Springfield Sports Hall 1991 Inductees

1991 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

AL BARLICK
Became only the sixth umpire to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown in 1989. Began umpiring professionally in 1936. Made it to the National League in 1940 and retired in 1971. Worked a record seven All-Star Games and Seven World Series. A native of Springfield. *
Born: April 2, 1915, Springfield, IL - Died: December 27, 1995, Springfield, IL

DICK BOUSHKA
A member of the U.S. Olympic Gold Medal Basketball Team in 1956.
The fifth-leading scorer in St. Louis University history with 1,440 points, 19.2 a game. Third-round draft choice of the Minneapolis Lakers in 1955. A first team All-American selection after the 1954-55 season. Grew up in Springfield.

RON GIBBS
A referee in the National Football League for 28 years, he worked 15 NFL World Championship games, including the famous 1958 overtime title game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants. A longtime Springfield resident, Gibbs also refereed high school and college basketball, including the 1951 NCAA championship game between Bradley and CCNY. He also officiated high school and college football, including the Cotton, Orange and Sugar Bowls. *

JIMMY JOHNSON
One of the world's fastest humans in the 1930's, when he tied the world record in the 100 and 220 yard dashes and defeated Jesse Owens twice in the National Amateur Athletic Union meet. Finished fourth in the Olympic Trials in 1932 in the 100, but was denied his spot on the 400 meter Olympic relay team by a controversial committee ruling. charter member of the Illinois State University Hall of Fame and school record-holder in the 100-yard dash (9.4) despite running in the era of spiked shoes and cinder tracks.
Springfield High School graduate.*

JOSH JOHNSON
Was a catcher in the old Negro National and American Professional Baseball Leagues from 1934-42, where he played with and against future Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell. Moved to Springfield in 1960 and began a career in public service.

DR. STAN LONDON
Finished his collegiate basketball career as the leading scorer in Washington University (Mo.) history, and also played baseball. Gave up an opportunity to play pro baseball in order to attend medical school, and later became the St. Louis Cardinals team physician. Remained a world-class handball player while working for the Cardinals.
A 1943 Springfield High School graduate.

JAKE MOORE
Greater Springfield Bowling Association record-holder with 14 association tournament titles, a member of five city championship teams and helped his team to win the state championship in 1952. A member of the Illinois Bowling Hall of Fame. *

MARK PETERMAN
Coached at Springfield High School from 1929 until 1947 and took 11 teams to the state tournament. His 1935 Senators team won the state title 24-19 over Harvey. His 1928 Canton team also won the state championship.
He's a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. *

RAY RAMSEY
Perhaps the most versatile athlete the city has ever produced. Earned 13 varsity letters in basketball, track and football at Bradley. Set school records in the high hurdles and long jump in track. He earned Little All-American honors as a halfback in 1946, then spent 10 seasons playing professional football in the All-American Conference, Canadian Football League and the NFL. Also played professional basketball in the NBA.
Lanphier High School graduate.

ROBIN ROBERTS
A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, inducted in 1976. Won 286 games in a 19-year career that included stops with Philadelphia, Baltimore, Houston and the Chicago Cubs. Had six consecutive 20-win seasons from 1950-55. Lanphier High School graduate.

DAVE ROBISCH
Spent 13 season in professional basketball, both in the NBA and ABA, and scored more than 10,000 points and had more than 6,000 rebounds. Was an All-American at Kansas and would end up as the school's No. 3 scorer all time (1,754) and rebounder (815). Led Springfield High School to a third-place finish in state tournament as a senior, when he averaged 31.1 points a game.

JOHN SCHAIVE
Spent parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Washington Senators as well as several successful minor league seasons. Finished with a .232 career major league batting average. Managed in the minor leagues as well as in winter leagues and also coached at Sangamon State.
Lanphier High School graduate.

ELAINE SCHEFFLER
A native of Springfield who won 10 Round-The-Town bowling titles and 27 Womens's Bowling Association Championships in a 43-year career. A charter member of the Springfield Women's Bowling Hall of Fame. *

HERB SCHEFFLER
Springfield High School graduate who played football and basketball and was a starter on the 1935 SHS state championship basketball team. Played one year at Illinois College, then transferred to Oklahoma, where he played baseball and basketball. Spent three seasons with the Boston Red Sox organization and coached basketball at SHS from 1947-55. Played, coached and officiated in the state basketball finals.

DICK SCHOFIELD
A 19-year major league veteran who played in three World Series. Hit .406 down the stretch for the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates to help them win the World Championship. A career .227 hitter with
St. Louis, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers.
A Springfield High School graduate.

JOHN 'DUCKY' SCHOFIELD
A native of Springfield who played 11 years in the minor leagues. He also played one year in the Three-I League with the Springfield Browns and later was a driving force in developing youth and amateur baseball in Springfield. Also was a high school referee in basketball and football for 10 years.

ED STERNAMAN
Played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears after an illustrious career at the University of Illinois. He became a part owner of the team along with George Halas in 1921, when the Bears left Decatur to play in Chicago. An All-State Player at Springfield High School. *

JOE STERNAMAN
Spent 8 seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears after playing collegiately at the University of Illinois. In 1926, he started the Chicago Bulls professional team, which lasted just one season.
Was an All-State Player at Springfield High School. *

BILLY STONE
Played four seasons in the NFL, with the Chicago Bears after being Chicago's No. 1 draft choice out of Bradley in 1951. Led the Bears in punt returns in 1954. Returned to his alma mater as head football coach.
Lanphier High School graduate.

OTTO STOWE
Spent four seasons in the NFL, with Miami, Dallas and Denver after being the Dolphins' second-round draft pick out of Iowa State in 1971. Played in 1972 and 1973 Super Bowls with Miami. Finished with 43 career receptions and 10 touchdowns.
Feitshans High School graduate.

BOB TRUMPY
Spent 10 seasons in the NFL, as a tight end with the Cincinnati Bengals after being the Bengals' 12th-round draft choice out of Utah in 1968. The Springfield High School graduate was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and retired as the Bengals' all-time leading receiver. Left the field for the broadcast booth and a successful career in radio and television.

AL URBANCKAS
Cathedral high School track and basketball star who went on to the University of Illinois, where won the NCAA high jump championship in 1957. Was the Big Ten indoor and outdoor champion and set a Big Ten high jump record of 6-8 3/4 in 1957 that stood for 10 years.
Was named "Athlete of the Year" in Midwest track in 1957.

KIM SCHOFIELD WERTH
Won seven individual girls state track meet titles and also ran on a state championship 440-yard relay team. Invited to the 1976 Olympic trials as a long jumper at Iowa State University.
Southeast High School graduate.

CHUCK WEYANT
Began auto racing career in 1941 at the age of 17. Drove in the Indianapolis 500 five times and was part of a U.S. driving team that went to Manza, Italy, in 1957. He accumulated 11 United States Auto Club midget wins. A native of Springfield.

FRIENDS OF SPORT

Allen Stinnett - A former member of the Springfield Playground Recreation Commission, Stinnett was a major supporter of youth baseball. Stinnett was a charter member of the Springfield Baseball Association and was president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Baseball Congress.

Bud Fitzpatrick - Fitzpatrick was the editor of the Springfield Citizens Tribune and the editor and publisher of Main Street.
He was involved in a variety of activities, including the Springfield Lumberjacks baseball team in 1924, auto racing in Champaign in 1946-47, and Golden Gloves boxing from 1942-1956.
He was also past president of the Illinois Softball League in 1940 and owned and operated Fitzpatrick Stadium in the late 1940s and early '50s. *

Bob Drysdale - Drysdale was the sports editor of the Illinois State Journal from 1922-1961 and was recognized as one of the nation's leading authorities on harness racing.
Noted for his column, "The Dope Bucket," he was a vice-president of the old Three-I baseball league and was instrumental in starting the Central Illinois Junior Golf Tournament, which now carries his name. *

Oscar Dow - Dow retired from a 25-year association with youth league teams in 1958. He managed teams in the Junior League, going on to guide teams in the Senior League, Tri-County League and the Industrial League, finishing second in the Industrial League national tournament in 1951 and claiming the title in 1952.

Frank Weir - Weir was the sports editor of the Springfield State Register from 1930 to 1946. He was a major bowling supporter and wrote a regular bowling column "Frankly Speaking."
He started the State Register 16-game bowling tournament which evolved into the present
Round-The-Town tournament. *

Mitch Shadid - One of the city's major supporters of youth baseball, shadid was involved at one time or another in almost every phase of local youth baseball beginning in the 1950s.
He was a Little League district representative, a Colt League regional director and was the business manager for the Springfield Caps.
Shadid was the Roman Cultural Society's Man of the Year in 1976 and was a major force in the construction of Chamberlain Park. He was named Copley First Citizen in 1978.

Jack Rossiter - Rossiter was a former major league scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators, Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins.
Rossiter organized the Illinois Amateur Baseball Association and is credited with discovering Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts and signing him with the Phillies.*

Ed Pree - An attorney, Pree was the former director of sports and activities for American Legion Post 32, and was president of the American National Sports Corporation, a not-for-profit organization.
A long-time sponsor of baseball teams, he was the primary sponsor of the American Legion State Fair tournament from 1968-75.
He's credited with bringing NCAA Division I college basketball to Springfield, including the 1980 game matching Bradley and South Korea and the 1987 contest pitting Illinois State and the Soviet national team.