Editor’s Note: As the Daily Courier nears its 100th anniversary on Nov. 10, sports editor Jason Black takes us down memory lane to highlight some of the area’s sports history. Over the course of the past 100 years, newspapers have gone through many changes. Pick up a newspaper from way back, and you’ll notice that pictures were at a premium and long expanses of print were the order of the day. In the early days of this paper, sports wasn’t considered to be newsworthy and therefore wasn’t given much, if any space. But thankfully, times have changed and now sports has its own special section of the paper each and every day. During the first half of the century, it was a pretty big deal for an athlete, team or sporting event to make it into the paper, and the Daily Courier serves an area that has no shortage of any of the above. Of course, if we were to look at every single great moment in the history of Fay-West sports, this article would be a huge book, not just a story. But here are some of the great, if not interesting events, people and teams that have made sports such an important part of the Daily Courier during the past 100 years. EVENTS Let’s begin in 1904. That’s when Connellsville High School football got it’s start. The team had meager beginnings, going 0-2 in its first season. But as we all know, a proud tradition has since been forged. Also in 1904, the first football game was played by East Huntingdon Township High. EHTH battled Scottdale behind Ruffsdale Grade School. It’s hard to believe that for six years, the team played without a coach. And believe it or not, players didn’t actually have to attend high school until eligibility rules were enforced in the 1920s. In 1906, the WPIAL was formed, and Connellsville was the first local team to enter the league, joining in 1917. Scottdale followed in 1919. Championship boxing was once part of the sports landscape in Connellsville. The sport has enjoyed popularity throughout the region and Connellsville hosted a welterweight championship bout in 1919. The fight was between champion Jack Britton and contender Al Doty. Britton retained his title by scoring a TKO in the second round. In 1920, football was started at Ramsay High School. The team went on to win a WPIAL Class B championship in 1933. In the summer of 1921, the city of Connellsville gave a big boost toward the development of its young athletes as the Culture Club organized and supervised playgrounds throughout the city. At its start, there were four playgrounds which were centrally located throughout the community. Eventually the number of playgrounds grew to six, which included Franklin, Gibson Terrace, Pinnacle, North End, South Side and West Side. At their height, these fields of play hosted softball leagues for boys and girls as well as volleyball and tennis tournaments. On July 4th, 1925, minor league baseball was introduced to Scottdale. The town was the proud home of a Middle Atlantic team, which was a top farm team for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals. The team played in Scottdale for seven years and was considered one of the top minor league teams in professional baseball. Women’s sports started to gain a little popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s. During this time, Ivy League schools such as Yale and Princeton often showed up in the area to showcase intramural girls basketball games. During the early part of the 20th Century, Fayette Field served as a sports haven for local enthusiasts. And in September of 1932, the field hosted its first-ever night football game. Immaculate Conception High School lost to All Saints of Masontown 24-0. Fayette Field was eventually eliminated to make way for Route 119. With the demise of Fayette Field came Connellsville Stadium. The complex was dedicated in 1938 and is still used by Connellsville and Geibel for various sports. In 1943, the Booster Club was organized in Connellsville. The club was designed to promote involvement in sports (mostly for boys). Today, booster clubs are a vital part of nearly every high school sports team throughout the area. In 1949, Connellsville had its first Little League baseball team and in 1952, the city became involved with Pony League baseball as well. Today, both leagues are still responsible for turning out some of the best high school players in the area. In 1965, Mount Pleasant formed its Midget Football League. Today, the program serves as a training ground for up-and-coming Vikings. In 1975, Mount Pleasant borough council finished off renovations at Ramsay, complete with lights at the tennis courts. The city of Connellsville got a chance to celebrate its rich sports history as hometown heroes John Woodruff (1936 Olympic champion) and Bob Bailor (Major League Baseball player) served as parade marshals for the 175th Anniversary-Freedom Festival parade in 1981. In 1982, the first race is held in honor of Olympic gold medalist John Woodruff. This past summer, the race celebrated its 20th annual running and is still a big crowd-pleaser and one of the best-attended sporting events in Connellsville. Stick and ball sports aren’t the only athletic events in the area, and in 1992, a big step toward the promotion of recreational activities such as biking and hiking was undertaken. Local and state representatives broke ground for the Youghiogheny River Trail. The new section of the trail connected Ohioplyle State Park with Connellsville, Confluence and Bruner Run. The city’s link to the bike trail officially opened three years later. Popularized by the success of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early 1990s, ice hockey became very popular. With the newly-erected Divito Park, the first Connellsville hockey team hit the ice in October, 1995. In 1998, construction began for the Scottdale Regional Family YMCA. The facility serves as a great recreational area for adults and children alike. PEOPLE John A. Tyler, of Mount Pleasant, played baseball with the Boston Braves until the team was sold in 1935. He spent 19 years in pro baseball and finished with a batting average of .301 to go along with 411 homers. Possibly the most well-known Connellsville athlete is John Woodruff. Woodruff, a 1936 graduate of Connellsville High School, won various state and high school track records, but his biggest athletic accomplishment was winning the gold medal in the 800-meter run at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. In the late 1930’s, Connellsville could finally boast its first Major League Baseball player. Charles Eugene Hasson was a member of the Philadelphia Athletics and went on to coach a top farm team in Davenport, Iowa. The 1940s spawned many great athletes, including Johnny Schroyer. The Connellsville native was a top-notch performer in track and basketball, but is best-remembered for his contributions to the undefeated 1941 Connellsville Cokers football team. Schroyer went on to play football at Penn State and was later wounded at Anzio during World War II. Trotter’s Pat Mullin began a Major League Baseball career with the Detroit Tigers in 1941. Mullin’s pro career lasted 11 years, and according to accounts, he was one of the best players to ever take the field at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Connellsville track athlete Paul Corvin won several WPIAL and PIAA titles in the pole vault and broad jump in 1942. Pleasant Valley Country Club pro and Professional Golfers Association member Tom Blaskovich qualified for three National Opens. In 1946, he set a course record at Oakmont Heights with a 63. Connellsville’s John Lujack received college football’s highest honor. Lujack won the 1947 Heisman Trophy while playing for Notre Dame. After his college days, Lujack went on to play professional football with the Chicago Bears. He later returned to Notre Dame as an assistant coach. Connellsville Joint High School principal William Dolde was named president of the WPIAL in 1951. Dolde served as coach for Connellsville football and basketball teams. Ramsay High School senior Jan Sikorsky broke a national scholastic record with a javelin toss of 222-10 3/4 at the WPIAL meet in 1957. In 1990, Kevin Saniga became Connellsville High School’s first state wrestling champion. Saniga followed that up with his second state title in 1992. Southmoreland runner Chris Dugan won a state championship in cross country in 1994. In addition to the fine athletes listed above, other great local stars such as Jim Cunningham (Washington Redskins), Wilbur Scott (CFL), Cleo Calcagni (Pittsburgh Steelers), Robert Scott (Cleveland Browns), Jim Braxton (Buffalo Bills), Gary Feniello (Pittsburgh Steelers), Russ Grimm (Washington Redskins) and John Denvir (Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers) had successful careers in professional football. On the diamond, Bob Bailor, Bob Galasso, Roger Miller, Bob Gorinoski, Lefty Heiss and Cecil Cole all hailed from the area, and all went on to become stars in professional baseball. Up in the press box, Ray Scott became a national voice for the biggest events in sports. Scott, a 1936 graduate of Connellsville High School, was the broadcasting voice of the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Washington Senators, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. Scott broadcast four Super Bowls as well as several World Series and PGA Championships. He was voted as the National Sportscaster of the Year in 1968 and 1971. These are just some of the great athletes and sports figures that have contributed to the proud sports tradition in the area. TEAMS In the early part of the 20th Century, the Frick Baseball League was the best in the area. And in 1911, the Leisenring team proved to be superior by winning the Thomas Lynch Cup. In 1913, the Frick baseball title went to Shoaf in Mount Pleasant. The Frick Baseball League fell apart when the United States entered World War I. The Mount Pleasant High School football team beat Hurst and finished the 1924 season undefeated. In the late 1920’s sandlot baseball was a fairly big item in Connellsville, and one of the best teams of the era was the League of Nations, coached by Sam Caliguire in 1927. The League of Nations beat rival Capstan to win the 1927 championship. In its history, the League of Nations finished with a winning percentage of about .800. The Mount Pleasant Hurst team won the WPIAL Class A football championship in 1938. The Connellsville Cokers, often considered one of Connellsville’s best football teams ever, went undefeated in the fall of 1941. The team featured the likes of John Lujack, Garry Feniello and Dave Hart. The Connellsville Little League team won a state title in 1963 and finished second in the Eastern Regional at Staten Island, N.Y. Frazier High School’s basketball team won the WPIAL championship during the 1968-69 season. The 1970 Mount Pleasant High School baseball team won a state title. In 1978, the Connellsville Little League team won its third straight state championship. In the same year, Geibel’s basketball team went undefeated in capturing its first state championship. The Southmoreland High School football team won its first-ever Keystone conference title in 1980. In 1982 and 1983, Frazier won conference championships in football. The Mount Pleasant High School football team won the WPIAL Class AAA crown in 1983. Geibel’s 1984 girls basketball team won the WPIAL Class A championship. The Mount Pleasant High School football team won its second straight Class AAA WPIAL championship after knocking off Kiski 14-13 at Three Rivers Stadium in 1986. Geibel’s girls hoops team won its second straight WPIAL championship in 1988. In 1989, Connellsville High School’s baseball team won its first PIAA Class AAA state championship after beating Williamsport 6-1 in the finals at Altoona. Jimmy Leichliter pitched a six-hitter to earn the win. The team was coached by Tom Sankovich. The baseball team recorded its 600th victory earlier this year. Connellsville High School’s 1991 football team earned the WPIAL Class AAAA championship with a 17-6 victory over Upper St. Clair. The football team recorded its 500th victory last year under head coach Dan Spanish. Connellsville’s 1992 wrestling team won its first-ever WPIAL wrestling championship with a 26-25 win over Canon-McMillan. The team eventually recorded its 400th victory in 2000 under head coach Tom Dolde. Connellsville’s 1993 Little League team won yet another state title. In 1994, Geibel’s girls basketball team won its fourth WPIAL title with coach George Bortz at the helm, while the Connellsville wrestling team took home another WPIAL championship under the direction of Tom Dolde. Frazier’s softball team wrapped up its third straight section championship in 1995. At California University in 1997, the Connellsville High School girls softball team beat Franklin-Regional 2-1 to win the program’s first WPIAL Class AAA title. Bud Murphy’s laid claim to its second straight Fayette County League championship in 2001. As you can see, the Fay-West area is filled with a rich sports history, and the Daily Courier has been proud to report on the great local sports events, teams and athletes over the past 100 years. Black would like to thank former Daily Courier Sports Editor Jim Kriek as well as Connellsville High School teacher Ray Egnott for their contributions to this article.

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