Butler’s best welcomed home by school’s new athletic HOF

Butler’s best welcomed home by school’s new athletic HOF



		On hand for the second annual Butler Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame induction cerremony last weekend were, from left, Jeff McAnallen (accepting for Scott Milanovich), David Fox (accepting for Ed Hartman), inductee Beverly Fry Plocki, inductee Jody Imbrie Smith, inductee Dave Barnes, athletic director Bill Mylan, Hall of Fame chairperson Brian Slamecka, inductees Erin Ward Witman, Rodger Puz, Wendy Brink Jilson and Bill Erdos. Steven Dietz/Special to the Eagle

BUTLER TWP — Only two years old, the Butler Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame is already filled with legendary sports figures.
The inaugural class featured Matt Clement, John Stuper, Terry Hanratty, Bill, Rich and Ron Saul — all professional athletes — along with former U.S. Olympians Eric Namesnik and David Pichler, legendary coaches Art Bernardi and Paul Uram, versatile track and field standout Annessa Schnur Steele and all-time girls basketball leading scorer Leatha Dudek Baker.
The second induction class was formally enshrined last weekend at the high school and added nine more impressive resumes.
“There was a void in our athletic program,” Hall of Fame chairperson Brian Slamecka said. “We’d go into other high school gymnasiums and see Hall of Fame displays ... That’s something we didn’t have.
“This is only year two and we’re very happy with where we are right now.”
Earning induction last weekend were gymnastics standout Bill Erdos, girls basketball stars Wendy Brink Jilson and Jody Imbrie Smith, three-sport standouts Ed Hartman and Erin Ward Witman, former NFL quarterback Scott Milanovich, Penn State linebacker Rodger Puz, state champion gymnast Beverly Fry Plocki and longtime tennis coach Dave Barnes.
Jeff McAnallen, a Milanovich teammate at Butler, accepted on his behalf. Milanovich is currently the associate head coach of the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes.
“Scott arrived at (University of) Maryland when they started throwing the ball and he got to throw it all over the field,” McAnallen said. “He developed into a Hall of Famer — a great player and a great leader.
“He was a team player in high school. He always felt that if he played better in the WPIAL championship game ... He wanted to win it for his teammates because he knew 95 percent of them wouldn’t play football again after high school.”
Erdos was a Western Pennsylvania gymnastics champion and went on to win numerous section titles as Baldwin High School coach.
“I owe Coach Uram, a debt of gratitude for where I am today,” Erdos said. “This is an honor I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Ruth Hartman, Eddie’s mother, and close friend David Fox accepted the induction of the deceased Butler and Geneva College football star.
“As soon as I saw the opportunity, I wanted to nominate Eddie,” Fox said. “He was very influential to a lot of people.
“Whenever things would get tense on a football field, Eddie would walk away from the team, get down on a knee and pray. That’s one of my vivid memories of him.”
Brink Jilson is Butler’s second-leading girls basketball scorer and still holds the school record of 42 points in a game.
“I have to thank my family,” she said. “My dad pushing me on the court, all of the support, and the closeness I still share with my teammates.”
Fry Plocki has won numerous Big Ten championships as gymnastics coach at Michigan.
“I’d be nowhere if not for the coaches I had in my career,” Fry Plocki said. “My parents raised me, supported me and drove me to gymnastic meets hours away.”
Puz played on Penn State’s 1982 national championship football team.
“My father-in-law, coach and mentor, Art Bernardi, really affected my life,” Puz said. “To join this Hall of Fame this soon, when so many super athletes have come through this school over the years, is pretty overwhelming.”
Imbrie Smith scored more than 1,000 points at Butler and went on to become Grove City College’s all-time top scorer.
“Girls basketball wasn’t very big when I started,” Imbrie Smith said. “Rudy Corona started a junior high team and Butler Catholic was the only team we could play.
“I have to thank my teammates. And my parents never missed a game, high school or college.”
Ward Witman was a soccer, basketball and track and field standout at Butler and Geneva.
“I’m grateful I was never forced to pick a sport because I had great passion for all three,” she said. The hard work, perseverance and teamwork I learned through sports shaped how I live my life.
“I could always look up into the stands, see my family, feel the support ... That can’t be put into words.”
Barnes put in 63 years of coaching at Butler: 35 with boys tennis, 24 with girls tennis and four with basketball. His overall tennis record was 442-172 with 12 section titles.
“The time just flew by and it was a pleasure to coach such great people,” Barnes said. “When I came to Butler from Karns City in 1964, I worked with (former athletic director, now deceased) Ed Hepe. Ed was a great person in this community. He’s been sorely missed.”
Applications for future Butler Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame nominations can be found in the high school athletic office or by visiting www.goldentornadosports.net.