Bristol Sports Hall of Fame announces 2010 inductees
(Reproduced with permission of Bob Montgomery)
The Bristol Sports Hall of Fame will hold its 14th annual induction program, to be held at the Clarion Hotel on Friday evening, Nov. 19, 2010.
Those in the class of 2010 are Diane Connolly, Roland Dumont, Gene LeBlanc, Domenic “Birdie” Monico, Joe “Porky” Santorso, Tom Moylan, Dennis Schermerhorn and Butch Paradis.
“The Bristol Sports Hall of Fame is proud to present the Class of 2010 which, once again, exemplifies the great sports heritage of the city of Bristol,” said Dave Mills,” president of the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame. “We are proud to welcome them into the Hall of Fame.”
Here is a brief look at the inductees:
Diane Connolly - A member of the class of 1949 at Bristol High, she participated in Bristol Parks Department, Boys & Girls Club and high school swimming during her early years. She went on to become a lifeguard, swimming coach and teacher, including Megan (Wright) Martin, who became an All-American in college and a 2004 inductee into the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame.
Roland Dumont - A standout Bristol High athlete, graduating in 1951, he was a contributing founder of Bristol’s Midget Football while sponsoring Little League and softball. He’s been a benefactor of St. Paul High School and has been recognized many times for his civic-minded and philanthropic work.
Gene LeBlanc - Mr. Bristol Soap Box Derby! He’s been involved with Bristol Soap Box Derby and the All-American Soap Box Derby - at the national level - since 1979. He’s held positions on the state and New England levels in mentoring youngsters in racing, teaching them to be a champion whether it be win or lose.
Berdie Monico - Monico, who died in 1980, played championship football with the West End football teams between 1929-1941. He was an honorary tackle on the All-East Football Team in 1937 and was a founding member of the Connecticut Professional Football League which was organized in 1939.
Tom Moylan - “Brother,” who grew up playing baseball at all levels in Bristol, including at Bristol Central, coached the sport at Bristol Central for three and a half decades. He also coached soccer for different teams for the same amount of time. His awards have been many, including being named the state’s high school “Coach of the Year” in both baseball and soccer, while receiving the award at the New England level in the latter.
Butch Paradis - A Bristol Eastern graduate in 1974, he has trained many name athletes while winning a number of prestigious bodybuilding championships over the years, all while being steroid free. He’s been featured on ESPN and was ranked New England’s No. 1 trainer by “Muscle & Fitness” magazine in 2007.
Porky Santorso - He was a standout three-sports player at Bristol High before graduating in 1940. The semi-pro teams he played on afterwards won many honors. He officiated, coached and had been a team sponsor on more than one occasion as a benefactor to sports. He will be inducted posthumously.
Dennis Schermerhorn - A 1971 graduate of Bristol Eastern, he set a number of records as the Lancers’ quarterback. He also stood out on the wrestling mats where he placed third over in regional competition. He also played baseball in high school. He was the first freshman ever to start at quarterback for CCSU.
Tickets are $30 each and they can be obtained by contacting Brian Farrell at (860)490-8486. Cocktails will be available for purchase at 6:00 p.m. and the dinner will begin sharply at 6:45 p.m.