Charter member of Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame (1974) and inducted into American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, 1977. Ten-time PBA champion, winner of the BPAA All-Star championship in 1960, the ABC masters title in 1963 and the ABC Doubles in 1967. Twice Cleveland City Match-Game champion. Bowled 12 sanctioned 300 games and an 843 series. Had 199 average for 25 ABC tournament appearances.
Koepp, Eddie
Eddie Koepp
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Bowling
Won American Bowling Congress Doubles title (with Joe Kissoff) in 1953. Finished second in the ABC All-Events in 1951 and the ABC Singles in 1952. Won Cleveland City Doubles title with Kissoff in 1951 and bowled on Cleveland and Ohio championship teams. Averaged 202 for ten ABC classics and 197 for 32 ABC appearances. Bowled three 300 games and an 806 series.
Smith, Harry
Harry Smith
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Bowling
Charter member of Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame (1974) and inducted into American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, 1977. Ten-time PBA champion, winner of the BPAA All-Star championship in 1960, the ABC masters title in 1963 and the ABC Doubles in 1967. Twice Cleveland City Match-Game champion. Bowled 12 sanctioned 300 games and an 843 series. Had 199 average for 25 ABC tournament appearances.
Herschman, Maurice “Neal Brock”
Maurice "Neal Brock" Herschman
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Boxing
First Cleveland amateur to be named to the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. Earned this honor 1920. Was Cleveland’s top 118-pounder from 1917 through 1920 and was undefeated both in the city and the State of Ohio during this period.
Bivins, Jimmy
Jimmy Bivins
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Boxing
One of the outstanding boxers of the late 1930s and 1940s. Fought and defeated such outstanding boxers as Joe Maxim, Ezzard Charles and light heavyweight champions Anton Christoforidis and Melio Bettina. When Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis entered the armed service he declared Bivins as his successor “for the duration.”
Fina, Paul
Paul Fina
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Gymnastics
NCAA All Around co-champion at University of Illinois in 1940. Also qualified for 1940 Olympic team, but Games were cancelled. National AAU floor exercise champion and runner-up on horizontal and parallel bars in 1946. Big Ten All Around, Horizontal Bar and Parallel Bars champion in 1939, competed for U.S. International Team vs. Czechoslovakia in 1947. Attended Cleveland East Tech High.
James, Herbert A.
Herbert James
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Fencing
Won more than 280 individual fencing medals over a 20-year period, including eight All-Ohio championships and the 1968 “Canadian Heroes” epee championship. Was first person to win Ohio championship in all three weapons, a feat which has not been duplicated. Considered one of the Midwest’s finest fencers. Served as coach of Case Tech from 1963 through 1966.
Szent Kiraly, John
John Szent Kiraly
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Fencing
Between 1950 and 1958 he won the Ohio Championship in foil three times and in sabre twice and Northeastern Ohio division championships in foil six times and in sabre twice. Became first fencer to win two gold medals in the All-Ohio Championships in 1953. Turned professional in 1960 to become coach of the Cleveland State University (then Fenn College) fencing team, a position he still holds.
Steinbrenner, Henry G.
Henry Steinbrenner
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Track & Field
National collegiate 220-yard low hurdles champion at Massachusetts Institute of technology in 1927 and collegiate All-American in 1926 and 1927. Set NCAA record in winning low hurdles event. Earlier in career he won National Junior AAU 220-yard low hurdles and title and New England AAU high and low hurdles titles. Captained the 1927 MIT team.
Knott, Sandra
Sandra Knott
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Track & Field
Member of 1964 U.S. Olympic Women’s Track Team and a member of the 1963 and 1964 AAU All-American Women’s Track and Field teams. Represented U.S. in international competition against Great Britain, West Germany, Poland and Russia. Set American records in the 800 meters and 880-yard run during one-week period in 1963. Set AAU Championships record in 800-meters in 1964.
Bonacci, Dick
Dick Bonacci
Induction Year : 1978
Sport: Wrestling
Among the first great wrestling products to come out of the Cleveland school system, winning three straight Ohio High School state titles for West High in 1949, 1950 and 1951. Went to Toledo University where he was Mid-American Conference champion three times and captain of two Mid-American Conference championship teams. Inducted into Ohio Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1975. Has been coach of Cleveland State University’s wrestling team since 1964.