Dan Wolfe

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame will enshrine eight people at its 44th annual induction banquet on Feb. 16 at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club. Below is the biography and photo of Dan Wolfe, one of the inductees of the CSHOF’s Class of 2026. The other inductees are Kenny Betts, Jennifer Giebner Donato, Karl Englert Jr, Brianne Prince Hazelton, Trevor Hitchcock, Brian Hull and Kerry Kellogg. Tickets are available for $50 at the CSHOF, 15 W. 3rd St., Jamestown; Matt’s News in Dunkirk; by calling chairman Chip Johnson at 716-485-6991; or online at www.chautauquasportshalloffame.org

“Who’s the greatest?”

That question is almost sure to elicit a debate – maybe even a heated argument – unless the question is “Who is the greatest all-around athlete in the history of Cardinal Mindszenty High School in Dunkirk, New York?”

Mindszenty, which opened in 1952 and closed in 1979, has claimed many outstanding athletes as alumni, but there is nearly universal agreement that the greatest all-around player was Dan Wolfe.

Legendary CMHS coach, Bob Muscato, a 1999 Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame inductee, wrote, “Because of his versatility, Dan was the best the school ever produced. His multiple skills, statistical achievements and numerous awards evidence this. He has no peers that could match all his accomplishments completely.”

Wolfe wore the Monarchs’ colors from September 1965 to his graduation in June 1969. He earned 15 varsity letters: four in football, four in baseball, four in track and field and three in basketball.

On the gridiron, Dan played wherever the team needed his skills: running back, wide receiver, quarterback, linebacker and defensive back. He scored 27 touchdowns and converted 24 extra points. The Monarchs’ record during the Wolfe era was 24-5-3. He was a three-time All-Catholic Bishop Smith League All-Star. Following his senior season, he was selected All-Western New York and, most impressively, was named a National Catholic High School All-American. Villanova University offered a football scholarship.

On the baseball diamond, he was a four-year pitcher, winning 26 games (12 of them were shutouts), while striking out 376 batters in 251 innings. When not on the mound, he patrolled the outfield. Mindszenty won 48 games and two league titles during his high school career. He was chosen as an All-Catholic Bishop Smith League All-Star three times. He was a draft choice of the Washington Senators.

After playing junior varsity basketball as a freshman, Wolfe was elevated to the varsity for the next three years. He scored 436 points and was selected as a two-time All-Catholic Smith League All-Star.

The speedy Wolfe was also a force on the Mindszenty track and field squad. He competed in the 100, 220, long jump, 440 and 880 relay. Postseason honors included League All-Star selections in both his junior and senior years.

Bob Palcic, a CMHS alum and 2019 inductee of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, who coached football at the NCAA Division I and National Football League levels for more than 40 years, had this to say about Wolfe:

“Dan was not only a great athlete, he was a ‘star’ in every way. He was the guy the coach wanted to have the ball in crucial situations. Not only did the coach want him to have the ball, Dan wanted to have the ball. He was the type of athlete who could carry a team on his shoulders. Evaluating athletes was a major focus of my career. I can assure you that Dan Wolfe was one of the greatest athletes to have ever played sports in Chautauqua County.”

Wolfe, a lifelong resident of Dunkirk, died in 2023.