SHS Hall of Fame inducts inaugural ten
Published on October 29th, 2003
STONEHAM, MA - The Stoneham High Athletic Hall of Fame held its inaugural dinner last Saturday night at the Montvale Plaza, and for those in attendance the evening went down as a rousing success.
"It was fantastic" said an enthused H.O.F. Committee Member and Athletic Director, Mike Lahiff.
The evening began with a cocktail hour from 7-8 p.m. and then the induction proceedings commenced at eight o'clock.
Master of Ceremonies Bernie Corbett quickly got laughs with his recollections of growing up in Stoneham. He then brought up School Committee and Hall of Fame Committee Member Dan Moynihan, who gave the evening's welcome.
For Corbett, currently the radio play-by-play voice of Harvard University football and Boston University hockey, the emcee position is nothing new.
"I'm a member of the Friends of Hockey at BU and I host the Hall of Fame inductions there, so this is nothing new to me. The fact that it's my home town makes it kind of special, though" noted Corbett.
Three presentations were made at the outset. First up was football/basketball/baseball star Joe Vitiello, who has gone on to play Major League baseball for the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres and Montreal Expos. The 1988 graduate was unable to attend and sent a video clip thanking the Committee and his family. His father, Joe Vitiello Sr. gave a few words of thanks as well.
After the video presentation the inductions went in order of the era of each inductee.
Cliff Thompson (1937) and Jack Russell (1940) were then inducted posthumously, each going in for their efforts in football, hockey and baseball. Both athletes were represented by their sons, Roger Thompson and Jack Russell Jr. respectively, in accepting the awards.
Cliff Thompson went on to star for the Boston Olympics hockey team and even saw playing time with the Boston Bruins, a rare feat for an American in those days. Jack Russell was offered a scholarship at Dartmouth and was asked to sign with baseball's St. Louis Cardinals, but Russell opted to turn down both opportunities to pursue other ventures.
Then the ceremony broke while dinner was served and resumed with the induction of Frank O'Grady, who played football, hockey and baseball. The 1949 Stoneham High graduate went on to play at Boston College and was a member of the 1956 Olympic Team that traveled to Cortina, Italy.
O'Grady, also remembered by many in the room as a teacher and later as Vice Principal of Central School, humbly took the microphone and put forth a case for the many other deserving and as yet unnamed athletes.
Hockey and baseball star Paul Norden, class of 1950, was next up and made a short but humorous speech.
"Hockey was my favorite sport" said Norden, adding "Baseball? Nah! Too boring." Norden's impressive pitching performance in a 1-0 loss to Somerville in the state tournament got him a tryout with the Boston Red Sox, but Norden chose to go to Boston University instead.
Ellis "Sonny" Lane, a 1961 graduate who excelled in football, basketball and baseball, then took the podium and acknowledged the many influences in his life. Lane later became legendary for building a powerhouse basketball team at Wakefield High in the 1980's.
Perhaps the most moving induction of the night belonged to Bob Margarita, who received the night's only standing ovation upon his induction. Margarita was honored for his work as a teacher, coach and equipment manager at Stoneham High from 1964-2002. Margarita made a brief but humorous speech about how he almost bought a house in Melrose that brought a few tears to the house.
1975 graduate Ron Melkonian was the next inductee. The indoor and outdoor track star broke a state shot put record that held for almost twenty years and still holds the school record for the shot put. Melkonian continues to give back to his alma mater by working as a volunteer coach with the boys track team.
Paul White, class of 1976, followed Melkonian. White was a captain for the football, hockey and baseball teams his senior year, believed to be the first athlete at Stoneham High ever to be so designated. White continues to participate in sports working as a college football official.
"I was really honored by this" White said later on. "To go in with such an incredible group of people is incredibly flattering" he added.
Kristen Seabury Till graduated from Stoneham in 1987 and is without a doubt the most successful distance runner in the school's history. She later starred at the University of Alabama and competed in the Olympic trials in 1992 and 1996. Seabury's emotional tribute to her family and track coach Alain Rocher brought a lump to many throats in the crowd.
Amy Whelan, class of 1992, was next up to the dais. A multi-sport athlete competing in soccer, basketball and softball, Whelan led the dominant Spartan softball teams of the early 1990's. She then went on to Princeton where she caught for teams that won three Ivy League Championships and twice went to the College World Series. Whelan spoke passionately about the positive role sports can fill in a girl's life while growing up.
The last inductee was John Fawcett, who spent 34 years in the Stoneham School system as a teacher, coach and Athletic Director. It was that last position, though, that Fawcett is perhaps best remembered as he spent 27 years at that post and was the school's first Athletic Director and presided over the explosion of women's sports, usually far ahead of the curve. He currently works in the Danvers school system part-time as a faculty manager of athletics.
"We couldn't have been more delighted the way it turned out" said Lahiff at the conclusion of the evening.
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