The Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame Inaugural Banquet

by Jack B. Tany
Review Sports Columnist

"When the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name - He marks -
not that you won or lost - but how you played the game."

 - Grantland Rice (1880-1954)

Organized sports began in Saginaw County sometime around 1894. Since then,
literally thousands and thousands and thousands of athletes and athletic
teams - both male and female - have participated in a variety of sports.
Including schools that have closed and merged, there have been a total of
36 high schools in Saginaw County.

Emerging from those participants is the best of the best . . . the cream of
the crop . . . the best athletes from Saginaw County. They were honored
Saturday, October 26, 2002, when the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame
inducted its inaugural class. Included in the Induction Banquet were a
total of 11 individuals and one team.

Joining the inductees were nearly 500 people at Saginaw Valley State
University's Curtiss Hall. Of those in attendance, many were friends and
family members of the inductees, some were ex-teammates and others were
area sports fans from throughout mid-Michigan. Other well wishers included
politicians, school officials and area sports journalists.

"The induction banquet was a long time coming," said Hall of Fame president
Donald G. Bethune, a lifelong Saginaw resident and General Motor's retiree.
"It took quite a bit of planning but everything turned out beautiful. It
was a first class event."

The inaugural class of the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame includes:

Bob Buhl - The crafty Milwaukee Braves hurler won 166 Major League baseball
games in his 15-year career. Buhl, who pitched in both the World Series and
the All-Star game, died February 16, 2001. His daughter, Kandace Rainey of
Commerce, MI., accepted the plaque on behalf of her father.

Bob Devaney - As a coach he put the University of Nebraska on the map as a
major college football power. Devaney, who died May 10, 1997, led the
Cornhuskers to nine bowl games in 11 years, including two national
championship teams and three undefeated seasons. His daughter, Patricia
Devaney of Palo Alto, CA., accepted the plaque on behalf of her father.

Reggie Jones - One of the greatest sprinters to ever don track shoes in the
county. Jones helped the University of Tennessee to a pair of NCAA track
and field titles. The nine-time All-American is a successful basketball
coach and teaches at Hillcrest High School in Memphis, TN.

George 'Kid' Lavigne - The Saginaw Kid boxed his way to the lightweight
championship of the world in 1896. Lavigne, enshrined into the
International Boxing Hall of Fame, died March 9, 1928. Accepting the Hall
of Fame plaque was Penny Hopper of Saginaw, the boxing greats fourth cousin.

Terry McDaniel - A track and football standout at the University of
Tennessee, McDaniel was a first-round draft choice (ninth player taken
overall) by the Oakland Raiders in 1988. A five-time Pro Bowler, McDaniel's
career was highlighted in 1995 when he won the Mackey Award, which is
presented to the top defensive back in the NFL as voted upon by fellow
players. He is heavily involved in his Knoxville, TN., church, the Children
of God church, where he is a Sunday school teacher and superintendent.

Fred 'Ted' Petoskey - He was a two-time All-American in football at the
University of Michigan, while earning eight varsity letters for the
Wolverines. The hard-nosed athlete, known as one of U-M's best all-around
athletes, wound up coaching at the University of South Carolina. He died
November 30, 1996. His daughter, Julie Smoak of Charlotte, N.C., accepted
the Hall of Fame plaque for her father.

Ted Petoskey's Daughter Julie Smoak with her

father's legendary 'silver skates'

Richard 'Dick' Rifenburg - One of Arthur Hill's greatest athletes, big Rife
was a member of the Wolverines 1947 Rose Bowl team (catching a touchdown
pass). He was named All-American the next season as well as being voted
Michigan's MVP. He became a sports broadcaster in Buffalo, N.Y., and died
December 5, 1994. His son, Bruce Rifenburg of Bowmansville, N.Y., accepted
the plaque on behalf of his father.

Ernie Thompson - A talented three-sport athlete at Saginaw High, the
basketball court is where Thompson ruled the roost. The 6-3 center led the
Trojans to an undefeated record and the 1961-62 Class A state championship,
scoring 42 points in the title game against Benton Harbor. He moved on to
Bradley University where he scored over a thousand points and was inducted
into its Hall of Fame. He is retired from his job with the Federal
Government and lives in Detroit. He enjoys teaching yoga at his church and
playing classical music on the piano.

Bill Watson - World War II was the only thing that kept Watson, then a
University of Michigan track star, from an Olympic Gold Medal. At the time
he was the world record holder in the decathlon. The first African-American
captain of any sports team at U-M, the Saginaw High grad died at the age of
56 in Detroit. His son, Rev. William Watson from Van Wert, Ohio, accepted
the Hall of Fame plaque.

Curt Young - The former three-sport standout at Arthur Hill High School
rose to prominence on the baseball diamond at Central Michigan University
where he helped the Chippewas to the MAC championship. He had back-to-back
13-win seasons for the Oakland Athletics and pitched for the A's in the
1988 and 1990 World Series. He hurled a pair of one-hitters in his 10-year
career, which saw him compile 69 victories and 536 strikeouts. He was
currently the pitching coach of the Athletics Double-A affiliate in
Midland, TX. He resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Arthur Hill's 1973 Varsity Football Team - A team like this only comes
around once every century or so. The Lumberjacks, coached by George Ihler,
outscored its opponents 443-0 en route to a perfect 9-0 record. The
Hillites completed the grand slam as far as post-season honors went as the
United Press International, Associated Press, Detroit Free Press and
Detroit News named them Class A state champions.

The highlight video from the banquet including the acceptance speeches can
be purchased from the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame committee. Simply
send a check for $30 to the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame, P.O. Box
20301, Saginaw, MI., 48602.

In addition, a 2003 Hall of Fame calendar featuring photographs and
biographies of each inductee can be purchased for just $10.