TGFC - Hall of Fame Members - Class of 1984
Class of 1984 - Biographies
James DeVincentis, 1984
Born May 28, 1953, in McKeesport, PA…Graduated from McKeesport Area Senior High School in 1971…Lettered four times in swimming as a prep…Was named to the All-District, All-Regional, and All-State teams three times and was selected as an All-American his junior and senior years…Also captained the team two years…Earned four varsity letters at KSU…Selected the team’s MVP three times, including his freshman year…Won 13 MAC championships, six individual titles and seven relay titles…Four-time NCAA qualifier…Set three Kent State and seven MAC records…Named MAC Outstanding Swimmer in 1975…Selected Kent’s most valuable swimmer during his four seasons as a Flash…Captain of team both his junior and senior years…Earned his bachelor’s degree in telecommunication/business from KSU in 1975…Member of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the Pittsburgh Racquet Club…Is active in recreational sports…Married the former Lynne Serfozo of McKeesport…Currently resides in Allison Park, PA, and he is the sales manager for Ted McWilliams, Inc. in Pittsburgh.
Don (Human Hammer) Fitzgerald, 1984
Born July 16, 1946 in Sewickley, PA…Graduated from Ambridge, PA High School in 1963…Lettered in track and football as a prep…Played fullback and linebacker…Recruited by former KSU coach Leo Strang…Earned All-Steele Valley honors and All-State laurels as a senior…Member of undefeated frosh football team in 1964…Earned three Varsity K’s…Probably the best back in Flashes’ history…Set NCAA record in 1966 with 296 carries as a junior and 47 rushes in a single game…Then Miami coach, Bo Schembechler called Fitzgerald, “the best big back I’ve ever seen since I came into the league.”…Was the nation’s second best rusher as a junior, gained 1,245 yards…Set MAC record with 749 yards rushing in 1966 in just six games…A consensus All-MAC selection in 1966 and 1967…MAC player of the week 1967…Rushed for 2,221 yards in his collegiate career…Earned the nicknames, “Human Hammer” and “Fitz the Blitz” for his punishing style of running…An NFL scout tabbed Fitz as “the best big man in the country inside the 10-yard line”…Slowed by a hamstring pull during his final campaign, he still rushed for 891 yards and averaged 3.6 yards per carry.
Claude (Whitie) Graber, 1984
Born September 30, 1901 in Fostoria…Graduated from Braceville High School in 1922…Lettered in basketball and baseball in high school…Earned nine varsity monograms at KSU, three in football and two each in baseball, basketball, and wrestling…Captained the baseball and basketball teams…Named Kent top athlete his senior year…Member of Gamma Tau Delta and Sigma Tau Gamma fraternities…Earned his bachelor’s degree in pre-med/education from Kent in 1929 and his master’s degree in education from KSU in 1930…Taught and coached at Leavittsburgh school for 22 years…Superintendent of Braceville Schools for 15 years…Coached the Leavittsburgh baseball team to the Class “B” State Championship in 1943…His baseball teams made the state tournament three times…Also coached football, basketball, and track…Is a 57-year member of the Masons…Taught one year in the Rootstown school system…Retired in 1967 following 38 years as an educator…A “gentleman farmer” who raises sheep…Married to the former Emma Veits…Three children, Larry, Bruce, and Don.
Percy P. Grenfell, 1984
Born January 18, 1963 in Cuyahoga Falls, OH…Graduated from Cuyahoga Falls High School in 1949…Played basketball four years and golf three years in high school…Named to the All Western Reserve League team…Three year letterman at KSU in basketball…Flashes MVP in 1950…Scored 998 points during his collegiate career and led the team two of three seasons…Became KSU’s First All-MAC guard…Led team to Ohio Conference Championship in 1951-52…Named Little All-American Team Captain in 1953…Second on All-Time KSU list for field goal attempts (1,114), free throw attempts career (474) and free throw attempts season (198)…Graduated from Kent with his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education in 1953 and his masters in education in 1957…Member of Sigma Nu fraternity, Varsity “K”, intramurals, and HPE Club…Won Merle E. Wagoner Award as a senior…Teacher and coach, Blue and Gold Club and Kiwanis…Enjoys golf and slow break basketball…Has four children and three stepchildren.
Lou Mariano, 1984
Born November 23, 1930 in Canton, OH…Graduated from Canton McKinley High School in 1951…Despite being small in stature and deaf, Mariano was big on heart and was one of the best running backs in KSU history…Played four years as a Flash, 1951-54…Set Kent State records for rushing yardage in a single game (226) on only ten carries against Western Reserve…Also set KSU marks with a 99-yard scrimmage and 86 points in a season (14 TD’s and two extra points)…Named Honorable Mention Little All-American in both his junior and senior seasons…Was named by UPI, AP, and INS on several All-America teams…Earned second team All-MAC honors in 1953…Also participated in track and swimming – was an above average diver…Has two children, Michael and Mary.
Paul A. Walker, 1984
Born February 10, 1940 in Elyria…Graduated from Elyria High School in 1958…Earned varsity letters in tennis and basketball as a prep…Named second team All-Ohio in basketball and MVP of the Buckeye conference…Was high school doubles runner-up in tennis…Captain of both tennis and basketball teams…Earned Deca Award as the outstanding athlete as a senior…Lettered three times in both basketball and tennis at KSU…Was Flashes No.1 singles’ player for three seasons and team captain twice…Also captained the basketball team his senior year…Received the Merle E. Wagoner Award in 1962…Earned bachelor’s degree in education from KSU in 1962 and M.ED. in physical education from Kent in 1968…Following his collegiate career he was the head basketball coach at Kent Roosevelt for three seasons and compiled a 53-13 record…Tennis and assistant basketball coach at KSU, 1968-72…Formerly the No.1 ranked tennis player in Northeastern Ohio…Also top ranked in doubles, with partner Jack Archer, for several years…Winner of numerous tennis tournaments around the state…Is currently the Tennis Director at the Cleveland Skating Club in Shaker Heights…Member of the Blue Key National Honorary…Enjoys golf, tennis, and spectator sports…Married the former Loni White of Cuyahoga Falls…They have three children, Julie, Paul Jr., and Jim.
