Inductees

George Newmaster was considered one of the country’s greatest trap shooters. He excelled at every shoot he entered. A typical report of George’s skill set was recorded in this article. “George Newmaster, Lebanon’s outstanding trap shooter, shared the spot light yesterday in the Pennsylvania State target shoot at Shamokin on Friday.
Competing in the individual class shooting, the Lebanon crack shot topped a field of 89 Class A shooters to win one of eight titles decided at yesterday’s firing.”

Football: Charlie was a football standout at Lafayette College (1921-1924) and was named an end on the final Walter Camp All-American team in 1924.
was inducted in to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980. In1925-26 he starred for the Pottsville Maroons of the NFL, leading the league in scoring in 1925 with 74 points. In 1925 the Maroons played a game against college football’s best team Notre Dame. The hard fought contest got down to the end and Berry a field goal to defeat the fighting Irish 9-7.

Baseball: He started his major league career with ten games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1925, but did not return to baseball until his football career ended. He played minor league ball in 1926-27; got called up to the Boston Red Sox (1928-32), Chicago White Sox (1932-33) and again with the Athletics (1934-36). His career stats were; batting .267, 23 home runs and 256 runs batted in 709 major league games. He became coach on Connie Mack’s staff from 1936 – 1940. During this five- year period, he was also the head football coach at Grove City College in Western Pennsylvania.

Officiating: Following his playing and coaching days, he became an Umpire in the American League from 1942 – 1962. He officiated in five World Series 1946,1950,1954, 1958,1962) and three All-Star Games (1944, 1948, 1956) He became a supervisor and returned to the field in 1970 for the American League Championship Series during an umpire’s strike.
At this same time, he was a head linesman in the NFL for 24 seasons, officiating 12 championship games including the renowned “Sudden Death” NFL Championship Game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants in 1958.He is the only man to officiate the World Series, the NFL Championship Game and the College All-Star Game in the same year.

Note: Not as hard as you might imagine because in those days baseball ended in September and football started in October.

Vic was a 1921 graduate of Gettysburg College and was one of the first men inducted Into college’s Sports Hall of Fame. He coached track at William Penn High School 1923-1953, baseball 1930-1933, basketball from 1937-1948, football 1930-1950 and cross country 1950-1954. He was honored many times for his dedication
to Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Sports.

(November 24, 1930 – February 3, 2019) Bob was a right-handed big-league pitcher between 1951 and 1966 (197-230), most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. A four-time All-Star (1956,1958, 1960), Friend was an integral member of the Pirates team that defeated the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series. Known as a workhorse pitcher who would go nine innings, he had 1,734 career strikeouts. With Vernon Law, especially in 1960, he was considered part of the best 1-2 combination in baseball. He played for the New York Yankees and New York Mets in his final season of 1966. As of 2019, he still held Pirates records for career innings pitched and strikeouts. He is the first man to lead the league in ERA while pitching for a last place team.

One of the finest athletes of his time. Groat played shortstop for the Pirates for nine years (1952, 1955-62), sparking the team to a world championship in 1960 when he led the team in hitting with a .325 average and was named MVP. Groat posted a .286 over his 14-year major league career, batting ,300 or better four times. A graduate of Swissvale High School Dick was an All-American In Baseball and Basketball at Duke University.
A six foot Guard, he led the nation in scoring his senior season, averaging 26 points per game. He played one season in the NBA before making baseball his career.

Jack was an accomplished rower, a four- time Olympian and an Olympic medal winner. He is the son of triple Olympic gold medal winner John B, Kelly Sr. In 1947, Kelly was awarded The James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States.

Duke graduated from Harrisburg High School and despite not playing in college, he had an eight-year
career (1944-1952) as an offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagle. He finished his football career as a minor league coach in Harrisburg.

Considered by many the greatest high school coach ever in Pennsylvania. He had a record of 574-153 at Farrell from 1949-1977, winning seven state titles and 11 WPIAL championships. He had a career record of 698 – 185, 79%. If there is an honor for such a career, he got it.

After failing three times to make his team at Pittsburgh Central Catholic in the late 1940’s. He went on to be a star at the University of Cincinnati and averaged 19 points a game in an 11-year NBA career with the Rochester/Cincinnati Royaals. He joined the Royals in 1956. Although not great friends, He became the legal guardian of teammate Maurice Stokes After stokes suffered a head injury in 1958 and was paralyzed the final final 12 years of his life.

About This Inductee:

Born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, Wall played collegiate golf at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and graduated in 1949 with a business degree. Wall won fourteen titles on the PGA Tour, including four in 1959. That year he was chosen as the PGA Player of the Year, and also won the money title and Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average.

His most notable career achievement was his victory in 1959 at the Masters Tournament. In the final round, he birdied five of his last six holes to shoot a 66 and overtake Cary Middlecoff and defending champion Arnold Palmer. He was a member of three United States Ryder Cup teams: 1957, 1959, and 1961.

Wall is also notable for sinking 45 holes-in-one in his playing career (including casual rounds), a world record for many years. Wall’s final tour win came at age 51 at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1975, his first tour win in nine years. Since this, no older player has won on tour; the closest was Fred Funk at age 50 in 2007. The oldest remains Sam Snead, who was nearly 53 in 1965 at his 82nd and final tour win at the Greater Greensboro Open.

Wall died October 31, 2001 at age 77 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, of respiratory failure after a lengthy illness, and is buried at Glen Dyberry Cemetery in Honesdale.

Helen is a native of Gladwyne, PA. She has won more than 350 titles during her 45 year golf career She has been a 12- time Philadelphia National Champion, 5- time Pennsylvania National Champion, 2-time Women’s Eastern Amateur Champion 1952, 1953, Western Amateur Champion 1949.
Twice runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. 2-time Curtis Cup winner representing the United States. Set an amateur record low score of 296 and finished fifth At the US Open in 1965 Won the U.S. Women’s Senior Championship (over 65 Division) in 1967

Doc is a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. He was the men’s basketball coach of his alma mater,
the University of Pittsburgh from 1922 – 1953. At Pitt, he compiled a record of 367-247 (.595). His 1927 team was 27-0 and was retroactively named the national champion by the Helms Athletic Foundation and the
Premo-Porretta Power Roll. His 1929-30 team was Also name national Champion for the 1928-30 by the
Helms Foundation. His 1941 squad made the 1941 Final Four.
As an athlete at Pitt, Carlson was an All-America end in football and lettered in basketball. At Pitt, Doc earned three letters in basketball, two in baseball and four in football.

Henry was a college standout at Lebanon Valley College where he played quarterback and graduated
in 1924. He gained the nickname of “Two Bits” due to his size. Standing 5’5’’ and weighing in at 150 pounds, he was one of the smallest players to ever play in the NFL. Homan played for the Frankford Yello Jackets from 1925 through 1930. Then Yellow Jackets with Homan would go on to win the 1926 NFL Championship. He was elected to the Lebanon Valley College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976.

Ray Mueller was a Major League Baseball catcher from 1935 to 1944 and 1946 to 1951. Nicknamed “The Iron Man” Mueller was the starting catcher in every game the Cincinnati Reds played (155) – during the wartime 1944 season. Mueller caught a record 233 consecutive games in 1943-1944 and 1946. His 14-year lifetime statistics were a .252 batting average, 56 home runs and 373 RBI, playing for the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Giants.Ray stepped outside the chalk lines and managed minor league baseball and coached in the majors for the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians.

Bill was born in Wilkinsburg, PA in 1886. He made his major league debut in 1907with the Pittsburgh Pirates, appearing in three games. He reemerged again in 1910 in a more substantial role substantially at third base. He played for the Pirates in 1907, 1910 to 1912, 1918 and 1920. Over this period, he also played for six other major league clubs. In 846 games over 11 seasons he posted a .251 batting average; with 319 runs, 8 home runs and 240 RBIs. Following his playing days McKechnie managed for a year in the minors before taking over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1922. He managed the Pirates (1922-1926), St. Louis Cardinals (1928-1929), Boston Braves (1930-1937) and Cincinnati Reds (1938-1946). He compiled a record of 1,896 wins and 1,723 losses. His teams won four National League pennants (1925.’28.’39 and ’40). He is the only National League Manager to win pennants with three teams (Pittsburgh, St Louis, and Cincinnati).

Harrisburg-born football player who in 1910 became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Penn State in a season opener. Held that distinction for 100 years until Rob Bolton started Penn State’s 2010 opener. Miller finished his collegiate career with a record of 21-2-2, including an 8-0 record in 1912.

Arizin did not play basketball at LaSalle College High School, failing to make the team in his only tryout. During his Freshmen year at Villanova, Paul played Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) basketball and the Villanova Head Basketball Coach attended one of his games. The coach approached Arizin and asked if he would like to go to Villanova, Paul replied, ”I already go to Villanova”. The rest is basketball history. Arizin made the team in 1947 and played for three years. In 1950, he was named the collegiate basketball player of the year after leading the nation in scoring with 25.3 points per game, He was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors with their first pick in the 1950 draft, averaged 17.2 points per game and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. Paul became one of the greatest NBA players of the 1950s, leading the league in scoring during the 1951-52 and 1956- 57 seasons. He sat out the 1952-53 and 1953-54 NBA seasons while serving in the Marines during the Korean War.

Arizin played in a total of 10 NBA All-Star Games (MVP in 1952) and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 1952; 1956 and 1957.

After playing football and being an assistant coach at Duquesne University, Buff Donelli was named the head football coach at Duquesne from 1939-1940, Boston University (1947-1956) and Columbia University (1957-1967). He compiled a career college coaching record of 105-107-2). Buff also had brief stints as a coach in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Rams. Football was not Buff’s only sport as he played and excelled in soccer In the 20s and 30s. He was a member of the United States Men’s National Soccer Team during the 1934 FIFA World Cup.

A New York native, Roger graduated from Lafayette College in 1926 where he was an All-American football and basketball player. He received his law degree from Dickinson Law School. While at Dickinson he coached the football team, Robert Duffy was the 20th football coach at Dickinson College and held the position for two seasons from 1927 until 1929. His record there was g-9-1.
During the World War II, Duffy was assigned to the T13th Transport Squadron from September,
1942 until January, 1945, first as Intelligence Officer and then the Executive Officer. After the war, Duffy returned to his law practice in Philadelphia and got involved in politics. He Kept his hand in sports as a director of the College Football Hall of Fame and a trustee of the Pop Warner Conference.

Tom Gola was praised as a great all-around basketball player at LaSalle College High School, leading the Explorers to a Catholic League Championship. Upon graduation he entered the hometown LaSalle University Explorers. Gola started as a freshmen and led the Explorers to the NIT Championship in 1954 and was named Tournament MVP. That same year he was selected National Player of the Year. As a senior Tom helped LaSalle finished as the runner-up in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 20.9 points and 19.0 rebounds during 115 games and is still the NCAA All-time rebounding leader with 2,201 career rebounds. After a phenomenal college career, Gola turned pro as a territorial draft pick of the Philadelphia Warriors. He teamed with All-pros Paul Arizin and Neil Johnson to lead the Warriors to an NBA Championship In 1956.
Tom was inducted into the La Salle Hall of Athletes in 1961, Big Five Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame In 1976.

Bob played college football at Pennsylvania State University, where he was a two-time All-American. After spending time in the service during World War I, he returned to Penn State, and again earned All-American honors In 1919. In 1920 and 1921, he played end for the Canton Bulldogs of the National Football League. Higgins coached four seasons at West Virginia Wesleyan and three seasons at Washington University of St Louis. He returned to Penn State, this time as an assistant coach before becoming head coach in 1930. He served as head coach for 19 seasons. Leading the Nittany Lions to only the second unbeaten seasons in their history. Bob Higgins was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.

Joseph Hill was a graduate of Lebanon High School and Perkiomen School, was a three-year starter at Colgate University where he played on both the offensive and defensive line. In 1952, his senior year, the team was undefeated, untied, unscored upon, and uninvited to the Rose Bowl. Joe played for the East All Stars in the 1933 East-West Shrine Game in San Francisco. That same year he became the head football coach at Wellesley, Mass High School leading the team that had not won a game in two seasons to a 7-2 season. From 1934 to 1936 he was on the Harvard football coaching staff where he coached Joseph Jr. and Jack Kennedy. IN 1937 he was the head freshman football coach at Colgate. The next year returned to Lebanon to practice law. He was also inducted into the Perkiomen School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Lebanon School District Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

Whitey played his entire career for the St Louis Cardinals, 1941 to 1949 at third base. He posted a .286 batting average with 106 home runs and 529 RBIs in 916 games. His best year was 1947, when he posted career highs in average (.310).,home runs (27), RBIs (104) and runs (108). He made the All-Star team five consecutive seasons (1943-1947). In four World Series appearances Whitey hit .253 with one home run and nine RBIs in 23 games. His only home run in the series came off Red Ruffing in the bottom of the ninth breaking a 2-2 tie and gave the Cardinals a win over the Yankees in 1947. Arm problems ended his baseball career in 1949.

Willie Mosconi was a professional pool player from Philadelphia. Between 1941 and 1957, he won the World Straight Pool Championship, an unmatched fifteen times. He and Minnesota Fats had many legendary matchups during their careers.