1970 inductees
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Frank "Whitey" Wahl
Administrator, Basketball, Softball 1970
The deepest blush and the fastest hands in Akron U athletics during the 1940's belonged to "Whitey" Wahl whose pre and post-wartime service spanned a six year period and three sports. In all, he earned eight letters in football, basketball and baseball - four of them on the court. Joining the Zips at mid-year of the 1942-43 season, Wahl figured prominently in the 72-70 four overtime win over Ohio U. After serving with the U.S. Armed Services, Wahl returned to guide Akron U to the Ohio Conference Championship in 1945-46. That season he led all Zip scores with a 15.2 point average. In later years he became one of the most outstanding fast-pitch hurlers in Ohio, a long-time Executive Director of the All-American Soap Box Derby and is a charter member of the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame Committee.
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Joe Siegferth
Coach 1970
At the time of his induction he had become a legend in his own time and he had only been coaching 15 years. Adding onto his legend, Joe coached 12 more seasons before retiring from his chosen profession in 1982. All told, Siegferth ld his Central High and Central-Hower basketball teams to an amazing 441 wins and only 151 losses in 27 seasons. Included among his team's successes are 10 City Series crowns, 21 Sectional titles, 12 District titles, seven Regional crowns and one state championship. The latter came in 1979-80 during an undefeated 28-0 season. During his 27-year career, four of his players have gone into the professional ranks.
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Betty Kerby Peppard
Golf 1970
The daughter of Hall of Famer Ed Kerby, Betty followed in her father's footsteps as an exceptional golfer. After winning six straight Akron District Golf Association Championships, this lady golfer retired at the age of 24. However, after a nine-year layoff, Betty came back to win the title two more times. In 1958 and 1959 she won back-to-back Ohio Women's Championships. Five times she competed in the National Amateur Championship.
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Ned Oldham
Football 1970
He started as a quarterback at Cuyahoga Falls High, where Ned starred three years, but switched to halfback at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis. At Navy he made gridiron history - setting a career rushing average of 5.2 yards a carry, scoring 140 points - second highest at the time and he stood third in total rushing. Probably his most memorable game came in 1957. With 100,000 fans looking on, Oldham scored two touchdowns and kicked both extra points as Navy beat Army, 14-0.
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Art Knowlton
Football, Track & Field, Basketball 1970
A three-sport star at Akron U who earned eight letters - three each in football and basketball and two in track. While playing guard and tackle under the direction of Fred Sefton, the Hilltop football teams compiled a 13-6-2 record from 1917 through 1919. He competed in the hurdles, pole vault and high jump in track. However, it was in basketball that Art and fellow players Eddie Wentz and Tommy Tomkinson, both Hall of Famers, experienced the most success. In his three seasons at UA cagers captured 35 of 41 games, compiled the school's only undefeated season in basketball (14-0) in 1918-19, strung together 22 straight victories (a record still intact) and won back-to-back Ohio Conference Champion in 1918-19 and 1919-20.
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Boss Bosco
Bowling 1970
At age of 17 he began bowling while a pinsetter at old Buchtel Lanes. The first of his nine sanctioned 300 games came on April 23, 1932. In nearly 50 years of bowling, Boss participated in 32 American Bowling Congress tournaments. In 1941, he won the Central States all-events title and was a member of the winning team. In 1959, Boss was a member of the second place team in the National 5-man Match Game championship. In 1951, 1955 and 1956 the old WADC teams were Ohio Match Team Champions. Other highlights were winning the Akron City Championships from Dick Hoover in 1953 and the same championship from Jimmy Petrou the following year. His 700 series are countless and his all-time high score is 817.
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Mario Russo
Wrestling 1970
For an athlete who first came to this country in 1947 from his native Italy, Russo made the most of his time and opportunities. At Akron U he lettered four times each in football and wrestling, earning All-Ohio guard in 1955 and going undefeated for three seasons as a 167 pound wrestler for Andy Maluka. A three-time Ohio Conference mat champion, Russo is one of the most outstanding wrestlers produced at UA.
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Frank Zazula
Football, Coach 1970
Born to Polish immigrants (1916) in New Jersey, Zazula was an All-State quarterback (1935) and a member of Canton McKinley's 1934 state championship team. Starred for the University of Akron from 1937 through 1939, making All-Ohio both at quarterback and at fullback. Had a record 77-yard punt against University of Toledo and a then-record 96-yard kickoff return against Baldwin-Wallace College. Make Little All-America honorable mention and captioned the 1939 Associated Press second All-Ohio team. Played at 160 pounds and was compared to "Red" Cochrane among UA power runners of all time. Went to University of Oregon as a Jimmy Aiken aide in 1947. Joined ex-Akron U teammate Dick Miller at North Dakota University in 1948 and was named head football coach, succeeding Miller in 1950. Named North Dakota Football Coach of the Year in 1953. A few years back he retired as the school's track and cross country mentor.