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Class Of 2020 Announced

The nine honorees will be formally inducted at the CSHOF’s 39th annual banquet on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020 at the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club. The new honorees will bring the total number inductees at the CSHOF, located on West Third Street in Jamestown, to 209. P-J file photo by Scott Kindberg

The Board of Directors of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame has announced the inductees who will comprise the Class of 2020.

The living inductees are Bob Goold, Chris (Carlson) Jenkins, Justin Johnson, Tim Nobles, Elly Norton, Mark Orlando and Mike Tramuta. The deceased honorees are George Bataitis and Bob Bender.

These nine individuals will be formally inducted at the CSHOF’s 39th annual banquet, which will be held Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, at the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club. The new honorees will bring the total number of CSHOF inductees to 209.

Tickets for the induction dinner are $50. Banquet reservations can be made by calling chairman Chip Johnson at 716-485-6991.

GEORGE P. BATAITIS

¯ Born 1927 in Syracuse; graduate of Ithaca College and SUNY Buffalo.

¯ World War II veteran, U.S. Navy, submariner.

¯ Came to Jamestown in 1954 to work at Boys Club.

¯ Hired at Jamestown Community College in 1956.

¯ Considered the “Father of JCC Athletics.”

¯ Teacher, coach, athletic director for 32 years at Jamestown CC.

¯ Coached basketball, baseball and golf.

¯ George Bataitis Open played annually to raise funds for JCC athletics.

¯ Received John Hamilton Humanitarian Award in 2008.

¯ Died 2014 in Jamestown.

ROBERT J. “BOB” BENDER

¯ Born 1917 near Dysart, Pa.

¯ World War II veteran, U.S. Army.

¯ Player and manager U.S. Army Artillery Special Services baseball team, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, 1942-45; Army all-star, league champion, only non-professional ballplayer on team.

¯ Recruited by uncle, Joe Nagle (CSHOF inductee), to move to Jamestown in 1946 to play for Steel Partition Bombers semi-pro baseball team.

¯ Bombers were New York state champs in 1947 and 1948, New York-Pennsylvania League champions in 1946 and 1956, and six-time Jamestown MUNY AA League champions.

¯ Bender was a heavy-hitting left-fielder, multiple-time MUNY all-star, .400-plus batting average.

¯ Organizer and player on the Jamestown Old-Timers baseball team.

¯ Coached Little League and Babe Ruth League; Recreation Department supervisor.

¯ Died 1970 in Jamestown.

ROBERT A. “BOB” GOOLD

¯ Born 1954; graduate of Maple Grove Central and SUNY Brockport.

¯ Played football, baseball, basketball in high school; rugby in college.

¯ Athletic director, Frewsburg Central for 20 years.

¯ Coached volleyball, tennis, football, baseball, basketball, track & field (Frewsburg and Maple Grove)

¯ Founder CCAA Sportsmanship Symposium.

¯ Area coordinator & coach Chautauqua Lakers Special Olympics, 1987-2010.

¯ Four-time coach at Special Olympics World Games, staging director 2015 World Games.

¯ Founder Bemus Point 3-one-3 basketball tournament.

¯ Founder Esparanza Deportiva (Sports Hope) and collects used sports equipment for Honduran children.

¯ Recipient of the New York state Special Olympics Coach of the Year, Section VI Sportsmanship Award, National Coach of the Year, three-time Post-Journal track & field Coach of the Year.

¯ Retired teacher; Frewsburg track and field coach; lives in Bemus Point.

CHRISTINE A. “CHRIS” (CARLSON) JENKINS

¯ Born 1969; graduate Panama Central, Grove City College, University of Virginia.

¯ Multiple-time all-star basketball, softball, volleyball at Panama CS; set school scoring and rebounding records; Female Athlete of Year in 1987.

¯ Post-Journal scoring leader junior and senior years at Panama CS.

¯ Three-time first team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference volleyball at Grove City.

¯ Two-time first-team All-PAC basketball at Grove City; PAC MVP in 1991.

¯ Established Grove City volleyball record for kills (1,026).

¯ Graduated as second leading scorer in Grove City basketball history.

¯ Grove City Sportswoman of the Year, 1991.

¯ District 4 All-American basketball, 1991.

¯ Grove City Hall of Fame, 2011.

¯ Presidents’ Athletic Conference 60th Anniversary Team for women’s basketball.

¯ Currently a teacher in Strasburg, Virginia.

JUSTIN R. JOHNSON

¯ Born 1976; graduate Jamestown High School (1994) and U.S. Military Academy (1998).

¯ Captain U.S. Army 1998-2003, engineer officer, deployed to Thailand and Kosovo.

¯ Graduated from JHS in 1994 with basketball records for single-game scoring, single-season scoring, career scoring and career rebounds.

¯ Jersey No. 54 retired at JHS; 1,670 points, 857 rebounds

¯ Post-Journal Co-Player of the Year, 1994, Frank Hyde Scholarship winner.

¯ First-team all-WNY basketball, third-team all-state, 1994.

¯ Empire States Games Western Region team, 1992 and 1993.

¯ Played 82 games at Army, 1994-1998; Patriot League all-academic team.

¯ Coaches basketball and baseball travel league teams in Belton, Texas.

¯ Currently director of strategic initiatives at Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX.

TIMOTHY N. “TIM” NOBLES

¯ Born 1958; graduate Pine Valley Central and SUNY Fredonia.

¯ Head coach girls basketball at Pine Valley, 1980-1996 and 1999-2014; assistant coach, 1997-1999.

¯ Career record of 537-146 in 31 years as head coach.

¯ As head coach, Pine Valley won 17 division championships, 12 Section VI championships, eight Far West Region championships and six New York state championships.

¯ As assistant to Jerry Skurcenski, Pine Valley won two more division championships, three more Section VI championships, another Far West Regional title and another New York state title.

¯ Elected to Section VI Hall of Fame, 2018.

¯ Current teacher and modified boys and girls basketball coach at Pine Valley; lives in South Dayton.

ELLIS R. “ELLY” NORTON

¯ Born 1925; graduate Bemus Point Central and Syracuse University.

¯ Veteran World War II, lieutenant U.S. Air Force, 1943-1945.

¯ Acclaimed four-sport athlete at Bemus Point in football, baseball, basketball, volleyball.

¯ County all-star in basketball; “Red Grange” of three-year undefeated Bemus Point football team; threw consecutive no-hitters with Bemus Point baseball team.

¯ Minor league baseball pitcher, Newark (Ohio) Yankees, 1948 Ohio-Indiana League; Amsterdam Rugmakers, 1949 Canadian-American League.

¯ All-New York state player with 1947 Steel Partition Bombers, New York state semi-pro champions.

¯ Coached basketball and golf at Jamestown High School.

¯ Certified football official for 42 years, basketball official for 38 years, and track & field official.

¯ Received Lifetime Achievement Award from Football Officials Association.

¯ Retired educator; lives outside of Jamestown.

MARK V. ORLANDO

¯ Born 1953; attended Westfield Central School through junior year; graduate of Cardinal Mindszenty High (Dunkirk); graduate of Florida State University.

¯ All-Catholic League quarterback at Mindszenty; also played baseball and basketball.

¯ Earned Division 1 scholarship to Florida State.

¯ Played quarterback at FSU, starter in 1973.

¯ Renowned college football coach for more than 40 years.

¯ At Florida A&M, 1978-83; Tennessee State, 1984-88; Winston-Salem State, 1991-92; Southern University, 1993-2002 and 2004-09; Texas Southern, 2002-03; Bethune-Cookman, 2010-11; Prairie View A&M, 2011-14; Alabama State, 2015-18.

¯ Currently offensive coordinator Grambling State; lives in Ruston, Louisiana.

MICHAEL J. “MIKE” TRAMUTA

¯ Born 1941; attended Dunkirk High School through junior year; graduate of Cardinal Mindszenty High (Dunkirk); graduate of SUNY Fredonia.

¯ Played football, baseball, basketball and track & field at Dunkirk High School.

¯ At Mindszenty, All-Catholic in cross-country and basketball; set school track and field records in quarter, half and mile

¯ Played basketball at SUNY Fredonia, 1961-65; 13.5 ppg, 14 assists.

¯ Head basketball coach at Lake Shore Central, 1968-70; Dunkirk High, 1971-74; Brocton Central, 1976-77; Bishop Turner, 1979-80; St. Francis, 1987-88.

¯ At Dunkirk High School, 1972-73: CCIAC champs, Section VI champs and No. 2 New York state small school.

¯ Assistant coach SUNY Fredonia, 1974-75 and University of Buffalo, 1977-78.

¯ Chemical dependency counselor for more than 30 years; lives in Dunkirk.

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