TGFC - Hall of Fame Members - Class of 1980
Class of 1980- Biographies
Sam Bair, 1980
Bair, one the great “little track men” at 5-6, was the first Flash to break the sub-four-minute mile barrier…The Scottdale, PA., native won the Mid-American Conference mile run three consecutive years (1966-68) and captured the MAC cross-country crown in 1967...He was accorded All-American honors in both events and earned a bronze medal for finishing third in the 1, 5000 meter run at the 1967 Pan-American Games in Winnipeg…He now is assistant professor of health and physical education at Allegheny (PA) Community College.
Marie Walther Bilski, 1980
Bilski was an international gymnast, while starring at KSU from1962-66…She competed as a member of the 1964 U.S. Olympic team in Tokyo, Japan and in the 1963, 1964, and 1965 national championships…She earned six gold medals in the 1964 all-round and the 1965 balance beam and also captured six silver and bronze medals in the those national meets…The 1964 North American champion, Bilski also earned a gold medal as a member of the Cleveland Hall of Fame and is married to Paul Bilski of Des Plaines Ill…Her Arizona State teams have ranked in the top ten, the past four years.
Frank Curtiss, 1980
Curtiss, a three-sport standout from 1925-29, earned 11 varsity letters, four each in basketball and baseball and three in football…He was captain of the 1928 KSU Baseball team…Curtiss retired from Brush High School in June, 1969, after a 40-year career as a teacher, coach, and athletic director.
Carmen Falcone, 1980
Falcone, who competed for KSU from 1936-39 also earned 11 varsity letters, four each in football and wrestling and three in track…He still holds the school record for most touchdowns(5) and points scored (30) in one game – marks he set against Buffalo State in 1938…The Batavia, N.Y., native was an All-American wrestler, finishing third in the heavyweight division in the 1939 NCAA Championship finals…He was an Olympic finalist in 1936 and three times won the 4-1 Interstate heavyweight title…He is now professor of physical education at Duke University, where he previously served as head wrestling coach for 26 years.
Gene Feeley, 1980
Feeley excelled in three sports, earning three letters each in football and basketball and one in baseball…He was captain of the 1924-25 football teams, the 1926 basketball team, and the 1924 baseball team…The native of Rye, N.Y., died in 1966 two years after he retired from Harrison (N.Y.) High School, where he had been a coach for 37 years…The Harrison football field was dedicated in his honor in 1964.
Frank Fiore, 1980
Fiore was an outstanding wrestler for the Golden Flashes from 1957-59, who captured three Mid-American Conference titles (all at 177 pounds)…He was also a Lake Erie AAU champion four times and the 4-1 Interstate champion in 1958…He was a tri-captain of the Kent State Wrestling team during the 1958-59 season…He is now involved in Occupational Work Experience at Lorain High School.
Pete George, 1980
George was a member of the American weight-lifting team in the Olympics twice, set an Olympic record in 1948 by lifting a total of 881.6 pounds in three different categories…He also captured the middleweight championship at the 1953 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland…He won 11 crowns in 1953 ranging from club to world titles, including the Pan American Games...He is now a dentist in Honolulu.
Buell Graven, 1980
Graven was an outstanding wrestler, competing from 1936-38…He was the 4-1 Three time 4-1 Interstate and Lake Erie AAU Champion during those three years and was also an Olympic finalist in 1936…He now is working in real estate and insurance business in Kent…59-1-1 record…4-1 Interstate Champion three times…Lake Erie AAU Champion four times…Outstanding Wrestler Medal at the 1936 tournament…Five fastest pins in history: 7 seconds - 1936 Olympic Semifinals, Wills Gym, 11 seconds, 13 seconds, 17 seconds, and 2 seconds.
William Haverstock, 1980
Haverstock played varsity basketball for three years (1947-49) before his collegiate career was interrupted when he joined the Navy after his junior year…He was captain of the 1948-49 team and was named to the All-Ohio second team that same year…He scored a total of 916 points during his three year career…He is now principal at the Middle School in Jackson where he was been since 1952.
Wilbur Little, 1980
Little, the “Newcomerstown Express”, was an outstanding running back for three years, two of which he led the club in rushing and scoring…He earned All-Ohio Conference honors in football and finished his career at Kent with a total of 2,109 yards, an average of more than seven yards per carry over the three years…He is now a maintenance mechanic with the Paker-Hannifin Corp. of Kent.
Thurman Munson, 1980
Munson was named an All-American catcher with the Flashes in 1968 when he hit .413…He still holds the KSU career hitting mark of .390, achieved during the 1967 and 1968 seasons…Following the 1968 season, Munson signed with the New York Yankees…He was named American League “Rookie-of-the-Year” in 1970 and was the only player in Yankee history to win rookie and most valuable player honors…The Yankees were seeking a third straight championship when Munson’s brilliant career was ended by the crash of his jet near Akron-Canton airport.
Luke Owens, 1980
Owens, an outstanding defensive end with the St. Louis Cardinals, was originally an offensive end at KSU, playing well enough to win second team All-MAC honors in 1954...He was switched to defensive tackle for the 1956 season and played even better, winning first team All-MAC honors…He was also selected as All-American by two rating services in 1956…In addition to winning three football letters, Owens also lettered twice in track as a shot-putter and discuss thrower…Owens is employed as a manager of the Cleveland East Job Service Office.
Dan Potopsky, 1980
Potopsky earned a total of 7 varsity letters during an amazing athletic career at KSU…He earned four letters in baseball and three in basketball…He scored 2,122 points in basketball, second highest in KSU history, and still holds seven cage records, including most points in one game (49), which he set in 1955…He won All-MAC first team honors in 1955 and 1957…In baseball, he led the Flashes in hitting three of the four years he played and was an All-MAC second team selection in 1956…He still holds the KSU career fielding percentage of .968…He is now a coach at Independence High School.
Orin Richburg, 1980
Richburg is the only person to win the 100-yard dash at the for three consecutive years at the MAC Championship…He took the event three consecutive years, starting in 1967, and also won the 220 twice…He placed sixth in the 220 in the NCAA finals in 1967 with a time of 20.8…In football, the Pittsburgh athlete was a kick return specialist and holds the second-longest kickoff return in KSU history, a 98 yard run against Buffalo in 1967…He earned three letters in track and two in football…A 1979 graduate.
Tedd Sapp, 1980
Sapp, who remained close to the athletic scene after a versatile college career, earned a total of nine letters, three each in football and basketball, two in baseball and one in wrestling…A graduate in the early 1930’s, he was the co-founder of the KSU Booster Club, which is now known as the Blue and Gold Club…He is also a former president of the Varsity “K” Alumni Association and a former member of the athletic committee…Sapp is currently a member of the Portage County Board of Elections.
Len Turner, 1980
Turner, an outstanding member of the KSU Track team from 1971-73, holds the MAC record for the most career track victories (including relays)…During his three years of competition, he won seven MAC meet titles, including back to back victories in the 100 and 220 in both 1971 and 1972…He also won the triple jump in 1972 and the long jump in 1973…The Dayton native was a member of the 440-yard relay team which set the KSU record of :40.7 in winning the MAC meet…He also won three letters in football as a wide receiver, catching 18 passes during the 1970 season…He is employed as a clerk with the city of Dayton.
