July 28, 2008 List of Legends

Max AlvisJasper, TX: This consistent and popular Texan had lifetime highs of .274 and 22 homers as a rookie in 1963. A career-threatening bout with spinal meningitis disabled him for six weeks in 1964, but he made a remarkable comeback and was an All-Star in 1965. In both 1963 and 1967, he was voted the Indian’s Man of the Year.
Joe CharboneauNorth Ridgeville, OH: “Super Joe” made his debut with the Cleveland Indians in 1980, splitting time between left field and designated hitter. His 23 home runs led the team and he captured the city’s imagination with his hard hitting and eccentricities, He finished the season with 87 runs batted in and a .289 batting average while winning the American League Rookie of the Year award. He accomplished all this despite being stabbed with a ball-point pen by a crazed fan as he waited for the team bus on March 8. The pen penetrated an inch and hit a rib, but Joe played his first regular season game just over a month later.
Ross FichtnerPlymouth, MI: Born in McKeesport, PA, this cornerback played for the 1964 world champion Cleveland Browns. He played from 1960 to 1968 with the Browns and the New Orleans Saints. His college ball was played at Purdue University.
Vern FullerCleveland, OH: He played 2nd and 3rd base during 1964-70 with the Cleveland Indians. A slick fielder, he has also served with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni and as co-chair of their Cleveland Golf Tourney.
Ned GarverBryan, OH: A 14 year Major League pitcher, Ned completed 153 games with a 3.73 ERA. He won 20 games in 1951 and was the Starting Pitcher for the American League in the 1951 All Star game. He holds a career win total of 129 games. His 20 games won in 1951 for the St. Louis Browns makes him the only pitcher to ever win 20 games in a season for a team that lost 100 or more games. He was elected to the Ohio Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.
Mike HershbergerMassillon, OH: A stocky right-handed hitter and thrower, he played for the Kansas City A's for 3 seasons in the mid-60s, and also played for the Brewers, Oakland and Chicago. Hershberger "got the ball away quickly” according to Hank Bauer, another great strong-armed outfielder. "He was not only quick, but he was accurate and the ball had something on it," Bauer said.
Greg KoscMedina, OH: A native of Bridgeport, CT, he graduated from the University of Texas then, in 1972, attended the Al Somers Umpire School. In the 1970s, he worked both as an Instructor while gaining his experience in Spring Training with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1976, he began work for the American League, opening his career in Cleveland on April 10th. Since that, he’s worked many Championship Series, World Series and All Star games. He retired in 2002, and now does Pet Therapy with his boxer Reni in the Skilled Care Nursing unit at Western Reserve Masonic Community. In June of this year, Greg was inducted into the Medina County Sports Hall of Fame.
Andy KoscoYoungstown, OH: Originally a Detroit Tiger bonus baby, the slugging outfielder played for seven other ML teams during his 10 year career. In 1969, his best year, he led the Dodgers with 19 homers and 74 RBI. He hit .300 for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1973 NLCS. A Youngstown native, he also played with the Twins, Yankees, Brewers and with the Reds during the '73-'74 Division Play-offs.
Frank KostroDenver, CO: He began his 7-season Major League career on September 2, 1962 with the Detroit Tigers. He also played for the Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins. He accomplished four consecutive pinch hits, twice during his career that ended in 1969.
Reggie LanghorneWestlake, OH: Reggie was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 7th round of the 1985 NFL draft. He had his best season in 1988, amassing 780 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. In l992, he signed with the Baltimore Colts and made an immediate impact. During the 1993 season, he had a career year with 1,000 receiving yards for the first time. Chris Berman labeled him “Foghorn” Langhorne.
Dante LavelliRocky River, OH: Well-known as "Gluefingers" Lavelli, this native of Hudson, Ohio, played at The Ohio State University then for the Cleveland Browns. He was their sterling receiver from 1946-49 (AAFC), then 1950-56 (NFL). He caught 142 AAFC passes for 2,580 years and 29 TDs, then 244 NFL passes for 3,908 yards and 33 TDs. Total stats for both leagues include 386 receptions for 6,488 yards and 62 TDs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975.
Vern LawProvo, UT: Vern was on the Pirates World Championship team in 1960, and won the Cy Young Award that year with a 20-9 record and league high 18 complete games.
Hal NaragonBarberton, OH: A member of the 1954 AL Champion Cleveland Indians when they won a record 111 games, he caught Hall of Famers Early Wynn, Bob Feller and Bob Lemon. In April of this year, the varsity baseball field of Barberton (OH) High School was named Hal Naragon Field. He caught Jim Perry's first major league start on April 23, 1959.
Joe NossekAmherst, OH: A former All-American at Ohio University, he broke into professional baseball in 1961 debuting with the Minnesota Twins in 1964. He played in the 1965 World Series alongside Rich Rollins, Jim Perry, Garry Roggenburk and Frank Kostro. Later, he played with Kansas City, Oakland, and St. Louis, then completed his playing career in 1971 after appearing in 295 major League games. He later joined the White Sox as a coach, retiring in 2003 and completing more than 42 years in professional baseball.
Johnny OrrEstero, FL: A former Head Basketball Coach at the University of Michigan and Iowa State, he is the winning-est coach at both schools compiling 209 (Michigan) and 218 wins (Iowa State). His teams made 10 trips into "March Madness".
Jim PerryBradenton, FL: Jim was signed in 1959 as a pitcher with the Cleveland Indians. He won 18 games and was named Cleveland's "Man of the Year". In 1963, he was traded to the Twins where he pitched for 10 years winning the Cy Young Award in 1970.
Milt PlumRaleigh, NC: A Penn State graduate, he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, playing 1957 until '65. He then played for the Lions, Rams and Giants, and was named to the Pro Bowl in 1961 and 1962.
Ron PruittMedina, OH: This Michigan State graduate was a handy utility man and a good hitter off the bench. He hit .302 in 56 games for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox in 1980.
Garry RoggenburkAvon, OH: He pitched 8 years in the Major Leagues with the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox and Seattle Pilots. Later, 1978 to 1983, he was General Manager of the Winter Haven Red Sox, minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
Rich RollinsAkron, OH: Having played 10 big league seasons, his lifetime batting average was .269. In 1962, he received the most votes from players in both leagues for the All-Star game. He also played in the 1965 World Series.
Reggie RuckerWarrensville Heights, OH: He played for 13 years in the NFL, mostly with the Cleveland Browns, ranking 5th all time in receptions and 5th all time in receiving yards. Following his playing career, Rucker worked for Warrensville Hts., Ohio 7 years as an analyst for NBC on NFL games. He then made history by becoming the analyst of Cleveland Indians games on Channel 43 in 1983-85, the only NFL football player to do analysis on Major League Baseball. He has appeared on Cleveland radio and TV for most of the last 25 years. Currently, he is the Cleveland Browns analyst on WEWS TV 5 Sports.
Ken SandersHales Corners, WI: He is best remembered for the number of teams for whom he pitched, the Mets in the National League and eight different American League clubs, including two named the Athletics (Kansas City and Oakland) and two in Kansas City (the A's and the Royals). His best years were in Milwaukee with the Brewers. In 1971 he appeared in 83 games, compiled 31 saves and 1.92 ERA, and set an American League record for finishing 77 games.
Dick SchafrathMansfield, OH: A retired Offensive Lineman for the Cleveland Browns, Dick is a former Ohio State Senator and an author. During his athletic tenure, he played on the 1957 national championship team for The Ohio State University, and the 1964 NFL Championship team for the Cleveland Browns. Because of his strong work ethic and stubborn determination, his friends and Browns teammates nicknamed him "The Mule."
Don SchwallGibsonia, PA: A native of Wilkes Barre, PA, he played his high school ball at Ypsilanti, MI and his college ball at the University of Oklahoma. He signed with the Boston Red Sox in 1957 gaining 26 wins and 6 losses for their Alpine, TX team in 1959. In 1961, he was AL Rookie of the Year for the Red Sox with 15 wins and was an All-Star pitcher. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1963, then to the Atlanta Braves in 1966. He was the winning pitcher in the first major league game ever played in Atlanta.
Chuck SuchSarasota, FL: Chuck is the founder of the Pro-Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He is the former General Manager of the Sarasota White Sox. Presently, he is Executive Director of the Otto Graham, Carlton Fisk Sports Legends Charity Classic played in Florida.
George ThomasAmery, WI: A natural wit and self-deprecating bench-jockey, Thomas came up with the Detroit Tigers, for whom he played a career-high 105 games in 1964, and went to Boston in a 1965 trade for pitcher Bill Monbouquette. When he didn’t pan out as a Red Sox Centerfielder, he became their willing handyman, even catching a few games. Although he played sparingly, the Red Sox liked his bat off the bench and his clowning energetic attitude, and eventually made him a player-coach.
Carl WarwickHouston, TX: Carl is a 6-year veteran of major league baseball. He tied a World Series record with 3 consecutive pinch hits for the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals in 1964 against the New York Yankees. He served for three years as Chairman of the Board of the Major League Baseball Alumni Association.
George WilsonFairfield, OH: "Big" George Wilson was a member of the Illinois High School Championship teams in 1958 and 1960 and was First Team Parade High School All American in 1960. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, playing on their NCAA Championship Team in 1962. A member of the Championship Olympic Trials Team in 1964, he was a Gold Medal winner in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo – Basketball. He was inducted into the US Olympic Hall of Fame in 1988, and into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005. George played in the NBA from 1964 to 1971.

Information:

July 25th, 2011 Fox Meadow Country Club, Medina, Ohio to benefit Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Services.

For additional information on golfing or sponsorship opportunities for the July 25 event, call or email Glenn Beaver at 440-257-2027 or Ken Marsenburg at 888-248-2664.

September 12th, 2011 Greene Country Club to benefit Pathways Center for Alzheimer's Care.

For additional information on golfing or sponsorship opportunities for the Sept. 12 event, call or email Ken Marsenburg at 888-248-2664.