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Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame
Announces Class of 2009 Inductees
STAMFORD, CT - The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame celebrates its 5th anniversary today with the announcement of its new class of inductees, naming six prominent sports figures into its three wings. The Hall of Fame, which is overseen by the Fairfield County Sports Commission, Inc., will honor the newly elected Hall of Famers with an induction ceremony at the Commission's 5th Annual Sports Night awards dinner, Monday, Oct. 19 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich. With the six new inductees, the Hall of Fame has now recognized 33 county sports legends.
Two Hall of Famers were selected in each of the three HOF Wings: Jackie Robinson Professional, James O'Rourke Amateur and J. Walter Kennedy Community Service. In the professional category, the new inductees are JENNIFER RIZZOTTI (New Fairfield) and CHARLES SMITH (Bridgeport). The amateur wing selections are PETE DEMMERLE (New Canaan) and DICK SIDEROWF (Westport). Community service winners are JOE BENANTO (Shelton) and TERRY LOWE--pictured above at left--(Greenwich).
Rizzotti's college basketball career at the University of Connecticut thrust her into the national spotlight, and the fiery point guard continued her winning ways in a professional career that spanned eight seasons. She spent the first three in the same arena in Hartford where she led the 1995 Huskies to an undefeated 35-0 national championship season, playing for the New England Blizzard of the ABL, where she was a two-time all-star. The New Fairfield High graduate then played five years in the WNBA, her first two in Houston where she won WNBA championships both seasons with the Comets in 1999 and 2000. Her final three pro years were with Cleveland. Rizzotti, who was a two-time All-American and the national player of the year in 1995-96, is now heading into her 11th season as the very successful women's basketball coach at the University of Hartford. She was elected to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.
Smith played in
the NBA for 10 seasons. The 6-10 Harding High alum was the third overall draft pick in the 1988 NBA Draft by Philadelphia, which immediately traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers. Smith spent five seasons in LA (1988-1992) before being dealt to the New York Knicks. He played in NY from 1992-1996 and ended his career in San Antonio in 1997 with a 14.4 scoring average. As a collegian, Smith is the University of Pittsburgh's all-time leading scorer and a two-time All-American and won the Big East Player of Year in 1987-88. He was also a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team, which won the bronze medal. Since 2008, Smith has been the executive director of the National Basketball Retired Players Association.
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Joe Benanto, left, and the family of the late Pete Demmerle, his daughter Tessa and brother Mark, at the Hall of Fame announcement last week. |
The late Pete Demmerle was one of the county's greatest football players. As a wide receiver at New Canaan High, he was one of the key components in a Ram offense and passing game that was one of the highest scoring and most successful in state history and produced both FCIAC and state titles in 1969. Demmerle was a two-time all-state and all-FCIAC selection (1969 & 70). In his senior season he caught 102 passes for 1,419 yards and 15 touchdowns, including an 18-reception, 316-yard game. For his career, he caught 165 passes for 2,550 yards and 28 TDs, all still standing school records. Demmerle then continued a family tradition started by his uncle and father and attended the University of Notre Dame, where he was both an All-American and Academic All-American and starting receiver on the Irish' 1973 national championship team. In 1999 he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease and passed away in May 2007.
Siderowf's amateur golf career was not only storied in the county, state and region, but across the world as well. Playing out of Westport's Birchwood Club, he was twice the British Open amateur champ (1973 & 76), played on four Walker Cup teams (69, 73, 75, 77) and was captain of the 1979 team, all of which were victorious. Siderowf amazingly won major amateur tournaments over a 40-year span from 1955-1996. After winning the state junior title as a 16-year-old in 1954, Siderowf then started his long succession of tournament victories by capturing the 1955 state amateur. He then played golf at Duke University, where he was named to Duke's Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. In 1958 at Brooklawn in Fairfield, he became the youngest winner of the Connecticut State Open at 20 years old. He went on to win five Connecticut State Amateurs (55, 60, 65, 84, 85). Other notable accomplishments include playing in eight Masters and four U.S. Opens, where he was the low amateur at the 1968 event at Oak Hill in Rochester and being elected to the CT Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Benanto was both a very successful high school and college coach in a career that saw him coach three different sports and total 694 victories. At Shelton High, his baseball teams from 1964-78 went 214-85 with eight Housatonic League and four CIAC state championships, including three in a row (1972-1974). He coached the Gaels' boys' basketball squad for eight years and posted a 106-66 record with a Housatonic League title and an undefeated regular season. In football, he led Shelton to an 85-24 record in 10 years with five league and three state titles. When he moved up to the college ranks, he spent 10 seasons as the Yale freshmen football coach and had a 41-24 mark. He also was the head baseball coach for the Bulldogs from 1979-1991 and posted 248 victories in that time. In 2006, Benanto was inducted into the Connecticut High School State Coaches Hall of Fame.
Lowe's swimming and water polo programs at Greenwich High are the model of consistency and success. Their dominance throughout the county and state is unparalleled. In the FCIAC, the boys swim team has won 38 of the last 39 titles, including a 36-year streak that was finally ended in 2007. In state competition the Cardinals have won 17 straight Class LL state titles, and a total of 30 state open titles in the 38-year history of the event. Under Lowe's tutelage the last 35 years, the Greenwich water polo program has produced 656 wins and a .818 winning percentage and 14 championship teams. Lowe's incredible success was recognized nationally when he was named the National High School Water Polo Coach of the Year in 1983. In 1993, he was inducted into the Connecticut High School State Coaches Hall of Fame and in 2002 to the FCIAC Hall of Fame.
The list of previously enshrined FCSHOF inductees follows:
JACKIE ROBINSON PROFESSIONAL WING
2005-Julius Boros (Fairfield), Kristine Lilly (Wilton), Calvin Murphy (Norwalk), Steve Young (Greenwich)
2006-Bobby Valentine (Stamford), Mo Vaughn (Norwalk)
2007-Mike Gminski (Monroe), Charles Nagy (Fairfield)
2008-Chris Drury (Trumbull), Tim Teufel (Greenwich)
JAMES O'ROURKE AMATEUR WING
2005-Dorothy Hamill (Riverside), Bruce Jenner (Newtown), Bill Toomey (New Canaan)
2006-Joan Joyce (Stratford), Walter Luckett (Bridgeport)
2007-Jerry Courville, Sr. (Norwalk), Donna Lopiano (Stamford)
2008-Gary Liberatore (New Canaan), Lou Saccone (Bridgeport)
J. WALTER KENNEDY COMMUNITY SERVICE
2005-Dave Bike (Bridgeport), Jerry McDougall (Trumbull)
2006- Ray Barry (Norwalk), Frank Vieira (Bridgeport)
2007-Nick Koules (Stamford), Bruce Webster (Bridgeport)
2008-Ralph King (Norwalk), Tom Penders (Stratford)
The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame is housed at the University of Connecticut Stamford Campus in downtown Stamford. The Hall of Fame is open 6 days a week from 9 am-5 pm
Fairfield County Sports Hall OF Fame Announces Class of 2008 Inductees
Release Date - June 24, 2008
STAMFORD, CT - The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame announced its fourth class of inductees today, naming six prominent sports figures into its three wings. The Hall of Fame, which is overseen by the Fairfield County Sports Commission, Inc., will recognize the newly elected Hall of Famers with an induction ceremony at the Commission's 4th Annual SportsNight awards dinner, Monday, Oct. 20 at the Greenwich Hyatt. With the six new inductees, the Hall of Fame has now honored 27 county sports legends.
Two Hall of Famers were selected in each of the three HOF Wings: Jackie Robinson Professional, James O'Rourke Amateur and J. Walter Kennedy Community Service. In the professional category, the new inductees are CHRIS DRURY (Trumbull) and TIM TEUFEL (Greenwich). The amateur wing selections are GARY LIBERATORE (New Canaan) and LOU SACCONE (Bridgeport). Community service winners are RALPH KING (Norwalk) and TOM PENDERS (Stratford).
Drury becomes the first hockey player to be inducted into the county Hall of Fame. His outstanding athletic achievements started as a youngster when he led Trumbull to the Little League World Series title in 1989. He then was named college hockey's most outstanding player in winning the Hobey Baker Award after a stellar career at Boston University. He is heading into his 10th season in the NHL, currently with the New York Rangers. Drury won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year in 1999 with the Colorado Avalanche, and then won a Stanley Cup two years later with the Avs. The Fairfield Prep graduate also played for Team USA in the Olympics in 2002 & 2006. Drury has 218 career goals and his reputation as a clutch post-season performer is born out by his 46 playoff goals, including 16 game-winners.
Teufel, a graduate of St. Mary's High School in Greenwich, played 11 seasons in the major leagues. His defining pro career highlight was as a member of the 1986 World Champion New York Mets. Teufel, who played six years with the Mets, platooned with Wally Backman at second base and batted .444 with a home run in the memorable 7-game series against the Boston Red Sox. He began his major league career in 1983 with the Minnesota Twins, who selected him as the 38th overall pick in the 1980 amateur entry draft after an All-American collegiate career at Clemson. Teufel concluded his 11 years in the big leagues with a .254 lifetime average with the San Diego Padres in 1993.
Liberatore's basketball scoring prowess is still legendary throughout New England. The lefty-sharp shooter, who played at the University of New Haven, still holds the NE scoring record for all college divisions with 3,176 points. He had a career-high 55 points versus NY Tech in 1966. Liberatore was also a center fielder on the UNH baseball squad, playing for FCSHOF inductee Frank "Porky" Vieira. From 1959-62, Liberatore was a four-sport letterman at New Canaan High playing baseball, basketball, football and running cross country. He is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, UNH and New Canaan Hall of Fames.
Saccone is called by many area sports observers the "greatest overall athlete" to come out of Bridgeport. In the mid 1940's he earned a school record 14 letters in four sports at Central High (football, basketball, baseball, track). At Central, there were some days when Saccone would run track in his baseball uniform as the two sports were scheduled on the same day. At the University of Bridgeport he was the school's only 5-sport letter winner (also playing golf at UB). Saccone also coached baseball at UB, was the freshman basketball coach at Fairfield University (1957-65) and was head football coach at Notre Dame High for nine seasons, winning the state title in 1964. He was elected to the Notre Dame High Hall of Fame in 1985.
King won over 700 games in coaching basketball and soccer at Brien McMahon in Norwalk. He started the soccer program at McMahon in 1961 and retired in 1994 with nine FCIAC titles and two state championships. He was the boys' basketball coach at the Norwalk school from 1964-87 where he had 23 consecutive winning seasons and a total of 396 victories. McMahon captured 5 FCIAC crowns and a pair of state championships under King, who was also the athletic director at McMahon for 27 years. King is a member of the Connecticut High School Coaches Hall of Fame (1989), the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame (2006) and is an active administrator for the FCIAC.
Penders is one of just 28 Division I coaches to reach the 600-victory plateau. In 34 years as a college coach, Penders, who is entering his fifth year as head coach at the University of Houston, has 608 wins. Penders has made a name for himself in reviving college programs including Columbia, Fordham, Rhode Island and the University of Texas, where he won 208 games in 10 seasons and led the Longhorns to eight NCAA tourney appearances. The Stratford High alum started his basketball coaching career as a high school coach in Bridgeport for three years, and landed his first college job at Tufts in 1971. He was elected to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Penders also played minor league baseball for one season, was a 5-time national champion fast pitch softball player with the Raybestos Cardinals and is the only player to captain both the UConn baseball and basketball teams in the same season.
2007 Hall of Famers Officially Inducted
Release Date - Feb 13, 2008
STAMFORD, CT - The Class of 2007 was officially inducted into the Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame with a plaque hanging ceremony on Feb. 13 at UConn Stamford, the home of the Hall of Fame. The newly elected Hall of Famers were previously honored at the Fairfield County Sports Commission's 3rd annual SportsNight awards dinner on Oct. 22. With the six new inductees, the HOF has now recognized 21 county sports greats.
Three of the six new inductees attended the plaque hanging ceremony: Nick Koules, Donna Lopiano and Ron Courville, the brother of the late Jerry Courville, Sr.
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from left, Ron Courville, brother of late Hall of Famer Jerry Courville, Nick Koules and Donna Lopiano were at the plaque hanging ceremony. |
Two Hall of Famers were selected in each of the three HOF Wings: Jackie Robinson Professional, James O'Rourke Amateur and J. Walter Kennedy Community Service. In the professional category, the new inductees are Mike Gminski (Monroe) and Charlie Nagy (Fairfield). The amateur wing selections are Jerry Courville Sr. (Norwalk) and Donna Lopiano (Stamford). Community service winners are Nick Koules (Stamford) and Bruce Webster (Bridgeport).
"Our third class of inductees is an outstanding representation of the county's long tradition of excellence and achievement in the sports world, both on and off the field of play," said Fairfield County Sports Commission Executive Director Tom Chiappetta. "They come from a variety of our communities and cover a wide range of sports at all levels. Their accomplishments are all deserving of Hall of Fame status."
Nagy, who attended Roger Ludlowe High in Fairfield and pitched at the University of Connecticut, was a standout Major League baseball pitcher for 14 years, primarily with the Cleveland Indians. He won 129 games, was a three-time all-star, and pitched in two World Series in 1995 and 1997. Gminski, a 6-foot-11 center who spent 14 years playing in the NBA, attended Duke University and led the Blue Devils to the Final Four in 1978. He was the first draft pick of the New Jersey Nets in 1980 and played seven seasons with the Nets, also later playing for Philadelphia, Charlotte and Milwaukee before retiring after the 1994 season.
In the amateur wing, Lopiano has a storied career on and off the field as a former great softball player with the Raybestos Brakettes and now the chief executive officer of the Women's Sports Foundation. She was part of 26 national championships in four different sports: softball, basketball, volleyball and field hockey. She was a nine-time softball All-American at four different positions for the Brakettes, including a dominating pitcher, and is a member of the National Softball Hall of Fame. She is also a member of the National Sports Hall of Fame and the Texas Women's Hall of Fame after spending 17 years as the University of Texas women's athletic director.
Courville attended Norwalk High and from the mid 1950's to the mid 1980's Courville was the area's premier amateur golfer. Playing out of the Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk, he was the Connecticut State Open champion in 1965 and was the Connecticut State Amateur winner in 1968 and finished second four times. Many of his greatest achievements were on the highly-competitive NY Metropolitan Golf Association circuit. Courville will be honored posthumously.
Koules is a legendary figure around the baseball diamonds and basketball courts of the county as a longtime baseball umpire and basketball official, and is still going strong today at 90 years old. He also refereed soccer and once umpired 10 softball games in one day. Webster, who now lives in Monroe, was the very successful men's basketball coach at the University of Bridgeport with 549 victories, including ten (10) 20-win seasons. He coached back-to-back teams to the Division II NCAA national title game in 1991 and 1992. In 34 years at UB, Webster brought the Purple Knights to 15 post-season tournaments. He was elected to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.
2006 Hall of Fame Inductees
Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame Inducts Six New Members
Release Date - January 2007
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From left, Class of 2006 inductees Walt Luckett, Ray Barry, Bobby Valentine and Frank Vieira |
STAMFORD, CT - The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame announced its second class of inductees in June. The Hall of Fame, which is overseen by the Fairfield County Sports Commission, Inc., inducted nine original members in 2005, and added six more prominent sports figures into its three wings. The official induction ceremonies for the newly elected Hall of Famers took place at the Commission's 2nd Annual SportsNight awards dinner, Monday, Oct. 23 at the Westin Stamford.
Two Hall of Famers were selected in each of the three HOF Wings: Jackie Robinson Professional, James O'Rourke Amateur and J. Walter Kennedy Community Service. In the professional category, two of the county's greatest baseball talents were named in Bobby Valentine (Stamford) and Mo Vaughn (Norwalk). The amateur wing selections are Joan Joyce (Stratford) and Walter Luckett (Bridgeport). Community service winners are Ray Barry (Norwalk) and Frank "Porky" Vieira (Bridgeport).
"Our six newest Hall of Famers represent world class talent on the field and also on the coaching lines," said Fairfield County Sports Commission Executive Director Tom Chiappetta. "Whether it is a performance on their respective national stages or here in our own backyard, their contribution to their sports and to our area is immeasurable."
Valentine and Vaughn join Julius Boros, Kristine Lilly, Calvin Murphy and Steve Young in the Jackie Robinson Professional Wing. Valentine was a 10-year major leaguer, who gained more prominence as a manager in leading the 2000 New York Mets to the World Series, and also piloting the Chiba Lotte Marines to both the Japan World Series championship and the Asian title last year. Vaughn, a left-handed, power-hitting first baseman, is a former American League MVP in 1995 with the Boston Red Sox, who played 12 years in the majors, including his final two with the Mets.
In many circles, Joyce is considered the greatest fast pitch softball pitcher ever. She was a mainstay of the Stratford-based Raybestos Brakettes for 19 seasons, 11 of those culminating in a national championship. A member of the National Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame, she was also a multi-sport athlete competing on the LPGA tour for 19 years, in AAU women's basketball and national level volleyball. The Waterbury native is currently the softball and women's golf coach at Florida Atlantic University. Luckett is one of the state's greatest scholastic basketball players, scoring 2,691 points as a sharp-shooting lefty at Kolbe-Cathedral High in Bridgeport. He then moved on to a standout career at Ohio University (1973-75) where he averaged over 20 points all three seasons to earn membership in the Ohio U. Athletic Hall of Fame (1986).
Joyce and Luckett join Dorothy Hamill, Bruce Jenner and Bill Toomey in the James O'Rourke Amateur Wing.
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from left, Community Service Wing inductees Ray Barry and Frank Vieira greet 2005 winner Jerry McDougall (middle) |
Barry coached three different Norwalk High School programs to high levels of success. As the boys and girls basketball coach and girls' softball coach, Barry won 19 FCIAC titles, 4 state championships and a total of nearly 900 victories in his 31-year coaching career. Vieira is one of the all-time great Division II baseball coaches with 1,128 wins and a .777 winning percentage, tops in Division II history, and 17 trips to the World Series. He recently retired after 44 years at the University of New Haven. The Bridgeport native was also a longtime baseball and basketball official, and had a stellar amateur basketball career as one the state's greatest scholastic scorers and still the holder of the all-time scoring record at Quinnipiac University.
These two prolific coaches enter the J. Walter Kennedy Community Service Wing, which saw two county coaching legends inducted last year in Dave Bike and Jerry McDougall.
The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame is housed at the University of Connecticut Stamford Campus in downtown Stamford. The Hall of Fame is open 6 days a week from 9 am-5 pm.
The Fairfield County Sports Commission, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit that is the one-stop resource for the sports community in the county. The Commission, other than the executive director position, is an all-volunteer group whose mission is to improve the quality of life in Fairfield County by promoting a healthy, active lifestyle. The main focus of the Commission is creating and supporting programs for fitness awareness education, primarily centered on the 110,000 school age children in the 15 communities its serves.