Class of 2007

The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2007 was officially enshrined on October 17 at HSBC Arena. The event marked the 17th class to be inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception in 1991 and brings total membership of the Hall to 192.

To follow, in alphabetical order, are individual mini-bios on the enshrinees:

TOVIE ASARESE

Humble, unassuming, significant contributions to amateur sports. In the dictionary of life, these words describe Tovie Asarese. For nearly 50 years, Tovie has played an important role in Western New York amateur and youth sports - so important that without his efforts, many would not have had the opportunity to play and compete.

In 1970, he converted an empty lot into a West Side play area that included paving, lighting, and fencing of 9500 square feet, four basketball courts and a tot lot. He founded the West Side Little League Football Club, and the West Side Street Hockey Program. He founded and directed the West Side Ponytail Softball League and reorganized West Side Boys Baseball and served as its president. Tovie sponsored and coached the AAABA Royal Printing club for more than 50 years - his team went undefeated in 1976 and finished 3rd in the nation in 2000.

Tovie has been named 'Man of the Year' by numerous organizations, elected to the Western New York Baseball Hall of Fame and Softball Hall of Fame, and earned countless awards from organizations dedicated to youth sports. He counts among his former athletes the likes of Sal Buscaglia, Pat Raimondo, Phil McConkey, Rocco Diina, Joe Mihalich, and Sal Calandra. But it is kids - past and present - playing sports that lights the heart of Tovie Asarese.

DICK CIPRICH

A three-sport star at Watkins Glen High School, Ciprich earned ten letters playing basketball, football and baseball. While baseball was his love - he would later pitch semi-pro ball and tryout with Cincinnati and the Washington Senators - he eventually took up the favorite sport of his parents, bowling, and became a natural on the lanes.

In 1961, Ciprich was the Watkins Glen singles champion, doubles champion, and all events champion, and was the New York State Elks singles champion. In his early 20's he moved to Western New York and won the Rochester All-Star championship in 1962 and started competing in bowling tournaments regularly in the Buffalo area.

From 1962 through 1976, Ciprich won at least one tournament or placed in the top 10. From 1966 through 1997 - a span of 31 years - Ciprich was dominant in local, state and national bowling - in both individual and team events. He bowled with the Buffalo All Stars, one of the most powerful teams in the country, ranked as one of the top five in the nation in the late 1960's, winning 15 championships throughout the US in 1965. Ciprich placed fourth in the US Open in 1970, was the BPAA

All Star Champion the same year, All Star Doubles Champion with Tom Baker in 1971, and was a member of the ABC Tournament 10-year average list. During his career, he had 29 three hundred games.

JOE FOYLE

With a highly successful high school coaching career spanning more than 50 years, Joe Foyle could certainly claim the moniker 'Mr. Football' in Western New York. Arriving in Lancaster in 1951, Coach Foyle, an Ithaca native and graduate of Ithaca College, launched a heralded football coaching career. As junior varsity coach for seven years, he compiled a record of 43-2-2 with his 1955 team unscored upon for the season. His high school record of 117-81-7 included 3 championships, 2 co-championships, 11All-Western New York and several All-State players, en route to becoming the winningest coach in Lancaster's 85 year history.

Revered by his players and admired by his peers, Joe Foyle invested heart and soul in his work. After retiring from Lancaster in 1985, he spent time with Orchard Park and Lake Shore before returning to Lancaster in 1997. A founding father of the Western New York Football Coaches Association, charter member of the Section VI Football committee, and Western New York Coach of the year numerous times, it must be noted that the Western New York High School Football News named the Large School 'Coach of the Year' award the "Joe Foyle Award" in honor of the integrity of his character and excellence of his achievements.

One other tribute - Lancaster's football field carries his name and will inspire players for years to come.

PHIL HOUSLEY

Born in Minnesota and drafted sixth overall in the first round of the 1982 NHL entry draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Phil Housley made the quantum leap from High School to the NHL at age 17 and quickly became a fan favorite and a feared foe. During his 21 seasons in the league - eight played in Buffalo - he appeared in 1495 games, scoring 338 goals, adding 894 assists and earning 1232 points, the most for any U.S. born player in the history of the NHL. He earned a spot on the NHL Rookie Team in 1983 and played in six NHL All Star Games.

His tenure with the Sabres was accentuated by playing in 643 games and setting the team record for all time points by a defenseman with 558.

Housley was a member of the 2002 US Olympic Hockey Team, winning a Silver Medal in the Salt Lake City games. One of the most popular players to ever wear the Blue and Gold, Housley was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in February of this year.

PATTY JORDAN

An outstanding athlete in five different sports at Eden High School, Patty Jordan was also the number one player on the boys' varsity golf team for four straight years. Selected All Western New York twice for volleyball, Jordan was named the winner of the top female athlete in the Erie County Interscholastic Conference by the Buffalo News, and won the Ron Jaworski scholarship as Western New York's outstanding girl athlete in 1978. As an amateur golfer, she won the Women's Buffalo Interclub Golf Association Junior Girls' Championship two consecutive years - 1976 and 1977 - and the 1977 Erie County Junior Girls' Championship.

Having earned a scholarship to Wake Forest University, Jordan played golf on the women's team all four years; her college career was noteworthy with wins in the 1979 James Madison Invitational and the 1980 North Carolina AIAW State Championship. After graduation, she played in numerous amateur tournaments before joining the LPGA Tour in 1986.

In her 13 years on the LPGA Tour, Jordan played in 230 events including 3 US Opens, earned 5 top 25 finishes, and won the Ocean State Open in 1988. Patty received the 2000 LPGA 'Samaritan Award' which acknowledges humanitarian and charitable efforts by an LPGA player.

CHRISTIAN LAETTNER

'The Shot' seen around the world of college basketball in the East regional final of the 1992 NCAA tournament was the product of a native Western New Yorker. Christian Laettner of Angola, New York honed his skills on the courts of Nichols School where he won two state championships and was the all-time leading scorer with 2006 points. Along the way, he appeared in the Empire State Games three years, was All Western New York Player of the Year his junior and senior years, named Gatorade Player of the Year in New York State, voted a member of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association All American Team, and participated in the McDonald's All American Games in New Mexico and Washington DC, two prestigious all-star games for graduating seniors.

Laettner's college career at Duke University was movie-making material, winning back-to-back NCAA titles in 1991 and 1992. He averaged 16.6 points per game and 7.7 rebounds and is the all-time three-point shooting percentage leader at Duke with 48.5%. He is one of only four players to play in four consecutive Final Fours, and the only player to ever start in all four Final Fours. He holds several NCAA tournament records including most games played with 23, a record which quite possibly may never be broken. But it was his game-winning last second buzzer beater against Kentucky in 1992 - a game in which he went 10 for 10 from the field and 10 of 10 free throws - that catapulted the Laettner legend. The game - considered by many as the greatest college basketball game ever played - earned Laettner the 1993 ESPY Award for College Basketball Play of the Year and Outstanding College Basketball Performer of the Year.

In addition, he was awarded the 1992 USBWA College Player of the Year, the John Wooden Award, Naismith College Player of the Year, NABC National Player of the Year, Sporting News and AP National Player of the Year, ACC Men's Player of the Year and All Tournament MVP the NCAA East Regional Most Outstanding Player award and Duke's Swett Memorial Trophy as that school's MVP in three of his four years.

He also was the only college player named to the original 'Dream Team' that won the gold medal in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona Spain - considered to be the greatest basketball team ever assembled.

Drafted 3rd overall by Minnesota in the 1992 NBA draft, he played 13 seasons for six different teams, voted to the All Rookie Team in 1993 and was voted to the All Star game in 1997.

TONY MASIELLO

Buffalo residents were familiar with this team captain of the Cardinal Dougherty High School basketball team and team captain of the Canisius College basketball team and became even more familiar with him as he captained another Buffalo team - as Mayor of the City for three terms.

Tony Masiello was a three year starter at Dougherty, averaging 18 points as a junior and was league scoring champ in 1965 with 21 points per game. He led his team to the Manhattan Cup Championship in 1963, runner-up in 1965, and named MVP that year. He was selected All Catholic and All Western New York in 1965 and named to the All-Tourney team at the prestigious Hoyle Tournament in Pennsylvania. At Canisius College, Masiello helped lead Griffs' teams to victories over powerhouses such as Georgetown, Seton Hall, St. John's, Xavier, and Syracuse. He led the team in scoring, rebounding and free throw percentage as a junior and as a senior. He ranks 20th all-time best (as a senior) at Canisius in scoring, netting 35 points in his final game as a collegian against Niagara and Calvin Murphy. Drafted by Indiana of the ABA in 1969, Tony Masiello was voted to the Canisius College Hall of Fame and to the school's Pre-70's All-Century Team.

According to many, perhaps his proudest accomplishment was the resurrection and development of the Police Athletic League of Buffalo shortly after his election in 1994. Due to the support of Mayor Masiello, the PAL produced several large family-oriented events, including the Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

JIM MAY

The game of soccer hardly registered a blip on the Western New York Richter scale of sports ..until Jim May elevated its stature, first as a player and then as a promoter. A junior college soccer All American in 1972, May would move on to SUNY Brockport where he would play for the 4th ranked Division I team in the nation and earn Division I Collegiate All American status as a goalkeeper. He was drafted 1st overall by the Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League and competed against the legendary Pele in the NASL. May was a fixture in goal in the NASL and was named an All Star goalkeeper.

In 1979, May was the first player signed by the newly formed Buffalo Stallions. The Buffalo area soon became goal-oriented toward the game of soccer and Jim May, an All Star selection in 1981, was its leader. While the Stallions would eventually fold, Jim May was instrumental in returning the game to Western New York with the Buffalo Blizzard, serving as Vice President and General Manager from 1992 to 1999, often wearing a third hat as interim coach during his tenure with the Blizzard.

Jim May was elected to the Junior College Hall of Fame, the SUNY Brockport Sports Hall of Fame, and was voted 2nd team, All-Time Rochester Lancers. He owns and operates SportsPlex, an indoor soccer and tennis facility in North Tonawanda. Due in part to Jim's untiring efforts in introducing kids to the sport of soccer and giving them a place to play, soccer is Number One in Western New York for youth sports participation with more than 100,000 area kids playing soccer.

THE MUSCATO FAMILY

In the world of heavyweight boxing, it is rare to find brothers who rise to the upper levels of the sport and remain consistently competitive. But in the 1940's Buffalo boxing meant the Muscato brothers - Joe, Phil and Sam from Dunkirk, New York. Phil and Joe rose to the top ten in the world heavyweight rankings, and forever changed the face of the sport in Western New York.

Phil Muscato, the younger brother, is considered by many to be the best heavyweight in Buffalo boxing history, ranking 2nd behind Billy Conn by Ring Magazine in the 1940's. He fought 32 main events and holds two of the biggest record-drawing crowds at the old Aud. He faced many of the best of his era including Angelo Sotillo, Harry Matthews, Archie Moore and Rocky Marciano.

Older brother Joe began his career as an amateur, winning 5 AAU titles, 2 Niagara District light heavyweight Golden Gloves titles, the All America Diamond Belt Amateur Boxing Championships, and Western New York and New Jersey's Tri-County Diamond Belt heavyweight titles. As a pro, Joe stunned the crowd in Cleveland when he KO'd the number two-ranked Lem Franklin, marking his 13th consecutive pro victory. At one time, he was ranked 6th in the world. With World War II calling, Joe put his career on hold and served in the South Pacific where he engaged in 45 exhibition bouts and won the South Pacific heavyweight crown. He returned a decorated war hero after being struck in both legs by shrapnel, and was awarded the Purple Heart when enemy planes bombarded his unit.

After they retired, the Muscato brothers contributed to the boxing community in other ways - through teaching and influencing young boxing talent. The children of Joe Muscato furthered the tradition by hosting amateur bouts and establishing a travelling boxing museum. Their endeavors so moved former Buffalo Mayor Jim Griffin that he dedicated a room in city hall for the boxing Hall of Fame and memorabilia.

BILL POLIAN

Since entering professional football in 1978, Bill Polian not only helped build competitive football teams, but championship football teams. After working with the NFL Chiefs and the Blitz of the USFL, he built Grey Cup title teams with two CFL franchises in Montreal and Winnipeg. Polian joined the Buffalo Bills in 1984 as pro personnel director and was promoted to general manager in 1985. The 'glory years' in Buffalo football were about to begin. The Bills became competitive, and winners, compiling a mark of 58-22 from 1988 to 1992. Buffalo reached the Super Bowl in 1990, 1991, and 1992 during Polian's tenure, then added a fourth Super Bowl appearance in 1993, a year after his departure. He then built the newly-formed Carolina Panthers into the winningest expansion franchise in sports history, taking the club to the NFC Championship game in only its second season.

Since arriving in Indianapolis in 1998, no NFL team has won more regular-season games or had more overall playoff appearances than the Colts. The 2006 Colts reached the NFL pinnacle - winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive division title, posting an unbeaten home record, producing its fourth consecutive season with 12 or more wins, and winning four playoff games in claiming the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the Super Bowl.

Polian was named NFL Executive of the Year five times by The Sporting News, one of only two executives to win the award five or more times. He has been part of ten 11+ victory seasons and has won a division title at every stop.

DARRYL TALLEY

He was the undisputed leader on a team of marquee players; some had bigger names, but none had a bigger heart. Darryl Talley was drafted in the second round of the 1983 NFL draft out of the University of West Virginia. A consensus All America linebacker, Talley learned the world of professional football in a humble way - experiencing back to back 2-14 seasons. But by the mid 1980's, a coaching change and the addition of a few players with names like Bennett, Smith, Conlan and Thomas enabled Talley's Bills to usher in a golden age of Buffalo football.

During the Bills four Super Bowl seasons, Talley led the Bills in tackles every year but one, finishing second in 1991. That year would be his finest as a Bill, recording four sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and five interceptions - a team high. He appeared in two Pro Bowls - chosen in 1990 as a personal pick of AFC coach Art Shell and voted in for his play in 1991.

Talley never missed a game during his 11-year career with the Bills. He is the Bills all-time leading tackler with 1,137 career takedowns; he also recorded 38 ½ sacks and 11 interceptions. Noted for his speed and intensity, he was never one to showboat.he just made plays. And making plays earned him preliminary nominations - and we expect a future appointment - to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

PRIDE OF WESTERN NEW YORK AWARD

ROCKY KANSAS

Rocky Kansas was a tough, short (5-2") former lightweight champion of the world. He was born Rocco Tozzo on April 21, 1895 in Buffalo. During his career Kansas faced the cream of the featherweight and lightweight divisions.

In 1921 he met Richie Mitchell, a highly-regarded lightweight out of Milwaukee. In the first round, Kansas pinned Mitchell against the ropes and knocked him out. Kansas then came up with another upset victory, this time over southpaw Lew Tendler in a close 10-round decision. The victory landed him a title shot at all-time great Benny Leonard's lightweight crown. In an exciting fight, Leonard was awarded the unanimous decision.

Leonard retired and Kansas was given a third shot at the title against Jimmy Goodrich, who claimed the title after Leonard's retirement. Kansas was able to get inside on Goodrich and won all but one of the first 13 rounds. Kansas was awarded the 15-round decision, and after over 14 years of professional fighting, Rocky Kansas was finally a champion

CHARLES REIDPATH

Charles Reidpath, war hero, civic builder and Olympic Champion, was born in Buffalo, in 1889. His cousin Isabelle Reidpath Martin was the wife of Darwin Martin, who commissioned one of Frank LLoyd Wright's finest works, the Darwin Martin House. At Lafayette High School from 1904-08, Reidpath was an outstanding track competitor, in spite of an unorthodox "flat footed" running style. It was while at Syracuse University from 1908-1912 that Charles Reidpath became a collegiate track star, winning the 220- and 440-yard dashes in the 1912 intercollegiate games. At one point he held the college record for the quarter mile.

Upon graduating from Syracuse in 1912 with a degree in civil engineering, Reidpath was pressured by relatives to quit sports and take a position with the family business in Buffalo. Instead, he made the U.S. Olympic track team, and headed to Stockholm, Sweden for one of the finest Olympics ever held. Reidpath won the 400 meters in an Olympic record shattering time of 48.2 seconds. This record lasted until 1924, when it was broken by Eric Liddle, whose story was made famous by the movie "Chariots of Fire." Running the anchor leg of the 4x400 meter relay, Reidpath helped the U.S. team set a world record of 3:16.6.