Jeannette announces inaugural class of Jayhawk Athletic Hall of Fame

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 | 4:45 PM

Jeannette has won WPIAL and PIAA titles in several sports and has been producing top-level college talent for decades.

A number of athletes have gone on to professional careers.

But what the tradition-rich school has not had is a way to collectively honor the accomplishments of those teams and standouts — until now.

Jeannette has formed the Jayhawk Athletic Hall of Fame and this week announced its inaugural class.

“This is something Jeannette has needed for years,” said Jeannette Superintendent Matt Jones, who, with the assistance of director of student services Shelley Muto, brought a long-discussed idea to fruition. “You’re talking about one of the premium athletic programs in the county.”

The hall will include all sports and feature athletes, coaches, contributors and teams.

Said Muto: “We’re doing a disservice to these great athletes and teams by not having a hall of fame.”

The school district, in conjunction with the Jeannette Education Foundation, will recognize the first crop of inductees — and it includes some of the heavy hitters — in early February.

The class will be honored during halftime of a boys basketball game Feb. 8 and at a banquet at 5 p.m. Feb. 9 at Ferrante’s Lakeview.

The class includes: Lisa (Marquis) Abreu (basketball, Class of 1987); Steve August (football, ’72); Adam Bostick (basketball, football, ’79); Sid Bostick (basketball, football, ’74); Gary Gregory (basketball, ’72); Dick Hoak (football, ‘57); Matt Lebe (wrestling, 2001); Joe Mucci (football coach, ’68-85); Lori Pecoraro (track, ’90); Terrelle Pryor (football, basketball, ’08); Dante Wiley (football, ’83); and the 1956 football team.

There also will be a “Legends” group of posthumous honorees that includes: Bill Baughman (football, ’40); Buster Clarkson (baseball, ’33); Claire Cribbs (basketball, ’30); Mike Getto (football, ’48); Jack O’Brien (football, ’50); and Lou Seiler (trainer, ’47).

The plan is for “fluid action,” Jones said, to choose a new class each year, with the help of a small committee — and people in the know about Jeannette sports history. Jones used to be an assistant football coach at Penn-Trafford and reached out to organizers of the Warriors’ football-only Hall of Fame as a starting point.

Muto said a points system was formed to help choose inductees, with a scale based on achievements at the high school, college and pro levels, as well as contributions to the community.

Inductees will receive plaques but the plan is to form a display at the school, possibly in a touch-screen form like Fox Chapel uses.

Tickets for the banquet are $25 for the spouse of an inductee and $40 for additional guests.

The event is limited to 300 people.

Contact 724-523-5497 for more information.

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Jeannette