A History of Sports Heroes and Legends

Butler County, Ohio:
A History of Sports
Heroes and Legends
A
s part of our Popular Annual
Financial Report for the year
ended December 31, 2008, the Butler
County Auditor’s Office featured
many of the outstanding athletes that
have called Butler County home over
the years. The list is truly remarkable
and there wasn’t enough space in
the PAFR to highlight the many
accomplishments each made in their
respective sport or sports.
While any list is subjective, I believe
we’ve highlighted a very select group
of 62 athletes and coaches that few
counties could top in terms of quality
•Jerry Lucas – What kind of
and depth.
The following biographies have
been compiled from many resources,
including the various sports halls of
fame in the county and across the
country, newspaper articles (most
notably three written by local historian
Jim Blount for the JournalNews),
Baseball Almanac, “Town Ball, the
Glory Days of Minnesota Amateur
Baseball” by Armand Peterson
and Tom Tamashek, and personal
interviews conducted by Deputy
Auditor David Brown, whose past
experience as a newspaper sports
basketball player was Middletown’s
Jerry Lucas? Consider this: In 1961,
the Yankees’ Roger Maris broke Babe
Ruth’s single-season home run record
– perhaps the most hallowed record
in all of sports. Yet, in January 1962,
Sports Illustrated named Jerry Lucas
its Sportsman of the Year, lauding
him as “not only a fine athlete but a
symbol of his generation’s best at a
time when its best is sorely needed
by his country as well as his sport.”
A champion at every level, his teams
at Middletown High won two state
titles; he led Ohio State to the 1960
Jerry Lucas, above right,
NCAA championship; he led the U.S.
and Oscar Robertson were
to gold in the 1960 Olympics and he
teammates with the NBA’s
won an NBA title in 1973 with the
New York Knicks. As a sophomore at Cincinnati Royals and both were
Middletown High, he scored 53 and inducted into the Basketball Hall
44 points in consecutive games at of Fame in 1980. (Photo courtesy of
the Ohio Historical Society)
the state tournament as the Middies
won the title. Lucas was named Ohio At Ohio State, Lucas was a 3-time AllPlayer of the Year in 1957 and 1958. American, leading the Buckeyes from
editor and one-time sports writer for
the JournalNews came in handy as he
provided the research for this project.
We’re glad to have compiled such
a comprehensive list of county
sports heroes with accompanying
biographies and we appreciate those
who assisted with information and
photographs.
Roger Reynolds
Butler County Auditor
his center position to a 78-6 record,
three Big Ten titles and the NCAA
championship. He was named College
Player of the Year in both 1961 and
1962. At the Rome Olympics, he led
the team to a gold medal, making an
amazing 84 percent of his shots. As a
pro, Lucas was All-NBA First Team
(1965, ‘66, ‘68); All-NBA Second
Team (1964, ‘67); All-Rookie team
(1964); Seven-time All-Star (196469, 1971); and All-Star MVP (1965).
In 1962 he played for the Cleveland
Pipers of the ABL and then moved
to the NBA’s Cincinnati Royals,
where he played through the 1960s.
He finished his last few NBA years
playing for the New York Knicks,
retiring in 1974. The fourth-leading
rebounder in NBA history averaging
15.6 boards per game, he was elected
to the Basketball Hall of Fame in
1980 and was selected as one of the
50 Greatest Players in NBA History
in 1996.
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 1
Mariners in 1987.
•Joe Nuxhall – Born
Griffey played in
in Hamilton and a
Seattle from 1989longtime
resident
1999, with the
of Fairfield until his
Cincinnati
Reds
death in 2007, Nuxhall
from 2000-2008,
became the youngest
and the Chicago
player to ever appear
White Sox in 2008.
in a Major League
He re-signed with
baseball game during
the Mariners for
the modern era when on
the 2009 season.
June 10, 1944, at age 15
He won Major
years, 10 months, and 11
League
MVP
days, he pitched 2/3 of
honors
in
1997;
has
an inning for the Reds
made 13 All-Star
against the Cardinals.
appearances, owns
After going back to
Joe Nuxhall shown
school in Hamilton, he early in his career with the 10 Gold Gloves,
regained his amateur Reds. (Photo courtesy of the 7 Silver Sluggers
and is a 4-time AL
status
and
played
Hamilton JournalNews)
home run champ.
football,
basketball
and baseball as a senior in 1946, Through the 2008 season he was
earning all-state honors in football 5th on the career HR list with 611
and basketball. Over the next five and 18th on the career RBI list with
years, Nuxhall played in the minor 1,772. Griffey was named 2005 NL
leagues with Syracuse, Lima, Muncie, Comeback Player of the Year with the
Columbia, Charleston, and Tulsa Reds. He is a member of the Sporting
before returning to the Reds in 1952. News 100 Greatest Baseball Players
During his 16-year career as a player list (93) and was elected to MLB Allhe compiled a career ERA of 3.90 Century Team.
and a record of 135-117. A two-time
National League All-Star, Nuxhall Cris Carter – Younger brother of
led the league in shutouts in 1955. Butch Carter and a Middletown High
Long known as “The Ol’ Lefthander,” graduate, Cris was an 8-time NFL Pro
he went on to a long and celebrated Bowl wide receiver and 3-time All-Pro
career as a radio broadcaster for the between 1987-2002. He was selected
Reds from 1967-2004. He was elected to the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team
to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and was the 1999 Walter Payton Manin 1968, and officially retired from of-the-Year Award winner. At the
the Reds on Oct. 3, 2004, 60 years collegiate level, Carter became the first
after his pitching debut, though he Ohio State wide receiver to be named
still made guest appearances on some an All-American. During high school,
game broadcasts.
he was named to the 1983 Parade
All-American Team and was heavily
•Ken Griffey, Jr. – Moved to West recruited. By the end of his junior year
Chester Township when he was 13, at OSU, Carter had been selected All
playing Knothole ball for coach Barry Big Ten twice, and was the Buckeyes’
Strasser. Griffey only played as a all-time leader in receptions (168)
junior and senior at Moeller High. He and touchdown catches (27). In his
was then selected with the No. 1 pick junior year he set OSU single-season
in the amateur draft by the Seattle marks for touchdown receptions (11)
and receiving yards (1,127). His Big
Ten-leading 68 catches earned him
first team All-American honors with
one year of college left. But after it
was learned he signed with an agent
he was declared ineligible. Carter
was drafted by the Eagles in the 4th
round of the 1987 NFL supplemental
draft. While in Philadelphia, head
coach Buddy Ryan helped to coin one
of ESPN announcer Chris Berman’s
famous quotes about Carter: “All he
does is catch touchdowns.” Carter
signed with the Vikings in 1989 after
being released by the Eagles and his
career took off. Since retiring from
the NFL, Carter has worked as an
analyst on HBO’s Inside the NFL and
ESPN’s NFL Countdown.
•Kent Tekulve – The famous sidearm
relief pitcher grew up in Fairfield and
played high school ball for Hamilton
Catholic. He held the Major League
record for most relief appearances with
1,050 until it was broken in 1999. In
the 1979 World Series, Tekulve saved
three of Pittsburgh’s four victories as
the Pirates beat the Orioles. Signed
by the Pirates in 1969, he made his
Major League debut in 1974. He went
10-1 as a set-up man in 1977 before
taking over as the Pirates’ closer the
next season. He established himself
as one of baseball’s most successful
relievers, ranking among the all-time
leaders in games, saves, and relief
wins. In 1978, he set a Pirates record
with 31 saves, which he matched
the following year. He led the NL in
appearances in both 1978 and 1979,
setting a club record with 94 in 1979.
That fall, he recorded a World Seriesrecord three saves, striking out 10
Orioles in 9.1 innings. In 1986 he
broke the NL record of 846 games
pitched. Back in the set-up role, in
1987 he became the first NL pitcher
to have three 90-appearance seasons
and, at age 40, the oldest pitcher
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 2
to lead the NL in appearances. He
broke the Major League record for
career games pitched without a start
(finishing the season at 943), and
helped closer Steve Bedrosian win
the Cy Young Award. Let go after
1988, he signed with the Reds and
broke Hoyt Wilhelm’s record for
relief appearances before retiring
midway through the season. Now a
color analyst for Pirates telecasts in
Pittsburgh, Tekulve was presented
the 2008 William A. “Bill” Shea
Distinguished Little League Graduate
Award during the 62nd Little League
Baseball World Series in Williamsport,
Pa. Playing for Lindenwald Little
League in Hamilton, Tekulve
participated in the Little League
program for four years, pitching and
Kevin Grevey of Hamilton
playing third base, shortstop and during his days at the University
center field. As a 12 year-old pitcher of Kentucky. (Photo courtesy of the
and shortstop, he played in the Little
Grevey family)
League International Tournament and
his team reached the quarterfinals of the San Antonio Spurs of the ABA.
He signed with the Bullets and was
the Ohio state tournament.
a starting guard on their 1977-78
Kevin Grevey – Ohio Mr. NBA championship team. In 10 total
Basketball 1971 from Hamilton NBA seasons, the 6-5 shooting guard
Taft after averaging 32.5 points and averaged 11 points per game. He
17.1 rebounds as a senior, Grevey set personal season highs during the
signed with Kentucky as part of 1980-81 campaign for scoring average
Adolph Rupp’s last freshman class. (17.7) and assists (4.0). He closed his
He was First-Team All-Southeastern career with two final seasons with the
Conference all three seasons and All- Milwaukee Bucks. Recently inducted
American as a junior and senior. In his into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame,
senior year at Kentucky the Wildcats Grevey is now a scout for the LA
lost to UCLA in the championship Lakers, radio broadcaster and owner/
game of the NCAA Tournament in manager of Grevey’s restaurant in the
what would be the final game in the Washington, D.C. area.
career of UCLA’s legendary coach
John Wooden. Grevey scored a gamehigh 34 points and was named to the
All-Final Four team. Grevey’s 1,801
career points scored ranked him
second in UK history behind only
Dan Issel’s 2,138. His jersey number
35 is retired by the university. He was
a first round draft pick by both the
Washington Bullets of the NBA and
•Todd Bell – After graduating from
Middletown High School, Bell went
on to play for Ohio State as a fouryear starter at defensive back. His best
remembered moment at Ohio State
was a game-winning touchdown in
his junior year against rival Michigan
in 1979. He returned a blocked punt
18 yards for the score in an 18-15
win, sending the Buckeyes to the
Rose Bowl. Bell was selected in the
fourth round of the 1981 NFL Draft
by the Chicago Bears. He played with
the team through 1984, earning a Pro
Bowl spot in his fourth year. However,
Bell sat out the Bears’ entire Super
Bowl-winning 1985 season due to
a contract dispute. Bell returned in
1986, but a hamstring injury and the
labor dispute still lingered. He signed
as a free agent with the Philadelphia
Eagles in the off-season in 1988,
playing two years with the Eagles
before a broken leg in a loss to the
Bears in 1989 prematurely ended his
career. In 2005, Bell suffered a fatal
heart attack while driving his car. He
was 47. His wife Daphne now speaks
to people on learning how to detect
if they are at risk of having a heart
attack.
•Kenesaw Mountain Landis –
Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was
born in Millville in 1866 and grew up
in Logansport, Ind. He was elected
baseball’s first Commissioner on Jan.
12, 1921 and served as Commissioner
until his death on Nov. 24, 1944. The
following month he was elected into
the Baseball Hall of Fame. Landis
received his colorful name from
Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, where
his father had been seriously wounded
during the Civil War. Ken, as he was
called, was an avid baseball fan, and at
age 17, he played on and managed the
team in Logansport. He took pre-law
courses at the University of Cincinnati
and obtained a law degree at Union
Law School, now Northwestern
University. He graduated in 1891 and
opened a law practice in Chicago. In
1905, President Theodore Roosevelt
appointed Landis a United States
District Judge for the Northern
District of Illinois, a position he
held when offered the position of
Baseball Commissioner. Landis was
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 3
approached by the owners shortly
after the 1919 World Series, when the
“Black Sox” scandal ripped through
baseball. Landis accepted the post on
the condition that he keep his job as
a judge and that his baseball salary
($50,000) be decreased by the amount
he received as a judge ($7,500). In
one of his first acts as Commissioner,
he banned eight White Sox players
involved in the scandal, including
Shoeless Joe Jackson. Major League
Baseball’s Most Valuable Player
Award is officially known as the
Kenesaw Mountain Landis Award in
his honor.
•Walter “Smokey”Alston – Born
in current-day Ross, the legendary
manager of the Brooklyn/L.A.
Dodgers from 1954-76 grew up in
Darrtown. He was a 4-time World
Series champion manager and 6-time
Manager of the Year selection. Before
he was a coach he was a stellar athlete.
A 1928 Darrtown School graduate,
during one season he scored all the
points for his basketball team. After
Darrtown, Alston continued playing
baseball and basketball at Miami
University, where the nickname
“Smokey” is said to have originated
from how hard he threw a baseball.
He graduated in 1932 and signed with
the St. Louis Cardinals in 1935. After
leading the Mid-Atlantic League with
35 home runs in 1936 he was called
up to the big league club and made his
lone appearance for the Cards on Sept.
27, 1936. Alston was sent back to the
minor leagues the next season and
never returned to the majors. Alston
was a player/manager in the St. Louis
farm system for years before signing
with the Dodgers organization in 1944
to play and manage in the minors. In
1954 he was selected to manage the
Brooklyn Dodgers. During his 23
years with the Dodgers, “Smokey”
led the Brooklyn franchise to its
only World Championship in 1955,
and to a pennant in 1956, before the
team moved to the West Coast. In
LA, his clubs captured world titles in
1959, 1963 and 1965, and pennants in
1966 and 1974. The Dodgers claimed
19 division titles in those 23 years,
winning 2,040 games. His number 24
was retired by the Dodgers in 1977.
He was elected into the Hall of Fame
in 1983 and died the next year at the
age of 72 in Oxford.
Saint Francis College (Ind.) (197792), where he also served as athletic
director. He finished with a career
coaching record of 372-388 (.489). He
is a member of the USF Athletic Hall
of Fame (2000), the Hamilton Badin
High School Hall of Fame (1994), the
Butler County Sports Hall of Fame
(1987), the Saint Joseph’s College
Hall of Fame (1985) and the Athletic
Hall of Fame at the University of
Cincinnati (1980). Jim Holstein
passed away at his home in Florida on
•Jim Holstein – A 1948 Hamilton Dec. 16, 2007 at the age of 77.
Catholic graduate, the 6-foot-3
Holstein led the school to a state •Butch Carter – Older brother of
Cris Carter,
runner-up finish that year. He signed
was raised
with the University of Cincinnati
in
Troy
and was UC’s career leading scorer
when he graduated with 1,146 points.
and
later
moved
to
He averaged 15.7 points and 12.0
Middletown
rebounds as a senior when he earned
where
he
Honorable Mention All-American
graduated
recognition. While at UC, he earned
four letters in basketball, four in
f r o m
baseball, one in track and one in
Middletown
football. Following college, he spent
H i g h
School. He
four seasons in the NBA where he
was named
won two NBA championships with
Butch
Carter
Ohio’s 1976
the Minneapolis Lakers (1952-53
of Middletown.
High School
and 1953-54). His final season came
(Photo courtesy of The
with the Fort Wayne Pistons. While
Player
of
Middletown Journal)
playing pro basketball, Holstein also
the
Year.
played professional and semi-pro Additionally, he was a high school
baseball. An outfielder, he hit .349 for All-American basketball selection as
Springfield in the Western Minnesota a senior and a second-team All-State
League in 1953 and .355 in 1954. high school football selection as a
Holstein played professional minor junior. Recruited by Bobby Knight
league ball in 1955 but returned to of Indiana, Carter signed with the
Springfield in 1956, where his .410 Hoosiers but only became a starter
average was second in the league. He during his senior year when he
hit .402 with 12 home runs in 1957 to averaged 11.1 points per game. As a
lead Breckenridge/Wahpeton to Class junior, Carter was named MVP of the
A West Central League title. After his 1979 NIT tournament when he hit the
playing career, he spent 35 years in winning shot with seconds remaining
coaching. His head-coaching career against cross-state rival Purdue. Carter
consisted of stops at Sycamore High was a second-round selection of the
School in 1956-59, Saint Joseph’s Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980 NBA
College (Ind.) from 1961-72, Ball draft. Fifteen games into the season he
State University from 1972-77 and was a starter, averaging 9.6 points and
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 4
49 percent shooting. He played a total
of six years in the NBA for the Lakers
(1980-1981), Indiana Pacers (19811984), New York Knicks (19841986), and Philadelphia 76ers (1986).
He averaged 8.7 points per game over
his career. He held the NBA record
for most points in an overtime period
(14) for 20 years. From 1986-1988,
after leaving the NBA, Carter returned
to coach his alma mater, Middletown
High School. There, he improved the
team from a previous losing record to
an 18-3 mark. He was acknowledged
for this two-year turnaround by being
named Ohio Basketball High School
Coach of the Year. Carter is the only
person to be named both Player and
Coach of the Year in the state of Ohio.
He moved into college coaching and
then served as an assistant coach with
the Milwaukee Bucks from 1991–
1996. In the 1997–1998 season,
Carter served as an assistant coach for
the Toronto Raptors. He was promoted
to the head coach position midway through the 1997–1998 season,
becoming just the seventh AfricanAmerican to lead a professional
basketball franchise. His career with
Toronto ended in 2000. He was 2327 in the shortened 1998-99 season
and 45-37 in 1999-2000, leading the
Raptors to the playoffs.
in 1977 and 1983. Pace was also
selected for the 1980 Olympic team,
but the U.S. boycotted the Moscow
Games that year. Pace still holds the
world record of 2,571 points, set in
1976, and in 1979 he established a
single round record of 1,341 out of a
possible 1,440 points. Pace eventually
won six U.S. championships – 197376, 1978, and 1980. A seven acre park
in Hamilton was named Pace Park to
honor his achievements.
Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978.
He made Oxford his home following
retirement until his death at the age of
91 in 1998.
•Charlie Root – A Middletown
native, it’s said that Root was
discovered while pitching for the
Armco Rolling Mill company in
Middletown. His Major League debut
came on April 18, 1923 for the St.
Louis Browns and he went 0-4 that
season. Root made it back to the
•Weeb Ewbank – Born in Richmond, Majors in 1926 and went on to play
Ind., Wilbur Charles
professional baseball for 16 seasons
Ewbank
played
from 1926-1941 for the Chicago
quarterback
for
Cubs, and holds the club record for
Miami University
career wins with 201. Root had at
between 1924least 10 wins in 10 different seasons,
1928.
He
with a top mark of 26-15 in 1927.
coached
In 1969 he was named the all-time
football at
Cubs right-hander. Root holds Cubs
McGuffey
team records for most wins, games
High
in
and innings pitched. He was dogged
Oxford and
during his later years by the tale that
later was an
Babe Ruth “called his shot” when he
assistant
homered off Root in the 1932 World
coach for his
Series at Wrigley Field. The leathery,
alma mater.
tobacco-squirting Root denied the
He led the
claim, stating he’d have decked Ruth
Courtesy Ohio
Historical
Society
McGuffey
with a fastball had the Babe really
gestured that he’d hit the next pitch
Green Devils
to numerous championships, including out of the park. “He was just saying
a 3-year undefeated run from 1936- he had one strike left,” Root insisted.
1938. In 1936, they were not only
•Darrell Pace – The Hamilton undefeated, they were un-scored upon. •Paul Sarringhaus – A 1940
resident won individual gold medals On the professional level, Ewbank led Hamilton High graduate, Sarringhaus
captained
Head
in men’s archery in the 1976 and the then-Baltimore Colts to two NFL
Coach Ray Tilton’s
1984 Olympic Games and was championships, including the famed
undefeated
part of the first team competition in 1958 title dubbed “The Greatest Game
1939
team
archery during the 1988 Games in Ever Played.” He was selected by the
to the state
Seoul, earning a silver medal. He Associated Press as the 1958 NFL
championship.
coach
of
the
Year.
The
Colts
followed
also won a silver medal at the 1979
Blessed
with
Pan-American Games. Pace won up that title with another the very next
power and speed,
four consecutive national archery year. In 1968, he led the upstart AFL
Sarringhaus was
championships from 1973 through New York Jets to a huge upset win
a stellar running
1976. He won the world title in 1975 over the NFL Colts in Super Bowl
back
who
also
was
a passer, kick
and 1979 - becoming the first person III with a young quarterback named
in the “modern” era of archery to win Joe Namath. Following a 20-year run returner, punter and kicked extra
the title twice – and finished second in the pros, he was inducted into the points. Sarringhaus also played on
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 5
the Big Blue basketball team that
was runner-up in the 1938 state
tournament. Sarringhaus was declared
Ohio’s outstanding high school
football player in 1939, and, according
to a November 1939 report, “is now
sought by every university east of
the Mississippi.” Ohio State won the
recruiting contest and Sarringhaus
didn’t disappoint. He was a First
Team All-American and All-Big Ten
at halfback in 1942 as he helped
guide the Buckeyes to a national
championship that year, the first
national title in program history. He
was second in the Big Ten in scoring
in 1942 with 72 points and rushed for
672 yards that season, a mark that
ranked among the conference leaders.
Sarringhaus left school to serve his
country in World War II but returned
for his senior season in 1945. He
played two seasons in the NFL –
with the Chicago Cardinals (1946)
and Detroit Lions (1948) after being
drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in
the ninth round of the 1944 draft. He
later served as a deputy auditor in the
Butler County Auditor’s Office. He
was inducted into the Butler County
Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 and
was selected to the inaugural class of
the Hamilton City Schools Athletic
Hall of Fame in 1997. Sarringhaus
died April 7, 1998 and was inducted
posthumously into OSU’s men’s
varsity “O” Hall of Fame in 2004.
•Aaron Cook – A Hamilton High
grad and 1997 Ohio Baseball Player
of the Year, Cook was a second round
pick by the Rockies after leading Big
Blue to a state title in ‘97. He made his
Major League debut with Colorado in
2002. After suffering health problems
in 2004 he came back to post a 7-2
record in 2005 with an ERA of 3.67.
Following the 2007 season he signed a
4-year, $34 million contract extension
with the Rockies. He has a 52-44
career record and was an All-Star in draft by the 76ers. Stokes played only
2008, finishing that season with a two full NBA seasons but several
16-9 record and an ERA of 3.96.
more professional seasons overseas.
•Mark Lewis – Born and raised in •Troy Evans – A linebacker in the
Hamilton, the Big Blue product was
selected as
the
198788 Gatorade
National
Baseball
Player
of
the Year. He
was the 2nd
overall pick
in the 1988
draft by the
Cleveland
Indians.
Mark Lewis of
The former
Hamilton (Photo
i n f i e l d e r courtesy of Hamilton
played for
JournalNews)
six
Major
League Baseball teams from 1991
to 2001. He played with the Indians
(1991-1994, 2001), Cincinnati Reds
(1995, 1999-2000), Detroit Tigers
(1996), San Francisco Giants (1997),
Philadelphia Phillies (1998), and
Baltimore Orioles (2000). He had a
career .263 batting average with 48
home runs and 306 RBI over 902
games of Major League play. His
career highlight may have occurred in
Game 3 of the 1995 National League
Division Series against the Los
Angeles Dodgers, when he hit the first
pinch-hit grand slam in postseason
history.
•Greg Stokes – He was awarded
basketball player of the year honors
for Hamilton High in 1981 and
then the 6-10 center signed with the
University of Iowa. Stokes ended
his career as Iowa’s all-time leader
in points scored and is still ranked
3rd all-time with 1,768 points in his
career. He was drafted in the 2nd
round, 33rd overall in the 1985 NBA
NFL for the New Orleans Saints,
Evans attended Lakota High School
and earned All-State honors in both
football and basketball. He was a fouryear letterman and two-year starter at
outside linebacker for the University
of Cincinnati. As a senior, he was a
second-team All-Conference USA
selection, posting 4.5 sacks and 107
tackles. Evans played his first season
in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams,
who lost Super Bowl XXXVI that
year to the New England Patriots. The
following year Evans was signed as an
undrafted free agent by the Houston
Texans. He remained with the team
until the 2007 season, when he signed
a two-year deal with the Saints.
•Carl Woolworth Weilman –
Born in Hamilton in 1889. Zeke, as he
was known,
broke into
the
Major
Leagues as
a pitcher for
the St. Louis
Browns in
1912 at the
age of 22.
Standing
n e a r l y
6-foot-6,
We i l m a n
held
two
distinctions: Carl Weilman
In a 1913
game he struck out six times, setting a
major league record; On the positive
side, he compiled a 13-4 record
between 1914-1916 against the Ty
Cobb-led Detroit Tigers, one of the
best hitting teams of the decade. His
career spanned through 1920 and he
compiled an 85-95 career record. He
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 6
had a career ERA of 2.67 with 536 also a member of the Marietta College
strikeouts and 418 walks in 8 seasons Sports Hall of Fame, along with fellow
– all with the Browns. Weilman died Butler Countian Kent Tekulve.
young in 1924 at the age of 35 and
is buried in Hamilton’s Greenwood •Merle Wendt – A 1933 graduate
cemetery.
of Middletown High, Wendt went on
to a stellar football career with the
•Jim Tracy – Tracy, a 1974 Badin Ohio State Buckeyes. A three-time
High School graduate, was an All-Big Ten pick, he is one of only
outfielder for the Chicago Cubs before seven OSU players to be named to
moving into coaching. He became just the All-America squad three times.
the 24th manager in Dodgers franchise He was a first-team selection at end
history when he was named to the post in 1934, 1935 and 1936. He captained
on Nov. 1, 2000. In five seasons he the Buckeyes his senior year and was
led the Dodgers to one division title selected to play in the annual East(2004) and posted a 427-383 record. West Shrine Game and for the College
He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates in All-Stars in a 7-0 victory over Green
2006 and 2007, compiling a record of Bay. One highlight Wendt specifically
135-189. Originally selected by the mentioned during a college interview:
Cubs in the fourth round of the 1977 He caught the winning touchdown
January First-Year Player Draft, Tracy pass against Michigan in 1934. During
made his professional playing debut high school, Wendt lettered four years
with Pompano Beach in 1977. After in football and basketball.
winning the Texas League batting title
with a .355 average for Midland in •Dan Meyer – Born in Hamilton,
1979, he made his major league debut Meyer played for the University of
with the Cubs in 1980 and batted .249 Arizona in 1971. He made his Major
with three home runs and 14 RBI in League debut in 1974 with the Detroit
parts of two big-league seasons with Tigers. Played 12 MLB seasons for
Chicago (1980-81). Tracy also played three teams as first baseman, third
two years in Japan (1983-84) before baseman and outfielder. He was with
retiring as a player following a brief the Tigers (1974-76), Seattle Mariners
stint with Tucson in 1984. Prior to (1977-81) and Oakland Athletics
joining the Dodgers, Jim served as (1982-85). A career .253 hitter.
Bench Coach for four seasons in
Montreal. He also posted a 501-486 •Jay Bachman – A 1963 Ross
(.508) record in seven seasons as High School graduate, the 6-3,
a minor league manager with four 250-pounder played the offensive line
teams. Tracy won the Eastern League at UC and then played center for the
title and was named Manager-of-the- Denver Broncos in the AFL and NFL
Year after guiding Harrisburg (Expos for a total of four seasons from 1968AA) to a 94-44 record in 1993. He also 1971. He won the 1966 Claude Rost
worked for the Reds as their Minor Award (Most Valuable Player) for the
League Field Coordinator in 1992. At Bearcats He was drafted by the Green
Badin, Jim played football, basketball Bay Packers in the 5th round (132nd
and baseball and is a member of that overall) of the 1967 draft.
school’s sports Hall of Fame. He
attended Marietta College and was •Teddy Bailey – A Hamilton
an NCAA Division III All-American product, Bailey was a big, fast running
selection as a sophomore in 1976. Is back (6-1, 225) at the University of
Cincinnati where he was named 1965
Most Outstanding Back of the Year
(offense) and selected All-Missouri
Conference at halfback. He went
undrafted but played with the AFL’s
Buffalo Bills in 1967 and one game in
1969 for the then-Boston Patriots.
•Dick Smith – Born in 1944,
Richard Henry Smith attended
Hamilton Garfield High School and
Northwestern University. He was
drafted by the AFL Kansas City
Chiefs in the 9th Round and played
two seasons for the NFL’s Washington
Redskins as a kick returner, defensive
back and halfback in 1967 and 1968.
He was fourth on the team with three
interceptions in 1967 and added one
more pick in 1968.
•Bill Wilks – Hamilton High
School’s first Mr. Basketball award
winner in 1949,
he went on to
become a threeyear starter on
the Ohio State
basketball
team in 1951,
52, 53. A twosport
athlete,
Wilks was the
Bill Wilks
first quarterback
recruited by legendary Coach Woody
Hayes. Wilks was the last OSU athlete
to start in both basketball and football
for the Buckeyes.
•Don Barnette – As a senior at
Middletown High School in 1952,
Barnette co-captained the 1952 State
Basketball Championship team. A
first-team member of the Greater
League All-Stars and of the All-Ohio
State Tournament, he was selected
to play for the Ohio All-Stars in the
Ohio-Kentucky basketball game.
Barnette was the first AfricanAmerican basketball player at Miami
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 7
University and later played for the
Harlem Globetrotters from 195862. He is a member of the Butler
County Sports Hall of Fame, Miami’s
Athletic Hall of Fame and the Black
Legends of Professional Basketball
Hall of Fame. A reflection of the racial
prejudice of the time against blacks in
the South (who weren’t permitted to
play against whites), Miami changed
Barnette’s name to Jose Clemente so
he could pass as a Hispanic and play
basketball with the team in Florida.
•Brooke Wyckoff – A professional
basketball player since being drafted
into the WNBA in 2001, Brooke
was the Larosa’s Cincinnati Female
Athlete of the Year
in 1997 when
she competed
in volleyball,
basketball and
track at Lakota
High School. She
was the GMC
400-meter
champion
in
1996 and the
800-meter champ
in 1997. She
qualified for
the state
meet three
times and
in multiple
events, winning an 800-meter bronze
medal in 1997. In basketball, she
was a 3- time All-GMC 1st team
selection, three times Butler County
Player of the Year, twice named First
Team All-State, and as a senior was
named to both the Street and Smith,
and USA Today All-American teams.
She also helped lead the Columbus
Lions to the AAU 17-under National
Championship. Wyckoff attended
Florida State University on a full
athletic scholarship and had a fine
career. The 6-foot-1 wing earned
First Team All-ACC honors in 2001
as a senior, averaging 14.6 points and
6.6 rebounds per game. She finished
her career as FSU’s all-time shot
block leader with 209, which ranks
6th all-time in ACC history. She was
also a 3-time ACC All Academic
selection and 2-time member of
the ACC All-Defensive team and
was selected Second Team AllAmerican by Women’s Basketball
News Service. She was drafted by the
Orlando Miracle (who later moved
to Connecticut) with the 26th overall
draft pick in 2001. In 2008 with
the Chicago Sky, Wyckoff notched
her 200th career WNBA game and
reached the 100 career blocked shot
milestone. She missed all of the 2004
season with a knee injury. Through
the 2008 WNBA season, she holds
career averages of 3.1 points per game
and 3.2 rebounds per game. During
the 2008-09 season she averaged 7.0
points per game for Estudiantes in
Spain during the WNBA off-season.
A member of the Lakota Athletic Hall
of Fame since 2003, Wyckoff was
also named to the Cincinnati Post’s
All Century Girl’s Basketball First
Team.
American Conference second team
in 1975-76 and to the first team twice
in 1976-77 and 1977-78. He was the
1978 MAC Player of the Year. He
helped lead the Redskins to a MAC
championship and a three-year record
of 57-23. He was drafted in the sixth
round by the Washington Bullets. He
is also a member of the Butler County
Sports Hall of Fame.
•Frank Clair – Born in 1917 in
Hamilton, Clair was a fine athlete
at Hamilton
High.
He
p l a y e d
football
at
Ohio State,
lettering
in
1938, 1939,
and 1940. As
a
receiver,
he
was
QB
Frank Clair
Don Scott’s
favorite target. He also played one year
of NFL football with the Washington
Redskins in 1941. Clair later coached
in the Canadian Football League. His
coaching record is unparalleled in
Canadian football history. His teams
made the playoffs in 17 of his 19
seasons, advanced to the conference
final 12 times and appeared in 6
Grey Cup games, winning 5 times.
•Archie Aldridge – The 1973 Ohio He began his career as coach of the
Player of the Year from Middletown Toronto Argonauts from 1950 to 1954,
was a two-time first team All-Ohio and led them to Grey Cup victories in
selection. A 1978 Miami graduate, his first season and again in 1952. In
Aldridge ranks third on Miami’s all- 1956, Clair joined the Ottawa Rough
time scoring list with 1,486 points. He Riders and coached them for the next
is the holder of two Miami records for 14 years, winning Grey Cups in 1960,
field goals percentage with a season- 1968 and 1969. He became the Rough
best .608 in 1977-78 and a career- Riders’ general manager in 1970 and
best .571. Selected Miami’s Athlete held that position until 1978. Under
of the Year for 1977-78, he was a his direction the team won two more
member of the Redskins team that Grey Cups, in 1973 and 1976. His
upset defending national champion total of 174 coaching wins is the most
Marquette in the opening round of the of any CFL head coach, and Clair was
NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis. twice honored as the CFL Coach of
He was selected to the All-Mid- the Year. In 1981 he was inducted
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 8
into the Canadian Football Hall of Eagles of the NFL in 1956, Burton
Fame. He passed away in 2005 in played one season for the Ottawa
Rough Riders of the CFL. In 1969
Sarasota, Fla.
he returned to Miami as an assistant
•Greg Sullivan – A Talawanda football coach, then went on to the
High School product from Hanover University of Michigan with former
Township, Sullivan was inducted Miami Coach Bo Schembechler from
into the Miami University Athletic 1970 to 1997.
Hall of Fame in 1997. He was an
Honorable Mention All-American
defensive end as a junior and senior
(1977, 1978) and became just the
sixth player in Miami history to earn
first-team All-MAC honors three
times. Miami posted a 10-1 record
and won the MAC championship
his junior year. As a senior, Sullivan
was Miami’s defensive MVP. As a
high schooler at Talawanda, Sullivan
excelled in both football and baseball.
He was selected to the All MidMiami League Team for baseball in
1973, 1974 and 1975. In football, he
holds the THS record for season (8)
and career (13) pass interceptions;
was a two-time All-MML first team
Middletown’s Darrell
selection, two years first team AllHunter in action for the Miami
Golden Triangle pick, twice named
RedHawks against Buffalo.
first team All-Southwestern Ohio
(Photo courtesy of the Hamilton
JournalNews)
and was a member of Team All Ohio
in 1974. Sullivan is also a member
of the Butler County Sports Hall of •Darrell Hunter – A Middletown
Fame and the Talawanda High School Christian School product who some
say may be the fastest man to ever
Athletic Hall of Fame.
play for Miami University, Hunter
•Tirrell Burton – A Stewart High was signed as a free agent by the
School graduate in Oxford, Tirrell Arizona Cardinals following the
earned letters in football, basketball, 2006 draft and played in three games
baseball and track. He went to state as a rookie. The past two seasons he
three times as a track athlete, and had has spent time on the practice squads
the third fastest time in the country in of the Buccaneers, Colts and most
the 220 yard dash in 1956. A rare two- recently the Saints in 2008. A twosport athlete at Miami, Tirrell excelled time All-MAC selection and a threein both football and track, earning year starter at cornerback for the
All-MAC honors in football (1955) RedHawks, Hunter was an Ohio high
and track (1952, ‘53 ’54). He won school track champion in the 100- and
the MAC low hurdles championship 200-meter dashes. Hunter finished his
three consecutive years, while placing career by earning first-team All-MAC
in both high jump and the 100 yard honors and totaling 41 tackles as a
dash. Drafted by the Philadelphia senior.
•Dan Daub – Born in 1868 in
Middletown, Daub broke into the
Majors at the age of 24 on Aug.
31, 1892 with the Cincinnati Reds.
He played at Denison University
then went on to compile a 6-year
career record of 45-52, playing his
last five seasons for the Brooklyn
Bridegrooms. He died in 1951 and
is buried in Hickory Flats Cemetery,
Overpeck.
•Gay Brewer – Born in Middletown
(1932) and raised in Lexington,
Ky., Brewer went to the University
of Kentucky. As an amateur, he
won the Kentucky State Boys Golf
Championship three consecutive
years from 1949-1951. In 1949, he
also won the U.S. Junior Amateur
Golf Championship, the most
prestigious amateur event for golfers
under the age of 18. He was on the
PGA Tour from 1961-1972 and
won the 1967 Masters Tournament
and was part of the winning 1967
U.S. Ryder Cup team. At the 1966
Masters Tournament, he bogeyed
the final hole to finish in a threeway tie for the lead after regulation
play but ended up finishing third to
Jack Nicklaus following an 18-hole
playoff. Brewer’s 1966 performances
earned him the Golf Digest’s Most
Improved Golfer award and his 1967
performances earned him the Aug. 7
cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
He won the 1972 Canadian Open and
was again part of the U.S. team that
won the 1973 Ryder Cup. Overall,
Brewer was victorious in 10 tour
events during his career. He joined
the Senior PGA Tour and won twice
more. In 2006, Brewer was voted to
the University of Kentucky Athletics
Hall of Fame. Brewer died at his home
in Lexington in 2007.
•Jimmy Wynn – Born in Hamilton,
a graduate of Taft High in Cincinnati,
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 9
and in 2003 was inducted into the
Pigskin-Roundball Spectacular Gold
Medal Club. He died in 2008 at the
age of 78.
Jimmy Wynn was a 3-time all-star
outfielder (1967, 1974, 1975) during
a long career from 1963-77 with five
teams. He was the 1974 National
League Comeback Player of the Year
and his No. 24 jersey has been retired
by the Houston Astros. Dubbed the
“Toy Cannon” for his big power
in a small frame (5-9, 160), Wynn
was drafted as a shortstop by his
hometown Cincinnati Reds, but was
swiped from their organization in the
free agent draft by the Houston Colt
.45s in 1962.
•Thomas Howard – Born in
Middletown and a graduate of Valley
View High School in Germantown,
Howard played 11 MLB seasons as
an outfielder with six teams, including
the Cincinnati Reds from 1993-96.
Howard hit .264 with 44 home runs
and 264 RBI. The 11th pick in the first
round of the 1986 draft, Howard made
his Major League debut with the San
Diego Padres in 1990 at the age of 25.
He also played for the Indians, Astros,
Dodgers and Cardinals. On April 11,
2000 he hit the first grand slam at
Minute Maid Park in Houston.
•Alex “Boo” Ellis –
Led the
Hamilton Big Blue to a state
championship during the 1953-54
season, scoring 56 points in two games
in the state finals. He became the first
HHS player to surpass 1,000 points
in a career earlier in the playoffs and
ended the season with school season
marks for total points, scoring average
and most points by a Big Blue player
in a tournament game (29 twice). His
27 points in the championship game
was also a state mark. He went on to
have a stellar college career at Niagara
University and played two years for
the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBA.
•Shelby Linville – Born in 1929
in Dayton, Ky., Linville moved to
Shelby Linville in action for UK
against Purdue. (Photo courtesy of
bigbluehistory.net)
Middletown at the age of 15. He
quickly made his mark. At 6-foot5, Linville helped Middletown
High win two state championships
(1947, 1948) and was a key cog in
the University of Kentucky’s 1951
national championship season. In his
senior year of high school, Linville
set a team record with 39 points
against Dayton Fairview, a record
that stood until Jerry Lucas broke it
20 years later. Linville was All-State
as a junior and senior and Player of
the Year in 1948. At UK, Linville
averaged 10.4 points per game in his
junior season and was named secondteam All-SEC and Honorable Mention
AP All-American. But he is best
remembered by Kentucky fans for
his great performance in the NCAA
Tournament that year. In the national
semifinals against Illinois, Linville
made the game-winning basket with
17 seconds remaining. The Wildcats
went on to defeat Kansas State for the
national championship, the school’s
third. When his basketball career
ended, Linville taught and coached
basketball at several schools and
started numerous churches, including
one in Middletown. He is a member
of Middletown High School and
Butler County athletic halls of fame
•Eddie Merchant – Earning varsity
letters at Middletown High School
in football, baseball and track, Eddie
Merchant was a member of the 1950
Middies basketball team that won
the district championship and played
in the 1951 North-South All-Star
Football Game. He played four years
of football at Miami University where
he was a fine running back. After two
years for the Edmonton Eskimos in
the Canadian Football League, he
coached football at Cleveland East
Tech where he was twice selected
Cleveland’s Coach of the Year. He
also coached in the annual East-West
All-Star Game.
•Jim Lyttle – Born in Hamilton,
Jim Lyttle went on to attend Florida
State. He was a first round pick by
the Yankees in 1966. Lyttle’s Major
League Baseball career spanned
1971-1976 with four teams as an
outfielder.
•Pat Tabler – Born in Hamilton but
played at McNicholas High, Tabler
played 12 MLB seasons from 198192 as first baseman/outfielder/DH. He
was selected in first round of 1976
draft by the Yankees and was an AllStar in 1987 for Cleveland.
•Shawn Abner – Born in Hamilton
but played for Mechanicsburg High,
Abner was the first overall pick in the
1984 amateur draft by the Mets. He
played in 392 games in 6 seasons with
the Padres, Angels and White Sox.
•Kason Gabbard – Born in Oxford,
he had a 9-7 record in his first three
MLB seasons with the Red Sox and
Rangers. Drafted in 2000, his MLB
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 10
debut came in 2006. Gabbard played
high school baseball at Royal Palm
Beach High School in Royal Palm
Beach, Fla.
•Mary Bowermaster – In 1980,
one year after cancer surgery and at
the age of 63, she competed in her
first National Senior track and field
event. When she was 67, the Fairfield
resident held the Masters world record
for high jump at 3 feet, 8 inches, and
kept it for three years. After losing her
record, she came back at age 70 to top
her own record at 3 feet, 8 and onehalf inches. That record still stood
14 years later. When she was 70,
she also broke the National Masters
outdoor championship world record
in long jump: 11 feet, 5 and threefourths inches. In 1999 in Orlando
at the Nike’s World track and field
event, Bowermaster, at age 82, got
four world records in shot put, long
jump, high jump and 100 meters. Just
a few days earlier, she won all her
events in the National Seniors. She’s
been inducted into the Butler County
Sports Hall of Fame (1992), the Ohio
Women’s Sports Hall of Fame (1995),
the Masters Hall of Fame (1999) and
the Ohio Senior Citizen Hall of Fame,
62 years and up (2000).
in 1900. He
coached
at
the College
of
Wooster
(1902-09), Ohio
We s l e y a n
(1902-11) and
OSU (191219). St. John
served
on
LYNN St. JOHN the Olympic
basketball
committee and served as chairman of
the NCAA rules committee from 1912
to 1937. James Naismith served with
him on that committee. The basketball
arena at Ohio State University, where
he coached (1912-19) and became
Athletic Director in 1915, was named
in his honor. He was AD until 1947
and was elected to the Basketball Hall
of Fame in 1962 as a contributor.
guided USC to five Rose Bowls and
two national championships. Jones
was elected to the College Football
Hall of Fame in 1951.
•Tyrice Walker – After graduating
from Hamilton in 1990 with Ohio
Basketball Player of the Year honors
for that season, Walker played college
basketball as a three-year starter for
the Xavier Musketeers from 1990-94,
where he averaged 15 points, grabbed
six rebounds, and dished out three
assists per game. Walker also led
Xavier to four NCAA Tournament
appearances in each of his four years
as a Musketeer. Following college,
Walker went to Europe, playing
professional basketball for Poland.
Walker achieved numerous MVP
awards and team championships
during his seven years overseas. He
later coached high school basketball
•Ricky Stone – A Hamilton High at North College Hill and was
named Miami Hamilton head men’s
product, Stone was 26 when he broke
basketball coach in 2003.
into the big leagues on Sept. 21, 2001
with the Houston Astros. A fourth
round selection by the Dodgers in the •John Fraley – A Parade All1994 draft, through the 2007 season American basketball player following
he had compiled an 11-9 record and an a stellar career for Middletown High,
ERA of 4.68 in 220 appearances with he was selected first team All-Ohio
the Astros, Padres and Reds as a relief in both 1967 and 1968 and named
Ohio Player of the Year as a senior. At
pitcher. After signing in May 2008
6-foot-5, he was recruited by powers
•Lynn St. John – Born in with Taiwan’s Uni-President Lions Indiana and Kentucky but signed with
Pennsylvania in 1876, Lynn went to of the Chinese Professional Baseball the Cincinnati Bearcats. He averaged
Monroe Schools from 1892-1896. League, Stone was diagnosed with a 29 points as a high school junior and
He attended college at Ohio State malignant brain tumor.
30 points as a senior. Fraley twice
University, College of Wooster and
scored 50 or more points in a game
Starling (Ohio) Medical College. St. •Howard Jones – A native of and holds the Middie record with 40
John played halfback for Ohio State Excello (now part of Middletown), straight successful free throws. After
Jones played at Yale and finishing college at the University of
then began a long and Georgia, he coached track and cross
storied coaching career country during a long teaching career
between 1908-1940 at at Miamisburg High School. Fraley is
Syracuse, Yale, Ohio State, a member of the Butler County Sports
Iowa, Duke and Southern Hall of Fame.
California,
where
he
established the Trojans as a •Paul Walker – The Middletown
college football power. He basketball coaching legend holds the
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 11
state record for state championships
with five (1947, 1952, 1953, 1956, and
1957). His Middie teams made a total
of eight trips to the state tournament.
He compiled a 564-137 record in 30
years as Middletown coach, including
76 straight wins from 1955 to 1958.
His 41-year overall coaching record
was 693-163. Walker was named
national Coach of the Year by the
National High School Coaches
Association in 1973 and was named
to its Hall of Fame. Three times
Walker was named AP Ohio Coach of
the Year. Paul helped found the Ohio
High School Basketball Association
and served as its first president and
long-time secretary.
•Brian Barber – Born in 1973 in
Hamilton, Barber was 22 when he
broke into the Majors in 1995 with St.
Louis. A first round pick (22nd) in the
1991 draft he played two years with
the Cardinals (1995, 1996) and two
years with the Royals (1998, 1999).
He was 5-8 in 26 MLB games.
•Sam McConnell – Born in 1975
1966-67), Malone compiled the most
victories in Ohio high school football
history and 10th most all-time. His
record of 360-117-8 includes the 1990
Division III state championship and
runner-up finishes in both 1978 and
1980. Malone was a 1952 graduate
of Hamilton Catholic, and went on to
star in football at Xavier University
where he was All-Irish/All-Catholic
All-American in 1956. He holds XU’s
record for longest kickoff return of 98
yards vs. the University of Cincinnati
in 1956.
two seasons. He pitched two games
for the Pirates in 1896 and one game
for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in
1898. His career ERA was 9.75.
•Jeff Hartsock – Born in 1966 in
Fairfield, Hartsock was taken in the
7th round of the draft in 1988 after
playing at North Carolina State. He
was 25 when he broke into the Major
Leagues on Sept.12, 1992 with the
Chicago Cubs. However, Hartsock
had just two MLB at-bats with no hits
for his career.
•Frank Lickliter II – A touring golf •Tad Albert Jones – Another
professional since 1991, Middletownborn Lickliter has earned more than
$11.3 million on the PGA Tour since
his rookie year in 1996. He grew up
playing Shaker Run in Middletown
with his dad while living in Franklin.
He went on to play at Wright State.
His breakthrough season on the Tour
came in 1998 when he had five top10s and over $600,000 in earnings. He
has two PGA Tour wins to his credit,
the 2001 Kemper Open and the 2003
Chrysler Classic. Over his long career
he has entered 400 PGA events with
two firsts, four seconds, three thirds,
43 top-10s and 96 top-25 finishes.
in Middletown, McConnell played
at Ball State and was drafted in the
11th round in 1997. He was 28 when
he debuted in the Majors in 2004 with
the Atlanta Braves. He pitched in 10 •Dave Swartzbaugh – This future
games during the 2004 season, going Major Leaguer was born in 1968 in
Middletown. Swartzbaugh went to
1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 9.1 innings.
Miami and was drafted in the 9th
•Charlie DeArmond – Born in 1877 round by the Cubs in 1989. He was
in Okeana, DeArmond was 26 when 27 when he made his Big League
he broke into the big leagues on Sept. debut in 1995 with the Cubs. In three
19, 1903 with the Cincinnati Reds. He seasons with Chicago he went 0-3
hit .282 with 7 RBI but played just 11 in 15 appearances. He started seven
games in the big leagues, all in 1903. times and has a career ERA of 5.72.
He died in 1933 and is buried in the
Shandon Cemetery in Shandon.
•Elmer Horton – Horton was born
in 1869 in Hamilton. He was 27 when
•Terry Malone – During 45 years he broke into the Majors on Sept.
as a head coach (1957-2003) of 24, 1896 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Hamilton Catholic and Badin High Herky Jerky, as he was called, went
School (formed through a merger in 0-3 in three Major League starts over
product of Excello (Middletown)
along with brother Howard, Tad
starred at Middletown High and
quarterbacked Yale University. He
was named an All-American in 1907
and coached between 1909-1927 at
Syracuse and Yale. He was elected to
the College Football Hall of Fame in
1958.
•Kathy (Gordon) Lindsey –
Beginning her coaching career at
Talawanda High, from 1978 through
1983 her tennis teams went 44-4 with
four consecutive league titles. But it
was basketball she loved. She won one
MML title at THS and then went on
to become the first full-time women’s
assistant basketball coach in Purdue
history (1984-85). She was on the
staff at Ohio State for 5 years (where
she once played from 1975-1978, cocaptain her sr. year) and in 1990 was
named head women’s basketball coach
at the University of Illinois. She was
50-87 over 5 years and then returned
to the prep ranks where she has a 219155 career record. She was named
the head coach for the new program
at Hilliard Bradley High School for
the 2009-2010 season. Lindsey was
inducted into the Talawanda Athletic
Hall of Fame in 2002.
Butler County Sports Heroes
Page 12
Middletown’s Jerry
Lucas, left, led Ohio
State to the national
title in 1960. (Photo
Courtesy of the Ohio
Historical Society)
At right, the 1928
Darrtown team
featured Walter
“Smokey” Alston
(back row, second
from left) and won
the county baseball
championship.
Courtesy of Darrtown.com
Lakota grad Troy Evans,
right, tries to make a tackle
while playing for the Houston
Texans. (Photo courtesy of the
Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis, the first
baseball commissioner, was born in Millville.
Hamilton JournalNews)
(Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress)
Former Middie great Cris Carter speaks at the
funeral of Todd Bell in 2005. Bell was an NFL
Pro-Bowler, also from Middletown. (Photo courtesy
of The Middletown Journal)
A postcard from around 1938 depicts a baseball game
under the lights at the American Rolling Mill Company’s
(Armco) ball park, located behind the company’s
general office and research buildings in Middletown.
(Courtesy of The Ohio Historical Society)