The Board of Directors of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce the inductees who will comprise the Class of 2017. The living inductees are Dick Cole, Curt Fischer, Lori Franchina, Sheilah (Lingenfelter) Gulas, Jim Riggs, Fran Sirianni, Clem Worosz and Phil Young.

These eight individuals will be formally inducted at the CSHOF’s 37th Annual Banquet, Monday, February 19, 2017, at the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club. The new honorees will bring the total number of CSHOF inductees to 191.

Tickets for the induction dinner are priced at $50. Banquet reservations can be made by calling chairman Chip Johnson at 485-6991.

The follow are brief biographes of this year’s inductees:

Clem Worosz

Born 1935; lives in Dunkirk

1953 graduate of St. Mary’s High School (Dunkirk); lettered in football, basketball and track at Cardinal Mindszenty High School (Dunkirk)

1957 graduate Niagara University (NY); lettered in basketball and tennis

Played basketball at Niagara for coaches Frank Layden and Taps Gallagher; played in 1955 & 1956 National Invitation Tournament; captain of 1957 Niagara basketball team; teammate of Hubie Brown and Tom Prechtl

Played recreation league baseball, football, basketball and softball in Dunkirk area

Long-time manager and coach in Dunkirk Babe Ruth League

Phil Young

Born 1932; lives in Westfield

1951 graduate of Mayville Central School; lettered in basketball, baseball, football, track, bowling, volleyball and golf

Holds Mayville basketball career scoring record; all-conference in basketball, baseball and football for 3 years each

Received athletic scholarship to Syracuse University; catcher on baseball team; captain and team MVP

Signed pro contract with Philadelphia Phillies; played at Salt Lake City (Pioneer League 1956) and Moultrie/Brunswick (Georgia-Florida League 1957). Taught at Westfield Academy and Central School for 34 years; chairman of Health, P.E. and Recreation Department. Coached basketball, baseball, football, tennis and golf at WACS

Beach director at Chautauqua Institution for 40 years. Inductee of Grape Belt Hall of Fame (2003)

Dick Cole

Born 1946; lives in Jamestown

1964 graduate of Jamestown High School; lettered in basketball, baseball, golf

Leading scorer in JHS history at time of graduation, most points per game and season, best free throw percentage and most rebounds per season

1966 graduate of Jamestown Community College; lettered in basketball and golf

4th in NJCAA scoring during 1965-66 season – 22.6 ppg. Voted one of JCC’s Top 50 Athletes. Two-time Western New York Amateur Golf Champion

Won 23 club championships

Won 37 golf tournaments

Scored 11 holes in one

See CSHOF, Page B3

Curt Fischer

Born 1963; lives in Bemus Point

1981 graduate of Falconer Central School; lettered in basketball, football and baseball

Named outstanding male athlete at Falconer in 1981

Football coach at Maple Grove High School since 1992; 9 Section VI titles; 4 trips to state finals; 2 NYS Championships (1998, 2008)

Basketball coach at Maple Grove since 2004; 4 Section VI titles; 2 NYS Championships (2008, 2010)

4 years as baseball coach at Maple Grove; 1 Section VI title; 1 NYS Championship (1992)

9 years as softball coach at Maple Grove; 1 Section VI title

Lori Franchina

Born 1972; lives in West Warwick, RI

1990 graduate Falconer Central School; lettered in softball, basketball and volleyball

Named outstanding female athlete at Falconer in 1990

1994 graduate Eastern Connecticut State University; lettered in softball and basketball; basketball co-captain and 3rd Team All-American in softball

Played on 1991 House That Jack Built national championship modified softball team Played on Gold Medal softball team at 1994 Empire State Games

Played on 2014 Twisted Fossils softball team that won Women’s 40+ AAA Division World Master Championship

Played on 2014 & 2015 Twisted Sistah’s softball teams that won the Canadian Class B PIF World Championship

Inductee in New England United States Senior Softball Hall of Fame (2018)

Sheilah (Lingenfelter) Gulas

Born 1961; lives in Medina, OH

1979 graduate of Southwestern Central School; lettered in volleyball, basketball and softball; Girls Senior Athlete Award at SWCS

1983 graduate of Clarion State University (PA); lettered in softball, co-captain

3X All-American at American Softball Association Women’s Modified National Tournament

Coached softball at Allegheny College (PA) 1987-1989: Wittenburg University (OH), 1990-1996 and Ashland College (OH) 1999-present

31 year career coaching record: 929-487

NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year 1988 & 1989. Inductee National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2017)

Assistant Athletic Director Ashland University

Jim Riggs

Born 1950, died 2016, lived in Jamestown

1968 graduate of East Liverpool (OH) High School; lettered in golf. 1973 graduate of Point Park University (PA). Sports editor of The Post-Journal (Jamestown) for 40 years

Official scorer for Jamestown’s NY-P League team for 38 years. Inductee Jamestown Community College Athletic Hall of Fame

Created Post-Journal Champions Golf Tournament and Post-Journal men’s basketball tournament at JCC. Author of All in a Day’s Sports column – won multiple Associated Press writing Awards. Member Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors for 34 years

Fran Sirianni

Born 1947; lives in Jamestown

1965 graduate Kane (PA) High School; lettered in football, track and basketball

1969 graduate Clarion State College (PA); lettered in football and track

Holds Clarion State record for most career interceptions. Inductee Clarion State Athletic Hall of Fame

Played professional football for Orlando Panthers of Continental League (1969)

Head track coach at Southwestern Central School for 40 years

Head football coach at Southwestern for 9 years. 40 year leader of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Southwestern

Southwestern dedicated The Fran Sirianni Athletic Complex in 2015