Saturday, April 29, 2006
The East High School Hall of Fame will induct 19 new members at ceremonies Sunday at Mr. Anthony's. Here are biographies of the inductees:
Rick Adams (basketball): A 1985 graduate, Adams was named All-City as a senior, consistently scoring in double figures while playing for coach Claude Bentley. He started in the Schoolboy Classic and also played football and ran track.
Daniel Ash (football): A 1988 graduate, Ash was a three-year starter and end and defensive back. He was named Scholastic Athlete of the Year in 1987 and was All-City in 1988. Later played four years at Oberlin College where was captain and team MVP as a senior.
Dominic Bevilacqua (bowling): A 1947 graduate, he lettered three years on teams that won the city championship in 1946 and were runners-up in 1945 and 1947. He was team captain as a senior and recorded the highest average in the city. He has four 300 games and over 100 700-sets.
Phil Clacko (baseball): A 1967 graduate, Clacko was a three-year starter at catcher. Known for his strong arm, he played for many sandlot teams and later played at Evangel University.
Larry Copeland (football): A 1981 graduate, Copeland lettered three years at quarterback and was named All-City twice. He was also named All-NEO as a senior, averaged 20 points per game on the basketball team and lettered in baseball. He later attended Tulane University before transferring to Central State, where he and brother Tony were on the national championship football team in 1985.
Kenneth William Curry (football): A 1960 graduate, Curry was an outstanding offensive lineman. The 1958-59 teams lost only two games.
Daniel David Harris (track): A 1974 graduate, Harris was an outstanding sprinter. He was named All-City as a junior and senior and MVP in the city meet as a senior, where he set a record (9.6 seconds) in the 100-yard dash. He also anchored the state meet-qualifying 880 relay. Harris also played football at East, and later attended Garden City (Kan.) College.
Kimberly Hight (Special Award): A 1989 graduate, Hight was an all-around athlete. She competed in the shot put and discus, was a three-year starter and All-City selection in volleyball, and a starter on the basketball team.
Ron Hill (football): A 1973 graduate, Hill was chosen All-City as a running back as a junior and senior. He also played basketball and ran track, qualifying for the state meet twice on the 880 relay.
LeRoy Jackson (football): A 1952 graduate, Jackson was a starting guard on the 1951 squad. For his efforts he was named All-City second team.
John Jemison (football): A 1967 graduate, Jemison lettered in both football and track. As a junior, he led the team in carries, rushing yards and all-purpose yards. He suffered an injury which curtailed his senior season. Jemison was also an outstanding sprinter.
James Kates (football): A 1965 graduate, Kates was an All-City running back as a senior for coach Ed DiGregorio. He was also an outstanding sprinter on the track team. He played football at Arizona State.
Jack LaPresta (football): A 1960 graduate, LaPresta was a center-linebacker for the Golden Bears, earning All-City second team honors as a senior. He was also a team captain. LaPresta also played baseball (pitcher) and later attended Youngstown State, playing football.
Pat LaRocca (Special Award): A 1967 graduate, LaRocca was a three-year member of the golf team at East. After graduation from Youngstown State, he was general manager of Youngstown Country Club and later Oakmont Country Club, near Pittsburgh, which hosted two U.S. Men's Opens and one Women's Open. He was later COO and general manager at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Columbus and is presently general manager at Inverness Golf Club in Toledo.
Jim Stickel (coaching): Coached 11 seasons of basketball, two of track and four of baseball at East. His basketball teams won the city title in 1989, four sectional titles and was district runner-up in 1994. He is one of only three coaches to win city championships at two schools. His track team won the city title in 1997 and that same year he had a relay that finished second in the state.
Bob Stoops (Special Award): A 1957 graduate, Stoops coached football at several schools, including Canton Central Catholic, Ursuline, Wilson and Fitch, all as an assistant, before becoming head coach at South. In six seasons, South won three city championships. He served as assistant coach at Mooney for two years. Stoops, who coached at Youngstown State in 1974-75, rejoined the Penguins, assisting Jim Tressel and Jon Heacock before retiring.
Albert Toth (baseball): A 1950 graduate, Toth was a member of two district championship squads. The 1950 team also won the Northeast Ohio championship and was the first East baseball team to play for the state title. He was an aggressive second baseman, yet committed only one error in two seasons.
Wesley Traylor (Special Award): A 1941 graduate, Traylor played football and basketball, leading East to the school's first city championship team in basketball.
Miranda R. Turner (basketball): A 1997 graduate, Turner played three years, earning the "Most Hustle" award. She was captain for two years and selected All-City honorable mention. She also played softball and was named All-City as a catcher her senior year.
East High Hall of Fame