2004 Coaches

Hall of Fame Inductees

 

 

Fritz

Brennan – Brennan came to the area on a football scholarship

to La Salle College and never left. After his playing days, he became

Lower Merion’s Football Coach from 1953-1969 where his teams

accumulated six undefeated seasons. His teams would not lose a game

from 1953 into the 1957 season, when Lower Merion set a state record

with 37 consecutive wins, only to be stopped by Norristown High

in 1957. His final record was 105-33-5 for a .761 winning percentage.

He also helped create the Montgomery County All-Star Game and was

inducted into both the Big 33 and LaSalle University Hall of Fames.

He passed away suddenly in 1988.

 

 

 

Hank

DeMito – A graduate of St. Patrick’s High School,

he went on to be Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School’s baseball

coach for 33 years. His teams have amassed 21 league titles, 2 District-1

titles and the PIAA state title in 1994. They have only had one

losing season and the team’s winning percentage during his

tenure is an astounding .698 including a 29 game winning streak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art

Kehoe – An Archbishop Kennedy High school football product.

After stops at Milford Prep in Connecticut and Laney Junior College

in California, he transferred to Miami University where he played

Guard for Howard Schnellenberger’s Hurricanes where they won

the Peach Bowl in 1980. He joined the Hurricane’s Coaching

staff in 1981 and never looked back. Kehoe has been coaching football

at the University of Miami for 24 seasons. His official title is

Assistant Head Football Coach His coaching tenure on the Miami offensive

line has produced six first-team All-Americans, 14 All-Big East

selections, one Outland Trophy and 16 professional players. He has

coached in 19 bowl games and has been inducted into the Laney JC

Hall of Fame in 2001 and also to the Miami University Hall of Fame

in 2002.

 

 

 

Bob

Schaefer – Bob grew up in West Hazelton and has been the

Cheltanham Girls Basketball coach for 23 years, amassing an incredible record

of 554-120, for a .822 winning percentage. His teams have won 18

consecutive Suburban One titles and four District-1 titles. The

1999 team advanced to the state title game before losing. In 2000,

they captured the ultimate title, winning the PIAA state title,

finishing the year with a 32-1 record. Bob has been tabbed with

numerous Coach of the Year honors.

 

 

 

Bobby

Wine – Currently employed by the Atlanta Braves as a Scout.

Bobby was a Major League player for 12 years, 8 with the Phillies

and 4 with the Expos. He played over 1100 games and then became

a coach with the Phillies for 12 seasons, including the 1980 World

Series Champions and 1983 National League Pennant winning club.

He moved on to the Braves organization where he was named manager

for the final 41 games of the 1985 season. When Bob is home here

in Trooper, he volunteers to coach hundreds of youngsters, notably

boys and girls connected with Visitation BVM’s recreation programs.


 

 

2004

Community Coaches

Honor Roll Inductees

 

 

 

Sullivan

‘Heels’ Gelet – He is a softball coaching legend in the Norristown

area. He has umpired, coached, managed and directed softball teams

in Montgomery County since 1954. He led J&L Towing to the ASA

of PA Class-C State Softball Championship in 1981. His 1991 Rathbone’s

team finished third in both the ASA and NSA Class-C states. Heels

Gelet doesn’t just manage softball teams, he molds friendships

that endure long after the game is over. Hundreds of games “under

the lights” are played each season at Sullivan “Heels”

Gelet Softball Park at Weirman Field in Norristown.

 

 

 

 

Charles

‘Mr. Mac’ McPherson – Mr. Mac was as a longtime St.

Patrick’s CYO and youth sports organizer. He coached St. Pat’s

for 22 years and was also the defensive backfield coach at Bishop

Kenrick for 2 years. He rose to become commissioner of Region 21

CYO and was a member if the archdiocese athletic board for 11 years.

He was one of the organizers of American Legion Baseball in this

area. He coached teams from Knee-Hi through Junior American Legion,

including Chicco Beverage and Phil Melnick’s Esso in the Civic League.

His Gilbert’s Clothing Store team won the city championship in 1950.

One of the baseball fields in Elmwood Park was named in his honor

after he died.

 

 

 

Sal Melito

– Sal has coached and managed for 38 years. His accomplishments

include compiling more than 600 victories and 11 league titles as

manager of Gus’s Diner and Presidential Caterers American Legion

baseball team. He was inducted into the American Legion Sports Hall

of Fame in 1998.

 

 

 

 

 

Willie

Richet – Willie is a captain in the Norristown Police Department‚

He has been involved in the Police Athletic League (PAL) for more

than 30 years, starting in the basketball program, then graduated

to the position of executive director of PAL. Was cited as the Police

Officer of the Year in 1982 by the American Federation of Police.

he also was honored with the Outstanding Law Enforcement Award in

1992. He started running basketball programs with youth from Norristown

and the surrounding areas. He has also coached adult teams in the

Norristown Civic and Church Leagues for many years.

 

 

 

Charlie Romanowski – He founded and coached the Souderton His Nibs

semi-pro

football team of the Big Six Conference in 1946. He was the founder

of the Souderton Midget Football program in the 60’s, where he also

coached for 20 years. Romanowski went on to bring the Souderton

Warriors into the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League in the late 1940s

and managed them for more than 30 years. He has been inducted into

the American Legion Sports Hall of Fame and the Summit Chapter Sports

Hall of Fame. He also has a field in Telford named in his honor.

 

 

 

Nick

‘Chief’ Rotundo – The Chief is synonymous with Bridgeport

working every level of youth sports in the borough for more then

50 years, also serving as Bridgeport’s Director of Recreation for

20 years. He was the founding member of the Bridgeport Hall of Fame.

He was a long time Special Education teacher as well as a Scout

master, Softball Director and Sports Coordinator. He has received

numerous awards from the Distinguished Service Award of Special

Education to Community Service Awards to Educator of the Year Award

from Penn State University to the Valley Forge Optimist Club for

Park & Recreational Service to Bridgeport.