Apr 26, 2006 By Jim Kriek For The 4 min read

How many of you Connellsville residents have stopped to think that every day you are living a minute period of history? This year you have the occasion to enjoy a really big time in that history, especially this weekend.

Connellsville will be observing its 200th birthday, and the highlight will come on Saturday when a big parade is planned through the city in honor of the occasion. The Bicentennial Committee has put a lot of time and effort into organizing what they hope will be a very “Happy Birthday” for the city, and this corner has a bushel of praise for the people involved, and for their efforts.

So much history in all that time, so much to remember and hopefully appreciate about our heritage. One of my recent projects has been searching for historical bits about the area in general, and at the same time there have been tidbits found about Connellsville in particular.

So, how about some sports trivia involving Connellsville (and there will be more to come).

-Connellsville could be the only city in the United States that has produced an Olympic Gold Medalist, a Heisman Trophy Winner and a World Series championship ring winner. (And I first printed this about 20 years ago, long before another source “borrowed” it and put it on a sign).

John Woodruff won the Gold Medal in the 800-meter run at Berlin, Germany, in 1936, John Lujack received the Heisman as college’s most outstanding player (QB Notre Dame) in 1947 and Bob Bailor earned a baseball championship ring with the Toronto Blue Jays.

-Dick Pitzer could be the only football player in the country who played in the same lineup with three Heisman Trophy winners. He was a Connellsville High School teammate of Lujack, who would go on to win the 1947 award at Notre Dame, then he played on the line at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, with Doc Blanchard (1945) and Glen Davis (1946).

-What national honors were earned by Bob Orndorff of Connellsville? In the mid-60’s, Orndorff won the national trapshooting championship at Vandalia, Ohio.

-What three track records does John Woodruff still hold? Connellsville High records in the 880-yard and mile runs, and the Fayette County Meet 880-yard record.

-What athletic event of national importance was held at Connellsville on July 9, 1919? A world championship title fight was held at Fayette Field, with champion Jack Britt successfully defending against contender Al Doty, winning by TKO in the second round. About 2,000 attended the bout, for which the champion received $1,000 and expenses, and the challenger $500 and expenses.

-Prior to World War II, Connellsville had a very successful women’s basketball team, known as The Shamrocks and The Nelson Girls. They were sponsored by Nelson’s store in 1923-25.

-As a pitcher, Bob Galasso had one major league distinction. In 1981, he was the winning pitcher in relief for Milwaukee over the host Boston Red Sox, the Brewers winning in the 24th inning in what to that point was the longest game ever played at Fenway Park.

-One Connellsville player still shares a major league baseball record. Gene Hasson, who lived on the West Side, hit a home run the first time he ever went to bat in the major leagues. He was playing for the Philadelphia Athletics.

-Who was the first Connellsville wrestler to win four WPIAL championships? John Richey, in 1988-89-90-91.

-Who was the first Connellsville wrestler to win a WPIAL championship? In 1974, Randy Mathias beat John Cully of North Allegheny, 3-1, to win the heavyweight title.

-In winning his title, Mathias set three “Firsts” at Connellsville. He was the first CAHS wrestler to gain the WPIAL finals, the first to win a title and the first to qualify for the state tournament.

-Who were the first two Connellsville wrestlers to win state championships? They did it in the same year. In 1991, Kevin Saniga won the 103-pound title, then John Richey completed what was then a record 41-0 season by winning the 130-pound crown.

-The late Eddie Spotts of Connellsville holds one sports distinction that can’t be equaled. What is it? He is the only Pitt athlete to play football in the Rose Bowl (1937, Pitt 21, Washington 0), and in the first Sugar Bowl Basketball Tournament (1937). Spotts played both sports while attending Pitt, then came to Connellsville where he had a long teaching, coaching, and officiating tenure.

Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard sports correspondent.