Wally Bell speaker for Mercer fete

One of the featured speakers has been announced for the 59th Mercer County Hall of Fame Banquet, set for Jan. 21 at The Radisson in Shenango Township.
Wally Bell, an American League umpire from Austintown, will join a few other notable sports personalities at the podium when the association inducts 11 former sports great into the prestigious hall. A crowd of close to 500 will attend the function, the largest each year in the Mercer County area. Four television sets will be available for the overflow crowd. They will be placed adjacent to the banquet room in the foyer hallway of the Radisson,
Lanny Frattare, radio and television voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates, will be the master of ceremonies.
Bell is a well-known figure in the Youngstown area as well as the world of baseball. I first met Wally when he was a speaker at the Curbstone Coaches a few years back. In fact, he is a regular at Curbstone as the group loves him. He is a distinguished personality and he tells it like it is. Many of his talks are centered on the major leagues and the ups and downs he has encountered during his umpiring career. He is interesting, well-versed and worth hearing.
Blaney lauded
Auto racing was and still is one of the greatest sports around.
Years ago, one of my favorite drivers was Hartford's Lou Blaney. Lou's been around for quite a while now and he will always be a winner in this corner. On Dec. 18, Lou's sons, Dave and Dale, paid tribute to their father at a get-together at Yankee Lake. It was a night of reminiscing and appreciation for the driver who not only has been a winner down through the years, but for a man who has done so much for the sport of auto racing.
In Hartford, Lou's the toast of the town as many of his triumphs have been recorded at Sharon Speedway, a stone's throw down the road from the community.
Hats off to Dave and Dale. It was great gesture on their part in organizing and arranging the Lou Blaney Night. He is a tremendous driver and highly worthy of the honor. He's a great father, too, but the boys already knew that.
Becky's big week
The 2005 holiday season turned out to be extra special for Westminster College sophomore swimmer Becky Giles.
Giles, who hails from Westmont High in Johnstown, Pa., turned in a super performance recently by placing first in five events. For her tremendous effort, she was named the Division III Women's Swimmer of the Week, by the Eastern College Athletic Conference. One day earlier, she laid claim to the same honors from the Presidents' Athletic Conference.
In that meet (against Slippery Rock and Bethany), she placed first in the 200 breaststroke (2:35.19), and 400 IM (4:46.94). Against Bethany she took firsts in the 200 freestyle relay (1:44.91), the 100 backstroke (1:03.63) and the 200 freestyle (2:04.96).
All-America
Westminster College closed out the football season with a 4-6 standard. It wasn't an outstanding record but it's not all that shabby either.
One of the bright spots in coach Jeff Hand's attack this season was senior nose tackle, Ryan Chmura, a Mohawk High graduate. He was selected to the 2005 Division III All-America second team by D3Football.com -- one of many honors he earned this season.
He previously was selected by the website as an All-South Region first team honoree. He becomes the first Titan football player to earn All-America second team recognition since tight end Joe Blasko was an NAIA second team All-American following the 1997 season.
Chmura posted 83 total tackles (27 solo) while also ranking among the PAC leaders in tackles for losses (15) and quarterback sacks (five).
The award marks the second consecutive year Westminster has placed a defensive lineman on a D3Football.com All-America team. Senior Tony Ventresco (Boardman High) was named a third-team All-American by the website following the 2004 season.