Hall of Fame Member Bios 1991

View: Alphabetical List - Members by Induction Class - Biographies

Howard ‘Skeets’ Irvine
It is doubtful if any coach in South Jersey reached the stature of Howard ‘Skeets’ Irvine.
In the autumn of 1919 ‘Skeets’ arrived in Collingswood, after a brilliant athletic career at the University of New Hampshire. It was the post World War 1 era, a time when high school athletics became a significant part of a community’s life.
‘Skeets’ in his thirty years as head football coach, won 223 games and 16 championships. These records remain the best in area history.
His record as track coach was just as excellent, as his thinclads once attained a dozen consecutive South Jersey titles. He also coached basketball, swimming and baseball during his stay at Collingswood.
Howard ‘Skeets’ Irvine died on Thanksgiving Day, 1948, the same afternoon on which his team completed an unbeaten, untied football season.

Katharine Tatem Goulburn
Katherine graduated from Collingswood High School in 1920, recognized for both her excellent scholarship and athletic ability. She was an outstanding goalie in field hockey.
She went to Trenton Normal School, receiving a teaching degree. Katharine taught at Merchantville, where she coached both girls and boys sports.
Katharine worked in the Collingswood school system from 1945 until she retired in 1964. Thirteen of these years were as board secretary.
A lifetime resident of Collingswood, Katharine has been active in the Collingswood Presbyterian Church, volunteer hospital work and many other organizations.

Bob Schuenemann
Bob was one of the great football and track athletes to represent Collingswood in the 1930's. Bob was captain of the 1932 unbeaten football team and known for his circling opposing teams line on the famous Irvine end-round.
In the spring of 1932, Bob long jumped 23 feet 11 inches to set a South Jersey mark that stood until Carl Lewis broke it a half century later.
After graduation Bob attended the University of Pennsylvania where he performed with distinction in football and track.
Bob is retired after a long career in a successful local business. He and his wife, Evelyn, live in Westmont. Their daughter Robin is a faculty member at Collingswood.

William ‘Bill’ Diemer
Bill is a native of Pottstown High School in Pennsylvania, where he played basketball and baseball.
He is a graduate of both Ursinus and Springfield College, where he had a great baseball career.
Bill came to Collingswood in 1924 and immediately became a hero to the younger children of Collingswood. His love of sports and desire to help the community youth led Bill to start sports programs for elementary school children. A key to the many successes of Collingswood was the early training provided by Diemer.
Bill took over the varsity baseball team in 1943 and produced a string of winners. One of his products, Ray Narleski, went on to become the premier relief pitcher in the American League during the 1950's.
Bill became Athletic Director in 1949 and remained in that position until he retired in 1959.
Bill has served on the Collingswood Board of Education and many other community organizations.
He has a daughter Barbara. Bill lives in Westmont and will turn ‘95 years young’ this April.

Jack Earle
Jack Earle moved to Collingswood from Chicago in 1928 and immediately earned a letter on a championship football team. He starred in the backfield the next three years and gained recognition as one of the Panthers all time greats. He earned all South Jersey First Team Honors in 1930 and 1931 and All State in 1931. Known by the newspaper as ‘Jack the Ripper’ for his superlative running and rated hardest blocker of his time.
Jack was one of South Jersey’s finest trackmen, running anchor leg on teams that won several championships at the Penn Relays. He also starred in basketball.
Jack went on to Villanova where he starred for three years on nationally ranked teams.
Jack is retired as a very successful businessman in Camden County. He and his wife, Charlotte, are still active in community affairs. They have seven children, Irene, Charlotte, John, Kathy, Michael, Elsie and Stephen.

William ‘Bill’ Mitchell
A truly outstanding athlete from the Class of 1943 in football, basketball and track.
Bill displayed his athletic prowess one afternoon in New York’s Madison Square Garden where he won the National Scholastic High Hurdles Championship. That evening he started as center for the basketball team, which was playing Woodbury for the Camden-Suburban League Championship.
Bill played on two championship football teams, gaining first team All South Jersey. He was the finest hurdler in the state, going undefeated for two years.
In college, he starred in football for Indiana before transferring to Georgetown where he performed so brilliantly in track, that he was an early selection to the Georgetown Hall of Fame.
Bill coached track at the Naval Academy and for two years was a top football official.
After a term with the FBI he started his own private investigation business.
Bill lives in Cherry Hill with his wife Florence. They have four children, Richard, William Jr., Louray and Francis.

Henry ‘Hank’ Rossell
Hank was truly one of the great athletes of the 1940's, having outstanding careers in football, basketball and baseball.
He played on the 1942 championship football team and was captain of the 1943 team, where he gained All South Jersey honors at center.
In basketball, he was the leading scorer on a team which won the Camden Suburban League Championship and gained All Conference honors.
In both his junior and senior years he was a standout pitcher and outfielder on a championship team, again gaining All Conference honors.
Hank went to the University of Pennsylvania, where he was one of the few players of his day to letter in three sports.
In post graduate days he served for years as a scholastic football official, a member of the board of governors of Brooks-Irvine Club and Collingswood Board of Education.
Hank lives in Medford, New Jersey with his lovely wife Caroline. They have four children, Marie, Louise, Henry, Jr and Christine.
Hank recently retired after a long career as an executive with Sun Oil Company.

Beatrice Markwick

Bea Markwick graduated form Collingswood High School in 1946. She was an honor student and a member of the field hockey and basketball teams. She also participated in choir and many other clubs.
She then went on to prestigious Beaver College where she starred in both field hockey and lacrosse. She graduated cum laude in 1950. Upon graduation she taught in Troy, New York for three years and then moved back to South Jersey. While at Clayton High School she won the school’s first Tri-County Conference Championship in field hockey. In 1955 she accepted a job at Collingswood High School, her alma mater.
In only three years she began her winning ways. In 1958 her first championship field hockey team led the way for many more to follow. It was the beginning of the ‘Markwick Era.’ In 1963 she coached the first of her four unbeaten teams. All in all she coached teams that won sixteen (16) major field hockey championships and ten (10) lacrosse championships including four (4) lacrosse state titles.
Bea was known to get the best out of her players. She was able to bridge the gap between old fashioned values and modern day techniques and pressures. Her teams were admired for their sportsmanship and unselfish play. Bea and her girls at all times were ladies on the field.
In 1964 Bea was responsible for the introduction of a new sport called lacrosse to Collingswood. She also was a founder of of the Delaware Valley Lacrosse League and later, a member of the Board of Directors of the Field Hockey Club of South Jersey. Lacrosse and field hockey, however, were not the only sports that Bea coached in Collingswood. She found herself at different times throughout her career the coach of the basketball, tennis and swimming teams.
Although recording over 600 varsity victories in her impressive coaching career, Bea is most remembered by her students and colleagues as an intelligent, caring and understanding teacher. Countless numbers of Collingswood girls have grown into responsible mature young ladies because of her guidance, her patience, and her love. We thank you Bea for all that you have given Collingswood and we miss you terribly.

Rosemary Deniken Blankley
Rosemary is one of the many outstanding athletes from Oaklyn and is considered one of Collingswood’s all time great female athletes.
She was the only sophomore to play on the 1950 undefeated field hockey team. She was the team’s leading scorer for three years, team Captain in 1952 and gained many All Star Honors.
Rosemary lettered for three years in basketball and softball. She gained many post-season honors in basketball, due to her scoring ability and excellent all-around play.
She went on to Beaver College in Pennsylvania, where she had an outstanding athletic career.
Rosemary taught and coached for a number of years at Collingswood before leaving to raise a family.
Rosemary now lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania with her husband Walter. They have two children, Stephen and Laura Ann.
Willard ‘Bis’Bisbing
Bis is one of Collingswood’s all-time football greats, excelling as a runner, blocker, passer, place kicker and defensive standout.
He gained All South Jersey First Team Honors in 1934 and 1935, both Group Four Championship years for Collingswood.
Bis was a fine defensive center fielder in baseball as well as a consistent hitter. He was offered contracts by several major league organization.

After graduation, Bis played football at the University of Mississippi and in the Canadian Professional League.
Bis has served in many significant positions with Brooks-Irvine Football Club, as well as the following organizations:
First Baptist Church of Collingswood
Haddonfield Lodge #130
Consistory
Colls Old Grads
South Jersey Football Officials Assoc.
National Football Hall of Fame
Bis is retired from work with the county, but still works with the Philadelphia Phillies. He lives in Collingswood with his wife Bernice and their children Donni and Barbara.

Ben Addiego
It is believed that Ben is the only athlete in Collingswood history to letter in five sports. Moreover, he achieved distinction in each.
As a junior he was star halfback on the unbeaten 1948 team, the last coached by Skeets Irvine.
He moved to quarterback as a senior and led the Panthers to the Group IV Title.
Ben was the diving champion of South Jersey and one of the area’s top sprinters. He also starred in basketball and baseball.
Ben attended Villanova, where he was a three year starter, gaining First Team Little All American Honors with his senior year. He also excelled as a diver at Villanova.
Ben played briefly with the Philadelphia Eagles, before going to Temple and earning his dental degree.
Ben presently is an orthodontist with offices in Marlton.

Lewis ‘Lou’ Sweigart
Lou was one of the superior athletes from the Class of 1959. He lettered in four sports and has the honor of being the last athlete to accomplish this feat.
He was the captain of the famous undefeated ‘Golden Eleven’ football team. He gained the following honors: All South Jersey First Team, Best Back in South Jersey and First Team All State.
Lou played basketball as a sophomore and junior, but switched to wrestling in his senior year. Becoming a varsity starter, he was a member of Collingswood’s first ever championship wrestling team. He was a three year starter in baseball and gained many post-season honors. He lettered in track as a low hurdler and sprinter.

Cheryl Christinzio Martinelli
If anyone ever compiled a list of the many great athletes that graced the halls of Collingswood High School, Cheryl’s name would surely be near the top.
For three years she was a standout player in hockey, basketball and lacrosse, starting in all three sports since her sophomore year. Cheryl gained All Star Honors in all three sports. Bea Markwick paid Cheryl her greatest compliment when she said “Cheryl Christinzio is the greatest athlete I have ever had the privilege to coach.”
After high school Cheryl attended the University of Miami.
Cheryl now lives in Barrington with her husband Tom and their sons Tom and Brian. Cheryl is a physical education teacher at the St. Francis De Sales School.

John R. Leek
When one speaks of Collingswood High School Wrestling, the name John Leek comes to the forefront.
John is perhaps the best wrestler in Collingswood history, to date. Having been captain of Collingswood’s first undefeated team, he never lost a dual meet in three years of varsity competition. Compiling a record of 52-2-0, he won three District and two South Jersey Titles. Then, in 1959, John reached the highlight of his career winning the State Championship at 106 pounds and becoming Collingswood’s first state champion.
He also lettered in cross country and track, plus won a state title in mechanical drawing.
John continued his wrestling career at Lehigh University. Later years found him coaching, wrestling and officiating.
Today, John lives in Boston, Massachusetts, where he works for Organo Genesis, Inc. He is active in community development and in the Boston Area Bicycle Association.

Stephen “Steve” Selby
In an era when many athletes have turned to specialization, Steve Selby is a throwback to the old school. He earned nine letters, evenly divided among football, basketball and baseball. His talent as an all-around achiever can be recognized by his winning All Colonial Conference Honors in each sport. He was captain of his championship teams in both basketball and baseball.
Steve gained his greatest recognition in basketball, where he was: All Suburban; All Conference; All Group III and All-South Jersey First Team. By the end of his high school career he was Colls all time leading scorer with 1,311 points.

Donna Heyn Wilson
Donna, a member of the Class of 1975, is one of the outstanding female athletes of the 1970’s. She earned three letters in hockey, basketball and lacrosse. Donna was named First Team All-Conference in all three sports.
Donna went on to Glassboro State College, continuing her athletic career. Today, Donna teaches at Haddonfield High School. She has been a successful field hockey and basketball coach. Donna’s basketball teams won five Colonial Conference titles and three South Jersey Group II championships.
Donna resides in Cherry Hill, with husband Gary, and their sons, Sean and Blake.