NewsTribune_Hall of Fame_061122

2022 Inductees Leo Cahill • Lew Flinn • Gerald “Chips” Giovanine Willie Hanson • Vince McMahon • Jim Mini • Carol Pratt John Skibinski • Gary Vicini • Donald “Rusty” Wells 1983 Streator Softball Team • 1988 St. Bede Baseball Team Howard Fellows - Legacy Award • Richard Nesti - Legacy Award Robert “Bo” Windy - Lanny Slevin Lifetime Achievement Award

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Welcome!

June 2022

On behalf of Shaw Media and the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame, welcome to the official induction ceremony for the Class of 2022. After we were finally able to induct the 2020-21 class last September, we immediately reconvened in October to select the 2022 honorees.

A lot of time, effort and thought have gone into this hall of fame magazine and the honoree banquet, so we hope you enjoy and treat it like it is — a celebration. We want to honor, reflect and have a good time acknowledging the best of the best in the Illinois Valley’s athletic history.

This event could not have been made possible without the tireless effort of so many wonderful and hardworking people.

Thank you to our committee. These men and women from across the Illinois Valley helped select our Class of 2022. Without their time, effort and dedication, none of this would be possible.

Thank you to our sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible. Your willingness and excitement for this event has been unbelievable, and your dedication to supporting area athletics has been remarkable.

Thank you to everyone at Shaw Media who helped make this event possible. To the advertising staff as well as the marketing and niche design teams, your dedication has been amazing and is so greatly appreciated.

Finally, thank you to everyone who participated in the hall of fame. Whether you are a sponsor, participated in this magazine, commented on our Facebook page (@NTIVSportsHOF), read all of our inductee announcements or stories or even discussed or debated it with your friends and family, thank you. Your participation in this endeavor — whatever it may be — is vital to the success of this hall of fame.

Inside you will find photos and stories about our Class of 2022 inductees and the many businesses that wanted to join us in honoring them and more. We hope you enjoy this magazine and we look forward to bringing you future classes of the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

Thank you,

Jeanette Smith

Regional Advertising Director Shaw Media

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 3

Contents NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame 426 Second Street La Salle, Illinois 61301 (815) 223-3200 (800) 892-6452 www.newstrib.com

Lanny Slevin..............................................................................................6 Carol Pratt, Fieldcrest/Putnam County..................................................8 Howard Fellows, La Salle-Peru, Legacy Award................................... 11 Vince McMahon, IVCC..........................................................................14

Publisher Dan Goetz

Jim Mini, St. Bede...................................................................................17

Regional Advertising Director

Robert “Bo” Windy, Lanny Slevin Lifetime Achievement Award....... 20

Jeanette Smith jmsmith@shawmedia.com

Account Executives

Leo Cahill, La Salle-Peru........................................................................ 22

Jared Bell Kelly Campbell Shelly Carey Ashley Oliver Pam Pratt

Richard Nesti, Hall, Legacy Award...................................................... 24

Writers

John Skibinski, La Salle-Peru..................................................................28

1983 Streator Softball Team.................................................................26

Brandon LaChance Bobby Narang Andy Tavegia

Lew Flinn, Princeton................................................................................ 31 Gary Vicini, Hall.................................................................................... 34

Designers Liz Klein Joe Zokal

Donald “Rusty” Wells, Ottawa............................................................ 38

Cover Design Larry Kelsey

Willie Hanson, Mendota.......................................................................41 Gerald “Chips” Giovanine, Bureau, Western, La Salle-Peru............. 47

Published by: est. 1851

1988 St. Bede Baseball Team................................................................51

Thank you to the 2022 Hall of Fame Committee Jared Bell, Kurt Bruno, Kevin Chlum, Bea Coats, Tom Dobrich, Dan Eilts, Kevin Hieronymus, Larry Johnson, Carol Pratt, Rick Sipovic, Lanny Slevin, Jeanette Smith, Ed Swingle, Gene Vogelgesang and Ken Wilcoxen.

They took on the task of choosing these inductees from hundreds of nominations. We currently have an extensive list of deserving athletes that will be used to select

future classes, but we are always looking for more.

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE FOR THE NEWSTRIBUNE’S ILLINOIS VALLEY SPORTS HALL OF FAME: To be considered, the nominee must have lived locally during their sports accomplishment and/or graduated from IVCC or one of the following high

4 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

schools: La Salle-Peru, St. Bede, Hall, Putnam County, DePue, Mendota, Ottawa, Marquette, Streator, Princeton, Bureau Valley, LaMoille, Ohio, Earlville, Henry or Fieldcrest. The athlete must be out of high school for at least five years.

Email the name and statistics to jmsmith@shawmedia.com. Please include HOF Nomination in the subject line.

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Lanny Slevin MASTER OF CEREMONIES Lifetime Achievement Award The Voice of the Valley for four decades, Slevin broadcasted numerous sporting events in the Illinois Valley and positively impacted the lives of many during his broadcast career. The true definition of dedication, Slevin has given so much of his time and passion to area athletics and has brought joy to many. For all he has given to our area — both on air and behind the scenes — the Lifetime Achievement Award is named in his honor.

2019 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE CEREMONY - FILE PHOTO

Accomplishments

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

6 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

• A legendary broadcaster, Slevin enjoyed a 40-year career at WLPO where he broadcast games, provided sports updates and more • Estimated he broadcast somewhere between 3,5004,000 events in his career • Hosted the state-wide IHSA Sports Report for nearly six years and broadcast the IHSA boys basketball state tournaments for nearly 30 years starting in 1972 • Hosted Chalk Talk on WLPO every Saturday morning during the school year for nearly three decades • Member of the IBCA Hall of Fame, St. Bede Hall of Fame, IVCC Hall of Fame and National Junior College Association Hall of Fame; Inaugural recipient of the IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award

NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame

Event Program Thursday, June 2, 2022 The Auditorium Ballroom, La Salle Emcee: Lanny Slevin Doors Open ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 p.m.

Dinner ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 p.m.

Induction Ceremony ���������������������������������������following Dinner Order of Inductees • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Carol Pratt, Fieldcrest/Putnam County Howard Fellows, La Salle-Peru, Legacy Award Vince McMahon, IVCC Jim Mini, St. Bede Robert “Bo” Windy, Lanny Slevin Lifetime Achievement Award Leo Cahill, La Salle-Peru Richard Nesti, Hall, Legacy Award 1983 Streator Softball Team John Skibinski, La Salle-Peru Lew Flinn, Princeton Gary Vicini, Hall Donald “Rusty” Wells, Ottawa Willie Hanson, Mendota Gerald “Chips” Giovanine, Bureau, Western, La Salle-Peru 1988 St. Bede Baseball Team

Conclusion & Thank You

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 7

Carol Pratt FIELDCREST / PUTNAM COUNTY Accomplishments ● A 1977 PC graduate who’s

been a fixture in the running scene for nearly 4 ½ decades as a runner, athlete & coach at PC & Fieldcrest ● Qualified for the Boston Marathon seven times, has run approximately 1,600 total races & nearly 90,000 miles ● Competed in USATF Master’s meets, World Masters Games, National Senior Games & completed an Ironman ● Coach of many sports, she had more than 400 wins in volleyball & coached numerous runners to state in cross country and track and field, including 2008 Class 1A 3,200-meter state champion Brian Peterson

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Andy Tavegia

A

sk Carol Pratt about the moments that have defined her life, and you will notice a familiar trend.

She won’t back down.

Take for instance long distance running, the very sport that has marked her last four decades and led to this year’s induction into the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

It didn’t start from some family history or from taking a flier on a new sport. It came, almost quite literally, from a dare.

A senior volleyball standout at Putnam County, Pratt was approached by a member of the school’s cross country team. He razzed on how easy the volleyball team’s practices were, thinking Pratt couldn’t even run a 10K. And a legend was born.

“I said, ‘Oh, I bet I can,’ I had no idea how long a 10K was,” Pratt laughed. “But it was a setup because then he handed me a piece of paper, and it was an application for the 1979 Oglesby 10K.” Setup or not, that 10K began a career that now has stretched marathons and even an Ironman.

“It may sound like hyperbole but finishing that race and hearing people cheer and doing something I never thought I could do filled me with such a feeling of accomplishment,” she said. “I wouldn’t say I was totally hooked,

WHERE are they NOW

8 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

but I knew I would be returning to the sport.”

She has returned time and time again, finding a way to one-up her previous distance or demands. She’s done everything from marathons to even completing an Ironman.

That Ironman might be example No. 2 of Pratt’s incredible drive to beat the odds.

A year before she completed that Ironman, Pratt was diagnosed with cancer. It forced her to make a decision to either back out of the Wisconsin Ironman – which is extremely difficult to get into – or continue to push toward her goal.

“I kind of joked with my cancer surgeon, because I knew I had it, the surgery was scheduled, and I had no idea what was going to happen,” Pratt said. “I sat there with my surgeon and said, ‘You know what, cancer may take me, but it’s not going to be today. I’m going to believe that I can do it a year from now. And if I can’t, I’ll deal with that later.’”

It was by no means easy, but she never looked back, going through a grueling training regimen and then the test of mental strength to complete a feat even those without cancer struggle to finish in the 17-hour time limit.

She keeps pushing herself, even completing a HyRox, which is an eight-round combination of one-kilometer runs followed by one functional CrossFit movement.

“It was absolute insanity, and I have no idea why I continue to do these dumb things,” she joked.

With that type of attitude

Congratulations to all the

2022 Hall toward life and competition, she’s become the perfect coach for hundreds of high school athletes and even adult athletes. While the thrill of completing those tough events is incredible, she said it’s nothing compared to the thrill of watching one of her athletes exceed their own expectations or goals.

“If you had asked that question 35 years ago, it probably would be my success,” she said. “But now without a doubt it’s the kids’ success.”

Many of her athletes continue to have a close relationship with Pratt.

“I got a phone call from one of my young men, who was at West Point,” she said. “He said, ‘Coach, I got to tell you I just ran a marathon and I’m so excited, and you’re the only person I called.’ But my favorite part was, and I love this, he said, ‘I can’t talk long because I have to do my cool down.’”

Pratt continues to call the Illinois Valley home and continues to compete.

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Howard Fellows LA SALLE-PERU, LEGACY AWARD Accomplishments ● Legendary coach and

athletic director for 46 years, starting in 1913 ● Coached football, basketball and track and field, also served as the AD of both the HS & junior college ● Played a role in starting sports at what is now IVCC ● L-P football stadium opened in 1937 and was later named in his honor

SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Brandon LaChance

T

WHERE are they NOW

he address of 4 Center Place, Peru, IL, 61354 may not ring a bell.

However, the name encompassing the entry way, the concrete walkway, the lower and upper bleacher bowls, the press box, the team locker rooms, the field goal posts and the football field is historically known throughout Illinois as Howard Fellows Stadium.

The field has been used for some version of football for approximately 80 years. In 1958, the La Salle-Peru Township High School stadium, with a college feel, was given the name Howard Fellows Stadium in honor of the coach, teacher and athletic director who went by “Foxy.”

See Fellows Page 12

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 11

Fellows FROM PAGE 11

After Fellows graduated from Ohio State University, he was looking for a school to start his teaching career and harness his love of sports.

La Salle-Peru was the spot he chose – for 46 years.

In 1913, Fellows was hired as a mathematics teacher and, before his retirement in 1959, he coached football, basketball, track and field,

swimming and tennis.

He coached the basketball team from 1914-29 and won four district titles.

In 1929, Fellows coached L-P teams that joined the Big Seven Conference (with Freeport, Rockford, Joliet, Elgin, DeKalb, Aurora East and Aurora West) and officially adopted the name now synonymous with the red and green uniforms, the “Cavaliers.”

The Cavs stayed put even when the conference became the Big 8 for the 1940-41 season after Rockford split

into two schools, Rockford East and Rockford West. L-P remained in the Big 8 until 1963 (four years after Fellows’ retirement in 1959) when the Cavaliers moved to the North Central Illinois Conference.

While teaching and coaching, Fellows was also the La Salle-Peru athletic director from 1929-59 and was instrumental to the initiation of the La Salle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College (later Illinois Valley Community College) intercollegiate athletic program, which started in 1928.

La Salle-Peru meant the world to Fellows and the school shows respect and tribute to Fellows every day, especially when someone steps foot into Howard Fellows Stadium.

According to the La Salle-Peru Township High School Foundation for Educational Enrichment website, when Fellows retired in 1959 after 46 years of service, he summed up his appreciation for his career in a few words, “It has been worthwhile. God has been good to me.”

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Vince McMahon ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Accomplishments ● Legendary football coach

during the late 1970s to the early 1990s ● Had a career record of 112-52 including 15 straight winning seasons, his teams appeared in five Midwest Bowls and won four ● His 1979 IVCC team finished 11-0 and placed third in the NJCAA Poll, team was a Class of 2019 inductee into the NT IV Sports Hall of Fame ● Member of the IVCC Hall of Fame (individual, 1976 team and 1979 team), NJCAA Football Coaches Hall of Fame and NJCAA Region IV Hall of Fame and now two time-member of the NT IV Sports HOF ● Wrote two books on the game: Coaching the NoHuddle Multiple Offense and Coaching the Option Wing Offense

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Andy Tavegia

I

t didn’t take long for Vince McMahon to realize what he may have gotten himself into.

A former assistant coach on his first head coaching gig, McMahon was charged with running the Illinois Valley Community College football program – a program that hadn’t had a full-time leader since its return just a few years prior.

However, on one of his first in-district recruiting visits, he heard the doubts.

“I remember I was recruiting at Hall, and I heard one kid say to another, ‘That’s the last place in the world I would ever go,’” McMahon said.

But as they say, if you build it, they will come. And what McMahon built was a program that – based on mostly in-district talent – won 68 percent of its 164 games over his 16-year period.

As time went on, it became easier and easier for McMahon to draw players from the Illinois Valley – an area with multiple strong prep programs – to play for IVCC. It all started with his second recruiting class.

Coming off a 2-7 season in 1975, he managed to convince a small but talented recruiting class to play at IVCC. Despite having just 32 players on the total roster, the Apaches went 6-3 that year and 7-2 the next with a Midwest Bowl appearance.

WHERE are they NOW

14 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

It was the beginning of 15 consecutive winning seasons for the IVCC program.

“It was the process of having to build a program pretty much from the ground up,” McMahon said. “There wasn’t anything there (when I arrived). I’ve always said you don’t get good jobs normally.

There’s a reason you get them.

And so, it was a process of building. I was fortunate that in my second year there were some pretty good kids. That was the foundation, that second year. We started winning after that. It’s just the process of building it.”

McMahon said drawing the talent to the team and fans to the stands got easier along the way and hit its zenith just a few years later.

That’s when the 1979 team went 11-0 and climbed as high as No. 3 in the national rankings. That team, which packed Howard Fellows Stadium on a weekly basis, was inducted into the NewsTribune’s IV Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Kurt Bruno was a member of that team. He said McMahon’s ability to push

the right buttons and run his wing-T with such efficiency were the differences not only that season but later on when Bruno joined McMahon’s coaching staff.

There might have been no better example than the final game of the regular season.

Down going into halftime on the road at Triton, McMahon delivered a halftime speech Bruno has not forgotten to this day.

“Coach comes onto the bus, and he says, ‘Hey fellas, you had a good season. You played your guts out today.

This is up to you guys. If you want to go to a bowl game,

midst of four playoff appearances in five years, three of which ended with state runner-up finishes. Marquette was a powerful program in the early 1980s with a state runner-up finish, while Ottawa had winning records throughout the late 1970s and early 80s.

“The one thing I thought about the Illinois Valley when I came there was that there were a lot of tough kids in the Valley at that time,” McMahon said. “That’s what we tried to be. We tried to be this is up to you,’” Bruno as physical as possible and said. “That’s what he said, just outhit people. And there and I am not exaggerating when I say we literally broke were enough of those kids that really made that work.” the doors on the bus getting Bruno said that much was out. We ended up coming obvious in practices and back and beating them by with his trust in his heralded two touchdowns. wing-T offensive approach.

“He was just a great motiIt’s an offense so successful vator. He knew his guys and that McMahon has since he knew the right buttons to push. And he was just a good written a book on the subject.

“He was confident enough man. He would run through in his teachings during practhe wall for the guys.”

McMahon would use those tices during the week that same motivators when recruit- he could give (his offensive linemen) that latitude to call ing players from around an Illinois Valley area, which was their own blocks,” Bruno extremely talented at the time. said. “He was an innovator with things like that.”

La Salle-Peru was in the

IVCC CELEBRATES COACH VINCE MCMAHON

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IVCC Coach

Vince McMahon

S p o n s o r e d b y I l l i n o i s Va l l e y C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 15

CONGRATULATIONS Hall of Fame

IN DUCTEES

From Mayor Ken Kolows ki & Pe ru Ci t y C ounci l M ember s Ci ty Clerk: Dave Bartley Treasurer: Jackson Powell 1ST WARD ALDERMEN: Jeff Ballard • Bob Tieman 2ND WARD ALDERMEN: Tom Payton • Jason Edgcomb 3RD WARD ALDERMEN: Dave Waldorf • Mi ke Sapienza 4TH WARD ALDERMEN: Aaron Buffo • Jim Lukosus

www.peru.i l.us 16 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

Jim Mini ST. BEDE ACADEMY Accomplishments ● Star basketball player at SBA

where he graduated in 1957 as all-time leading scorer ● Averaged 31 points per game his freshman year at LPO Junior College, helped Apaches to NJCAA National Tournament for the first time ● Transferred to Loyola Chicago, averaged 15 points per game as a junior & 16.9 points per game as a senior co-captain ● Member of six halls of fame: two-time member of the St. Bede Hall of Fame, two-time member of the IVCC Hall of Fame, member of IBCA Hall of Fame, member of Loyola Chicago Hall of Fame

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Bobby Narang

J

im Mini can sum up his extensive sports career in a tangible fashion.

One hundred sixty-two pages.

That’s the number of pages in Dr. Mini’s autobiography.

Considering he wasn’t blessed with extraordinary height — 5-foot-7 — nor extreme athleticism, Mini’s vast accomplishments are worthy of considerable number of words and pictures. Mini, a 1957 St. Bede graduate, rode an excellent shooting touch and unrelenting work ethic to unparalleled success in basketball.

One of 15 Class of 2022 inductees into the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame, Mini is one of the most accomplished basketball players in Illinois Valley history.

Even Mini is astonished regarding his success considering his height.

“Nobody was smaller than me,” he said. “I had a jump shot, which first came out in the early 1950s. It was a new shot, where even a small man can get it off

WHERE are they NOW

See Mini Page 18

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 17

Mini

FROM PAGE 17

by shooting above your head.”

Mini, a 1961 Loyola graduate, practiced countless hours with his older brother, Ron, at the local gymnasium in Dalzell. He regularly picked up the keys to the gym, allowing him unlimited access to work on his craft.

“I would go out there every night,” Mini said.

“There wasn’t much heat, but I would keep shooting all night, and eventually they were right about the jump shot – if you could practice it a lot, you would be a great shooter. I was fast, like a rabbit.”

Mini carved out a career at exceeding expectations — and beating the odds. He joked he was the shortest player in major college basketball and could “take a shower in the urinal.”

But Mini could do one of the key aspects of basketball with astonishing ability — scoring. When he graduated,

he was the Bruins’ all-time leading scorer with 997 points.

However, Mini’s sports and professional career eventually took an unexpected detour that led him down a life-changing path. He wanted to attend West Point Military Academy, but he wasn’t admitted due to an insufficient number of teeth.

Yes, that’s right, he was short — no pun intended — on teeth.

“My dad had a small grocery store, and my job was the candy counter,” he said.

“I probably ate more than we sold. I had some teeth pulled in the back. I guess that was a mistake.”

Short on options due to the late denial, Mini decided to attend L-P-O Junior College, now known as Illinois Valley Community College.

Mini’s speed and shooting fit L-P-O coach John Strell’s fast-paced philosophy.

At L-P-O, Mini led the NJCAA in scoring, averaging just over 29 points in 1958-59. He guided the Apaches to the National

Junior College Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., scoring a game-high 31 points in a thrilling 93-92 win over Wilson to become the first L-P-O team to advance to the national tournament.

As the smallest college in the tournament, the Apaches failed to reach the title game, though Mini set a single-game program record with a 48-point explosion in the consolation round.

Mini’s high-scoring prowess caught the eye of Loyola coach George Ireland, who bucked his philosophy of recruiting a junior college player.

“I didn’t go for them,” Ireland said in Mini’s book.

“I figured if they couldn’t get into a four-year school academically, they couldn’t make it at Loyola.”

Throughout his hoops career, Mini mastered the art of overcoming expectations, and Loyola was no different, just it occurred on a national stage.

“I wanted to be a pharmacist after West Point, so I asked Coach Ireland if they

had a pharmacy school. They didn’t, but he said they have a medical school, so that was close enough,” said Mini, a 1965 Loyola Medical School graduate.

Mini became a national sensation, scoring a gamehigh 25 points against highly-ranked Ohio State at the Chicago Stadium. His scoring and short stature quickly made him a fan favorite at Loyola.

He also played at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and he’s been inducted into several halls of fame.

“I really enjoyed basketball,” Mini said. “I have a beautiful family, with a son and four daughters. I practiced medicine for 33 years.

When I talk basketball with the guys, I’m real quiet about my past. I don’t think they would believe me if I told them I led the nation in scoring. Maybe they would say I drank too much because of how tall I am.

“When you’re young, you have big dreams. I was able to play all over the country at Loyola. It’s been a great life.”

Congratulations to the Class of

2022 You’ve had amazing careers and we are proud to call you Hall of Famers!

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Robert “Bo” Windy LANNY SLEVIN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Accomplishments ● A 1957 La Salle-Peru

graduate, coached summer baseball for 25 years (19671992) ● Helped start Little League District 20 and served as longtime D-20 administrator ● Driving force behind Peru hosting the Central States Senior League Tournament ● Ran the Central States Senior League Tournament from 1980-92, tournament is still hosted in Peru/Illinois Valley to this day

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Brandon LaChance

E

WHERE are they NOW

very summer Peru and Oglesby are flooded with baseball teams from several Midwest states such as Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Iowa, among others.

The reason is one of the best tournaments in the country – the Central Region Senior League Tournament.

If it wasn’t for Bo Windy, the tournament would never have landed in the Illinois Valley, and Peru wouldn’t be classified as a baseball hotbed.

“I started coaching with my children on the Minor League team and advanced into the Senior League team, which was 14-15-yearolds,” Windy said. “I took a couple of teams to the state tournament, and I always wondered where that team would go if you won a state tournament.

“In 1978, I wrote a letter to the Central States Senior League

20 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

Director, Scott Lowery, and he informed me of the prerequisites of it. He knew I was very interested in hosting that event even though I didn’t have anything lined up with anybody. I was the lone ranger, just inquiring.

“He said since I was so aggressive to get the tournament in Peru that he would need to meet me in Peru.

We met in February (1978) and he walked the diamond at Washington Park. He thought the park was good, but it wasn’t adequate. He said it wasn’t looking good for us. I told him, ‘Scott, you give me two years and I’ll bring everything up to the standards.’”

Windy, a Class of 1957 La Salle-Peru graduate, has been around sports his entire life.

When he was in seventh and eighth grades, he was on basketball teams that played in the state tournament. He began coaching baseball in 1967 and didn’t stop until 1992. In those 25 years, he helped found Little League District 20 and was the administrator.

When Lowery granted him the two years, Windy knew his next sports endeavor as he made the updates and led the Central States Senior League Tournament from 1980-92.

For all he accomplished and gave to others, Windy is the 2022 recipient of the Lanny Slevin Lifetime Achievement Award for the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

“The big reason was I wanted to prove to our kids in this area that our kids can play with the best players in the states the tournament covered,” Windy said.

“I wanted to prove to our kids that they were as good as anybody. Over those 12 years, La Salle played in the tournament, which it hadn’t before. Peru played in the tournament, and it hadn’t before. When La Salle or Peru was playing, there were 4,000-5,000 people in the stands.”

His determination led the charge as Washington Park needed a fence, new lights and a scenic upgrade as the first game on the diamond

was in 1923.

Also, in the 1970s and 1980s, a Central States host needed 35 homes for the players as each home housed two ballplayers, a banquet big enough to feed 500 people and hotel accommodations needed to be supplied for managers, coaches and umpires.

Not only did Windy and a willing group of volunteers meet the requests, but they went far beyond by giving each team a dozen baseballs and an aluminum bat. They even had guest speakers such as Ernie Banks, who played for the Chicago Cubs from 1953-1971 and is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“The first person I talked to was Mayor Don Baker,” Windy said. “He told me not to worry about anything and that the city of Peru will take care of everything. I said, ‘We need to get lights.’

At that time, the Peru mall was pretty busy, and they were pushing the city for some money.

“I said, ‘Would it be possible to put that $35,000 toward new lights into a special fund? We never asked the city for anything; we were self-sustained. We did everything possible to run the tournament on our own and not ask the city for help.

“Once I got Mayor Don Baker and the aldermen on our side, it was unbelievable. They put so much into that park in two years. They brought it up to scale. Scott Lowery said, ‘I can’t believe how much you got done.’”

Another accomplishment Windy will never forget is the summer of 1987 when a team from Athens, Ohio, not only won the Central Region Senior League Tournament but later won the Senior League World Series.

Looking back, Windy knows he accomplished all his goals as he gave kids the opportunity to prove themselves as great ballplayers, entertained his hometown with baseball, helped bring people to the Illinois Valley and made Washington Park adequate enough to where it still to this day hosts the Central Region Senior League Tournament.

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A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 21

Leo Cahill LA SALLE-PERU Accomplishments ● A 1946 La Salle-Peru

alumnus, he became a wellknown coach and GM in the Canadian Football League from late 1960s to mid-1990s ● Coached the Toronto Argonauts twice from 1967-72 and 1977-78 before becoming GM from 1986-88; Also the GM of the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1996 ● Received the Annis Stukus Trophy in 1971 as the Canadian Football League Coach of the Year ● CFL TV commentator for CBC from 1981-85 ● Inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2013

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Bobby Narang

B

WHERE are they NOW

ettye Nissim’s fondest memories of her father consisted mainly away from the football field.

Her father, Leo Cahill, was a bigger-than-life personality in the world of professional football, especially in Canada.

He carved out a nearly three decade career in football, doing the majority of his coaching, administration and television commentary work in the Canadian Football League.

Cahill is one of the Class of 2022 inductees in the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

Throughout his busy life, Nissim said her father always managed to find time to spend with her.

“I didn’t learn anything about sports at all,” Nissim said. “He did his thing. I was a little girl. My parents divorced when I was 5 years old. My

22 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

dad moved a lot. I remember spending the summers with him in Toronto and talking to him on the phone for hours. I visited Canada a lot.

It was great. Toronto was a lot of fun in the summer.

My dad was so busy, but he would always take me out and spend time with me. He was a great dad.”

Nissim said her father’s vast background in football opened many doors for him, including becoming friends with Elvis Presley when he was the general manager of the Toronto Southmen in the World Football League.

Presley was part owner of the franchise.

“Elvis gave my dad one of his necklaces,” Nissim said. “I saw the necklace. He used to say Elvis would call him to play racquetball. He was very friendly with Elvis.

I didn’t really know him, but my dad said I went to play with his little girl at his house one time.”

Nissim said her sister, Christy Aldridge, also recalled meeting “The King of Rock and Roll.”

“It was, of course, exciting to meet Elvis,” Aldridge said.

Cahill, a 1946 La Salle-Peru graduate who starred for the Illinois football team, passed away on Feb. 15, 2018, at the age of 89.

Christy Aldridge said she also fondly recalls her time with her father in Toronto when he coached the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts for two separate stints before becoming general manager from 1986-88.

Aldridge said her father’s numerous jobs in football led to some odd moments.

She said her name was once mentioned in a Toronto newspaper after “getting my tonsils out.” She said her father made “football in Toronto fun and entertaining.”

“During his time in Toronto and Memphis, I experienced what it was like

to be a young daughter of a public figure,” Aldridge said. “Those were exciting times. He was constantly in the media, and later he had his own radio and television shows. Everywhere we went in public, people wanted to talk to him or get an autograph. We had an unlisted phone number before private numbers were fashionable because fans would feel free to call at all hours.”

Born in Utica, Cahill played in the 1947 Rose Bowl for Illinois. Even with his numerous achievements and honors in professional football, Bettye Nissim said her father cherished playing for the Illini.

“He was so proud to win a Rose Bowl, and he was one of the youngest players on the team,” she said. “That meant a lot to him.”

Hailing from a town with less than 2,000 people, Cahill managed to use football as a vehicle for a long career

that allowed him to meet several famous people and travel the globe.

“I remember going to see my dad and being around his friends,” Nissim said.

“I even got to ride in the golf cart helmet on the field when he was in Memphis.

That was really exciting to me. My father was a very determined, strong-willed guy. He was a great dad and came from a good family.

My grandparents were great people.

“When my dad passed away, I talked to a lot of people and received a lot of text messages. I heard he was a tough, solid guy. I was lucky to spend Sunday dinners with him the last few years.

Those were good times. We always had fun together. He was a regular guy from a small Midwestern town. He was very proud that he came from Utica, even though he had a great background with stories galore.”

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A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 23

Richard Nesti HALL, LEGACY AWARD Accomplishments • A Hall alumnus, played football at Lombard College (now known as Knox College) • Coached many sports but best known as Hall football coach from 1928-1955 (28 seasons), retired in 1955 due to health concerns • Teams went 217-79-13 (.702 winning percentage), had four undefeated seasons, won three state titles awarded by Chicago Daily News and won 12 conference titles • Hall High School football stadium was named in his honor on Sept. 5, 1979

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Brandon LaChance

T

he Hall Red Devils are known for their great tradition and success in both academics and athletics.

One of the founding fathers of this blueprint is Richard Nesti.

Born in the city of Modena, Italy, on March 25, 1902, Nesti came to the United States of America just seven months later.

The Nesti family found its way to Spring Valley, where Nesti made his home, his family, his reputation, his career and his legacy.

He graduated from Hall High School after being a captain of the football team and earning an all-state nod.

One memory Nesti and his teammates never forgot was when Hall beat arch-rival La Salle-Peru Township High School 6-0. The six points were credited to Nesti and his 60yard touchdown run.

After graduation, Nesti went to Lombard College (now known as Knox College) in Galesburg.

In college, he built the same reputation for greatness as he did in high school as he was the senior class president, the captain of the football team and named to the small college All-American team.

Deep down, Nesti was a Red Devil as he came back to Spring Valley to start his adult life with his wife, Margaret Long, who was a teacher at Hall and La Salle-Peru. They later had two daughters, Sally and Mary.

WHERE are they NOW

24 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

Nesti was hired by Hall in 1928 and didn’t end his involvement until 1977 as he coached until the 1965-66 school year, taught until June 1968 and was on the school board until 1977.

When football fans go to Hall to see a football game, Richard Nesti Stadium is on the scoreboard in big, bold, red text. The honor of having the Hall stadium named after him came on Sept. 5, 1979.

And it was well deserved.

From 1928-55, Nesti coached the Red Devils football team to a 217-78-13 record, three state titles and 12 conference championships.

The state titles are classified as unofficial but in 1928, 1931 and 1953 Hall defeated the schools that were at the top of the rankings. This is how state champions were named before the Illinois High School Association brought in the state tournament format, which we are familiar with today, in 1974.

Nesti coached basketball and led the Red Devils to a 26-5 record in 1946. His last

year as basketball coach was 1947, which ended with a 22-7 record.

The man knew all sports as he coached golf, baseball and track and field.

Although the sports resume earns him an induction to the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Hall of Fame Class 2022, Nesti influenced Hall in every aspect possible.

He taught Spring Valley youth for 40 years, was the Red Devils’ athletic director and was on the school board.

After his full retirement in 1968, he took a year away from the board before coming back for nine more years. In 1972, he was elected as the president of the school board and helped create the track around the football team’s practice field and the old Red Devil Gymnasium in 1973.

Having his name on the scoreboard helps people remember Richard Nesti was once at Hall, but his Red Devil passion and memory lives in each hallway, classroom, athletic event and school board meeting.

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RED DEVIL! Congratulations to Hall football coaches Richard Nesti and Gary Vicini on your induction!

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1983 Streator Softball Team Accomplishments ● Won 1983 IHSA State Title

under the leadership of coach A.T. Mogill ● Remains the only state title in school history, one of only two girls team state championships in area history ● Finished the season 30-2; topped two-time defending state champion Quincy Notre Dame 2-1 in state semifinals and beat Rich Central 6-2 in the state title game

SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Andy Tavegia

I

t’s hard to imagine a team with 10 returning letterwinners that won a regional title the year before fooling anyone.

But in the case of the 1983 Streator softball team, that’s exactly what happened in a way. They fooled one important group of girls – themselves.

When that legendary season began, they will tell you there were no huge expectations. No pressure created with talks of conference, regional, sectional or even a state title.

There was one expectation – have fun.

And that naiveite may have been the biggest reason as to why this particular group of friends surprised everyone – even themselves – by going 30-2 and winning it all.

“Honestly, I think it’s because we didn’t know any better,” said Zami (Mogill) Hay, the star junior pitcher on that squad. “We had no pressure, no monkey on our back. We didn’t know anything about state tournaments or championships or any of that stuff. We were just a bunch of friends playing ball. It was super organic.”

It isn’t as if these Lady Bulldogs were blind. They knew they would be good. After all, they had all the parts of something fun.

You had the star pitcher in Mogill, someone who individually was inducted into the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame last year and later broke several records as a star at Eastern Illinois University.

WHERE are they NOW

26 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

She was joined by Amy (Pedelty) Ferko as an all-stater that season with Ferko being the star athlete in school.

It was no more evident in softball where she had the strength, speed and hitting ability to change a game.

The funny thing is you would expect such an individual to star at shortstop. That wasn’t the case. She actually made the move to right field that season, a selfless move that made a great team even better.

That allowed a great defensive duo of shortstop Peggy (Killian) Heinz and center fielder Jean (Essman) Harcharik to man the all-important middle of the field.

“I think one of the strengths was as good as we all were individually, be it better offensively, a good runner, a good fielder, whatever, there was no jealousy,” said Linda Weiss, the starting catcher on that team. “People played their positions and did

what they did and were in it for the team winning.

“Obviously, we had talented players, and we loved playing the sport and we all had fun together. You put those with the fact we were out to play the best and win to show to others that we could compete and the fact we were going to do what we needed to do to win.”

Few teams could stop the Lady Bulldogs that year, and one of those losses was avenged in a moment a bit similar to the “Miracle on Ice.” Quincy Notre Dame entered that season as the two-time defending state champion that had beaten Streator already that season in Streator’s own invitational.

However, in the state semifinals, surrounded by hundreds of Streator fans, the Lady Bulldogs ended Notre Dame’s reign with an amazing 2-1 win.

Streator followed with a

6-2 win over Rich Central to capture the state title.

“The reality was the Quincy (Notre Dame) game was the championship game,” Mogill said. “We walked into that championship game knowing we were the state champions.

We just had to show up and do our thing. It’s not that we weren’t intense. We definitely were intense and in the moment. But we just knew it.”

That softball team was one of only two girls sports teams from the Illinois Valley to win a state title, the other being the 1990 Princeton volleyball team.

However, a few added factors made this team special.

For starters, the Lady Bulldogs won in a one-class system, something that drove Streator especially late in the season.

“I think once we got outside of the schools that knew us, I perceived from the outside there was skepticism,” Weiss said. “This was the

small, little school that, yeah, they could win against these other schools that weren’t very good.”

Secondly, the win came as the state of Illinois still struggled to find gender equity in sports. Title IX was only 10 years old, and the IHSA didn’t offer state series for women’s sports until 1975-76.

This was the first opportunity for a local team to bring attention to girls sports. And according to the players themselves, the city of Streator didn’t disappoint.

“The boys had their chests painted with their shirts off,” Mogill said of the state scene.

“And you know, girls sports didn’t tend to get that kind of following. People would go to the basketball games and do all that stuff, but you wouldn’t see that at girls sports. We thought it was pretty special.

“Coming back into town with the parade was just out of this world.”

Photos from June 201 9 Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame Inaugural Banquet Emcee Lanny Slevin presents the Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame induction plaque to Nicole (Coates) Schaefbauer at the June 2019 inaugural honoree banquet.

Hall alumnus Shawn Jeppson (right) shares a story with the crowd and host Lanny Slevin during the 2019 NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

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A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 27

John Skibinski LA SALLE - PERU Accomplishments ● Star football player for the

Cavs, voted Team MVP and first-team all-state RB his senior year ● Played college football at Purdue where he was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and second-team All-American as a fullback his senior year ● Drafted in the sixth round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, for whom he played from 1978-81; also played in the USFL in 1983 & 1984 seasons ● The 1978 recipient of the Brian Piccolo Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor like Piccolo

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Bobby Narang

J

ohn Skibinski cherished his early introduction into big-time athletics.

After establishing himself as a three-sport standout — football, wrestling and track — early in his career at La Salle-Peru High School, Skibinski dreamed about the prospect of playing football in college. His father, Joe Skibinski, starred at Purdue and played two seasons for the Green Bay Packers.

As he progressed into a star tailback and strong safety for the red-and-green Cavaliers, Skibinski excitedly waited for the daily mail. Many times, Skibinski said college letters arrived at L-P where his father, Joe, was a teacher, football coach and athletic director.

“My father would pull me out of a class or he would knock on the classroom door,” Skibinski said. “He taught history, so we would also meet at his office. In my senior year, I had a slew of letters come in, including major ones and a lot of others, like Illinois State where my brother went to school.

28 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

WHERE are they NOW

I had several good schools in Illinois, plus Notre Dame, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin all sending me letters.”

Skibinski, a 1973 L-P graduate who starred at fullback for Purdue, is one of the Class of 2022 inductees into the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

Growing up in the L-P area, Skibinski tirelessly worked his way into becoming an elite athlete, but it took time to show off the potential for a professional career in football. At 5-foot-7 and 126 pounds his freshman year, Skibinski said he steadily gained weight every year to fill out at 185 pounds by the time he graduated.

“What really helped me was the multi-sport thing in high school,” he said. “I participated in three sports. It kept me tired and developed me physically. I grew all four years.”

Skibinski said he chose

Purdue over several big-name offers, including from most of the Big Ten Conference. He wanted to find a school close to home plus expressed a desire to follow in the shoes of his father and uncle as both played football at Purdue.

From there, Skibinski – a 1978 Purdue graduate – stayed true to his roots.

A lifelong friend, Kurt Bruno, who currently lives in Mendota, met Skibinski at the beginning of his professional career in 1978. Skibinski was a rookie running back for the Chicago Bears, but Bruno said, in typical Skibinski fashion, he was very humble.

“I bumped into John while I was hunting, and he was hunting with another guy I knew in town,” said Bruno, a 1978 Hall graduate. “I kind of knew who he was, but I didn’t say anything. He’s so down-to-earth, and never mentioned anything.”

Congratulations to the Hall of Fame Inductees!

That chance encounter helped build a friendship that spanned four-plus decades, with Skibinski becoming a mentor and friend. Bruno later played linebacker at IVCC and Illinois State.

“John was a great example for me,” Bruno said. “He was a solid, good guy. You can attribute much of that to his parents, Joe and June. I learned so much from him.

He would work out in the morning and afternoon.

Nothing stood in his way. He earned everything in his career, in terms of football and everything else.”

Skibinski credits his parents for helping teach him the right way, which helped him forge a long career in football and a successful sales and managing career at Motorola. Skibinski said one of his fondest football memories occurred when he made the final roster for the Chicago Bears in his rookie season.

Bruno joked that Joe Skibinski would tell his son, “You haven’t played football until you have played on Sunday.”

The younger Skibinski was the recipient of the 1978 Brian Piccolo Award. The annual award is voted on by the Chicago Bears’ players and given to the one rookie and one veteran player who best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, dedication and sense of humor of the late Bears running back.

Sports, Skibinski said, helped bring him countless memories and accolades.

Skibinski joked with pride that his daughter, Kaitlyn, recently scored a touchdown in a flag football game in college.

“High school was a good period of time for me,” Skibinski said. “I had a lot of success in football, wrestling and track. I loved the team aspect of football. I was very fortunate and blessed.”

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kurtbruno.com 30 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

It has been a privilege to highlight your athletic accomplishments.

Lew Flinn PRINCETON Accomplishments ● A three-sport all-state

athlete at PHS, Flinn earned 10 varsity letters and was a member of the state-placing 1955 PHS boys basketball team ● At NIU, he earned nine varsity letters (football 3, basketball 3, track and field 3) but found most success in football as NIU’s starting quarterback ● Longtime track and field coach, including at Princeton where coached numerous pole vaulters to the state meet, including 2009 Class 1A State Champion Alyssa Donner

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Bobby Narang

L

WHERE are they NOW

ew Flinn’s competitive nature was legendary.

Flinn is widely considered one of the best athletes in the history of Princeton High School, where he earned 10 varsity letters. He then received nine varsity letters in a storied three-sport career at Northern Illinois University.

But Flinn’s strong desire to win also led to a few problems.

Winning, for Flinn, also led to sometimes losing.

His son, Jeff, recalls a time when his father’s extraordinary talent and competitiveness got the best of him. Several years ago, Lew Flinn was working for Spartan Tool. He was invited to golf in Arizona with his friend and Spartan Tool President, Pete Petkoff.

“Pete, his neighbor from two doors down, told my father that, ‘If you beat me, I’m going to send you to do inventory in Buffalo,’” Jeff Flinn recalled. “My dad had not picked up a club in three years. But losing wasn’t his nature. He wasn’t going to throw (the game).

See Flinn Page 32

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 31

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Flinn

said Flinn was a remarkable athlete, and “of all-around athletes, he’s the best to FROM PAGE 31 come out of Princeton High School.”

“He was playing with a Flinn’s exploits in sports bad wrist, and so many inju- are legendary — and quite ries from his football career. expansive.

But he still beat Pete, so he So were his injuries. didn’t have to go to Buffalo “My dad had so many injuand do inventory. He just ries,” said Jeff Flinn, a 1978 could do things athletically Princeton grad. “He hurt one with his body that other peo- knee so badly playing for ple couldn’t. That made him the Buffalo Bills. That knee special.” was never the same. I reLew Flinn – who passed member when he dislocated away on May 5, 2021, at the his shoulder playing for the age of 84 – featured next-level Lake County Rifles football athleticism that is rememteam, a semi-professional bered to this day, leading to team. He couldn’t lift his countless awards, honors shoulder, but he was named and memories for those who the MVP and got a big gold played with him or against trophy.” him.

Flinn was among a stoIt helped make Flinn one ried run of quarterbacks to of 15 inductees into the 2022 play for Northern Illinois NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Hall of Fame coach HowSports Hall of Fame. ard Fletcher. A member of PHS alum John Smith, who the NIU Athletics Hall of taught and coached for sevFame, Flinn later became a eral years at his alma mater, teacher and coach at Ottawa

Marquette, Barrington and Princeton.

PHS graduate Alyssa Donner said Flinn drove her to succeed in pole vault. Donner captured the Class 1A state pole vault title in her senior season in 2009, clearing 10-10 in Charleston.

“If it wasn’t for him, I definitely wouldn’t have been where I was in my pole vaulting career at all,” Donner said. “He was very positive, very outgoing no matter what it was and always made practice fun. He still had us do our jobs and get better, but he let us have fun on the side and made it a positive place to go and do what we wanted to do.”

Jeff Flinn admitted his last name made competing in athletics difficult.

“Since I grew up in Princeton, it was a bit of a tough challenge,” he said. “He was Mr. Everything. I couldn’t live up to that, and few people can. He was quite a leg-

32 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

end locally.”

But Jeff Flinn said his father made a point to spend time with him outside of his many sporting and coaching activities.

“We were close,” he said.

“I worked with his business in junior high, high school and college. We spent a lot of time together. I learned from him the right way to do a job. He was all about getting the job done with the best effort. There were some painful lessons in regard to that, especially when you’re young and have other things on your mind.

“He imparted to me the core values and things that drive me still to this day. I didn’t have success on the athletic field like he did. I was more of a student, but I was able to do very well in school, get good jobs and that has continued throughout my life. I owe him a debt of gratitude for instilling those core values in me.”

CONGRATULATIONS! Congrats to

TO ALL THE INDUCTEES!

Princeton HS Alumnus

Lew Flinn!

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A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 33

Gary Vicini HALL Accomplishments ● A 1972 Ottawa graduate,

he was a legendary football coach at Hall, where he also coached baseball, softball and track and field ● Led the football team for 25 seasons where he finished with an all-time record of 195-80 and qualified for the state playoffs 20 times ● Compiled a 32-18 playoff record and led the Red Devils to the Class 3A state championship in 1995 and 2001 and 3A state runner-up finish in 1996 ● Coached baseball for 17 years, winning three regional titles ● Member of the inaugural Hall High School Hall of Fame and Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame

NEWSTRIBUNE FILE PHOTOS

By Brandon LaChance

I

f you went to Hall High School in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s or are a local sports fan, you either know Gary Vicini or recognize the name.

The new generation, however, may need a refresher course.

“It’s funny and I laugh a little bit,” Vicini said. “When I substitute teach at Hall, I talk to some of the kids and ask them, ‘What year were you born?’ They’ll answer, ‘2003.’ I tell them I retired from teaching in 2009 when they were only 6 years old. A lot of those kids are not real familiar with who I am, although some of the boys know me.

“It’s fun to think about what happened. There are trophies in the trophy case. There are a lot of super athletes that went through the school in the 1990s and the 2000s that played football for us.

To say I’m a legend? No, I just coached high school football.”

The 1972 Ottawa High School (played football, basketball, and baseball) graduate and 1976 Illinois Wesleyan University (played football and baseball) graduate has had only one employer – Hall High School.

He was hired in 1976 to teach physical education and driver’s education. Frank Colmone, the Hall athletic director at the time, knew Vicini was a gym rat and hired him to coach the sophomore football team, the freshman basketball team and be the head baseball coach.

“I moved to Spring Valley in 1976. I was a young, single man and

WHERE are they NOW

34 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

always loved sports. When Frank asked me if I wanted to coach, I said, ‘Why not?, I have the time,’” Vicini said.

“I met my wife, Lisa, and we had three daughters. Gina now lives in California and has two children. Kathryn and her husband Andrew have a daughter. Claire and her husband Billy live in Wheaton and have three kids.

“When I started having kids, I chose to stick with my two favorite sports football and baseball and dropped basketball.”

After three years of assisting John Fippinger as the offensive coordinator for the varsity football team, Vicini was hired as the head coach in 1984.

Laughter happens again as Vicini thinks about his first three seasons.

“In football, my first three years were not very successful.

We went 3-6, 1-8 and 0-9,” Vicini snickers. “I give a lot of credit to my 1987 football team because the seniors that came back from an 0-9 year in 1986 were the first team I had that made the playoffs.

“We finished 7-2 and won

the first playoff game against Prairie Central and lost to Mendota in the second round. The 1987 football team started it all. After that, it was the fact everyone just wanted to be part of Hall football. When it catches fire, it catches fire.”

Vicini and the Red Devils made the playoffs 20 times in his 25 seasons at the helm and advanced to the IHSA Class 3A state championship game three times and won state titles in 1995 and 2001 with a runner-up finish in 1996.

“Twenty-five years as a

head coach is a long time,” Vicini said. “Over my years – 1984-2009 – there was quite a change. But overall, the kids don’t change. The coaches have to adjust to the kids a little bit. I had a great coaching See Vicini Page 36

CONGRATULATIONS HALL COACHES

Gary Vicini and Richard Nesti

ON YOUR HALL OF FAME INDUCTION! You have made our community proud.

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A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 35

Vicini

nesota) was on that Kaneland team and they defeated us at home. We had a great football FROM PAGE 35 team and there are a lot of great memories. That season was a staff throughout my career. lot of fun for the coaches and a Everyone made a great effort lot of fun for the players.” to contribute. It was just a fanVicini coached the Hall tastic 25 years. baseball team from 1977-93 “I think of that 1995 state and won three regional titles in championship game when 1987, 1989 and 1990. we were 10 points down with If you ask him, he simply a little over two minutes to had the pitchers to win games. go. I think some people had “In baseball, we had Tom left for Spring Valley thinkYerly and John Thompson in ing that the game was over, the 1980s,” Vicini said. “Back but we came back and won. then there was not a pitch When the bus came back into count, and you just made a run Spring Valley over Rt. 89, it with a couple of pitchers back was just an awesome sight. when I coached baseball.”

It was unbelievable. St. Bede Vicini is a member of three won a baseball state champihalls of fame and – with his onship but, for football, Hall induction into the NewsTriwas the first team to win a bune’s Illinois Valley Hall of state championship in the Illi- Fame Class of 2022 – he is at nois Valley. For Spring Valley an iconic status of four HOF itself and the surrounding entries. communities, it was just an Students currently walking awesome sight coming into the Hall hallways may not town that night.” know Vicini’s resume, but the The championship seasons state championship tags on are always memorable, but the scoreboard, the trophy so are the teams that battled case, the record books and adversity. players and coaches who were Hall’s 1987 team sticks out on the gridiron or in the dugbecause it broke the mold of out with Vicini know exactly losing seasons, but the 1989 what this man did for Hall Red Devils laid the blueprint and Illinois Valley athletics. of grit, grind and never give up.

“I guess longevity speaks “The 1989 football team for itself,” Vicini said. “Being really stands out,” Vicini said. inducted into this hall of fame “We were 1-3 and on the verge is great. There are so many of not making the playoffs. athletes, way before I coached We played Kewanee and beat in the Illinois Valley, that dethem 22-21. We then went on serve to be in here. To be into an eight- or nine-game win cluded in this class and in the streak and got all the way to Illinois Valley Hall of Fame the semifinals where we lost to is a great honor. I know there Kaneland. are a lot of athletes, teams and “P.J. Fleck (wide receiver for individuals that are very welNorthern Illinois University comed into this Hall of Fame. and the San Francisco 49ers, “Longevity has its value. and now the head football It’s a great honor and I’m apcoach at the University of Min- preciative of it.”

Photo from June 201 9 Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame Inaugural Banquet

Nick Guerrini and other members of the 1995 Hall High School Football Team accept their 2019 IV Sports Hall of Fame induction plaque from emcee Lanny Slevin.

FILE PHOTO

NOMINATIONS:

Do you have someone you feel should be included in the future classes of the Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame?

Congrats

To the Class of 2022! e-mail your nominations (with statistics and the reason you feel they should be considered) to:

Jeanette Smith: jmsmith@shawmedia.com

815.664.5102 • 119 W St Paul St • Spring Valley

*we have accumulated a list of hundreds of names but we are always looking to add to it.

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The MIDDLE OF EVERYWHERE

Congratulations State Champion Rusty Wells and All Class of 2022 Inductees from Ottawa Mayor Dan Aussem and the Ottawa City Council Members Wayne A. Eichelkraut, Jr. Thomas G. Ganiere Marla K. Pearson James J. Less

cityofottawa.org A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 37

Donald “Rusty” Wells OTTAWA Accomplishments ● A standout track and field

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Andy Tavegia

I

n a way, you could consider the history of pole vaulting as one of the best kept secrets in Illinois Valley sports.

With more than 40 state medalist performances and 13 state champions between boys and girls – spanning from La Salle-Peru’s Arthur Lee in 1919 to Ottawa’s Maddy Smith 100 years later – the Illinois Valley has been rich in one of the more difficult events to develop a reputation.

And nobody’s been better than Ottawa, tallying 16 top-seven finishes with countless other state qualifiers.

You could point to the efforts of Rusty Wells as a big reason for that tradition.

A state champion in 1971 who at one point tied the best mark in the state and the Ottawa High School’s pole vault guru from 2008-21, Wells had a hand in many of Ottawa’s finest moments – and he’s rightfully earned his spot in the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

With June Gross at the helm of pole vaulting, Wells and teammate Denny Brue helped established the pole vault tradition Ottawa enjoys today with state championships in back-to-back years in the early 1970s. Since then, Ottawa has had three additional state champions.

As Wells would say, it all kind of runs in the family – a family he helped jump start with his career at OTHS. “It’s like a fraternity, you know what I mean?” he said. “Like I always said, ‘Success breeds success.’”

That family feeling was true even in Wells’ younger years. His love for the pole vault was a bit of a family thing with his brother, Fletcher, and himself vaulting in the backyard after watching idol John Pennell compete in the Olympics.

athlete, he was a two-time state medalist in the pole vault and the 1971 IHSA pole vault state champion ● His senior season, he went undefeated in Illinois and tied for the highest vault in Illinois history at the time and placed second at the national meet ● Vaulted in college at Illinois State where he won multiple titles, held the ISU outdoor pole vault record for 15 years ● A standout track and field athlete, he was a two-time state medalist in the pole vault and the 1971 IHSA pole vault state champion, also earned All-American honors ● His senior season, he went undefeated in Illinois and tied for the highest vault in Illinois history at the time, placed second at outdoor national meet ● Vaulted in college at Illinois State where he won multiple titles, held the ISU outdoor pole vault record for 15 years and was team MVP his sophomore season ● Retired pole vault coach at OTHS where coached Maddy Smith to 2019 Class 2A State Title; also member of OTHS Hall of Fame

WHERE are they NOW

38 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

It didn’t take long for things to click for Rusty. As a seventh grader at Ottawa Central School during his first season in actual competition, he cleared 10 feet. A year later, it was 11-0.

He didn’t lose a competition in two years before joining Brue in high school to become one of the most dangerous 1-2 punches in Illinois high school track.

It was a gifted combination. You had Brue, the small right-hander with great gymnastic-like ability at the top of the vault teamed up with Rusty, the tall and lanky lefthanded speedster who would explode down the track and into the air.

“We had a different style, but there were so many little things that we did the same,” Brue said. “I did what I had to do to get there, and he did what he had to do to get there.

“When we went to the meets, my thought was we were stronger together. We just are. Sometimes he would win, sometimes I would win.

He probably won more than I did, but we had such a special friendship, competing and working together.”

It certainly didn’t hurt that Rusty was one of the better athletes around. Given the nickname “Red Dog” by Gross, he not only qualified for state in the pole vault but also in the 100-yard dash while also being the anchor leg on a pretty solid 880 relay.

Rusty said those types of versatile characteristics are what make the best vaulters.

“The pole vault really is, as I tell people, the best athlete in school,” he said. “You

have to be an all-around athlete to do it. You have to have good speed and strength. You have to be coordinated. It’s a combination of all those things.”

Rusty’s abilities led him to become one of the top vaulters in the country by the time he was a senior. A year after finishing sixth in the same state meet Brue won, Rusty cleared 15-4 outdoors at the NCIC meet, a vault that tied him with Chicago Bloom’s Jan Johnson – the 1968 state champ and an eventual Olympic bronze medalist -- for the highest clearance in the state at that time.

Post high school, Wells rejoined Brue at Illinois State University. The two and Mendota graduate Garrett Johnson made quite the Illinois Valley trio in Bloomington-Normal. Each held ISU records at a time, while Wells was named the MVP his sophomore season.

But just as important as his records and titles is the impact Wells has had on others in the Ottawa vaulting community.

June Gross came to him for his thoughts when the likes of Jay Hearn and Greg Fenza – two other state champions from Ottawa – came around.

Following Gross’ passing, Wells took over as Ottawa pole vault coach and helped mentor Smith on her way to the 2019 IHSA Girls Class 2A state title.

He stepped aside prior to this last school year but left the program in the good hands of his brother – the same brother with whom he learned to vault as a youngster.

He still calls Ottawa his home.

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Willie Hanson MENDOTA Accomplishments ● Three-sport star at MHS with

all-state honors in football and basketball ● Started his college career at New Mexico but transferred to NIU where he won six letters (basketball 3, baseball 3) ● In 1965-66, led the NIU basketball team in scoring and in 1966 led NIU baseball team in batting average ● Member of the IBCA Hall of Fame, NIU Hall of Fame and NIU Basketball All-Century Team

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Brandon LaChance

I

n the late 1950s, Mendota was known as a football juggernaut.

Trojans were committing to NCAA Division I football programs and being drafted into the NFL, while the basketball program was forgotten about.

This began to change with the 1960-61 basketball season as new hoops coach Bob Beals and his team featuring star Willie Hanson changed the way MHS played the game.

“Mendota was more well known for football than anything when I went to school,” Hanson said. “In 1960, they hired Bob Beals. I was a sophomore that year. It was when we really turned the corner as far as being a basketball school. That was the start of us having pretty good basketball teams.

“Prior to Beals, Mendota was decent in basketball but were really, really good in football. Two members of the previous two classes of this Hall of Fame – Bill Brown and Ray Jauch – played for those teams. Basketball was just kind of a thing, not a good thing. Beals came in and changed the climate. We played basketball at a faster tempo and really got things going. I credit Beals for turning Mendota basketball into what it became. I was just fortunate to be a part of it.”

WHERE are they NOW

See Hanson Page 42

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 41

Hanson FROM PAGE 41

Beals may have been the director masterminding behind the scenes, but Hanson was the star on the court putting the ball in the hoop and passing to others for his teammates to tally points.

Hanson played basketball all four years of his high school career and racked up 1,712 points to finish atop the Mendota boys basketball all-timescoring list when he graduated in 1963.

Don Hamel passed him after the 196869 season with 2,158 points as he is currently No. 1 on the MHS list, and Joe LaShonse passed Hanson for second in 2017 with 1,732 points.

This means Hanson is still No. 3 on the all-time scoring list and has two entries on the single-season list of at least 500 points. He scored 682 points during his junior season, which is tied for second, and 541 during his senior year to make 16th on the list.

Coming into high school, Hanson didn’t know anything about Mendota, but it is where he began the career that places his name as a Class of 2022 inductee for the 2022 NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Hall of Fame.

“I didn’t even know what the Illinois Valley was,” Hanson said. “When I was a kid, I played all my sports in Compton or Paw Paw. I didn’t have much to do

with Mendota until we went into their high school district. The first year eighth grade students from Compton were sent to Mendota was 1955. I was one of the early, early birds that went to Mendota.”

The freshness of Mendota High School didn’t keep him from playing sports.

Hanson joined the football and bas-

ketball teams immediately and played baseball his senior year after the program was kicked off by Beals during Hanson’s junior year. Unfortunately, he was out with a surgically repaired injury that also made him miss his senior year of football.

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son of basketball and started every game of his last three years at MHS with Beals as coach.

“Coach Beals played a wild, fastbreak game. That was suited for me,” Hanson said. “I felt I could always shoot the ball pretty well and handle the ball pretty well. I was just lucky to have him as a coach to put that style of play into action.

“Also, we had good players. It wasn’t just me. We had Bruce Christman – who played at Iowa Wesleyan University – Jack Jacobs, Kent Carnahan, my brother Ed Hanson, Roger Sheridan (Quincy College), and Bruce Smith (Iowa Wesleyan). We just had good players that got along well and played the game well together.”

After his playing days at Mendota, Hanson signed to play at the University of New Mexico. However, Hanson and Mendota connected again soon.

“Compton was only 300 people. To be that far away, I just got homesick,” Hanson said. “People said it was because of my girlfriend, which

is now my wife, Sandy. I was a sophomore, and she was a freshman when we started dating, and we’ve been married 53 years. We have two children, Amy (Adams) and Brian (Hanson, the St. Bede boys basketball coach). I was at New Mexico a month.

When I came back home, I started playing AAU basketball all the time because I had to wait to go to another school. I probably played more ball during that time than if I was a freshman playing in college. I lived at home until I started school at NIU during the second semester.

“When I was able to play basketball at Northern the next year, my parents (Wilbur and Jean) were able to come to all my games. It was almost like high school for the home games. They came to all my games, and I loved it. It was one of the best decisions I made. I know that.”

Hanson shined at NIU as he was a big piece to both the Huskies’ baseball and basketball programs.

After his college days were done, he continued to

play ball.

“I always grew up playing against the older guys in Compton. There weren’t many kids and we always played ball,” Hanson said.

“I think that really was a big thing in how I got better.

I just kept pushing myself.

When I made the move from high school to college, I played against older, stronger guys all along. I wasn’t intimidated at all. I had the confidence. It didn’t bother me.

“After college, I continued playing baseball on some high-level amateur teams.

I was part of the Mendota Dodge Boys for basketball.

We got to play at the United Center four different times.

We won all four games, and it was all Mendota kids. I had as much fun after college playing sports as I did while I was in college.”

Hanson was a lifelong athlete and became a lifelong teacher as he taught at Rochelle High School for five years before teaching driver’s education at Hononegah High School in Rockton for 27 years from the 1972-73 school year until 1999-2000.

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Gerald “Chips” Giovanine BUREAU, WESTERN, LA SALLE-PERU Accomplishments ● A 1954 DePue graduate,

he was a legendary boys basketball coach at Bureau Twp., Buda Western and La Salle-Peru, coaching 35 seasons ● At Western, he went 331138 in 18 seasons, won a district title in 1967-68 and led team to state in back-toback seasons (1974-75 and 1975-76); the 1974-75 team finished fourth in Class A ● At L-P, he was 304-126 in 16 years as coach, winning nine Class AA regional titles, including five straight to end his career; also led L-P to the super-sectional in 1992-93 (his last season) ● IBCA District Coach of the Year 10 times; member of the IBCA Hall of Fame, Western Illinois Sports Hall of Fame; 2014 recipient of the IBCA’s Tom “Buzzy” O’Connor Award for lifetime achievement

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Brandon LaChance

S

ome people are simply born with loves, passions and are given the opportunities to enjoy them.

This is the story of Gerald “Chips” Giovanine (1936-2014) as he was able to intermingle his desire for basketball, coaching and family all at the same time.

His love for basketball started early in life as he grew up and it continued during his four years at DePue High School before he graduated in 1954.

“The DePue teams that he was on were some of the great small school teams in the state of Illinois when there was only one class,” said Chips’ son, Grey Giovanine. “In his sophomore or junior year, DePue made it to the Sweet 16 in one class.

DePue was an extraordinary, unique, talented small community for athletes.

“Several of those guys had successful college careers. My father went to Western Illinois University and became a hall of fame baseball player at Western.”

After graduating from Western Illinois, he shopped around at different high schools for a teaching position.

WHERE are they NOW

See Giovanine Page 48

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 47

Giovanine

Chips went to some of Grey’s games at Highland Community College (where FROM PAGE 47 Grey is still the all-time leading scorer with 1,024 His search landed him his points in two seasons) and first job at Bureau TownCentral Missouri State Uniship High School, which versity – graduated in 1982 no longer is a school but with a degree in Psychology is now part of Hall High – but coaching called Chips School.

Giovanine back one last “At Bureau, he had all of time.

19 boys in the school,” Grey “He decided he was going Giovanine said. “There were to get out of coaching and only four classes. He was follow my college basketball an English teacher and he career. He wanted to watch had 17 of the 19 boys in the me play in college,” Grey basketball program. He got Giovanine said. “He was those guys organized and out of coaching for about they went 27-0 before they two weeks. The folks at La finally got beat. In three Salle-Peru High School had years there, I think he only an opening and, of course, lost five or six games.” the great tradition and hisAfter three years at Butory at L-P led him to take reau, he moved to Western the job.

High School, often referred “He had unprecedented to as Buda Western (now success at L-P for 16 years part of Bureau Valley) and before finally, truly getting coached for 18 seasons. out of coaching. I went “He had an 18-year run at into coaching and would Western, which culminated peek into L-P games at the with an 85-6 record during Pekin Holiday Classic or his last three years,” Grey the Bloomington Holiday Giovanine said. “Two of Tournament. I was in and those teams were top eight out during that window of in the state and went to his career as I was moving Champaign and played in through the college ranks. the state tournament. I was Actually, our coaching caa sophomore, a junior, and reers paralleled one another a senior on those teams. for about 12-14 years.”

My last three years in high Grey kept the Giovanine school playing for my dad coaching tradition going were very special. My juuntil May 5, 2020 when he nior year when we finished retired after 21 seasons at fourth in the state, he was Augustana College and 39 named the National Coach years in total with stops at of the Year.”

Valparaiso, Oral Roberts, After a 331-138 record Wichita State, Rice and during his 18 seasons at Lamar.

Western, Chips planned Grey found success, but to retire from coaching to he went through tough watch Grey play basketball stretches just like his fain college. ther. However, the winning

streaks far outstretched the losing streaks.

“His first season at La Salle-Peru was a losing season. He took over a program that was really down,” Grey Giovanine said. “In his 16 seasons, I think he only had that one losing season. And we’re not talking about teams that were just right above .500.

You’re talking about teams that were winning 20-25 games every year. That just became the norm. As those wins accumulated, he became a well-known and well-respected coach.”

There are two reasons Grey thinks his father was a great coach.

One was his insatiable appetite to learn.

“He became a prominent lecturer,” Grey Giovanine said. “He did a ton of coaching clinics around the state and around the Midwest. He was always just a tremendous student of the game. I remember going to clinics with him and he would sit in the front row and take notes long after he had won 500-600 games. I

think that was part of what made him so good. He was a life-long learner. He never felt like he had figured it all out. My father was a thirsty learner and I think that’s why he continued to adjust all of those years, stay on top of the game and stay relevant.”

The second was the way his players respected him.

The expression, ‘Enthusiasm is caught, not taught,’ was how Chips lived his life and how he coached the game of basketball. His teams picked up his personality and played with it as they played full of energy, enthusiasm and aggression.

Chips wasn’t an Xs and Os, clipboard type of coach.

He was fiery, demonstrative, full of emotion and excited...just the way his teams were on the hardwood.

“I went to my father’s retirement roast,” Grey Giovanine said. “My mother (Mary Ellen) had secretively gathered 36 years’ worth of former players and they came together to roast my dad. She assigned one

CONGRATULATIONS “Chips” Giovanine!

2022 Illinois Valley Hall of Fame Inductee

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Giovanine coached basketball at Buda Western, leading back-to-back, undefeated Rams teams to the IHSA Class A State tournament in 1974-75 and 1975-76.

player to represent each era to get up and have some fun at his expense.

“He walked into a banquet hall in Princeton and there were all these guys that wanted to come back and see him. I was a NCAA Division I head basketball coach and I came back. The first guy got up to speak.

He told one funny story and then he said, ‘When I needed coach when my mother passed away, he was there for me.’ I teared up.

“Another guy said Chips used to tear up their ankles with bad taping jobs.

After the laughs, he told the crowd that he became a father and a husband and modeled it around coach because of how he had done things and wanted to be like him. His players loved him.”

Between Chips and Grey, the Giovanines account for more than 2,000 wins.

But they were not the only members of the family involved in basketball as Chip’s wife, Mary Ellen, went to a large number of both Chip’s and Grey’s games. As her son puts it,

“We celebrated the wins, while my mom dealt with the losses.”

Chip’s daughter Jill Cardosi, who lives in Princeton, was a cheerleader for Buda Western in the 1980s, while her dad was coaching the team.

The entire Giovanine family was part of Chips’ passion for basketball, coaching and, of course, family.

“He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. One of the sort of blessings was that everyone knew time was somewhat limited,” Grey Giovanine said.

“There was a parade of well-wishers and so many of his former players that wanted to see him and tell him the impact that he had made on their lives. People kind of made a pilgrimage to his home.

“Even when he was really sick, he would perk up and a lot of times he would pull out the old yearbooks from when different guys played.

It was really remarkable to watch the interactions he had with former players.”

Congratulations to this year’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame inductees

Photo from September 2021 Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame Banquet

Emcee Lanny Slevin presents an Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame induction plaque to DJ Glynn at the 2020-21 honoree banquet.

FILE PHOTO

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THE NEWS TRIBUNE’S ILLINOIS VALLEY SPORTS HALL OF FAME

DePue Men’s Club A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 49

Photos from September 2021 Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame Banquet

Legendary coach Lloyd Johnson and members of the 1985-86 Ohio Basketball Team shared memories of their historic season at the 2020-21 honoree banquet.

Inductee Ray Jauch is asked by HOF emcee Lanny Slevin what getting inducted into the IV Sports Hall of Fame meant to him at the 2020-21 honoree banquet.

FILE PHOTO

FILE PHOTO

Hard Work - Perseverance - Once a Learning - Studying - Sacrifice Champion, Always a We Salute this year’s Inductees! Champion.

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50 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

1988 St. Bede Baseball Team Accomplishments ●Won the 1988 Class A State

Title under the guidance of coach John Bellino ● Remains the only state title in school history ● Finished the season 25-4, defeated Waterloo 8-6 in the state semifinals and beat Alton Marquette 6-3 in state title game

SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Brandon LaChance

T

here are a lot of memories surrounding the 1988 St. Bede baseball team.

The roster featured 11 seniors and everyone in uniform were friends and remain friends today. The Bruins only lost four regular season games. It’s the only St. Bede team to ever win an IHSA state championship. The list continues.

But one memory everyone hated in 1988 but laughs about now is...The Run. “We lost to Putnam County (8-7) toward the end of the season (fourth to last game),” said Eric Bubelis, who was a senior third baseman on the 1988 team that finished the regular season 25-4. “We had been on a good little roll and we were taking things for granted. Coach (John) Bellino was mad when we lost to Putnam County. We were at home and PC got on the bus and left.

“He got us on the first-base line, and we ran all the way to the hill and back multiple times. It was May. It was hot. It was humid. We didn’t know any different. We were 18 years old and didn’t know there were other places in the world that weren’t humid. We were sweating like crazy. We were still in uniform. We practiced until dusk. It felt like hours after playing a full game.

“The run was our wake-up call. From that point on, we didn’t lose again. That’s when we started to really focus. Every game meant something to us because we didn’t want another practice like that.”

The rest of the players on the team also tell stories about the run, including pitchers Brad Koster, Mike Schneider and Mike DeAngelo (also left field), catcher Steve Pomatto, first baseman Tom McGunnigal (also pitched), second baseman Jim Perona, shortstop Ken Bima, center fielder Eric “Kro” Krogulski, right fielder Brad Derix, designated hitter Chuck Loebach, as well as Jim Barto, Chris Clancy,

WHERE are they NOW

See St. Bede Page 52

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 51

St. Bede FROM PAGE 51

Sean Ginocchio, Chad Kunkel and Jim Walsh.

In the three regular season games remaining after the loss to PC, the Bruins won the next three games, outscoring opponents 40-12.

“When we get together, one of the first things we talk about is when we lost to Putnam County toward the end of the year,” Derix said. “After the game, John wanted to teach us that focus was important and that you still had to maintain your poise through every game of the season.

After we lost, we had a three-hour practice into the night. It was dark before we left. I don’t think anyone of us will forget that practice or the fact that we didn’t lose anymore games after that night.”

Bellino led the Bruins to 12 regional titles, two sectional titles and the state championship in 1988 during his tenure from 1979-2014.

Through all the memories, The Run is still unforgettable.

“You’re always trying to motivate your players,” Bellino said. “We went out to play the game. Obviously, Putnam County is usually one of our rivalries, especially then, and it was a warm day, and our kids were just really flat at the start of the game. We didn’t play well. We gave up a couple of runs and that was enough to beat us.

“At the end of the game, I was really upset about the loss. I heard one of the kids say, ‘It’s just too hot.’ I thought, ‘Oh, it’s too hot?’ I went out and proceeded to run batting practice again.

That went on for about an hour. Then we started running. I never had to worry about practice anymore.

“This group of kids was exceptional. I’m not going to say that they didn’t deserve some type of punishment and maybe I was too harsh on them, but they took off after that. We

weren’t afraid of anyone.”

The infamous run helped the Bruins defeat Paw Paw (20-2), Mendota (11-4) and Hall (5-4) in the regional, and Eastland (18-3) and Bergan (2-1) in the sectional before playing three games at the IHSA Class A State Tournament when there were only two classes.

Koster – who Bubelis called the “No doubt about it ace” – recorded a 10-0 win over Mahomet-Seymour, pitched in relief in Game 2 as SBA beat Waterloo 8-6 and returned as the Game 3 starter to help the Bruins defeat Alton Marquette 6-3.

The perfect mesh of close friends, players who wanted to win, a coach who pushed his players as far as he could for the best results, star players in Krogulski and Koster who led by example and not ego, and a deep team full of capable players is what made SBA a state champion in 1988 and a member of the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Hall of Fame Class 2022.

“They deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. It was a two-class system, and it was a lot harder to make a run than it is now,” Bellino said.

“Back then, it was tough to make it out of the regionals.

We would have four or five teams with 20 wins in one regional. That was difficult to get out of let alone win a state championship. I feel very fortunate as a coach to be able to say that we did do that.”

Derix played with the boys growing up, but as high school came about, he remained on the freshman and sophomore team while others were called up.

When it was his chance to start in right field, he made the best of it and helped his brothers on the field in any way he could.

“It was a special group of guys. We were close.

We also got along outside of sports and outside of school,” said Derix, who graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1993 and has lived in Arvada, Colo. for the last 29 years.

“We had a personal connec-

tion, and we had some really great athletes for being a Class A school. We were good at all sports, including football and basketball.

“I didn’t play varsity from my freshman year on, but several of the guys on our team did, so we had a great background with six or seven seniors playing all four years. That experience was great to come into and they were great leaders that we were fortunate to have.

We walked into a team that was established and everyone else contributed from there.”

Krogulski (played at Iowa State University) and Koster (pitched at Benedictine University) were pulled up to varsity as freshmen and by their senior year were at the top of almost every SBA category as Krogulski was the phenomenal athlete and Koster was the ace pitcher and a top of

the lineup hitter.

Bima, Perona, Pomatto, and Mike Schneider were pulled up as sophomores.

“You have to start with Coach Bellino,” said Krogulski. “I think in his mind, the regular season was whatever. He pushed us a lot during the regular season, but it was all about the postseason and what you’re going to do in the regionals.

We got hot. We got some really good pitching.

“Koster was the ace, but he couldn’t pitch all the time. If I remember right, we had some rainouts that helped us out a bit where Koster got to pitch a little more than he should of or more than he wanted to. We peaked at the right time. We had senior leadership. We had a good mix of young kids with the seniors.

And Coach Bellino took us to the title.”

Congratulations from

St. Bede Academy

Submitted photos

We congratulate all inductees on their amazing accomplishments!

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52 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame

Looking Ahead To Next Year & Beyond

W

elcome to the third annual induction banquet for the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame!

After a lot work and planning for this night, we are proud to bring it to you and hope you have a great time as we are excited to induct our Class of 2022!

While we put the finishing touches on our eventful third year, we wanted to take a moment to look ahead. We intend to make this one of many induction banquets, but we always want to improve and make it better, so we have some questions for you: • How did we do? Do you think we got the Class of 2022 inductees correct or is there someone else deserving that we missed?

• Who should be considered in our fourth class? We have a list of nominees who were seriously considered but were not selected in our first three classes.

However, we’re always open to suggestions, so who did we miss? The more names we have the better and more representative this will be.

• In your opinion, what went well and what did not? How can we improve and what can we keep the same?

Please send your feedback to NewsTribune Regional Advertising Director Jeanette Smith (jmsmith@shawmedia.com or 815-220-6948) or NewsTribune Account Executive Jared Bell (jbell@shawmedia.com or 815-220-6953). Thanks for any and all feedback whether it’s good, bad or indifferent.

We want to improve and make this event even better! Thanks again and we hope to see you next year to honor our fourth class of the NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame in June 2023!

A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 11, 2022 53

Gold

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Bronze

Silver

Cody R Burroughs

Happ Family Foundation

Kurt Bruno-State Farm Insurance Hall High School Starved Rock Media Edge of Your Seat Podcast Sullivan Foods-Mendota & Princeton DePue Men’s Club

Debo Hardware Connecting Point Bureau Valley High School Central Bank Eureka Savings Bank Ottawa High School

LaSalle-Peru High School Maze Lumber St. Bede Academy Hartauer Insurance Agency Princeton High School Boosters Prescott Brothers

NewsTribune’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame Inductees Class of 2019 Joe Rutgens, La Salle-Peru Eric Siebert, La Salle-Peru J.A. Happ, St. Bede Shawn Jeppson, Hall Kailey Klein, Hall Steve Safranski, Putnam County Bill Brown, Mendota Nicole (Coates) Schaefbauer, Princeton Gil Love, Ottawa Bill Novak, Ottawa Bob Guyette, Marquette Doug Dieken, Streator Chuck Rolinski, Toluca 1979 IVCC Football Team 1995 Hall Football Team Louis Rios, Lanny Slevin Lifetime Achievement Award 1925 La Salle-Peru Football Team, Legacy Team

Class of 2020-2021 Mike Goff, La Salle-Peru Gary Novak, La Salle-Peru Ken Gorgal, St. Bede D.J. Glynn, Hall Jerry Zielinski, Putnam County Ron Zagar, DePue Ray Jauch, Mendota Joe Ruklick, Princeton Dean Riley, Ottawa/IVCC Zami (Mogill) Hay, Streator 1985-86 Ohio Boys Basketball Team Mary Dagraedt, Lanny Slevin Lifetime Achievement Award Art Kimball, Distinguished Media Award Lowell “Pops” Dale, Legacy Award - Individual 1945 Walnut Football Team, Legacy Award - Team

54 June 2022 | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | A NewsTribune Publication

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A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame | June 2022 55

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