Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame to induct 6
The Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame will hold its 27th annual banquet Friday, June 19 at the St. Spyridon Hellenic Center in Monessen. The banquet begins at 5:30 p.m.
This year, six new inductees will be welcomed into the Mid Mon Valley Sports Hall of Fame that was conceived by sportswriters Floyd France and John Bunardzya. With the Class of 2020, the total number of inductees will be 261. The original Mon Valley Sports Writers Hall of Fame started in 1951 with the selection of Stan Musial and Bert Rechichar.
The Class of 2020 is comprised of coaches Bill Connors, Major Corley, Jim Dumm and Bob Rosborough Jr. along with athletes Jon Green and Ben McCauley. General chairman of the Sports Hall of Fame, Steve Russell, called the selections, “a remarkable group of athletes and coaches representing the Mon Valley for well over six decades.”
The MMVASHOF selection committee includes chairman Brian Herman, Carl Crawley, Jr, Dale Hamer, Tom Jenkins, Bill Kubin, Randy Marino, Steve Russell, Bill Hughes, Robert Harhai, Kevin Ryan and Dennis Stitch.
The Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame is one of 30 chapters of The Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame made up of four geographical regions. The Mid Mon Valley chapter has inducted 23 members into the State Hall of Fame. They include: Stan Musial, Bert Rechichar, Jim Russell, Arnold Galiffa, Dan Towler, John Potsklan, Sever J. Toretti, H.C. Carlson, Lou “Bimbo” Cecconi, Armand Niccolai, Bap Manzini, Ken Griffey, Fred Cox, Ron Necciai, Myron Pottios, Bill Malinchak, Sam Havrilak, Dale Hamer, Eric Crabtree, Craig Fayak, Fred Mazurek, Robert “Red” Worrell, and Bruce Dal Canton
This year’s inductees:
Bill Connors
A 1954 Brownsville graduate and All-Big Six quarterback, Connors went on to Salem College where he garnered Little All-America accolades. He transferred his football knowledge to the coaching ranks, accumulating an overall record of 174-92-12. At Beth-Center for 14 years, Connors capped his stay there with a WPIAL championship in 1975. At Ringgold from 1979 to 1984, Connors won a WPIAL championship in 1982. Connors concluded his career at Belle Vernon and in 1989 the Leopards made it to the semifinals losing to Aliquippa, 14-7. Connors was inducted into the Washington-Greene Hall of Fame in 1996.
Major Corley
A 1965 Monessen graduate, Corley began his winning ways as Monessen’s girls basketball coach in 1986, ending with a 457-149 record. He won three WPIAL titles, the 2004 PIAA title and was named small high school Coach of the Year. Under his tutelage, Monessen produced 13 players who were 1,000-point scorers.
Jim Dumm
A 1965 Norwin graduate, Dumm made his greatest impact by developing football talent at Elizabeth Forward, California, Ringgold, Clairton, and as head coach at Charleroi from 1998 to 2002, where he was named 1998 Century Conference Coach of the Year. A three-year defensive tackle at Waynesburg College, Dumm was named AP All-State and All-America center. In 1972, Dumm played exhibition games for the Baltimore Colts as a free-agent signee.
Bob Rosborough
A 1953 Donora graduate, Rosborough received All-Big 6 honors in football, which landed him at the University of Pittsburgh under coach John Michelosen. He received an invitation to the Green Bay Packers training camp. A coach at both West Mifflin South and Pitt, Rosborough would perform numerous duties at Pitt including assistant athletic director, recruiting, compliance officer and Director of Alumni Affairs.
Jon Green
A 1982 graduate of Mon Valley Catholis, Green distinguished himself as one of the first WPIAL running backs to rush for more than 4,000 yards and set the WPIAL career rushing record. He averaged 165 yards per game and 11.3 yards per carry. Named to the all-state team, Green played in the Big 33 game. He would go on Miami of Florida on a scholarship, then to Slippery Rock and finally to Waynesburg, where he was a 1,000-yard rusher. Green had a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ben McCauley
A 2005 Yough graduate, McCauley received basketball Fab Five and All-Decade (2000-2010) team honors. McCauley led his high school team to the WPIAL championship game. As the No. 3 prospect in the state, McCauley signed with North Carolina State, where he made All-ACC honor roll. McCauley has played professionally in Europe since 2009 including stops in France, Belgium, Ukraine, Spain, Turkey, Israel and now in Poland with King Wilkie Morskie Szczecin.
Chairman of the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame, Dennis Stitch, believes, “This class represents the continuation of the fine tradition of excellence presented yearly in the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame selection process. As we begin a new decade, the 2020 class exemplifies the leadership and success we have come to expect from our coaches and athletes.”
Along with the Hall of Fame inductees, 18 senior scholar-athletes from the Mon Valley high schools will be honored. Those high schools include Belle Vernon, Bentworth, Brownsville, California, Charleroi, Elizabeth Forward, Monessen, Ringgold and Yough.
Tickets are $50 and seating is limited. To reserve tickets or request program book sponsorship contact Steve Russell, Hall of Fame general chairman, at 724-258-3823 or email to stephenrussell1106@comcast.net
The Sports Hall of Fame exhibits can be viewed in the lobby at Bentleyville’s Best Western Garden Inn.