SCHOLAR ATHLETE John is the latest in the family who has done such an excellent job of combining excellence in sports with classroom success. Among his successes are Big 33 team, AP All-State Team; WNEP Sports Star of the Week; District 4 Champion in 82 and 83 for 100 meters; District 4 Champion in 82 for high hurdles; Harrisburg Patriot News and Reading Eagle All Anthracite teams, Len Eshmont Award; Brian Piccolo Award; National Honor Society; President, National Athletic Honor Society; Rotary Service Award; babe Ruth Award. John is presently at Lafayette College majoring in Biology. A leg injury suffered in the Big 33 Game prevented his football participation this year; however, he will join the Lafayette varsity this fall.

SCHOLAR ATHLETE Rich is one of five children born to Richard and Mary Tarr of 520 West Mulberry Street, Shamokin. Rich graduated in 1983 from Shamokin Area High School and is presently enrolled at Lasalle University, Philadelphia on a full 5-year NCAA Basketball Scholarship. Tarr’s school activities included, Varsity Club, Student Council Representative and Photography Club. His high school basketball career included, four years on the varsity team, Being picked for Honorable Mention by the Reading Eagle in his sophomore year, making the All0Anthractie First Team by the Reading Eagle and Keystone Big 9 All League First Team in his junior year. Rich has the honor of being the only basketball player to have his jersey retired by the Shamokin High School Board after his senior year. His other honors included, Associated Press All-State First Team; All Anthracite Player of the Year; Keystone Big 9 Player of the Year; Keystone Big 9 All League First Team; Single Game Scoring Record (45 points); School Career Scoring (1,965) and Averaged 29.6 in 1982-83 to lead all area scorers.

INDUCTEE Judge graduated from Trevorton High School in 1944. In 1950 he graduated from Gettysburg College with a BA Degree and from Bucknell University in 1960 with an MA Degree. As an athlete and coach, Judge competed in basketball at Trevorton High School, where he coached basketball from 1951 to 1958. He coached football at Trevorton High School from 1951 until 1959. He served as a volunteer trainer for the Line Mountain Football Program from 1975-1980. In the 1940’s he was the Coach of Post 92 American Legion Junior Baseball Team. He also coached baseball at Trevorton High School from 1951-1958. He organized and conducted the Midget League Baseball program in Trevorton from 1952 until 1963. Judge was affiliated with the Zerbe Township School District in the roles of teacher, coach, guidance counselor and principal. In the Line Mountain School District he served as a program coordinator, principal and acting superintendent. At the present time he is an administrative assistant.

​ SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Danny Venn is an achiever. At Coal Township High School he was an outstanding three sport athlete. He never lost a match as a member of Coal’s boxing team. After graduation he was a member of an undefeated college football team; and late on compiled a record of 22 wins and 1 draw as a 155 pound boxer for the Navy Air Corps team at Olathe Kansas. As a dog breeder, his “Venn’s Home of Champions” kennel has been the East’s most consistent producer of Field Trial Winners. He’s produced 23 Field Champions; and in 1977 and again in 1979 produced the Pennsylvania Grand Champion.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Terry Faust is another person whom the competitive fires just never went out. After a High School Career in Township to the 1962 Southern Division Championship and played as a guard on the 1962 District 4 Basketball Championship team, Terry played softball and turned to coaching midget football in order to stay active. Ever an organizer, in 1962 he helped build a Softball field in Ferndale. This project evolved into an excellent sports complex, which includes lighted softball and little league fields plus a playground area. Terry is President of the Ferndale Sportsmen’s Club, which runs the complex. He is being honored for his contributions to local sports.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Bob Greco is another of those unsung people who have had tremendous positive effect on the athletic lives of our kids. Like others before him, Bob finished his High School Basketball career still needing an outlet for his competitive drive. He played on several semi-pro teams including the Locust Gap Apollos for a while; but when the opportunities to play dried up he turned to coaching as an outlet. He coached St. Peter’s CYA Team from 1960 through 1965, and the Holy Spirit Team from 1966 through 1980. His teams have always been fundamentally sound, having winning records of 19 of 20 seasons. He has also won two and third in the State CYA Championship.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Gene Mattucci loves sports. He also loves kids and cooking. We all know how successful his restaurant is-that’s testimony o how well he cooks. Not so many know how he satisfies that love for kids and sports, however. For openers, Gene has given away more than 300 pizzas a year for more than 30 years. The pizzas were given to members of the Tornado Football team at first, but later to members of the baseball, basketball, track and wrestling team were included. Additionally, a Mount Carmel Area Sports Banquet is not complete without the presentation of the “Chef’s Trophy” to both the participant and his or her mother.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT If your recollection of Girl’s Basketball is two bounces and stop; and fouls called for “over guarding” you’ve been away a long time. Today’s girls game has pressure defense, the fast break and pretty girls who dribble and shoot just like the boys do…and sometimes better. Nobody combined the above attributes more than Mount Carmel Area’s freshman sensation, Maria Fantanarosa. In her first season with the Tornado Varsity Maria scored 886 points, a state record. That many points used to be a pretty good career for most Coal Region basketball players, regardless of sex. She’d led the Schuylkill League in field goals (351), free throws (185) and free throw attempts (306). Six times she

INDUCTEE John “Witt” Gilchrist was one of the greatest football players ever produced in Trevorton and an outstanding baseball star. He was once described as an athlete who could provide any coach or player with good sound advice. He participated in games against some of the best gridiron aggregations in the state, among teams on which he played were the famous Shenandoah Presidents. The Mount Carmel Wolverines of the Anthracite League, the Shamokin Second Street Team and The Shamokin Maroons. While playing with Shenandoah Presidents in 1925, he played against the Frankford Yellow Jackets at Philadelphia, at the now J.F.K. Memorial Stadium. He would play in Philadelphia on Saturday and then travel to Atlantic City, N.J. to play on Sunday. “Witt” was noted for his ball carrying ability and was classed as one of the most difficult ball carrier to tackle because of his unique method of running and speed. He played baseball for the Trevorton Orioles between the years of 1917 to 1935. One summer while playing for the West Cameron Baseball Team at Rolling Green, he had the longest home run ever hit at that field. Football and baseball were not the only sports he participated in. For a short while he also played on a basketball team in Trevorton. We are sure if he would have lived at another time, he would have gone on to play professional football or baseball. W ​