July 2016

July 2016
THE QUINN
ESSENTIALS
Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE:
STATE CHAMPS
RECOGNIZED
1966
REMEMBERING
CHARLIE KELLER
SAVE THE DATE
HOF Induction Banquet—Saturday, February 4th, 2017
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sign up on the Hall of Fame’s web page:
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hof.frederickymca.org
Charlie
Keller:
One of Frederick’s Best
By Stan Goldberg
He was only 30 when the season ended and his
future looked great.
But after that he was troubled by a ruptured disc in
his back. He had back surgery in July of 1947 and was
never the same. He became a part-time player over
the next two years, batting .267 with six home runs
in just 83 games in 1948 and .250 with three home
runs the next year.
He was released by the Yankees after the 1949
season and signed with the Detroit Tigers,
where he was primarily used as a
pinch-hitter. He hit .314 in 1950, but
only .258 the next year, and was
released by the Tigers.
In September of 1952 he was resigned by the Yankees and played
in two games with one at bat before
being released in October at the age of
36.
But his sporting days were not over. He
returned to Middletown and founded Yankeeland
Farm and had a successful career as a horse
breeder of pacers and trotters. In the early 1950s he
helped organize the National Little League, the first
Little League in Frederick.
Although he later was elected to the Maryland Sports
Hall of Fame, Keller was a very quiet man who didn’t
like a lot of publicity. When he was elected to the
Quinn Hall of Fame, he told his good friend, Buzz
Rhoderick, he didn’t plan to say much.
Keller died on May 23, 1990, at the age of 73.
“He was a nice guy, so modest,” Roderick said at the
time of Keller’s death. “He couldn’t stand to lose. He
was hard-nosed.”
“He could do everything. He’d be a superstar today,”
former Yankee pitcher Eddie Lopat said when Keller
died.
A penchant for the majors seems to run in the family.
Keller’s brother, Hal, also a Quinn Hall of Famer,
played in the majors from 1949 to 1952 and later
became a major league executive with the Washington
Senators, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners.
In 1939 Charlie Keller of Middletown had an
outstanding rookie season with the New York
Yankees, batting .334 with 11 home runs in 111
games. In the World Series that year he hit .438 with
three home runs in four games. In the third game he
became the first rookie to hit two runs in a World
Series game.
That rookie year was an indication of things to come.
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, he was one of the
best hitters in major league baseball. The Yankees
outfield at that time consisted of Keller in left, Joe
DiMaggio in center, and Tommy Henrich in right.
Keller played 13 years in the majors and finished
with a .286 batting average and 189 home runs. His
statistics would have been better if not for missing
almost two years because of World War II and later
suffering from a serious back injury.
The left-handed hitting Keller was a five-time AllStar pick. He is considered the best baseball player to
come out of Frederick and was part of the initial class
of the Alvin G. Quinn YMCA Athletic Sports Hall of
Fame in 1977.
Keller was an outstanding athlete at the University
of Maryland before playing professional baseball. He
was only 5 feet, 10 inches, and weighed 185 pounds,
but because of his great strength, he was nicknamed
“King Kong.”
Keller followed his rookie season by batting .286 with
21 home runs in 1940. Three times during his career
he hit 30 or more home runs: 33 in 1941, 31 in 1943,
and 30 in 1946. He had a knack for getting on base,
leading the American League in walks with 106 in
both 1940 and 1943.
His best season was 1941 when he hit .298 with 33
home runs, 122 runs batted in and 102 walks.
He played in four World Series and finished with a
.306 batting average and five home runs.
After batting .271 with 31 home runs in 1943, he
joined the United States Merchant Marines and
missed the 1944 season and most of the 1945
season. But Keller came back strong in 1946, batting
.275 with 30 home runs and 113 walks.
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Quinn Essentials Honors the 2015-16 High School State Champs
By Hal Grau
Every school year, Frederick County athletes continue
to win state titles, either as a team or as individuals.
The 2015–16 school year is no exception. The
YMCA Alvin Quinn Sports Hall of Fame would like
to congratulate all those athletes and their coaches
who represented our county so well by winning
state championships. With more than 200 schools
competing to be the top dog in over 24 sports across
four classifications, Frederick athletes walked away
with quite a collection of hardware.
First, let’s recognize the team titles.
Fall state champs:
•Boys soccer 2A, Middletown (4th title); 3A,
Oakdale (2nd title)
•Runners-up: Football 2A, Walkersville; golf 2A/1A,
Middletown; girls’ soccer 3A, Linganore
•Winter state champs: Dual meet wrestling 2A/1A,
Middletown
•Runners-up: Duals wrestling 4A/3A, Oakdale; boys’
basketball 2A, Middletown; boys indoor track 3A,
Oakdale; girls indoor track 3A, Urbana; wrestling
4A/3A, Oakdale; wrestling 2A/1A, Middletown.
Spring state champs:
•Baseball 1A, Brunswick (6th title); boys’ lacrosse
3A, Linganore (2nd title); girls’ track and field 3A,
Urbana (1st title)
•Runners-up: Girls’ lacrosse 3A, Oakdale; softball
2A, Catoctin.
Second, let’s look at Frederick County individuals who
won gold medals during the winter season.
•Jaida Smith/Frederick/Indoor track/55m
•Charlotte Kowalk/Oakdale/Indoor track/3200m
•Rosie Cicmanec/Brunswick/Indoor track/high jump
•Dardlie Lefevre, Taja Lanier, Lauren Reamy, and
Camryn Blake/Tuscarora/Indoor track/4x200 relay
•George Stultz/Oakdale/Indoor Track/pole vault
•Kenny Yerardi, Percy Agyei-Obese, Todd Case, and
Patrick Starrs/Oakdale/Indoor track/4x400 relay
•John Pressly/Middletown/Swimming/200 free and
the 100 butterfly
•Eliza Manning/TJ/Swimming/200 IM and 100
breaststroke
•Justine Wantz/Walkersville/Swimming/100
backstroke
•Danny Bertoni/Middletown/Wrestling/132 weight
class (3rd title)
•Sean Mullican/Middletown/Wrestling/220 weight
class.
Individual gold medalists in the spring season were:
•George Stultz/Oakdale/Track and Field/pole vault
•Felicia Clements/Middletown/T&F/high jump
•Rosie Cicmanec/Brunswick/T&F/high jump
•Eric Jones/Brunswick/T&F/100m and 200m
•Jones, Vaughan Phillips, Alex Anumem, and Alosha
Jeffers/Brunswick/T&F/4x100 relay
•Makenzie Keepers/TJ/T&F/pole vault
•Charlotte Kowalk/Oakdale/T&F/1600m
•Jaida Smith/Frederick/T&F/100m
•Smith, Kennedy Chaney, Hannah Meredith, and
Ayress Stewart/T&F/4x100 relay
•Delia Sipe/Urbana/T&F/shot put and discus
•Dardlie Lefevre, Kim Hammond, Lauren Reamy, and
Camryn Blake/Tuscarora/T&F/4x200 relay
•Maria Carberry, Maddie Gilliam, Anna Miller,
Susannah Auderset/Urbana/T&F/4x800 relay.
Congratulations to Quinn Hall of Fame class of 2017
inductee, Roger Dawson, who led his Brunswick High
baseball team to its sixth state title and was named
Frederick News-Post Baseball Coach of the Year.
Well done, Frederick County athletes! You have
worked hard to achieve your goal and our county is
proud of you.
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Remembering 1966 ... See Which Quinn Hall of
Famers Made the Sports News 50 Years Ago
By Hal Grau
May 31: The Frederick Ramblers baseball team
bested undefeated Lucketts 5–3 in Heart of Maryland
League play with a three-run ninth inning rally.
HOF member Harold “Sonny” Blank was the winning
pitcher.
Jul. 5: Hal Keller hit two home
runs in a 12–1 American
Legion win over the
Frederick Ramblers.
HOFer Tim Ambrose
also hit a homer in
the game.
Aug. 15: Bill
Merriman pitched
Brunswick to a
4–1 Maryland
State League
victory over New
Market. Quinn HOF’s
Tom Sherald led New
Market with two hits. The
top story, however, was the
first day of football practice for
Frederick High and the newly opened Gov.
Thomas Johnson High School, coached by HOFer Jack
Molesworth. TJ had 77 athletes show up for the first
practice. Head coach Roy Comer’s Cadet squad would
feature two future Quinn Hall inductees in end Chuck
Foreman and running back Stan Biggus.
Nov. 19: FHS beat TJ 26–7 in the first inter-city
football meeting of the two schools before an
estimated crowd of 4,500 fans. Coach Molesworth
called the game “The greatest sporting event
Frederick ever had.” Foreman, later an NFL great
running back, caught two TDs.
Dec. 17: The TJ basketball team easily defeated
GlenElg 82–73, led by Tim Ambrose’s 18 points.
Meanwhile, Middletown JV player, future Hall member
Bobby Sheffler, led his squad to a win over Clear
Spring.
Fifty years ago was a great time for sports in
Maryland and in Frederick County. It was the fledgling
Baltimore Orioles’ first World Series title, as the likes
of Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, and Jim Palmer,
all destined for Cooperstown, set down the Sandy
Koufax–Don Drysdale-led Los Angeles Dodgers in
four games. But several Quinn Sports Hall of Famers
were getting lots of Frederick News Post ink
with their own exploits back in 1966.
Thanks to articles that
appeared in the
Frederick News
Post, here is a
look back at
some of the
Quinn members
in their prime.
Feb. 28: The
Mount St. Mary’s
basketball team,
coached by Quinn Hall
of Famer Jim Phelan,
lost to Randolph-Macon
College in the Mason-Dixon
Conference final, 77–71. The
star player for the Mount that year was Fred Carter,
who went on to have a successful career in the NBA.
Mar. 5: Bruce High (located in Westernport, MD,
in Allegheny County) defeated the Thurmont High
Mountaineers, 84–64, in the Class B district final
to advance to Cole Field House. That was prior to
the consolidation of Thurmont and Emmitsburg high
schools into Catoctin High.
May 21: Middletown’s Richard Throne won the 100yard dash in the Maryland Class B Track and Field
Championship Meet, as the Knight team finished as
the runner-up. And, although Frederick High also
finished as the runner-up in the AA meet, HOFer
Francis “Butch” Foreman set a state record in the
shot put with a 59 feet-4¾ inches heave. Teammate
Nils Olsen set the state record in the pole vault with a
13 feet-1 inch effort. Willis Hall set a school record in
the high jump.
Subscribe & Read these articles online at :
hof.frederickymca.org
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How to Nominate Candidates to the Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame
The Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame Committee is always looking for potential candidates for the Hall
of Fame. If you would like to nominate an athlete, coach, or booster, first review the following criteria for
nomination:
•The candidate, by his/her accomplishments and contributions in the field of
athletics, has brought honor to self and to Frederick County.
•The candidate resided in Frederick County for not less than five years prior
to his/her accomplishments.
•The candidate is retired from active participation in athletics for at least
three years or has participated in his/her athletic endeavor for at least ten
years.
•The candidate must have excelled as an individual (Note: teams are not
eligible collectively).
•The candidate must be at least 21 years of age.
•The candidate may be deceased.
Nominations must be made on the “Application for Nomination” included in this newsletter or found on the
website of the YMCA of Frederick County. Submissions received from now through August 2016 will be
considered for the HOF Class of 2017. Questions about the application process may be directed to Kim Selby,
301-663-5131, extension 1222 or [email protected].
How to Give Financial Support to the
Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame
made through the YMCA of
Frederick County’s website:
www.frederickymca.org.
Checks can be made payable
to YMCA of Frederick County
and mailed to: Alvin G. Quinn
Sports Hall of Fame, YMCA
of Frederick County, 1000
N. Market Street, Frederick,
MD 21701. Please mark your
checks “Hall of Fame.”
The Y also welcomes other
forms of giving that enable
you to both assist with this
project and benefit from it.
Contact Tom Clingman at 301663-5131, extension 1230 or
[email protected]
for assistance.
The Alvin G. Quinn Sports
Hall of Fame is located at
the Downtown Y campus
of the YMCA of Frederick
County, 1000 N. Market
Street, Frederick. The room
is conveniently located close
to the Y’s main entrance.
Permanent and rotating
displays of photographs,
tributes, and memorabilia
honor Frederick County’s finest
athletes, coaches and athletic
boosters. Since its completion
in early 2016, the room is
easily accessible to the public,
Hall of Fame members and
their families.
Financial gifts to assist with
creating the new Quinn Hall
of Fame are welcome and
encouraged. All gifts are taxdeductible.
On-line donations can be
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FREDERICK COUNTY
Alvin G. Quinn YMCA Memorial
SPORTS HALL OF FAME
APPLICATION FOR NOMINATION
Hall of Fame Criteria
1. The candidate, by his/her accomplishments and contributions in the field of athletics, has brought honor
to self and to Frederick County.
2. The candidate has been a resident of Frederick City/County for not less than five years prior to his/her
accomplishments.
3. The candidate must meet either of the following criteria:
a. Must be retired from active participation in his field of endeavor for three years.
b. Must have been actively participating in his/her field of endeavor for ten years.
4. All candidates shall be chosen on an individual basis; teams shall not be considered collectively.
5. A candidate shall be at least twenty-one years of age.
6. Candidates who meet all qualification, but are deceased, are eligible for memberships.
Individual nominating the Hall of Fame applicant:
Date:
Name
Address
Phone
E-mail
APPLICANT BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Candidates Name: Last
First & Middle
Contact Address
City
Phone Number
Cell / Business Number
State
Zip Code
E-mail Address
Maiden Name (If applicable)
Sport(s)
High School
Club
Other
College
*NOTE: Most outstanding accomplishments should be submitted as a written resume
along with this application.
Applications should be mailed to:
YMCA of Frederick County
1000 North Market Street
Frederick, Maryland 21701
Attention: Hall of Fame Committee
Nomination deadline: September 1, 2016, for the class of 2017 HOF.
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Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame Inductees
1977
Helma Hahn Bowers
Debbie Thompson Brown
Charles Keller
Bill King
Harry LeGore
Glenn McQuillen
Alvin G. Quinn
Earl J. Rhoderick
Lloyd Rice
1978
Ted Beard
Clarence Blethen
Noah Downes
Ray Gardiner
Jack Griffin
Barbara “McC” Martin
Guy Ramsburg
Tammy Davis Thompson
Tony Wagner
1979
Robert Grove
William Hauver
Carlton Molesworth
Bill Nallin
Richard Shipley
Roy Sigler
Gordon Smith
Bill Talley
Glen Wilhide
1980
Kenny Boyd
Bernard “Lefty” Kreh
Charles Moylan
Frank Six
Ray Steele
Maynard Summers
1981
Dr. Warren Evans
“Chuck” Foreman
Phil Grove
Bob Maddox
Pershing Mondorf
Jim Phelan
1982
Homer Brooks
Max Kehne
Lucille Ponton
Dorsey Shipley
Archie Stimmel
Ron Tyeryar
1983
Austin Angleberger
Jim Houck
Bob Marendt
Jack Molesworth
Hal Moser
Carl Snook
1984
Col. James E. Bartgis
Joe Eyler
Hal Keller
Sherwood MacKenzie
George May, Sr.
Harvey McCutcheon
1985
John “Jumbo” Bowers
Frank Fraley
Dale Ramsburg
Donald B. Rice
Richard “Dick” Smith
Calvin Eugene Snowden
1986
Warner L. Brittain
Lucy Englebrecht
Carl McQuillen
Lee Merriman
Al Pansa
Joe Price
1987
M.J. Grove
Ron Hart
Maxine Murray
Atlee “Bud” Radcliffe
Clarence “Motts” Thomas
1988
Don Boyer
Fred Burgee
Lease Bussard
Don Leatherman
Luther Murray
1989
Ron Engle
Charles Keller III
Anne PoffenbargerRenninger
Wayne Rhoderick
1990
Donnie Hammond
Richard “Bing” Keeney
Jack McQuillen
Howard “Tony” Wagner
1991
Paul Hildebrand
Frank James
Ralston LeGore
Cy Moore
1992
Kenneth S. Houck
Richard “Dick” Ramsburg
Bernard “Lefty”
Warrenfeltz
1993
Bill Crone
Ira Marvin “Buck” Houck
John F. Kreissig
Lawrence “Bunny” Powell
James Schartner
Bob Sheffler
Clifford “Scrapper”
Shelton
1994
Harold “Sonny” Blank
Edward Busch, Jr.
Ruth Cassell Galt Eyler
James Fraser, Jr.
Charles “Poss” Houck
Harry O. Smith
1995
Anthony Ambush
Tom Dickman
Emory Frye
William O. Lee
David Shafer
1996
Tim Ambrose
Alton “Bunce” Gilbert
Carol Smith
Thomas Stevens
Wilber “Pete” Stout
Mike Virts, Sr.
1997
Thomas Eichelberger
Debbie Main Phebus
Gail O. Rolls
Emory “Reds” Shafer
Robert E. “Bob” Smith
2003
Wayne Duncan
Francis “Butch” Foreman
Henry A. Groff, Jr.
John Horine
J. Elwood Hummer
D. John Markey
David Miller
Larry H. Thompson
2004
Eric Crum
Newell A. Esterly
Patricia A. Stanfield
Fisher
Jesse Ketterman
Jack Mehl
Blaine E. Smith
William A. Ward
Hammond Willis
1998
Tom Bichy
George Blickenstaff
Clyde “Red” Hawes
Jim Stockman
Kenneth Swomley
2005
Benny Grove
Elizabeth “Boots” Kehne
David Markoe
Richard Sharrer
Kenny Thompson
John C. Weaver
1999
Dr. James H. Gilford
John J. Grimm
Glenn Keilholtz
Don Loun
Donald P. Wagner
2006
Lou Bruchey
Hal Grau
Maynard Hurd
Bill Kubat
Bucky Summers
George Waxter
2000
Herb L Daugherty, Sr.
Howard Hoy
Earl L. Main
David M. Schrodel
Thomas H. Schultze
2001
Sharon Boyer
David Carruthers
Donald Feinberg
James A. Grove
Tammy Joy
Ronald O. Linton
2002
Preston Best
Charles E. Davis
Nield Gordon
Helen W. Schley
Thomas M. Sherald
Yank Strube
2007
Donald Bowie
Robert Butler
Carl Donald
Charles “Tom” Ford
Richard “Dick” Krantz
Kenneth Ports
Paul Stroup
2008
Sonny Barrick
Leon Enfield
Cassie Galiggher
Robert Griffin
Phil Rannaberger
Frank Zarnowski
2009
Rolly Atkinson
George R. Kuhn
Charles “Chuck” Nichols
John E. Smith
Anne Zumbach
Lee Zumbach
2010
Becky Griffin
Tommy Long
Bresha Mogar
Bill Siedling
Kenny Smith
Frank Wilder
2011
Bobbie Jo Delphey-Barber
Tim Fawley
Keith Lee
Gary Rubeling
Nicole Teasley
Beau Weibel
2012
Brent Ayer
David Baldwin
Zack Mills
Kyle Pritts
Derek Shackelford
Kathy Messner Stevens
2013
Francis “Bill” Foreman
Don Frost
Mark Miller
Paul Nolan
Peggy Trimmer
Fred Young
2014
Robert T. “Rob” Ambrose
Robert Gary Bofinger
Tina Leatherman Jones
Vernon Myers
John Shade
Charles “Chuck” Wills
2015
Troy Barrick
Stan Biggus
Richard Burgee
Kim Wivell Gerrie
Stan Goldberg
Cheryl Poirier
Bill Stup
Guy Whidden
2016
Terry Burdette
Terry Connolly
Roger Dawson
Michael Daye
Kathryn R. Robinson
Chemise D. Smith
Ben Wright
Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame
YMCA OF FREDERICK COUNTY
1000 N Market St, Frederick MD 21701
hof.frederickymca.org
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