SPECIAL 65th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION – ALL PAST INDUCTEES INVITED

All past inductees are invited to join in celebrating our 65 years of service to soccer. We will be honoring all of our inductees and each of them will be receiving a commemorative gift.

2012 INDUCTEES

This year’s group composes the 65th class of Hall of Fame inductions that date back to 1947. Coming from a number of varied soccer backgrounds, the 2012 class includes:

MICHAEL BARR
BOBBY BRADBY
JAMES DUNN, JR.
TOM HONEYMAN
KARL KIEFER
HANS KOMPAUER
DOUG MEDER, JR.
GERRY MITTLEBERGER (posthumous)
RICH REICE
ALFRED REICHEL

2012 AWARD WINNERS

Tom Paton Award – Female Player of the Year – Kelsey Celline, Archbishop Wood H. S.
Bill Peterman Award – Male Player of the Year – Khristian Hall, LaSalle H. S.
Charlotte Moran Award – Coach of the Year (Female Team) – John Westfield, Manor College
John (Jukey) Nanoski Award – Coach of the Year (Male Team) – Kevin Sloan, Neumann University
Ned Potts Award – Club of the Year – Hunter Soccer Club
Harry Rogers Award – Referee of the Year – Nick Cinquanto (posthumous)
Chick Fallon Award – Service to Soccer – Announced at banquet

65th ANNUAL HALL OF FAME BANQUET INFORMATION
Saturday, May 12, 2012 – 5:00 to 10:00
At Cannstatter Volksfest-Verein, 9031 Academy Rd., Phila., PA 19114 (Academy Road and Frankford Ave.)
All are invited to attend our banquet and help honor these soccer stalwarts. Tickets are $40. (includes dinner and open bar) and are available as follows:

~By contacting banquet director Gordon Dunlop, Jr. at gordon.dunlop@sepasoccerhall.com.
~On our web site (www.sepasoccerhall.com) using a credit card. Link is on the right.
~Tickets may also be purchased at our May 3rd meeting (8:00) at the Parkwood Youth Organization, Dunksferry & Mechanicsville Rds, Phila., PA 19154.

****LAST OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE BANQUET TICKETS*****

BANQUET ADS
Our banquet program contains ads that pay homage to these inductees and award recipients. These ads also help us sponsor and run soccer programs and events in the soccer community. Ads are priced at: Full page-$100 and half page-$50. If you would like to purchase an ad, please contact our banquet director, Gordon Dunlop at gordon.dunlop@sepasoccerhall.com.

Bob Kozlowski has a long and extensive history of service to the soccer community. For over 30 years as an employee of the Philadelphia Department of Recreation he coordinated their youth soccer leagues including 19 years of chairman of the 300 team Outdoor League. For almost 30 years he has been an NCAA, high school and youth referee along with being named College Referee of the Year in 1992. Bob has coached youth teams (PA State Champions), EPYSA Olympic Development Program and the Keystone State Games. He has worked to bring soccer to all parts of the city and served as Program Director of the Department of Recreation Inner City Soccer Camp from 1997 to 2005. He was the Public Relations Director for the Starfinder Soccer Foundation, was the chairman for the local organizing committee for the National Soccer Coaches Association convention, and was on the Philadelphia Sports Congress’ search committee charged with bringing an MLS team to Philadelphia.

Bob is an inductee in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame and now serves as its president. He initiated and now administers the Hall of Fame’s “Coats for Chester Campaign” which takes place each fall. In the past two years he has galvanized the soccer community in collecting over 1,650 winter coats and he coordinated their distribution to needy families in the city of Chester, PA. Bob, along with other Hall of Fame board members, organizes and recruits organizations, schools and individuals who help collect coats throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Union and its fan club, the Sons of Ben, are indispensable partners in this effort. Hundreds of coats are collected at the Union home games in October. The goal for this fall’s campaign is to collect over 1,000 coats.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame, as part of its mission to “build the future,” is continuing its successful “Coats for Chester Program.” The city of Chester, PA is the site of a lot of excitement in the Philadelphia area by playing host to our new Major League Soccer team, the Philadelphia Union. At the same time however, Chester holds the distinction of being the poorest city in Pennsylvania. The SEPA Hall of Fame is committed to do its part to mobilize the soccer community in helping the needy people of Chester.

The Philadelphia Union is partnering in our Coats for Chester Program as one of their many ongoing efforts and commitments to the city of Chester and the surrounding community. Other partners include the Sons of Ben (official fan club for the Philadelphia Union), the Philadelphia Department of Recreation and Caldwell Bankers. Coats will be distributed in Chester to: The Bernarndine Center Food Bank, St. Katharine Drexel Food Cupboard and City Team Ministries Homeless Shelter.

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

For two months this fall, from October 1, 2011 to November 31, 2011 we will be collecting donated winter coats from throughout the Philadelphia region, and distributing them to needy families in Chester. Members of the SEPA Soccer Hall of Fame, along with volunteers from various soccer organizations, will be handling the collecting and distributing of the coats.

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

Just gather any winter coats (infant, child or adult) that you will no longer be using. Then take those coats to the drop-off site listed below that is closest to you and we will do the rest. You may also drop of coats at a Philadelphia Union game or at the Phila. Department of Recreation All Star games (dates listed below).

COATS FOR CHESTER DROP-OFF SITES

Soccer Post/N.E. Philadelphia
3354 Grant Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19114

Father Judge High School, Student Services Office
3301 Solly Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19136

Starfinder Foundation
4015 Main St., Philadelphia, PA 19127

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association
4070 Butler Pike, Suite 100, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Parkwood Youth Organization
Dunksferry & Mechanicsville Rds., Philadelphia, PA 19154

Erzgebirge Soccer Club
130 Davisville Rd., Warminster, PA 18974

DROP-OFF DAYS AT THE FOLLOWING PHILADELPHIA UNION GAMES

Thursday, September 29th, 8:00 Kickoff
Saturday, October 15, 4:00 Kickoff

DROP-OFF DAYS AT THE PHILA. DEPT. OF RECREATION ALL-STAR GAMES

At Jacobs Playground, Linden & Jackson, Philadelphia, Pa 19114
Tuesday, October 12th & Wednesday, October 13th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM

Lastly, please help spread the word to family and friends, so that our coat drive will be a success and make life a little bit better for some families in Chester.

Walter’s first involvement with soccer came at the age of 11, when he joined the Lighthouse Boys Club team in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Within four years he had signed as an amateur with the Philadelphia Nationals of the professional American Soccer League. There he developed under coach Jimmy Mills, himself a Hall of Famer, and becoming a professional helped the Nationals win American Soccer League titles in 1950, 1951 and 1953. In 1949 and 1952 he was a member of the Nationals team that reached the U.S. Open Cup final, but lost on each occasion to a team from the Pittsburgh area. He won the ASL title again in 1955 and 1956 with Uhrik Truckers another Philadelphia team. Walter also played the 1953 summer season in Canada for Montreal Hakoah and once again his team reached the national final before losing to New Westminster Royals. In other years he played in the New York German-American League for S.C. Eintract and the German-Hungarians.

On numerous occasions Walter played for the American Soccer League all-star team against some of the finest club teams in the world, including in 1948 the English team Liverpool and the national team of Israel. In 1950 against Besiktas of Turkey and Jonkopping of Sweden. In 1951 against A.I.K. Stockholm of Sweden. In 1953 against Rapid Vienna of Austria. In 1956 against the Israeli Olympic team, Everton of England and Rapid Vienna of Austria for the second time, and in 1957 against Hapoel of Tel Aviv.

In 1948 he was selected for the U.S. Olympic squad at the Olympic Games in London and captained the team. However, soon after he signed as a professional and became ineligible to play for the Olympic team again. In 1949 Walter Bahr was a member of the U.S. World Cup team that qualified from a tournament in Mexico City for the 1950 World Cup of Soccer held in Brazil. There he played against Spain, England and Chile. Against England in Belo Horizonte he supplied the pass that led to Joe Gaetjens scoring the winning goal in one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time. In April of 1952 he was a member of the U.S. national team that played against Scotland at Glasgow’s famed Hampden Park before 107,765 fans. Altogether Walter Bahr played 19 times for the U.S. national team in full international competition at a time when the U.S. didn’t play anything like as many internationals as it does today. He is known, not only in the U.S., but around the world as one of the greatest and most respected soccer players ever to wear the shirt of the U.S. national team and has often served as an ambassador for his country.

After his retirement as a player Walter Bahr became a highly successful coach at Temple and at Penn State Universities, and with two professional teams Philadelphia Ukrainians and Philadelphia Spartans. He coached Temple from 1970 to 1973 and Penn State from 1974 to 1988 as well as Frankfort High School for 17 years. His overall coaching record is 448-137-70. He was elected NSCAA Coach of the Year in 1979 and the Nittany Lion soccer team was selected to the NCAA Tournament 12 times in Walt’s 14 year career. In 1995 he was elected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame.

His three sons Casey, Chris and Matt all played soccer. Casey and Chris both played for the U.S. Olympic team and all three played in the North American Soccer League, Casey and Chris for Philadelphia Atoms and Matt for Colorado Caribous. Later Chris and Matt kicked field goals for a number of teams in the National Football League. Daughter Davies Ann also carried on the family’s sports tradition and was named to the All-America gymnastics team in 1977. Walter’s wife, also named Davies Ann, was a championship swimmer at Temple and a Physical Education teacher at Penn State.

This article was provided courtesy of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Location:
Cannstatter Volksfest-Verein
9130 Academy Road, Philadelphia, PA 19114

The event begins with a cocktail hour at 5:00pm and dinner will be served at 6:00pm.  The awards presentation will follow dinner and will include the new Hall of Fame inductees, Male & Female Player of the Year, Club of the Year, and Coaches of the Year.

Tickets for the event are $40.00 per person.  Tables of 8 are available.

Tickets will be available by mail order or at one of our scheduled meetings.

For more information please contact us via the website or email SEPA Soccer HoF Vice President Gordon Dunlop Jr. directly.

Two of our distinguished members are coordinating the respective tournaments. John Dunlop, coach at Father Judge High School is handling the boys side, and Kevin Schneider, coach at St. Basil Academy is the coordinator for the ladies. These games will surely provide the most competitive and entertaining soccer at this level as some of the best teams in the area have been invited. The list of teams and schedule will be posted as soon as all teams have been confirmed.

The tournament will take place on the Saturday before Labor Day Weekend. The exact date is Saturday, August 29, 2009. The Parkwood Youth Organization has graciously agreed to allow us to use their fields for this event. They are located at 3301 Mechanicsville Road (Dunksferry & Mechanicsville), Philadelphia, PA 19154. Games for all teams will kick-off at 9:00AM and run about two hours. We will be playing a round-robin format where one team will play each of the other three teams in thirty-five minute games. At the conclusion of the games a tournament champion will be announced for both the boys and girls sides. This will be the first of what we hope will be an annual event. The players will receive a commemorative shirt to mark this historic occasion, and also be provided with lunch.

All are invited to come out and watch these college players of tomorrow. We are looking for help in defraying the cost of the event. If you or your business would like to sponsor a team, at only $150, please contact us at info@sepasoccerhall.com. You would receive recognition for your donation on our website, tournament shirts and in our program. Thanks.

Not known to most in the world of soccer is the fact that the Philadelphia Oldtimers Soccer Association was actually the forerunner of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. In 1950 the “Oldtimers” formed the National Soccer Hall of Fame, inducting its first 15 members. In 1953 the administration of the National Soccer Hall of Fame was transferred to the United States Soccer Football Association (USSFA). The National Soccer Hall of Fame is now under the direction of USSoccer.

In 2008, the Philadelphia Oldtimers Soccer Association, in an effort to meet the changing soccer environment, became the Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame. After sixty-two memorable years, the “Oldtimers” realized that the world of soccer was changing dramatically and that the organization needed a new approach. In order to facilitate this change, new officers were elected and a plan devised for the future of the organization. Bob Kozlowski as President and Gordon Dunlop, Jr. as Vice-president, were chosen to lead the way with this transition.

The new organization, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame, has stated that it is firmly committed to continuing the Oldtimers’ legacy and perpetuate its venerable Hall of Fame. The very popular annual spring banquet, which has become a “who’s who in soccer” event, will also be continued and expanded.

This transition has enabled the organization to expand its reaches into the surrounding areas of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and initiate new programs to help build the soccer community. The sponsorship of signature events for youth and a pre-season, boys and girls high school tournament have been initiated. Partnerships are being developed with various soccer entities including leagues, clubs, schools, sponsors, organizations, and the Philadelphia Union Soccer Club. Our highlight event is our annual “Coats for Chester Campaign” where we galvanize the soccer community to help us collect coats and donate them to needy families in the city of Chester, PA.

Information for all aspects of our Hall of Fame is available on our website: www.sepasoccerhall.com.

William Gardiner

William J. Gilmore, Sr.

Bartholomew McGhee

Albert Blakely

Benny McLaughlin, Sr.

Thomas Oxley

Fritz Ihrig

William Bradley, Sr.

George Wilson

William Kuklick

David Grieve

William Gallagher, Sr.

Robert Murray, Sr.

William Kirkpatrick

Dennis Gilmore

Joseph Wambach

Walter Hemingway

Thomas Pepper

George Griffin, Sr.

Charles Buchter

Francis Cavanaugh, Sr.