Take a trip down memory lane with the 1998 C-PP Sports Hall of Fame class, 25 years later
Twenty-five years ago, the Corning-Painted Post Sports Hall of Fame inducted 18 new members, from a dozen different categories, into the Hall of Fame during their annual Induction Dinner that took place at the Painted Post Holiday Inn on March 21, 1998.
It was quite the decorated cast as you may imagine, so let’s take a stroll back and rekindle some memories.
Mark Mapes was perhaps one of the three best baseball players ever to come out of West High School. After finishing with a .639 batting average as a senior Viking, Mark attended the University of Notre Dame for two years where he was named a Knute Rockne Award winner. After a coaching change, Mark transferred to the University of South Carolina where he won the SEC triple crown as a junior. In 190 collegiate games, Mark collected 160 RBI while compiling a .351 batting average with 22 home runs. Yeah, he was good.
From the basketball court came Mark Hogan and Kevin Havens. Mark was a standout who attended Corning Free Academy and was a leading scorer in local Industrial League action before enlisting in the Army. He was killed in action in March of 1953 while serving his country in the Korean War. Kevin was the first basketball player in the history of East High to score 1,000 points in his career for the Trojans.
Lacrosse was still a focal point of the sports scene in the late 1990s and it was kicked off by Corning East winning their only state championship in 1990 led by captain Domenic DiNardo. He became the third member of that title team in the Hall, joining Casey Donegan and Todd Cavallaro. Dom went on to a standout career at Hofstra University on a lacrosse scholarship.
Kelly Pease became the first ever volleyball player to be enshrined in the local Hall following her standout career as a setter, establishing a new school record for assists. That gives her charter member status. Kelly attended St. Bonaventure University on a volleyball scholarship where she established herself as one of the best players in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Also inducted that evening was the husband and wife duo of Robert (Bobby) Miller for lacrosse and Julie (Kent) Miller for swimming. Jason Rauscher joined Julie as a swimming inductee. The late Wil Toby joined the Hall from the bowling lanes while East High football standout, tight end Tony Ruocco, was honored from the gridiron. Seven-time Indian Hills Golf Club champion Steve Loomis joined the hall. He also had a standout career at West High and RIT.
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A couple of power hitters joined the Hall from the softball field. Jeff Ayers led a number of teams that competed in National 16-inch Softball Championships with his powerful bat and Mary Wenderlich led her West High and Corning Community College teams in homers and runs batted in.
Bill Johnson and Stu Breitwise were inducted as contributors. After one year as the football coach at Corning Northside, Bill became the first head coach at East High. Stu served as a basketball and football coach at West High before starting a referee career that lasted over 20 years.
From the track and field came high jumper and hurdler John Howitt along with distance runner Jeff Appel. And Clive Howard was inducted as one of the premier defenders in the history of the Corning soccer program.
Serving as the guest speaker at the 1998 Induction Dinner was longtime CCC professor and wrestling coach, the late John Polo. John would be inducted into the Hall of Fame the very next year as a contributor.
Honored with the George Bacalles Memorial Awards that year were a foursome of outstanding senior student-athletes. From East High it was Ashleye Henyan and Scott Farrell while the West High winners were Sara DeClemente and Corey Rynders. Ashleye (2004), Scott (2006) and Sara (2003) are all members of the Hall of Fame.
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Looking back, there are a number of the members of the Board of Directors from that evening who are no longer with us. President Andrew Mowrer, Recording Secretary Frank Watts, Treasurer Harvey Miller, along with directors Ron Ash, Chip Schwartz, Bob ‘Twaz’ Thompson, Elwyn ‘Bim’ Van Etten and Tony Yorio. All of them made generous contributions to the C-PP Sports Hall of Fame and they will never be forgotten.
Some of the advertisers you may recognize from the program included: Lando’s Hotel and Lounge, The End Zone, Foodmart, Rossettie Pharmacy, Mac’s Grill, Hotel Stanton, Rojo’s, Buds & Blossoms, Falusisi’s Newstand, Spencer’s Restaurant, The Central Restaurant and Driscoll’s Souper Bowl just to name a few businesses that will also take you down memory lane.
During the second weekend of March in 2024, C-PP Sports Hall of Fame will be hosting its 48th Annual Induction Ceremony at the Corning Museum of Glass. It will be the main event of the Hall of Fame weekend. They hope many members of the community will join them and help celebrate the occasion.
This article originally appeared on The Leader: The C-PP Sports Hall of Fame Class of 1998 turns 25 this year
