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Curbstone coaches hall of Fame The 48th Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame Banquet will take place on May 3 at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center, Boardman, with 12 set for enshrinement. Ray “Boom
PHIL ADAMS
Softball
A 1971 graduate of Ursuline High School, Adams made an impact in slow-pitch softball in the Steel Valley League from 1972-96. As a member of the Belleria Pizza squad, he won eight city championships and was the league’s “Most Valuable Player” three consecutive seasons (1986-88).
LARRY DAVIS
Tennis
As Canfield High School’s tennis coach, Davis posted 595 victories (529 boys, 66 girls) during a 37-year career. His teams won 27 league titles, 12 sectional championships, four district crowns and two state singles championships (both by Ryan Sachire). He mentored a state runners-up doubles team and four third-place doubles teams.
PAT GAIA
Special Award
A 1960 East High School graduate, Gaia began his officiating career in 1972 with the Mill Creek Baseball League. He worked local sandlot baseball games in the Class “B” and “AA” leagues. During his 43-year officiating career, he has served as a football (two years) and volleyball official (28 years), and baseball (21 years) and softball (37 years) umpire. He has run sectional and district basketball tournaments at LaBrae High School for 15 years and earned three state title game assignments.
TIM GRAHAM
Bowling
Graham coached at Struthers High School and also was an excellent baseball player who pitched at Hiram College. In bowling, he has 58 perfect games, has rolled nine 299 games and is the architect of 36 800 sets. An eight-time City champion, he was also once a mixed doubles champion. In 1984, he won the Ohio Tournament Bowlers Association doubles title with Bill Bahny. He was elected to the Youngstown Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 2004.
Contribution to Sports
A 1972 graduate of Campbell Memorial High School, Gulas worked 35 years at Youngstown State University, serving as sports information director and for the Division of Student Affairs. He was executive producer of the Pete Franklin Sportsline program on Cleveland radio station WWWE-AM 1100. He also produced radio broadcasts of Indians and Cavaliers game. A Vindicator correspondent, Gulas is co-author of two books: “My Memories as a Brooklyn Dodger” by George “Shotgun” Shuba and “Kelly ‘The Ghost’ Pavlik” with David Morgan.
JOHN LINDEN
All-Sports Award
Linden excelled in football, baseball and softball. He played 35 years in the Youngstown Touch and Flag Football League where he helped his teams to eight championships in the Over-18 League. He was inducted into the Ohio Touch and Flag Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He played played summer baseball in the Class B League for Campbell A.C., helping them to the 1971 National Amateur Baseball Federation national championship.
BILL NARDUZZI
Football
A graduate of East Canton High School, Narduzzi was head football coach at Youngstown State University from 1975-85. He attended Miami University, playing end, tackle and guard. For 15 years, he taught and coached at Cleveland Benedictine, Sandy Valley and Ursuline. In the college ranks, he was an assistant at the University of Pittsburgh, Brown University, Yale, University of Miami and the University of Kentucky. In Narduzzi’s first five seasons at YSU, he led the Penguins to two Division II playoff ap pearances and the championship game in 1979. His record at YSU was 68-41-1. He also was YSU’s director of athletics.
PAT NARDUZZI
Football
The Ursuline High School graduate is head coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Narduzzi played one year at YSU for his father. He made 159 tackles to lead the Ohio Valley Conference. He transferred to Rhode Island and was a three-year starter at linebacker. He has been a college coach for 23 seasons. Before taking over at Pitt, he was Michigan State’s defensive coordinator.
BOB PATTON
Basketball
A graduate of Struthers High School, Patton played at Youngstown State University for Dom Rosselli. He was a four-year letter-winner and his YSU teams went 77-26. His coaching career included Kent State University Trumbull, Liberty HIgh School and the Youngstown Pride of the World Basketball League. He coached the Pride to back-to-back WBL titles (1989, 1990). His Liberty teams won 61 consecutive regular season games from 1987-90 to set the Mahoning Valley record. He also coached at West Geauga, Lakewood and Cleveland Benedictine high schools. His career record was 320-155, including four undefeated seasons.
EARNIE SHAVERS
Boxing
Shavers is a 1963 graduate of Newton Falls High School. In 1967, Shavers won the National AAU Tournament in San Diego. As a professional, he had a reputation as a most feared puncher in the heavyweight division. He was 74-14-1 in 89 professional fights with 68 of his wins coming by KO. He challenged for the world heavyweight championship on two occasions, first against Muhammad Ali on Sept. 29, 1977. The other was against Larry Holmes on Sept. 28, 1979. Ali once stated that Shavers was the hardest puncher he ever faced.
SHERRIE SKELTON
Bowling
A 1983 graduate of Boardman High School, Skelton has been a member of the Youngstown Women’s Bowling Association for 20 years. She has two perfect games and a multitude of 250-plus games, with her high 783 set coming during an unsanctioned Ladies Scratch Tournament. She has consistently placed in the top-10 in high average with 210 as her best, coming during the 2013-14 season. In 1993, she won the Ohio Women’s Bowling Association Buckeye Belle Tournament with an 861 roll. In 2000-01, while paired with her husband, Richard, they won the 38th Annual Mixed Doubles Tournament with 1,491. The following year, this time paired with Robert Eckenrode, she captured another title with a 1,508 roll.
KEN SMITH
Baseball
A 1976 graduate of East High School, Smith was the number-three overall pick by the Atlanta Braves in the 1976 MLB Amateur Baseball Draft, playing all or parts of 12 seasons in the minor leagues as well as parts of three seasons with the Braves. A first baseman and outfielder, he played in 1,028 games in 12 seasons in the minor leagues. He made 4,012 plate appearances, batted .259 with 849 hits (including 119 doubles, 28 triples and 74 home runs) and 426 RBIs. He stole 148 bases and was a .988 career fielder, committing 72 total errors in 6,037 total chances. He also played professionally in the Mexican League, as well in Italy, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. His last Major League game played was on June 14, 1983 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Staff report