One of the finest all-around woman athletes of the 20th century, her basketball career spanned an amazing 48 years, beginning in 1927 and concluding in 1975. Starred for many of Cleveland’s finest women’s teams, capturing innumerable All-Star, Outstanding Player and MVP awards. Organized the Polish Olympic team which built a 54-game winning streak, and won the Polish American championship in 1941-42 and 1942-43. She was the top scorer and Most Outstanding Player in both championship tournaments and was named to the Polish National All-American Team each year. Later played for the renowned world champion Rochester Filarets which set a record of 202 consecutive victories. In 1955, in her 28th year of organized basketball competition, she played for the North Hollywood Knickerbockers, winners of the California State AAU title, setting a state tourney record of 130 points and being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Walsh, Stella
Stella Walsh
Induction Year : 1980
Sport: Basketball
One of the finest all-around woman athletes of the 20th century, her basketball career spanned an amazing 48 years, beginning in 1927 and concluding in 1975. Starred for many of Cleveland’s finest women’s teams, capturing innumerable All-Star, Outstanding Player and MVP awards. Organized the Polish Olympic team which built a 54-game winning streak, and won the Polish American championship in 1941-42 and 1942-43. She was the top scorer and Most Outstanding Player in both championship tournaments and was named to the Polish National All-American Team each year. Later played for the renowned world champion Rochester Filarets which set a record of 202 consecutive victories. In 1955, in her 28th year of organized basketball competition, she played for the North Hollywood Knickerbockers, winners of the California State AAU title, setting a state tourney record of 130 points and being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Payne, Robert “Bobbie”
Bobbie Payne
Induction Year : 1980
Sport: Softball
Pitched in Amateur Softball Association leagues in and around Cleveland from 1941 to 1965, amassing over 600 victories and 50 no-hitters during his career. He played on teams which won 36 league, city and ASA open championships, including the 1957 ASA Open Regional in which he defeated a powerful Detroit team featuring ASA Hall of Famer Bonnie Jones. Payne also garnered victories over such other softball greats as Warren Gerber, Sambo Elliott and Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice during is illustrious career.
Underwood, Dorothy M.
Dorothy Underwood
Induction Year : 1980
Sport: Softball
An All-American fastpitch star of the ’30s, she played first base, third base and the outfield and was considered among the best players in the world. Starred for three world championship teams, the Cleveland Bloomer Girls (1935) and National Screw & Manufacturing Co. (1936 and 1937). Later won five Cleveland City championships from 1940 through 1944. Once hit a 300-foot home run at Elks Park in Lakewood.
Svoboda, Emil Frank
Emil Frank Svoboda
Induction Year : 1980
Sport: Baseball
A true “iron man” pitcher who worked his way up through the Cleveland sandlots, playing in all classes from E to A. Started pitching in Class E at the age of 15, winning 13 of 15 games, averaging 13 strikeouts per contest and hurling two double headers. In 1923-24-25, he was the only pitcher on the Suchan Café roster in Class B. Starting all of their games he pitched the team to the championship finals one season. Later, playing with McAllister Tires, he pitched and won both games of a double header to clinch the Class a championship for his team. While with the Favorite Knits in Class A he pitched three full innings against the Boston Braves of the National League in an Amateur Day game at league Park.
Wambsganss, Bill “Wamby”
Bill "Wamby" Wambsganss
Induction Year : 1980
Sport: Baseball
Played 13 years of major league baseball, ten in a Cleveland Indians uniform. Won undying fame in the 1920 World Series when, as the Indians’ second baseman, he executed an unassisted triple play against the old Brooklyn Dodgers. He also led the American League in triples that season with 11, scored 83 runs and batted in 55. Traded to Boston in 1924, he enjoyed one of his finest seasons, hitting .274, collecting 41 doubles, scoring 93 runs and driving in 48.
Twitchell, Larry
Larry Twitchell
Induction Year : 1980
Sport: Baseball
One of the great early major league baseball players, he got his start with a semi-pro team called the Young Clevelanders. In 1886 he joined the Detroit team of the old National League, and helped pitch that team to a pennant in 1887 with an 11-1 mark. His lone loss came in a 14-inning game in which he allowed just one hit. Traded to Cleveland in 1889, he set a record of 16 total bases in a game (single, double, three triples and a home run) which stood until 1954. Major league career ended in 1891, but he played, and later managed, in the minors until 1898.
West, Maralyn
Maralyn West
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Track & Field
A physical education instructor and administrator in Cleveland area schools from 1954 until the present, she has held many positions of responsibility with the AAU and in U.S. Olympic activities. Has served on National AAU Women’s Track and Field Committee since 1957, was National AAU Women’s Track and Field Rules Committee Chairman in 1963-64, U.S. Women’s Track and Field Manager for the 1959 and 1975 Pan American Games and U.S. Olympic Manager for the 1968 Women’s Track and Field Team.
Sharer, Claude B.
Claude Sharer
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Wrestling
Coach of Case Tech and Case Western Reserve University athletic teams from 1927 through 1967. Tutored track, football, basketball, tennis, swimming and wrestling teams at various times. Won greatest fame as wrestling coach, a sport he started at Case in 1927. Was president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association in 1952.
Schaefer, Robert J.
Robert Schaefer
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Swimming & Diving
Aquatics chairman of the Lake Erie AAU from 1969 through 1978, he has been responsible for bringing numerous major aquatics programs to Cleveland, among them at least five national diving championships, two national synchronized swimming championships, and a national swimming championship.
Sanders, Barclay “Barke”
Barclay "Barke" Sanders
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Football
An outstanding football player at West tech from 1921-23 and later an amateur basketball league star in Muny competition, he later became a highly successful coach of girls’ amateur basketball teams, winning 18 championships between 1927 and 1938.