| JIM BARTON A 6'2", 220-pound right-handed pitcher from Copley High School, who had an outstanding career at Akron U, twice being named to the Ohio Conference All-League Team, including 1967 when he posted an 0.93 ERA. Jim pitched ten years in the Akron AA League with Blatz Beer, Tiny's Orphans, Nino's Lounge, and the 1966 champion Airmatic Valve. He was named to the League All-Star Team seven times. |
| CHARLES "TODD" BOYES A right-handed pitcher out of North High who "threw smoke" into an excellent 12-year career in the AA League. Boyes fired his fastball for Farewell Billiards (1930-31), Twin Coach (1932), Champion St. Martha (1933), Buxbaum Cleaners (1934-35), Champion West Chevrolet, and Atlantic Foundry (1936-37). Also, during the period from 1936 through 1938, Boyes helped pitch the West Chevrolet, Atlantic Foundry and Mayflower Hotel teams to various league and tournament titles. He closed out his career with the B.F. Goodrich Local #5 teams, including the 1941 NABF State Championship team. |
| JIM DILAURO Jim becomes the fifth member of the "DiLauro Baseball Family" to be inducted, joining father, Charles "Mim" DiLauro(1986 inductee); brother Jack, (1984 inductee); and Uncles Art Boyes (1983 inductee) and Todd Boyes (1987 inductee). Jim's career began in the North Hill Youth League with McConell-Crisp Realty, and the Polish-American Club, and he followed that with an outstanding career as a shortstop at North High, where he captained the 1954 All-City team. Jim then moved on to Akron U where he was team captain in 1957 and 1958, and into the AA league. Jim was named to seven All-Star teams during a 12-year AA career while hitting at a .325 clip with Chester's Diner, Zoff Heating, champion Krispy Kreme, and champion Black Label teams. He closed out his playing days with John Brown's Winding Bar in 1965. Jim also served as coach at Hower High (1961-66), Akron U (1967-68), and was President of the AA league in 1969 and 1970. |
| RUDY DONATELLI Became known as "The King of North Hill Baseball" as he led numerous youth teams to City and State Championships as a classic hard-hitting first baseman and pitcher in his younger days with teams like the North Akron Dodgers, Ott Construction and Firestone Park Kiwanis in the Class H through D level. Rudy also helped pitch and bat North High to its first ever City title in 1972 and was named All-City twice. Rudy moved on to Kent State University where he averaged .355 and was named to the All-MAC team in 1976. Rudy played ten years in the AA League before a career-ending arm and shoulder injury silenced his bat and leadership. During his playing days with Bolin Oil, champions Acme Ash, Forest City and Akron Insulating teams, Rudy was named to five All-Star teams, won two batting titles, twice was AABC District Tournament MVP and won the coveted Frank Garcia Most Outstanding Player Award in 1979. He closed out his career managing Oakwood Bar to the Youngstown Invitational Tournament Championship. Rudy was also an assistant coach on North High's second ever City Title team in 1977, was head coach at East High in 1981, a board member of the North Akron Hot Stove League, and currently is supervisor of sports for the City of Akron Recreation Department. |
| HENRY E. "HANK" FAHRER Was an all-around outstanding athlete who blossomed in all sports while at Central High School from 1943-46. Hank became known as a fierce competitor and was the man his teams called on to make the big play. He was All-City in basketball and football, along with his favorite game of baseball while at Central. A strong right-handed pitcher who also handled third base and outfield duties, Hank provided his teams with many clutch performances on the area sandlots. He had many highlights in his career including helping the Akron American Legion team to the City Title when he pitched a 1-0, one-hitter against Cleveland in the 1945 State Finals. Hank then became a handy clutch player for the champion Borden Auto team before closing out his career as an outfielder for several class A softball teams. Hank passed away at age 52 in 1981. |
| DENNY GALEHOUSE Denny grew up in the Doylestown area youth leagues and semi-pro leagues before launching an 18-year professional baseball career. He started his major league career with the Cleveland Indians and later played for the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Browns. Galehouse pitched the 1948 American League Playoff game for the Red Sox, losing to the Indians' Gene Beardon, 8-3. In the 1944 World Series between the Browns and St. Louis Cardinals, Denny won two games while compiling a 1.50 ERA. He has remained active on the area sandlots as a major league scout seeking new talent for the big leagues. |
| CHARLEY KING Was a powerful, long-range hitting outfielder out of the North Akron Youth Leagues, and North High School, who played on three championship AA teams, and had a stint with the St. Louis Browns farm system for three years. After leading the North Akron Polar Bears and North Akron Y teams to youth league titles, and an outstanding career at North High, Charley moved into the AA League with Simpson's Market in 1939, and played for the champion Goodrich Local #5 teams in 1940-41. After a stint with Fort Hays, Columbus and Truax Air Force, Madison, Wisconsin teams, during his time in the service, Charley returned with the champion Borden Autos and Moore's Wrestlers, before playing three years in the Tri-State and Western leagues with the Browns farm teams. Charley closed out his brilliant career with Goodyear Tire in 1949. |
| JOHN KONEFF Picked up the game of baseball in his home state of Illinois as a youth, before moving to Akron at age 14. After a couple of years in the youth leagues here, John became a "valuable" addition to the outstanding Sacred Heart and Atlantic Foundry teams during the 1930's. A strong right-handed pitcher with a tremendous "drop ball," John led the Heart and Foundry teams to five straight City titles and two State titles. In 1935 and 1936 he was named the City League's MVP Pitcher, and in the 1936 National Tournament in Wichita, Kansas, he was honored as the tourney's MVP. John finished his career by giving the pro circuit a crack...joining the Tigers organization and playing for Charleston; Gadsden, Alabama; and ended his pitching days with Knoxville in the Southern League. |
| DUANE "LUKE" LUCAS Had an illustrious 20-year career on the local sandlots as a versatile player who could handle all the infield and outfield sports, and became an outstanding catcher while averaging a steady .280-.300 at the plate. From Garfield High, and American Legion play, Duane moved into the AA League at age 15 with Gabby's Nine, and followed that with stints with the Akron Orphans and Scott & Paige Billiards teams, before joining the powerful Borden Auto championship teams. While with the Autos, Duane took a crack at pro-ball in the Phillies farm system. Following that, he returned to the Borden outfit and helped them win many City and State titles. One of the top highlights of his career came in 1950 when he made the AABC All-Tournament while with the Autos in the Battle Creek National Finals. |
| DICK LUI Was one of the best clutch hitters ever in the AA League. A native of Hawaii, and a Purdue graduate, Dick came to Akron in 1966 to work at Goodyear and was recruited by Joe Winkler for the champion Tramonte Black Labels. An All-Big Ten third baseman, Lui continued as a "vacuum sweeper" at the hot corner during his AA career and became a dangerous clutch hitter for the Labels, and later with the champion Akron Insulating team. Nicknamed "The Pineapple," Lui shared the 1968 Frank Garcia Award with pitcher Jim Olson. Dick was named to six All-Star teams. A job call to California took Dick away from Akron in 1978. Sadly, he passed away in 1983 at the tender age of 43. |
| JOHN PAVKOV An East High grad who became a "gutsy" handyman type player for a number of teams, John proved to be an outstanding player at any of the nine positions on the baseball diamond. Although a strong right-handed pitcher who could also hit for the .300 average, John was utilized by the teams he played for in the position they most needed help. In his early days, John played with the champion Killian Celtics and West Chevrolet teams and also had stints with Scott & Paige Billiards and New Haven Cafe, and helped the tough Borden Auto teams of the late forties in their quests of league and district championships. |
| TED RAKICH Got the "Blues" at only 19 years old, when a shoulder injury suffered in football action at Central High in 1939 also curtailed his playing career on the baseball diamond. Ted had been a strong-armed center fielder and a .300 hitter for Class EE Davidson Grocery, Class B Tasty Market, and Akron Blues teams before being knocked out of playing action, as he could not shake the injury during the 1940 season. After a stint in the service, Ted began a brilliant coaching and managing career with the Akron Braves Class F Championship team, and in 1955 he enjoyed the "Baseball Blues" by starting another winning association on the youth level...this time with the outstanding Akron Blues teams of the late fifties. The Blues completely dominated teams from the area and had outstanding success on the State and National levels as they piled up numerous City, County, and State titles. In 1960, after helping Fred Malagio at Central High, Ted took the Central Blues team to its best finish ever when they battled to become National runner-up that year. Ted has fond memories of all his players, but feels the high points of his career were helping and watching the development of Rick Handy, Art Kusnyer, and son Carl move from the youth leagues into college and class AA play, and have all three receive the coveted Frank Garcia MVP Award, and also be on hand when all three were inducted into The Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame. |
| ED RICHARDSON The late Ed Richardson strongly believed in giving the young ballplayer a chance at furthering his baseball skills, and did so by sponsoring many youth teams and one of the most famous of all Akron teams...Krispy Kreme in the AA League. Ed's teams, especially under the guidance of Bob Simmons, Art Boyes, Bus Simpson, and Paul Rife, became known for their competitiveness and rewarded him with three championships in the late fifties. Among the players Ed would remember the most include: Jack Bisesi, Dave Young, Dean Dutton, Gene Michael, Mike Grimm, Marion Rossi, Skip Pope, and Roy Leafgren, who all went on to outstanding baseball careers on the local and national level. Ed sponsored the famous Krispy Kreme teams from 1946 to 1950, and again from 1953 through 1965. |
| ED "EDDIE" RIFE Excelled in baseball, basketball and football at Ellet High School, and had a pair of outstanding seasons in baseball and basketball at Compton Junior College before beginning an 18-year class AA League career. Eddie was an excellent defensive player at all the infield spots, was a consistent .300 hitter, and finished his career as an All-Star first baseman. Eddie played with Chester's Diner, Barberton Weather-Seal and champion Krispy Kreme, Borden Auto and Tramonte Black Label teams before closing out his career with the champion Red Peppers. Ed was named to three All-Star teams and provided all his teams with clutch hitting from the left side of the plate. Ed joins his father, Paul Rife, as the second member of the Rife Family to be inducted into The Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame. |
| PETE WAWRIN Pete was a former outfielder in the Akron Youth leagues, and in the class AA League for Golden Age in the early forties, before turning to working the games as an umpire. A hard-working and "easy to get along with official," Pete enjoyed 25 years of action in making the calls on the local sandlots, College ball, and National tournament play as well. Pete also served on various youth league boards, and was a sporting official officer with 20 years of dedicated service. |
| PHIL WILFRED Although only 5'8"and 150-pounds, Phil became one of the best clutch left-handed pitchers in the Akron area. From his youth playing days in the Firestone Park area, Phil led the South Akron All-Stars (Little League), Akron All-Stars (Pony League), and Post# 209 (American Legion League), to numerous City, State, and Regional championships. At Garfield High he continued his pitching and hitting success, leading the Rams to two City titles, including 1962 when he posted a 7-0 record and batted .620. After being named All-City three times at Garfield, Phil became a seven time All-Star in eleven years in the AA League, beginning in 1962 with Krispy Kreme. The highlight of his rookie year was outdueling Dave Young of the Black Labels in a 15-inning, 5-3 win. Phil also toiled for the champion Black Label and Airmatic Valve teams, winning three games in the AABC World Series in Battle Creek during his stint with the Labels. He also pitched for the Dairy Queen, Co-op and Field Merchants teams. |