a grade school team which has a record of 148 wins and 28 losses. From 1951 till 1965 he also found some time to umpire baseball. He has received numerous sports and civic awards including Pittsburgh Dapper Dan Awards in 1979 and 1985.

Bud was an All WPIAL performer at Freeport High School and went on to become an All-Conference player at the University of North Carolina. He went directly into coaching after graduation and spent 7 seasons at UNC as an assistant, became Defensive Coordinator at South Carolina and then Georgia Tech, and moved up to Head Coach at Tech where he had a 25-25 record. He moved on to become one of the top Defensive Coordinators in the NFL. Except for a two year stint as Head Coach at Cleveland, his career spanned seven teams, including seven years with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he became the architect of the famed "Steel Curtain" defense.

In high school, Gus was a "State Champion in 1949. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 1952. In 1953 he was an NCAA Champion that was undefeated in college dual competition. After college he turned to coaching his beloved sport and began producing championship wrestlers and championship teams. His record included 22 Section Championships, seven WPIAL Championships, and six State Titles. He was a four time, WPIAL and two time PIAA Coach of the Year Honoree. He turned to college coaching and won the Eastern Regional Championship in 1994 and 1996 at Duquesne University. He has been the recipient of a National Wrestling Hall of Fame Lifetime Service Award.

An outstanding performer at quarterback on some great Donora High School teams where his senior season brought him High School All-American Honors. He took his leadership and athletic skills to West Point and garnered 11 major letters playing football, basketball, and baseball. His athletic career was interrupted by his military obligation in Korea. He returned a highly decorated veteran and managed to play two seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants and the San Francisco 4gers in 1953 and 1954. Upon leaving the game, he enjoyed a very successful business career in the Chicago area.

An all-around athlete out of Donora, PA , Ken chose a baseball career which spanned 19 seasons from 1973-1991. During that time he played with the Reds, Yankees, Braves, and Mariners. His play with the Cincinnati Reds led to his recent induction into the "Big Red's" Hall of Fame. He played in 2,097 games, batted .296 and had 2,143 hits, 152 home runs and 859 RBI's. Playing the outfield, he was an All-Star selection in 1976, 1977, and 1981. In 1990 he became part of the leagues first father-son playing duo when he was joined on the Mariners by son Ken Griffey Jr. After his retirement he coached with both the Reds and the Mariners.

Mark had an outstanding major league baseball career with the Kansas City Royals. He was a 20-game winner in 1988 when he placed third in the Cy Young voting. In 1985 he won Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. He led the American League in games started in 1989 with 36 and 1995 with 33. His ability to take the mound on a regular schedule places him high on the Royals pitching career list in many categories: he is third in wins, third in shutouts, second in starts, and second in innings pitched, He holds the Royals' record for strikeouts in a game with 14 and had 16 career shutouts including a one-hitter against Oakland.

Dick came out of small Midway High School to become a two-year starter at the University of Pittsburgh, played in the East-West Shrine All-Star Game and was a starting wide receiver in the College All-Star Game in Chicago.

His professional career lasted seven seasons, the last four with his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers. He moved into the Steelers' front office and spent 21 years as Director of Player Personnel during which time the Steelers won four Super Bowls.

Dick has recently retired as Director of Player Personnel with the New York Jets. However he remains active with football as the chief scout for the Jets in Florida.

Cosmo was an AP All-State athlete out of West Scranton High School. He went on to become a standout two way performer at Princeton where he garnered First Team All-American Honors in 1964 and was twice named All-Ivy. He led the nation in scoring in 1963 and captained the undefeated (9-0) 1964 team. His exploits earned him the Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award, the Poe Kazmaier Award, and made him a Heisman Trophy Candidate. He had 1895 career rushing yards, 31 touchdowns, and averaged 5.28 yards per carry his senior year. He led Princeton to back-to-back Ivy League titles. Cosmo is a National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame inductee.

About This Inductee:

• Plymouth High School-football and basketball
• Notre Dame quarterback 1949-1951
• Led Irish to National Championship in 1949
• Assistant coach at Tulane 1955-1959, Marquette and Boston College
• 1962 joined Buffalo Bills as assistant coach
• As offensive coordinator helped Bills win 3 Division and 2 AFL championships
• 1969 offensive coordinator with Boston Patriots, in 1970 took over as head coach
• Inducted into PA Sports Hall of Fame in 2004

John was an outstanding athlete at Plymouth High School where he starred on the football and basketball teams. A star player at Notre Dame, where he was a member of the 1949 national-championship team. He quarterbacked the Irish from 1948 through 1951. He led the Irish to a National Championship in 1949. His love for the game turned him to coaching, as an assistant at Tulane from 1955-1959 and then Marquette and Boston College.

In 1962, Lou Saban hired him as assistant coach of the Buffalo Bills. Mazur became the offensive coordinator of the Bills and helped Buffalo to three division titles and two AFL championships. In 1969, he became offensive coordinator of the Boston Patriots, and he was named head coach in 1970, succeeding Clive Rush. He lead the team to a 6–8 mark that year, which included upsets of the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Colts and Oakland Raiders, the team enjoyed its best record since 1966, and Mazur was awarded a new contract with a substantial pay increase. Mazur then resigned on November 13, 1972.

Mazur would resurface the next year as defensive backs coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, and would survive the dismissal of much of the coaching staff following the end of the 1975 NFL season. However, after just one year working under Dick Vermeil, Mazur left in 1977 to join former Eagles assistant Walt Michaels, who had been hired as head coach of the New York Jets.

After two years as defensive backs coach with the Jets, Mazur was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1979, helping the team to its second straight 8–8 season. The following year, the team's fortunes dipped considerably with a 4–12 mark, while Mazur's health also took a turn for the worse. In December, he announced that he would be retiring to battle the effects of Parkinson's disease.

He died November 1, 2013 at the age on 83.

Dick is a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School and the University of Michigan where he had an outstanding career in the sport of Diving. He was the Big Ten Conference Diving Champion in 1971 and the winner of the prestigious Big Ten Scholar/Athlete Award. His skill off the boards also brought him a Silver Medal at the 1971 Pan Am Games. He also won the Silver Medal at the 1972 Olympic Games. During his career, he was a USA National Diving Champion seven times. He remains active in his sport as a sponsor of the Dick Rydze Divers in Ames, Iowa. He is presently a team physician with his home town Pittsburgh Steelers.

About This Inductee:

• Swoyersville High School-All-State in football and basketball
• Penn State University, played in Liberty and Gator Bowls
• Two-time All-East and All-American honors
• 1966 named to Penn State’s All-Time Team
• Played in NFL for 7 seasons with SF 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles
• Coached football at Nanticoke, Hazleton and Freeland high schools
• Inducted into PA Sports Hall of Fame in 2004

A two-sports star at Swoyerstown High School, Chuck garnered All-State honors in both Football and Basketball. He went on to be a two way starter at tackle for Penn State, playing in the Liberty and Gator Bowls. His efforts gained him two time All-East Honors and All-American honors in 1962. He was once named Sports Illustrated Lineman of the Week and was named to the Penn State All-Time Team in 1966. He played in the NFL for seven seasons with the; San Francisco 4gers, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles. After his professional career he turn to high school coaching with stints at Nanticoke, Hazelton, and Freeland.

He died May 16, 2020 (aged 80).

A four-year letterman at East Texas State, Dwight found football stardom in Western Pennsylvania and decided to make it his home. An outstanding defensive end, he was an original member of the famed "Steel Curtain" defense which defined the Steeler teams of the 70's. The team won four Super Bowls and he was named to the Pro Bowl in 1972 and 1973. Dwight recorded the first Super Bowl safety when he trapped Fran Tarkenton in the end zone. Although one of the top pass rushers at the time, he twice intercepted two passes in one game. His NFL career lasted from 1971 until 1979 and he recorded a regular season sack total of 56.

Eddie was awarded a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania in 1938 and was the Quakers starting fullback in 1939-40-41. He also played basketball and competed in track at Penn. As a senior, he received the Class of 1915 award as the most outstanding student athlete. In 1945, he played in the College AII-Star game and was awarded All-American honors. As a senior in 1946, Eddie played in the East-West All-Star game where he captained the East against New York Giants. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1947 and played a couple of years in the N.F.L. In 1949, he coached football at Upper Darby High School before embarking on a coaching career at Drexel that lasted from 1950-1957 and produced the only undefeated season in the school's history. At Penn in 1941, Eddie scored 695 points out of 700 on the Air Corps Physical Training Test, a record that still stands.

About This Inductee:
• Wyoming native
• John Harris High School head football coach-6 championships in 6 years, 4 undefeated seasons, an overall record of 58-4
• 1968-1979 assistant coach at Ohio State, National Champs in 1968
• Won 9 Big 10 titles, played in 6 Rose Bowls, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Gator Bowl
• 1979-1981 assistant coach with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coached in Pro Bowl
• Head coach of Indiana University, Pennsylvania, with 20 winning seasons, capturing 2 consecutive Western Conference Championships
•Coached Navy 1991-1995
• Inducted into PA Sports Hall of Fame in 2003

George Chaump is a 1958 graduate of Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania where he earned four letters in football and three in wrestling. His first head coaching position was at Shamokin PA High School in 1961, and from there he went on to John Harris High School in Harrisburg, PA. His teams went 58-4 in six seasons (1962-67), including unbeaten campaigns in 1962, 1965, 1966, and 1967. Each of those teams won conference championships. Chaump was named Central Pennsylvania Coach of the Year in all six seasons; Chaump spent the next 11 seasons as quarterbacks coach at Ohio State under Hayes. In that period (1968-78), the Buckeyes were 95-15-3.

From 1979 through 1981, Chaump was offensive backfield coach under John McKay with the Buccaneers, helping that team to two National Football Football Conference Central Division championships, the only two division titles in club history.

Chaump returned to the collegiate ranks in 1982 as head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His 1984 Indiana team was 7-3 and co-champion of the Western Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, and his 1985 team was Western Division Champion of the PSAC while going 8-2-1. At Indiana PA, his squads were 24-16-1 in four seasons, winning a divisional championship and tying for another. Chaump was appointed head coach at Marshall in December of 1985. Chaump was appointed the Naval Academy’s 33rd head football coach on January 8, 1990, coming to Annapolis after highly-acclaimed success at Marshall University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Chaump’s overall collegiate coaching record for 10 seasons is 63-48-2 (.566), while his overall record as a head coach on the collegiate and high school levels is 126-58-2 (.683). Chaump, a native of Scranton, Pa., has enjoyed success at every level on which he has coached. He has a winning percentage of .683 in his 17 years as a head coach on the collegiate and high school levels.

He died May 19, 2019 at age 83.

Mike, a 1985 Mt. Carmel Area School valedictorian, was a Bally's High School All-American, Big 33 All-Star, All-State, and National Scholar Athlete of the Year besides National honors team recognition. At Duke University, Mike was a three-year starting defensive back and the only three time Duke first team Academic All-American. He was also selected the 1988 National Football Foundation National Scholar Athlete and A.C.C. Scholar Athlete. He attended Harvard Medical School and presently practices orthopedic surgery in Lynchburg, VA.

Lee was an honorable mention All-State football player at Olney High School in 1954. The following
year, he was selected All-Public in football, basketball and baseball and All-City in football, baseball,
and second team in basketball. In 1956 he attended Bordentown Military Institute and the University
of Delaware from 1957-58. His baseball playing career lasted from 1959-73, where he played with
the Cubs, White Sox, and eight minor league teams. In 1978, he was Manager of the Year with the Reading Phillies in the Eastern League, and two years later he worked as the third base coach for the 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. From 1982-83, Lee managed the Cubs, and in 1987 he managed the Phillies for two years. He was honored as the International Manager of the Year for Scranton-Wilkes Barre in 1993 and from 2001-2002, he worked as the coaching consultant for the Seattle Mariners.

Lou starred in football, basketball, and track at S1. James High School in Chester.He attended Villanova where he had an outstanding career playing four years of football for Jordan Oliver. He played in two bowl games and was selected to play in the College All-Star game that defeated the New York Giants, 26-13. Then Lou spent the next seven years in the N.F.L. He played one year with Green Bay and a year with the Chicago Cardinals before a five year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After pro football, he began coaching with Alex Bell at Villanova. He spent a few years as head coach and has continued to coach the Wildcats for over 40 years.

About This Inductee:

• Kingston native
• Wrestling coach at Wilkes University for 42 years, the longest tenure of any coach at one institution
• Second coach in collegiate wrestling history to reach the 500 win mark
• Finished with career record of 515-171-10
• Led Wilkes to 40 winning campaigns, including a string of 39 straight winning seasons from 1955-1993
• Led Wilkes to 14 Middle Atlantic Conference crowns and 1974 N.C.A.A. Division III National Championship
• His teams were ranked #1 during 1966, 1974 and 1975 seasons
• Inducted into eight Halls of Fame, including the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
• Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Wilkes University Hall of Fame
• Inducted in PA Sports Hall of Fame in 2003

John Reese is in his 37th season at the helm of the Wilkes College wrestling program. This gives him the distinction of holding the longest tenure of any wrestling coach at any one institution. Throughout the years, his teams have compiled an outstanding collegiate dual record of 477-119-8 including undefeated seasons in 1956-57, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960-61 and 1970-71. He has guided the Colonels to 38 straight winning seasons, 35 in a row. During his tenure at Wilkes, Reese led the Colonels to 15 Middle Atlantic Conference titles in 19 years at the NCAA Division III level. He guided his ’73-’74 team to the NCAA Division III National Championship and his ’65-’66 unit placed second in that tournament. He has coached ten college division champions.

In 1976, Reese took the Colonel grapplers out of Division III and the MAC and into NACC Division I and the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA). Despite its small size in comparison with the other schools, Wilkes has produced 54 EIWA place winners including eight champions and the 1976 Outstanding Wrestler, Jim Weisenfluh. The Blue and Gold has also produced four NCAA Division I place winners. A native of Wyoming Valley, Reese attended Kingston High School where he began his grappling career. While there, he achieved District II honors and was a PIAA finalist.

He started his collegiate career at Millersville State and completed his undergraduate work at Penn State, where he earned a B.S. in physical education in 1951. In addition, Reese holds a master’s degree from PSU. He was wrestling coach at Kingston for two years. The successful mentor serves as athletic director at Wilkes, working with the college’s 13 men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports. Earlier in his career at Wilkes, he coached both soccer and baseball. John, who conducts a summer wrestling camp in August each year at Wilkes, is a member of the executive hoard of the National Wrestling Coaches Association: president of the EIWA Coaches Association (selected in October): former president of the MAC: and a member of the ECAC executive committee.

John was honored by being selected by Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh to the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Reese is also a member of the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame and is president of the Keystone State Games Committee. He is married to the former Patricia Tosh of Wilkes-Barre. Reese’s career boasts of 39 total coaching years – 2 years at Kingston High School and 37 years at Wilkes.