by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Muskegon area sports teams and individual athletes enjoyed the benefits of one of the city’s most generous boosters in beverage distributor Smitty Vanderplow during the mid-twentieth century. Smitty, himself a football and basketball star at Muskegon High...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Jim Dodson’s technical job description at Muskegon Heights High School was equipment manager – counting jerseys, taking care of the balls and washing towels. But his real work went far beyond that. Dodson made the Muskegon Heights Tigers look good on the...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
An ice skating instructor at outdoor rinks and at the L.C. Walker Arena since the 1950’s, Lowe embodies the spirit of what the Distinguished Service Award is all about. While she received a nominal fee for her time of teaching figure skating, she consistently...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Jake Outwin was Muskegon’s “Grand Old Man” of baseball at the time of his death in 1954. His contributions, especially in later life, in giving local fans entertaining and quality baseball at Marsh Field for many seasons cannot be overlooked. Numerous legendary...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
The late Lyle Moran devoted a lifetime to the encouragement and development of youth sports programs in the Muskegon area. Although his contribution was felt throughout the county, the people of North Muskegon especially treasured his impact. Much of the past sports...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
Arriving in Muskegon in 1900, Charles Marsh soon established himself as one of the community’s most successful businessmen and a respected civic leader. In addition to his prominent role in community affairs, he also made a significant personal contribution to...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Nelson Volz has been active in the local sports community since his arrival in Muskegon in 1937. Best known as the public address announcer for Muskegon Big Reds, Volz has served the area in a variety of ways. A baseball, basketball and...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
A 1932 graduate of Muskegon High School, Cioe served Muskegon Catholic Central for over 25 years as a teacher, coach, athletic director and business manager. He received his start in coaching as a volunteer assistant football coach at Muskegon Central Junior High in...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
“Mr. Baseball” to local residents, Les David’s involvement with the national pastime in Muskegon covered a span of more than 60 seasons. A major league scout for 47 years, he worked for the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers,...
by michelle | Feb 16, 2024 | Gene Young Service Award
One of nine children, Mart is remembered by friends from his youth as a man who always loved sports. Baseball was always a favorite, and although Tardani was never blessed with outstanding athletic skills, he was always a participant and the team statistician in...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 16, 2024 | Traditional
Click here to watch video from the 1951 Muskegon vs. Muskegon Heights game Earl Morrall, one of the greatest football players to ever come out of West Michigan, was one of seven members of the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural induction class in 1987. But...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 16, 2024 | Traditional
Dave VerMerris started the area’s first high school soccer program at Western Michigan Christian in 1968. He went on to coach the Warriors to a 333-154-40 record, four state championship appearances and state titles in 1988 and 1995. He taught the nuances of the game...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 16, 2024 | Traditional
Rob Peel is the fastest swimmer in area history. And in the 1990s, he was among the fastest swimmers in the United States. A Spring Lake High School and Hope College graduate, Peel made his biggest splash in swimming’s answer to the 100-yard dash — the 50-meter...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 14, 2024 | Traditional
Fruitport’s Mike Teeter surprised scouts at his National Football League tryouts with his strength and ability to bench press 600 pounds. But his abilities were of little surprise to those in the West Michigan area, as Teeter was renowned for a relentless work ethic...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 14, 2024 | Traditional
John Nedeau’s name is synonymous with sailing, but not many know that he was an all-state guard on Muskegon Heights’ 1947 state championship football team. Awarded a football scholarship to Michigan State University, a knee injury ended Nedeau’s gridiron career...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 14, 2024 | Traditional
Mark Hughes was a naturally-gifted basketball player, a giant who could shoot and handle the ball like a guard. But he was always much more than that. Hughes has been a winner and a leader at every level of his basketball playing and coaching career. Hughes first...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 14, 2024 | Traditional
Solid pitching, a strong mental game, and aggressive hitting and base running were trademarks of the Grand Haven baseball squads of the early 1960s. These traits, combined with stellar coaching; a disciplined, fiercely competitive group of ballplayers; and a little...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 14, 2024 | Traditional
Dave Nelson was a different kind of big man for Central Michigan University and the Muskegon Panthers back in the 1960s. In an era when tall players stayed inside with their backs to the basket, the 6-foot-3 Nelson was known for his agility, ball-handling and deadly...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 14, 2024 | Traditional
A Williamston native, Gaffner brought national acclaim to the Muskegon Community College wrestling program, serving as the school’s wrestling coach for more than 20 years. Captain of the Central Michigan University wrestling team for two years, Gaffner coached for...
by Maxwell Dinesen | Feb 14, 2024 | Traditional
Rich Tompkins raised the bar for all of the area’s track and cross-country runners and coaches. A three-sport star at Hart High School in the 1960s, Tompkins went on to run at Michigan State University. Shortly after graduating from MSU, Tompkins went to Fremont...
