TGFC - Hall of Fame Members - Class of 1987
Class of 1987 - Biographies
Joseph Deleone, 1987
KSU CAREER: Earned Varsity “K’s” in football (1925) and baseball (1925 & 1926)…Was a fine all-around athlete…Member of the Kent gridiron squad when they won their first “official” game, prior to that time Kent’s only football win had come on a forfeit…His collegiate football career was ended when he broke his ankle…HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Earned 10 varsity letters at Kent State University High School: four each in football and basketball and two in baseball…He undoubtedly would have earned four letters in baseball as well but KSU High had no baseball team during his freshman and sophomore years…Earned a football scholarship to West Virginia but turned it down to come to Kent State…POST KSU CAREER: Played semi-pro football with the Canton Bulldogs and was also well known as a semi-pro baseball and softball player…PERSONAL: Born April 10, 1905 in Kent…Died on January 29, 1963…Elected to the Portage County Sports Hall of Fame as a Charter Member in 1983…Member of the Kappa Mu Kappa fraternity at Kent State…Was the Varsity “K” club’s first vice president in 1927…20 year employee of the Ravenna Arsenal…Member of the Kent Volunteer Fire Department and a special deputy for the Portage County Police Department…Enjoys hunting and fishing and was active in the Portage County Umpires Association for many years…Married to the Former Deane Denning of Kent and they had three children: Jane, James, and Thomas.
George Fulton, 1987
KSU CAREER: Lettered four times for the Flashes in basketball during the most successful era of basketball in Kent State history, (1947-51)…During his four seasons the Flashes posted a 71-28 record (.720) including marks of 20-8 and 18-4 during his sophomore and junior seasons…Selected to the All-Ohio Conference first team in 1949-50 and 1950-51…Named All-Ohio first team in 1951 and was also chosen for honorable mention All-America status as a senior…Played under Harry Adams and Dave McDowell during his collegiate days…HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Graduated from St. Johns High School in Canton in 1945…Earned five varsity letters as a prep, three in basketball and two in baseball…Was named to the All-Ohio basketball team as a senior…POST KSU CAREER: Basketball coach and guidance counselor for four years at Jefferson High School for three years…PERSONAL: Born on August 9, 1927 in Canton, OH…Served in the United State Army during WWII…Earned his bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education from Kent in 1951…Received his master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling in 1960…He is currently a counselor and consultant for the Catholic community League of Canton…He and his wife Mary Lou have four daughters.
John C. (Jack) Lazor, 1987
KSU CAREER: Four year letterman for the Flash football team…Selected to the All-Mid –American conference first team as a linebacker in 1976, ’77, & ’78…Joins Jim Corrigal as the only other three time All-MAC players for Kent…Kent’s all-time tackling leader with 327 solos and 318 assists (645 total tackles) and second all-time MAC tackle leader…Two-time All-America selection by the Associated Press: honorable mention in 1977 and third team in 1978…Started 37 consecutive games at KSU…HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Lettered three times in football, once in track as a prep at Howland High School (Warren, Oh)…All-Mahoning Valley Conference first team linebacker as a junior and All-MAC first team as a fullback as a senior…Honorable mention All-State as a senior…Set season rushing and tackling records at Howland as a senior…POST KSU CAREER: Attended tryouts with the New England Patriots and New York Giants in 1980 and 1981 respectively…Assisted KSU football coaching staff in 1979 and 1983…PERSONAL: Born on May 17, 1957 in Warren, Oh…Married the former Michelle Beck of Kent…Earned his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Arts from Kent State in 1984…Currently employed as a supervisor with Roadway Express in Northfield, Oh.
Michael Morrow, 1987
KSU CAREER: Kent’s first All-America selection in golf (1973 honorable mention)…Earned four varsity letters for the Flashes between 1972-75…Mid-American conference medalist in 1973, runner-up in 1974 and 1975…Selected to the All-MAC golf squad three times: 1972, 1973, & 1975…Carded the MAC’s low average four season in 1975…Participated in two NCAA tourneys: 1979, 1975…Played in the East-West Match in 1973 & 1975…Winner of four tournaments (’72-’75)…Captained the 1975 KSU golf team…HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Earned five varsity letters, three in golf, two in basketball, at Stow High School…Graduated in 1971…Was the 1971 Ohio Class AAA Medalist…Won the 1971 sectional golf tourney…Selected to the 1971 AAA All-State Golf Team…Captained the Stow golf team in 1970 & 1971 and also captained the basketball team his senior year…Member of the Stow High School Hall of Fame…POST KSU CAREER: Turned pro in 1978 and had captured 14 local PGA tournaments…Won the Greater Cincinnati Match Play title in 1985 and has five first place finishes in 1986…Selected to the Greater Cincinnati All-Star Golf Team at the Fairlawn CC and currently at the California Golf Course in Cincinnati…PERSONAL: Born in Cleveland, OH on August 21, 1953…Earned his bachelor’s degree from KSU in 1975 (Parks and Recreation)…Coaches CYO basketball…He and his wife Denise have two children: Kelly and Jamie.
Abdul Salaam (Larry Faulk), 1987
KSU CAREER: Twice selected to the All-MAC first team as a defensive lineman (1973 & 1974)…His 1974 selection was unanimous…Named “Mr. Defense” in the MAC following his junior season…Captained the Kent squad his senior year and was named the team’s “Most Inspirational Player” in 1975…Selected as the outstanding defensive lineman in the 1975 Ohio Shrine Game where he participated in more that 20 tackles…Earned four varsity letters in the gridiron at Kent…Named to the Associated Press’s honorable mention All-America team as a junior…HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: a 1972 graduate of Cincinnati’s Woodward High School…Lettered in football, wrestling, and track as a prep…POST KSU CAREER: Drafted in the 7th round of the NFL Draft by the New York Jets in 1976…Changed his name to Abdul Salaam, which mean “Soldier of Peace,” in 1977…Starred as a defensive lineman for the Jets playing both tackle and nose guard…Started 85 of 97 games with the Jets…Selected as an alternate to the Pro-Bowl in 1981…PERSONAL: Born February 12, 1953 in New Brockton, Alabama…Majored in business at Kent State…He and wife, Debbie, have two sons; Larry and Omar.
Michael Slepecky, 1987
KSU CAREER: Three year letterman for the Kent State Wrestling team…Wrestled for Kent in 1941 and 1948-50…Earned All-America honors by finishing second in the NCAA Championships in 1949…Was also Kent’s team captain that year…Won the Interstate Collegiate Championship…Awarded the Outstanding Wrestler award by his teammates…HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Graduated from Cleveland’s Rhodes High School in 1939…Lettered three years in wrestling and was undefeated as both a junior and senior…Captured three city championships…Was also a three-time Lake Erie AAU champion…PERSONAL: Born on October 24, 1919 in Czechoslovakia and came to the United States on August 28, 1928…Earned his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Kent State in 1950…Married on August 28, 1949…Wife’s name is Mildred…Retired from the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida police academy where he was the assistant director of training…Earned his M.Ed from Florida Atlantic University in 1970…Also a retired colonel with the United State Air Force.
Jacob R. (Jack) Urchek, 1987
KSU CAREER: Earned five varsity letters in baseball and football for the Flashes from 1946 to 1949…Set season hitting mark in 1947 with a robust .472 average and held Kent’s career hitting record with a .398 average, his season mark stood for 31 years…Also earned two varsity letters on the gridiron at Kent (1946 & 1947)…HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Earned an incredible 14 letters as a prep, winning monograms in baseball, football, basketball, and tack at Leavittsburgh High School, Leavittsburgh, Oh…Named to the All-Trumbull team in baseball and batted over .500 as a senior…Participated in the state tournament in both baseball and track…Graduated in 1938…POST KSU CAREER: Coached KSU freshman football for two seasons…Played on several local amateur baseball teams…Earned a tryout with the St. Louis Cardinals…Never hit less that .300 during his diamond career…Served as the athletic business manager for Kent…Held various positions with the University including; Director of Nonacademic Personnel, Assistant to the Vice President for Business and Finance and Director of University and Community Relations…Also remained very active in the area of athletics serving on the board of the Varsity “K” Alumni Association including three terms as a president, committee member and former president of the Don McCafferty Scholarship Committee, Blue & Gold Club…His service to Kent State spans more than 30 years…PERSONAL: Born on July 4, 1919 in Smock, PA…Earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Kent in 1949 and MBA from Kent in 1961…Served in the U.S. Navy for two years and earned the good conduct medal…Member of the Elks Club and Rootstown booster Club…Married the former Marjorie Liptak of Warren…They have five children…Still teaches part-time at KSU’s East Liverpool Campus.
