2000 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

 

KELLY FIRTH HATFIELD
The 1989 Lutheran High graduate led Lutheran to Class A Girls Elite Eight in basketball in '89 as the first girls team from Springfield to reach the Elite Eight. Went to Southern Illinois Carbondale on scholarship and worked her way into the starting lineup her freshman year and started full time sophomore through senior years. SIU made two NCAA tournament appearances while she was there. Collegiate highlights: All-Gateway Conference first-team selection her junior year, 1991-92; ranked fifth on SIU's career rebounding list with 811; ranked 12th on SIU's career scoring list (1,093); shot .547 from field for career (No. 5 on SIU list) and .722 at the line (No. 6 on SIU list); No. 7 on SIU career list in steals (119); led team in rebounding average her junior and senior years; was No. 8 on SIU list in minutes played for career (2,911); during her four years team went a combined 92-38, won Gateway Conference title in 1990 and finished second the next three years.

 

JIM FOX
Attended Iles Grade School and graduated from Feitshans High School in 1949. Won eight varsity letters in high school, four in track and two each in football and basketball. Was an all-city football player as a junior and senior and an honorable mention all-state football player as a senior. Set the city scoring record in 1948 (since broken) when he had 38 points against St. James Trade School and was an all-city and all-conference pick in basketball as both a junior and senior. Won three varsity football letters at Illinois State University and was co-captain of the 1953 team, and he was a member of the undefeated 1950 team that was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame. Head basketball coach at Chatham Glenwood High School for nine seasons and had just one losing season.

KEVIN GAMBLE
A Lanphier High School graduate led Lions to 1983 Class AA State Basketball Tournament title. Attended Lincoln College for two years, earning National Junior College Athletic Association All-America honors as a sophormore. Transferred to Iowa for his final two college seasons, leading the Hawkeyes to the NCAA tournament regonal final his senior year. Was the 63rd player selected in the 1987 NBA draft, by Portland, but he was cut by the Trailblazers, Spent time in the CBA and World Basketball Association before signing with the Boston Celtics as a replacement for the injured Larry Bird in 1988. Was with the Celtics from 1988-94 before signing as a free agent with Miami and later played with Sacramento. In 649 NBA games, averaged 9.5 points and shot 50.2 percent from the floor and had 228 3-point baskets.

 

CALVIN PETTIT
Lanphier High School graduate who played football and basketball and ran track. Was city's leading scorer as a junior and senior at Lanphier and was an all-stater as senior. Attended Central Missouri State, where he played for former Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall and finished among the leading scorers in the nation. Spent one season with Atlanta Hawks organization, one year with New Haven Elms of Eastern Basketball Association, one year with Peoria Chiefs of Continental Basketball Association and five years with Decatur Bullets of CBA. Also spent one season with the Marques Haynes World Fabulous Magicians and was voted Rookie of the Year. Tried out six times for professional teams (Dallas, Oakland, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver twice).

 

JOHN PHILLIPS
One of the top local amateur golfers in the 1960s and early 1970s, he won four Men's City Tournament titles (1966, 1968, 1973, 1975) and never finished worse than seventh. Only Bobby Charlton and Eddie Charlton (six each), Dale Schofield and Noah Dixon (five each) won more city titles. Won one Round The Town title, one Peoria Open, played in three U.S. Amateurs and five Illinois State Amateurs with a best finish of third and four other top-10 finishes. Holds the course record at Lincoln Greens with a 63 in 1966.

 

PAT RALSH
Graduated from Ridgely School with Al Barlick and played professional baseball for 11 years beginning in 1935. Led the Class B Interstate League in winning percentage (11-4) in 1942 as member of Wilmington (Del.) team and went to spring training with Philadelphia Athletics the next spring before entering the Navy in 1943. Led the Texas League with 24 wins in 1940 and set league record with 14 straight victories. Won 12 games for the House of David baseball team managed by Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1938. Later served as scout for Chicago White Sox.

 

JERRY THOMAS
Springfield High School graduate (1956). Played collegiately at Illinois and Southern Illinois and was team MVP at SIU. Finished second in Flint, Mich., City Tournament in 1965 before returning to Springfield. Won three Men's City Golf Tournament titles (1970, 1981 and 1989) and five Round The Town titles (1976, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1984). He died in October of 1990.

 

TEAM

GRIFFIN HIGH SCHOOL GOLF TEAM OF 1978 AND 1979 was the only Springfield team to win back-to-back state championships. The Illinois High School Association moved the state golf tournaments to Springfield for 1977, when the Class AA state tourney was played at Lincoln Greens and the Class A state tourney at Oakcrest (now The Oaks). In the second year, Griffin made the most of the home-field advantage, winning the Class AA title by 13 shots over runner-up Peoria Spalding. The Cyclones won in 1979 by three shots over Peoria Richwoods. Team members were J.C. Anderson, the 1979 state champion, Doug Williams, Bill May, Darrell Tureskis, Pete Maher, Dick Schofield and Todd Gedaminski, Ron Brian was the coach.

 

FRIENDS OF SPORT

Ron Michaelson - Graduate of Maine Township High School, where he was a member of back-to-back state championship baseball teams in 1958 and 1959 and captain and starting catcher in 1959. Played baseball for four years at Wheaton College and was elected to the school's Hall of Fame in 1970. Has been an active Illinois High School Association official for 33 years who worked the state finals a maximum four times. Worked two state title games, one with Pat Flannigan and the other with Kent Hammond. Worked his first state title game in his eighth season as an official, and at the time the IHSA said it was the quickest any official had ever made it to the title game. In 1995, the National Federation of High School Associations named him Illinois boys basketball official of the year. He also works NCAA Division III games, and in 1993 he officiated a Division III playoff game. Also active in local chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

 

Pete Urbanckas - Springfield High graduate (1933) who played football in high school. Remained active at the YMCA and as a fan of his school sports into his 80s and attended local sporting events for over 60 years. Coached girls and boys baskeball at St. Aloysius and was an independent basketball referee for many years. Played baseball and golf and was active in Golden Gloves boxing for many years. Received the Outstanding Achievement Award for recruiting thousands of YMCA members from 1968-94. Uncle of Springfield Sports Hall of Famer Al Urbanckas.

 

Jim Wildrick - Former State Journal-Register sports-writer who died July 3, 1999, after battling health problems for the better part of the last four years. Was elected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1999. during his 29-year career, the Schenectady, N.Y., native and Marquette University graduate distinguished himself for his column writing and sports reporting. Won United Press International first-place writing awards in 1974 and 1976 and The Associated Press first-place writing award in 1976, won The Associated Press second-place writing awards in 1977, 1982, 1985 and 1997 and was voted Sportswriter of the Year by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association in 1991. Won a fourth-place award in the National Bowling Magazine writing competition in 1974, and in 1976 and 1993 he was honored for local harness racing coverage. Was a member of The State Journal-Register's first-place writing team in the 1988 Associated Press contest, won the Copley Ring of Truth award in 1974 and was a Copley Ring of Truth second-place award-winner in 1981. Also was named to the Greater Springfield Area Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1977.