EAST HIGH HALL OF FAME Inductees

The East High Hall of Fame will induct its Class of 2001 April 28 at Mr. Anthony's. Here is a list of the persons selected for induction, and their accomplishments:
Mike Butch (class of '51)
Inducted for football, he led East to the City Series title in 1950. Butch continued his education at Heidelberg College playing fullback and linebacker for Coach Joe Malmisur. He served two years in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and later became a Youngstown City firefighter. He has won many bowling and handball awards and continues to play tennis, golf and racquetball.
Kareem I. Ash (class of '91)
Selected for basketball, Ash also a championship volleyball player at East. Coached by Christine Maga and Dennis Malaska, she was named to the All-City basketball and volleyball teams in both her junior and senior years, serving as captain for both teams. She also was named all-state honorable mention her senior year. She led the city in scoring in 1991, averaging 14.1 points per game. She received bachelor's and master's degrees from Bowling Green State University. She works as a clinical supervisor and psychotherapist at Associates in Counseling and Child Guidance in Sharon, Pa.
Robert Savich (class of '46)
Honored for football, Savich was a halfback for City Series championship teams in 1943 and 1944. He was a three-year letterman in football and baseball and was picked for the all-county team in 1945. He was captain of the 1945 football team and played in the first Youngstown North-South all-star game. He also lettered two years in basketball and played baseball on the 1945 city championship team that had a 15-1 record. Savich played summer baseball for the Brown's Drug team that won the NABF.
William L. Canacci (class of '62)
Canacci played offensive tackle and linebacker and was an All-City and All-Steel Valley pick. He continued to play football in college at the New Mexico Military Institute and the University of New Mexico, where he was an offensive guard and linebacker. He earned a BS in English and Secondary Education and a Master's Degree in English and Secondary Administration.
Dennis Lewis (class of '60)
Inducted for football, Lewis was a three-year starting tackle, both offensively and defensively, and a three-year letterman who played on the 1958 and 1959 city championship teams. He also played basketball and during the summers, pitching for Al Beck Realtors and the Brown Drug Class B teams. Lewis played football with the Army team while pursuing his education at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He also threw the hammer for the track team. After graduating with a bachelor of science degree from West Point, he served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger, attaining the rank of Captain; and was awarded the Bronze Star.
Joseph "Van" Venglaric (class of '40)
Honored for football, Venglaric was an offensive and defensive guard and three-year letterman on the 1939 and 1940 city championship teams. An Army veteran, he played semi-pro football with the Youngstown Bombers.
Robert A. Sikora (class of '55)
Honored for basketball, he was a member of the 1954 City Series championship team. His aggressive playing style caused him to gain the "distinctive honor" of being the only player to foul out five successive games. He was nicknamed "Five-Foul Sikora." He served in the U.S. Army from 1956-58, where he played football, baseball and basketball.
Ted "Greek" Lolakis (class of '63)
Inducted for basketball, Lolakis was an All-City pick for basketball and football, and was team captain of both teams. A standout in the classroom as well as on the playing field, he also was president of the National Honor Society, and during his senior year was voted "Most Likely to Succeed." He was awarded a full academic scholarship to Cornell University where he also played football. A teacher at Cardinal Mooney, he coached freshman basketball and was the offensive coordinator for 10 seasons.
Lateefah Shakoor Hayes (class of '86)
Honored for track, she began running in junior high where she was the MVP. While competing at the varsity level in 1982-83, her mile relay team ran in the state final with a time of 4:07.2. She also broke the school record in the 100-meter hurdles that same year. In 1984, she ran a 14.7 in the 100 hurdles at the state meet, and her mile relay broke the city record with a time of 4:18. In 1986, Hayes was co-MVP for the city track champions. She also played volleyball and was a cheerleader.
Lou Rivello (class of '52)
Inducted for basketball, he was a two-year letterman and a member of the 1952 city championship team. Rivello later played guard at Western Reserve University. He taught for 29 years. His boys basketball team won the City Series in 1968.
James A. Gentile (class of '36)
Honored for football, Gentile was an All-City end in 1935 and was co-captain in football and basketball. He scored the winning touchdown in the Rayen game. His senior year, Gentile was selected to play in an exhibition basketball game against the Waterloo Wonders. He played professional football in 1946-47.
Carl Demidovich Jr. (class of '52)
Inducted for golf, Demidovich began playing at age 13 and was a caddie at the Youngstown Country Club. He won the Golf Caddie Tournament there in 1951. In 1952, he helped East to the City Series, district, regional and state championships. At Youngstown College, he shot a 72 at Aurora Country Club and a 68 at Mahoning C.C.
Chuck Brown (class of '57)
Honored for football, Brown was a three-year letterman in football, basketball and baseball. He played both offense and defense and was considered a defensive standout. He had the unique experience of playing on the 1954 team that didn't win a game and then played on the 1955 team that went undefeated and won the city championship. He also played at Youngstown State and served in the U.S. Army.
Joseph J. Kapturasky (class of '52)
Inducted for football, Kapturasky was a multi-talented athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball. He played baseball for area teams for 10 years following graduation. Until his death in 1999, he enjoyed bowling, and played in several bocce leagues where he won many championships. He also enjoyed fishing.
Donald P. Claypoole (class of '57)
Honored for football, Claypoole was a tackle on the 1955 city championship team. He enlisted in the Marine Corps and served for 18 years, including two tours of Vietnam as Gunnery Sergeant, where he was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal with 4 Stars, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Vietnam Service Medal with 5 Stars.
Ben DeRienzo (class of '49)
Honored for baseball, DeRienzo played for Brown's Drugs in the Midget "A" League. He also played American League and Class B ball. He was an outfielder at East from 1946-48. He also was a guard on the football team and later played fast-pitch softball. He coached Little League and Pony League baseball for a number of years.
Daniel "Buzz" Smith (class of '68)
Honored for basketball, Smith was a member of the 1968 City Series championship team and coached by fellow honoree Lou Rivello. He averaged 23 points per game and was named first team all-city and honorable mention All-NEO. He and teammate Merv Teague were also on the first All-Black City Series all-star team. After high school, he was a member of the Harlem All-Stars, a subdivision of the Harlem Globetrotters, for two years; and also was a member of the 1977 S.E.C. Industrial League Champion, Stockham Valves and Fitting Team.
Fred J. Quatro (class of '54)
Inducted for football, Quatro was an offensive end in high school and later played for the 86th Infantry Regiment Crusaders who won the Central League Championship. He played freshman football at Michigan, then returned to Youngstown State where he lettered three years. He also played summer league baseball and was an avid handball player.
Richard "Doc" Slaina (class of '53)
Inducted for football, Slaina played quarterback on teams that shared city championships as a sophomore and junior. In 1952, as the starting quarterback, Slaina led the team to a 6-3 record and a share in the City Series championship for the fifth straight year. He had a number of outstanding games that year, including one against Chaney when he completed 12 of 23 passes for 208 yards, and ran for two extra points in a 41-16 win. He also played basketball at East.
Frank Yankle (class of '49)
Yankle played third base for the 1949 team that went all the way to the regional tournament, only to lose 1-0 in the final game. Yankle spent two years at Ohio State where he played freshman baseball, then joined the Air Force in 1951. He also played "AA" baseball for several years before and after his stint in the Air Force.
SPECIAL AWARDS
Joey Bishop (class of '41)
Honored for his extended involvement with boxing, Bishop began his involvement with sports in 1939 at the Dick Mettee Gym on Market Street. After graduating from East, he began training boxers. In 55 years, he won 250 amateur bouts, 38 senior bouts and has refereed 3,500 bouts. His record of 288 wins and 0 losses remained intact at age 72, when he hung up the gloves after stopping Canadian welterweight champion, Boysie Phillips, a man nearly 30 years his junior, in the fifth round, on cuts, to win the Indianapolis Senior Boxing Welterweight Championship belt. Serving in the Army for five years, Bishop was in the Special Services Boxing Unit when he won the Pan American lightweight belt in 1943 and the Pan Am welterweight title in 1944. He refereed one of "Boom Boom" Mancini's televised title fights, and has served for over fifteen years on the Ohio Boxing Commission.
Fred P. Vicarel
Vicarel has contributed to area sports most of his life. After attending East High School, he served with the Marine Corps during World War II. Since then, Vicarel has umpired baseball and softball for 11 years, officiated high school basketball for 12 years, and officiated high school football for 40 years and has officiated the Ohio football playoffs each year since its inception. He's also officiated the high school all-star game three times. He was the director of the Youngstown Boxing and Wrestling Commission for eight years. Since 1983, he has served as secretary of officials of the Northeast District of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. He also has been a voting member of the Official's Advisory Committee of the OHSAA for 18 years. In 1989, he was inducted into the Ohio High School Official's Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995. He also received the National Federation Outstanding Service Award.
Harry Meshel (featured speaker)
After graduating from East High School with honors, Meshel attended Youngstown College School of Business where he received his bachelor of science degree, also with honors. Meshel then attended Columbia University where he received his master of science Degree. He is a veteran of the United States Navy, serving from 1943 to 1946. Elected to the Ohio Senate, he was a senator from 1971-93. He served as majority and minority leader. He is a past chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, serving from 1993-95.