1940 - 1949 

WHS Hall of Fame Members

Bob Sawyer

Class: 1936-1940

Sports Played:

Football 4 Years

Basketball 4 Years

Baseball 4 Years

Track 4 Years

Military Service: U.S. Navy

• Held the high jump record in track at Wellsville for 37 years.
• A true leader of men as he was selected team captain of the 1940 track team and baseball teams.
• First Team All Livingston County All-Star in football his Junior and senior year.
• Excelled in four sports of football, basketball, baseball, and track his junior and senior year.
• After high school he was an outstanding basketball player for the old Air PreHeater Team that dominated the Wellsville Community League.

Ted Thoren

Class: 1937-1940

Sports Played:

Football 4 Years

Baseball 4 Years

Basketball 3 Years

Track 3 Years

College: Ithaca University

• Won 14 varsity letters in his high school career
• Inducted as a member of Cornell University's Athletic Hall of Fame
• Inducted as a member of the  Austrian and Croatian National Baseball Hall of Fame
• Inducted as a member of the Ithaca College Hall of Fame
• Inducted as a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame

Steve Cretekos

Class: 1938-1943

Sports Played:

Football 4 Years

Basketball 4 Years

Track 2 Years

Baseball 3 Years

Military Service: Air Force

• Star athlete in four sports his junior year and senior year in high school
• Known for his toughness in football, basketball, and as a catcher in baseball
• Made the All Section V Class “A” Basketball All Star Team in 1941
• First Team All County in football and co-captain in 1941

John Rigas

Class of 1939-1943

Sports Played:

Track 4 Years

Football 1 Year

Baseball 3 Years

Basketball 2 Years

College: R.P.I.

• Only Wellsville athlete to ever own a professional sports team - The Buffalo Sabres Hockey Team.
• All round athlete, earning his 20 point letter in his high school career.
• Known for his enthusiasm and dedication to the sports he played on.  Captain for three teams his senior year in high school.
• Presented the first ever lifetime achievement award from Renesselear Polytechnic Institute for his contributions to the hockey world.

Earl Robbins

Class: 1940-1943

Sports Played:

Football 4 Years

Baseball 3 Years

Track 3 Years

Basketball 2 Years

College: Alfred University

• Star athlete in four sports during his high school career 1942
• All Conference selection and captain of his team
• Leading scorer in football, batted over 400 in baseball, and won consistently in the 100 & 220 yard dash in track
• Went on to be a starting running back at Alfred University

Jim Fulmer

Class: 1941-1944

Sports Played:

Football 3 Years

Basketball 3 Years

Baseball 3 Years

College: Dickenson College

• Started on the varsity for three years in three different sports
• One of the original organizers of the Wellsville Small Court Basketball Program where he served for over 40 years
• Umpired Wellsville Little League for over 40 years
• Worked with the Wellsville Midget Football Program for over 15 years

Max Grossman

Class: 1941-1945

Sports Played:

Baseball 4 Years

Track 4 Years

Basketball 1 Year

College: RBI and Bryant & Stratton

• In high School he was awarded the very prestigious 20 Point Letter Award as well as The Man of the Year Award in 1945.
• He played shortstop on his high school baseball teams where he was chosen to play in the County All Star Game, and he was recognized as a brilliant gloveman.
• After graduation he went on to have a wonderful career in softball. In 2000 he was selected as the best all around player in Irondequoit Senior Softball League.
• In 2005 he was inducted into the Rochester Jewish Athletes Hall of Fame. In 2006 he was inducted into the Rochester Senior Slow Pitch Hall of Fame.
• A leader of men he served as commissioner of the Irondequoit Softball League for 1992-1997.

Howard Underwood
Class: 1941-1945

Sports Played:
Basketball 4 Years
Football 4 Years
Track 4 Years
Baseball 3 Years

Military: US Army

• He was recognized as a three sport star in the sports of football, basketball, and track.
• In 1945 he led his varsity basketball team in scoring with a total of 151 points in 17 games.
• In football he will always be remembered as one of the best running backs to play at WHS during this era.
• In the sport of track he seldom was beaten in the events of broad jump and high jump winning three consecutive county championships in both events.

John Giopulos
Class: 1942-1946

Sports Played:

Baseball 4 Years

Track 4 Years

Basketball 3 Years

College: University of Buffalo

• Earned his 20 point letter in his sophomore year
• Set the high school record in track for the 100 yard dash, his senior year 10.2 seconds.  This record stood for 31 years before broken by his son Dean.
• Selected as the MVP in the sectional quarterfinals in basketball his senior year
• High school varsity baseball - started 4 years; varsity track - started 4 years; varsity basketball  - started 3 years

  
Chuck Reuning
Class of 1946

Sports Played:
Football 3 Years
Basketball 3 Years
Baseball 4 Years
Track 3 Years

College: Alfred University

• He split time between quarterback and running back for the undefeated football teams of 1943 and 1945. 
• In 1946, he was selected as the Man of the Year, representing the top athlete in the school.
• Upon graduation he received the very prestigious 20 point letter, which only a few achieved during their careers.
• A leader of men, he was chosen as team captain in three sports his senior year. Reuning went on to attend Alfred University.

Dennis Wood
Class: 1943-1947

Sports Played:
Football 3 Years
Basketball 3 Years
Baseball 3 Years
Track 3 Years

Served in the Military

• Recognized by many that had the pleasure to see him play as the best athlete of his era.
• Was a starter on 4 sports teams for 3 years (football, basketball, baseball, and track).
• In 1947 he was chosen by the School Faculty Council to be inducted into the Sportsmanship Brotherhood Club. A tremendous honor for an athlete at that time.
• Was chosen for several Allegany County all star teams in the sports he played, and was a member of 880 yard relay team that broke the county record in 1946. This record had stood since 1934.
• In the military he was the star running back on his football team while stationed in Japan. This team featured several pro players.
• A great athlete that was admired by those that had the pleasure of calling him a teammate.

Paul Gavit

Class: 1945-1949

Sports Played:

Football 4 Years

Baseball 4 Years

Basketball 3 Years

Wrestling 1 Year

Colleges: Alfred, Cornell, St. Bonaventure & SUNY Oswego

• He was an outstanding athlete in high school playing four different sports and excelling in them all.
• He won a Section V championship in wrestling at the 175 pound weight class.
• He was so good in baseball that he had several looks from such teams as Detroit, St. Louis, and Washington.
• In football he played 2 years at Alfred University for legendary Alex Yunevich and 3 years at Cornell for famous coach Lefty James.
• In town team baseball he once had 16 strikeouts in a nine inning game.
• He coached football at LeRoy and Portville.

Bob McEnroe

Class: 1945-1949

Sports Played:

Football 4 Years

Basketball 4 Years

Baseball 3 Years

Track 3 Years

College: Alfred University

• Recognized by many as one of the finest male athletes ever to graduate from Wellsville High School
• In 1949 he was the last athlete to letter in four varsity sports
• Won several county and Spring Day Meets in track, and made Sectionals in both the pole vault and high jump
• Started at halfback for the undefeated 1956 Alfred University football team, honored as the #1 Small College Team in the nation