Ohio State champion in the flying rings in 1935, 1936 and 1937 and in the horizontal bars in 1936 and 1937 while attending East Tech High. Went on to win the AAU national championship in the flying rings in 1942, also winning the AAU district championship that year. The previous year he won the AAU district title and the Big Ten Conference championship in the flying rings.
Only Clevelander ever to win four match-game championships. Qualified for national All-Star tournaments 10 times, finishing fifth in 1952 with a 190 average. Won All-Events title in 1949 CWBA tournament. Named to Cleveland Kegler All-Star first team four times. Carries a lifetime 178 average.
Ken Glenn was one of the top stars of East Tech’s greatest teams, scoring 1,159 points in 76 games from 1957-1959. Named All-American, All-Ohio and MVP of the 1959 Ohio state tournament all-tournament team as East Tech captured the state title. In 1958 he earned all-scholastic, All-Ohio and all-state tournament team honors. Went on to star for Niagara University and continued to play amateur basketball until 1978.
One of a mere handful of Northeastern Ohio native sons to ever star in the National Hockey League, Parma-born Brian Holzinger launched his career in this area’s increasingly productive high school program, leading Padua Franciscan High to a pair of Ohio state high school championships in 1988 and 1989. After piling up 72 goals and 65 assists for 137 points in just 35 games, he honed his game for two years in Junior A hockey in Detroit before enrolling at Bowling Green State University in 1991. He netted 14 goals and 8 assists as a BGSU freshman and also earned a berth on the U.S. Junior National team that won the bronze medal in the 1992 World Junior Hockey Association Tournament. He became a second team CCHA All-Star as a sophomore and as a senior his 35 goals and 68 total points earned him first team CCHA All-Star and Player-of-the Year plaudits and NCAA West First Team All-American honors, and culminated with his selection for the 1995 Hobey Baker Award as the top collegiate player in the United States. Picked by the Buffalo Sabres as the 124th selection in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, he made his NHL debut in April 1995, scoring two goals and an assist in four playoff games. He continued to play for the Sabres through 2000, enjoying his best years in 1996-97 with 51 pts. (22-29) in 81 games and 1998-99 when he helped the team to the Stanley Cup finals. Traded to Tampa Bay in March, 2000, he later played with Pittsburgh and Columbus, retiring at the end of the 2003-04 season having scored 93 goals and 145 assists in 547 games. He currently lives in Broadview Heights.
It was apparent soon after Elvis Grbac arrived at St. Joseph High School that the storied athletic power on the shores of Lake Erie had landed another special talent. The sturdy 6-5 youngster made his first impact in basketball, then added football to his resume in his junior year in 1987. Although playing in a run-oriented offense featuring a remarkable talent named Desmond Howard, he attracted enough attention on the gridiron to earn honorable mention All-Ohio honors and a decade later would become the first Viking athlete to be honored by having his numbers retired in two sports- #12 in football and #53 in basketball. Originally interested in continuing his football career at Ohio State, he changed his mind when the Buckeyes fired Head Coach Earl Bruce and opted instead to join teammate Howard at Michigan. As a four-year starter for the Wolverines, Grbac led them to four Big 10 titles, leading the conference in passing in 1990, 1991 and 1992 while setting nine Michigan passing records. Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1994, he served as the backup to Steve Young on a Super Bowl championship team in his rookie season. Elvis went on to play seven more seasons, starting 69 of the 106 games he played for San Francisco (1994-96), Kansas City (1997-2000) and Baltimore (2001). He currently makes his home in Chagrin Falls.
Daniel Ferrazza’s 31-year career with the CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) left thousands of youngsters with enriched athletic experiences and Cleveland with a nationally prominent track event. While executive Director of the CYO eastern region from 1972 to 1988, he assumed a vital role in the operation of the annual Knights of Columbus Track Meet for 11 years, six as meet director. The meet brought numerous world class athletes to Cleveland to join with college, high school and grade school runners, creating a major stop on the indoor track circuit. He also served as president of the Meet Association, and as president of the Lake Erie Association of the AAU for two years and vice president for ten.
Deceased 2015
A native Clevelander who starred at John Hay High, John Hicks went on to a stunning college football career at Ohio State and a highly successful professional stint. He started three Rose Bowl games for OSU at offensive tackle, was named All-Big Ten and a Walter Camp All-American as a junior in 1972, then capped an awesome senior year by repeating those honors and adding Kodak All-American laurels, winning college football’s Outland (best interior lineman) and Lombardi (best lineman) Awards. He finished as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1973 and was honored as the Sporting News College Player of the Year. Joining the NFL’s New York Giants in 1974, he was NFC Rookie of the Year that winter and NFL Man of the Year in 1975 as well as being named All-Pro in both of those seasons. John also played for Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl championship teams in 1978 and 1979 before retiring.
Deceased 2016
A seventh round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns while only a junior at the University of Mississippi in 1957, Gene Hickerson joined the team in 1958 to launch a 16-year career which earned him acclaim as one of the finest blocking guards in the history of professional football. Started his pro career as one of Paul Brown’s storied messenger guards, he later switched to right guard where he played for a decade. Gene led the interference for future Hall of Fame running backs Jim Brown (for the last eight seasons of Brown’s nine-year career) and Leroy Kelly. Beginning in 1963, he was named to five consecutive all-NFL and six Pro Bowl teams and was a key member of the Browns 1964 NFL championship team. After retiring in 1973, the native of Trenton, Tennessee remained in Cleveland as a sales representative and restaurateur.
Deceased 2008
One of area’s most successful players, Monte Gagner reigned as Cleveland and Ohio Junior Doubles champion (with Paul Atkinson) from 1921 to 1924 and as Men’s Ohio and Cleveland Doubles champion (with brother “Dutch” and John Dorr) from 1933 to 1946. Began Senior competition in 1951 and was a finalist in 30 USLTA National Championships events, winning 14 national age group championships.
Clark Graebner served as player-coach for the Cleveland Nets in World Team Tennis in 1974 and also played in 1975. He won three U.S. Men’s national singles titles and six doubles titles between 1963 and 1971. He recorded 16 singles wins and four doubles wins in 11 Davis Cup ties over a five year period. Clark was ranked in the Top Ten in U.S. Men’s Singles eight times in nine years between 1964 and 1972, and was in the Top Ten in doubles nine times between 1962 and 1971, including the top ranking from 1965 to 1967.