Hall of Fame Member Bios 2003

View: Alphabetical List - Members by Induction Class - Biographies

Ralph Daugherty
Since his graduation in 1939, Ralph Daugherty has brought distinction to Collingswood in ways many and varied. His first start was the Army Air Corps, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He saw duty both in World War II and Korea. It would take a long page to list all the honors he has received. In 1992 he was awarded the Military Order of the World Wars Patrick Henry Silver Medallion for patriotic achievement. For over three decades he has served as president of Collingswood Celebrations, Inc. He was general chairman of the Bicentennial Committee in 1976. For years he has faithfully served Tatem-Shields Legion Post 17 in many different capacities. Ralph has served as leader in Boy Scouts America, and for years has lectured to school children on World War II and other events of his time. In 2000 he was honored by the commissioners of the borough of Collingswood for his many years of service to the community.

Bob Hughes
Bob Hughes dedicated 35 years of his life to helping the youth of Collingswood. He came to Collingswood Junior High as a teacher in 1954 and for the next five years he coached football, basketball and baseball and even a little track. Upon Bill Deimer’s retirement in 1959, Hughes was named high school athletic director and held the position until his retirement in 1989 – adding the titles of physical education supervisor and community recreation director. After Haddon Township built its own high school, Collingswood downsized in enrollment and Hughes shepherded the school through entry and competitive participation in the Colonial Conference. Despite the drop in enrollment, the sports of girls’ lacrosse, boys’ and girls’ soccer and gymnastics first fielded teams under Hughes’ tenure. Lights for the stadium, construction of the Ben Mark Gym, an all-sports athletic banquet and raising outside funds for the building of new outside basketball and tennis courts are just some of the programs spearheaded by Bob Hughes. Just as important, Hughes initiated – and for many years directed – the Collingswood Community Recreation Program, one of the most comprehensive in the state. The program provides a wealth of athletic, recreational and leisure-time activities, primarily for elementary and middle school boys and girls. Through his efforts, the Collingswood school district launched the first Learn-to-Swim program in the state. By now, thousands of borough children have learned to swim and practice water safety through this highly-successful program. For all these contributions and more, the Hall of Fame Committee honors Bob Hughes with the Meritorious Service Award for 2003.

Bob Wilkins
Bob was one of the brightest stars on the early Collingswood teams coached by Skeets Irvine. He was a four-year starter at halfback. A standout player and inspirational leader of the first two Colls championship teams, he was elected to serve as captain in both his junior and senior years. He also was a varsity regular in basketball and baseball. A Retrospect account states that he and fellow inductee Chick Reinert were selected to the first All-South Jersey basketball team in 1923-24. Although official all-star football squads were not selected during his era, Bob’s name came up in three successive years as one of the area’s top gridiron performers. Coach Irvine always listed Wilkins as one of his finest athletes.

Chuck Reinert
Like many athletes of his day, Reinert participated in three sports. He was listed as an All-South Jersey basketball player. For three years he served as quarterback and end on the football team and, with classmate Bob Wilkins, played on two championship grid teams. Newspaper stories of the day wrote of his outstanding play in a 28-0 conquest of Haddon Heights in 1923. In baseball, he was primarily a catcher but played a number of positions. His greatest thrill on the diamond came in his last game for Colls High when he pitched for the first time and hurled nine strong innings to beat arch-rival Camden in the big game of the year. Following high school, he became the first of many Panther stars to attend Staunton Military Academy in Virginia. Chick’s association with Skeets Irvine and Collingswood athletics didn’t end with graduation. In the late 1920’s, Irvine was a star pitcher on the Colls Independents baseball team and quarterback on the football team. Reinert was his receiver in both sports, as baseball catcher and football end, and was a standout in both.

Jack Robertson
Jack, class of 1935, becomes the third generation of his clan to be admitted to the Collingswood High Athletic Hall of Fame. His father, Buddy, was selected for his years as the school’s number one fan and his son, Jimmy, as state wrestling champion. A fourth generation member of the family, grandson Zach Sherwood, is a current recipient of a Hall of Fame scholarship. Jack started in the 1930s as a guard on the first basketball teams coached by the celebrated Ben Mark. The big weapon for guards was the two-hand set shot and few were more accurate than Jack. He also was a baseball infielder for three years. Following high school, he performed brilliantly for Brown Prep, at the time one of the best prep basketball schools in the East. He played semipro basketball, served as a scholastic official, was one of Collingswood’s first Little League coaches, announced the Colls football and basketball games and served as a writer for the Suburban Newspaper Group.

Vic Falls
The selection of Vic Falls and Ed McQueston means that all four members of the football backfield of 1946 are now in the Hall of Fame. It was a quartet that thrilled fans with its combination of speed, power and versatility. Falls was the inside runner whose strength got him through the line and then his speed would come to fore. He was, indeed, a printer on the track team. Like his teammates, he could also block and receive passes. And he was a defensive linebacker. Rooters lucky enough to see them play will never forget the backfield of Bob Fingerhut, Drew Wilson, Falls and McQueston. Vic later played college football at Richmond and returned to South Jersey to coach at Overbrook.

Ken Redmer
Ken Redmer was a scrappy athlete of the mid-1950s who earned eight varsity letters in three sports. He earned three letters in each swimming and track and two in football. He ranks as one of Collingswood’s best swimmers ever. In fact, while competing in dual meets against South Jersey rivals over a three-year period in both freestyle and butterfly events, he won every race but two. And in those two races he placed second. Redmer was a tough football player. He was a hard-hitting linebacker on defense and a fullback on offense. In track, he was a consistent point-getter in the 100-yard dash, the low hurdles and relay events. Ken has built a successful business in the telephone communications field. He has also served on the Oaklyn Council, coached midget football and girls’ softball, and been active in the Jaycees and Lions.

Ed McQueston
Everyone in the 1946 backfield was blessed with speed, but Ed McQueston’s was exceptional. Few teams were successful in containing him when he received a toss from Drew Wilson and took off around end. Many times during the season he electrified the crowd with long and spectacular runs. His speed and quick reactions made him an exceptional defensive halfback. McQueston was a star quarter-miler on the track team and was a two-year starter on quality basketball teams.

Barry Magee
Barry Magee ’59 is one of Collingswood High School’s all-time great tennis players, probably the first to achieve a Middle States ranking and the first to earn a tennis scholarship to college. He played # 2 singles his sophomore year and # 1 in both is junior and senior years. Magee captained the team to a South Jersey Group Four championship in 1958. His cumulative singles record was 52-6 and he was undefeated in his senior year, when he not only defeated all scholastic opponents in South Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania, but won the only two independent junior (under-18) tournaments available at the state level then. Magee more than held his own against the top players from Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland in various tournaments, earning him a Middle States ranking. His coach and teacher, Chet Ollinger, arranges a tennis scholarship to Pfeiffer University in North Carolina. Despite battling the onset of diabetes, he played number one there all four years and continued to play top-notch tennis on the club level during moves to the Cleveland and Atlanta areas. Recent circulation problems caused by diabetes have forced him to put his sneaks away.

Bonnie Bax DiDonato
A 1965 graduate, Bonnie excelled in both basketball and field hockey (lacrosse hadn’t come along at C.H.S at the time) during the early to mid-1960s. She earned three letters in basketball and four in hockey and regards playing for the late Bea Markwick as one of the highlights of her athletic career at Collingswood. “Bax” was a high-scoring inner on the hockey team. In fact, she led South Jersey in scoring goals in her senior year, when she was also team MVP. She also led her team to victory in the Glassboro Hockey Camp, which attracted the best teams in the South Jersey area. Bonnie was forward in basketball, a key contributor all three years, and captain in her senior year. “Bax” went on to play club hockey and still keeps active by officiating three sports – hockey, basketball and softball. She and another woman founded the GSA Softball League, which now has 92 teams. Bonnie and her husband, Joseph, live in the same Laurel Springs home where she grew up. They have three married daughters.

Kevin Scarborough
Kevin Scarborough, class of 1969, was a premier wrestler and cross-country runner for the Panther teams of the late 60s. He earned three varsity letters in each of those sports and also lettered in track. A standout wrestler for coach Sam Coursen’s teams, Kevin was a district champion in 1968 and 1969 and a regional runner-up in his senior year. That same year he was team MVP and was co-winner of the Skeets Irvine Award as outstanding athlete in his class. One of Scarborough’s most memorable sports moments came in his very first varsity wrestling match as a sophomore, when he pinned his Washington Township opponent to enable the Colls to win the contest by the razor-thin margin on 24-22 and go on to an undefeated season. He was also a key runner on the cross-country team for three years in addition to running track for one year. Kevin went on to earn a degree from Ursinus College. He followed his father (2002 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Bob Scarborough) into the home building business and is today one of South Jersey’s best-regarded home builders in his own right.

Nancy DeCristofor Kirlin
Nancy DeCristofor, class of 1975, was one of the truly outstanding Colls field hockey and lacrosse players of the early 1970s – when Collingswood was a state power in both sports. She earned three varsity letters in hockey and two in lacrosse. Her hockey career culminated in being chosen to the All-South Jersey team as a senior. One of her most memorable athletic moments was playing in a state final and losing on “attack time.” Nancy also has many fond memories of crisp fall days and hockey balls in Knight Park, great years with teammates, playing for Bea Markwick and just being so proud of Blue and Gold – singing on the bus coming around the corner on Collings Ave. Nancy went on to earn a degree in biology from Rutgers University and now resides in North Carolina with her husband and three daughters.

Leo Bridgeman
By all standards, Leo Bridgeman is one of Colls High’s greatest basketball players ever. He still holds the school record for most points in a season (601 in 1977-78) and most points in a game (42 vs. Paulsboro in 1978). Bridgeman led the Colls to the Colonial Conference championship in his junior year and his senior team ranked first in the Suburban Newspaper Cup standings. In that senior year, he was chosen first team All-Colonial Conference and All-South Jersey Group 3 and second team All-South Jersey. Also in his senior year, he played in the inaugural Lions South Jersey All-Star game and won all-star honors for his play in the Cherry Hill East Christmas Tournament. Bridgeman also played on the tennis team and was named MVP of both basketball and tennis teams. At graduation, he received the Gold Medal plaque as outstanding athlete in the class of 1978.

Karen Stevens
Karen Stevens was a standout performer in three sports during one of the greatest eras of girls’ athletics at Collingswood High. She earned a total of six varsity letters and received individual honors in hockey, basketball and lacrosse, in addition to being presented with the Howard T. Irvine award as the most outstanding athlete in the class of 1980. In field hockey, Stevens served as co-captain for the Blue and Gold and received first team All-Conference honors in her senior year. She was also first team All-Conference and second team All-South Jersey in basketball. Captain and MVP of the hoop squad, she was chosen to play in the prestigious North-South All-Star Game. The most memorable part of her Colls High athletic career came in her junior year, when she was a part of the C.H.S. lacrosse team that won the state championship. Stevens was then named to the All-South Jersey lacrosse first team as a senior. She went on to earn a degree in physical education and health from Asbury College and today lives and works in Florida.

Ken Kline
Ken Kline ’81 earned a total of nine varsity letters at Colls High – four in baseball, three in football and two in basketball. He is considered one of the top baseball players in Collingswood history as a stellar infielder. He received first team All-Colonial Conference honors in both his junior and senior years, was first team All-Group 3 as a senior (and second team as a junior), and caped his career by being chosen the All-South Jersey shortstop in 1981. In football, Kline is best remembered for his exploits as a defensive back. In fact, he was an All-Colonial Conference and All-South Jersey Group 3 selection as a DB in his senior year. He was a Philadelphia Inquirer “Athlete of the Week “ and his highest honor was being a three-time recipient of the Brooks-Irvine Football Club’s Student-Athlete Award. Another of his football highlights was kicking the game-winning extra point against one of neighboring Haddon Township’s best team ever. Ken went on to earn a B.A. from Upsala College and is today a bank examiner for the U.S. Treasury Department.

1950 Field Hockey Team
Coach Ruth Woolston led her 1950 hockey team to an undefeated season that was capped by the championship of the New Jersey Scholastic Field Hockey Cup. Along the way, the Panther girls scored 52 goals to only 17 for the opposition and posted three hard-fought wins (3-2, 5-3 and 3-2 again) over their biggest rivals in those days, Gloucester High. Ironically, only Collingswood itself could prevent the ’50 team from achieving an all-winning season. The Alumni team held the varsity to a 1-1 tie in their traditional Thanksgiving Day season finale. Letter winners of the 1950 powerhouse included captain Ruth King, Marie Tratta, “Babs” Gallimore, Ruth Ogden, Audry White, Betty Wallstin, Mildred Blumberg, Stella Melnick, Barbara Endy, Virginia Scriboni, Edie Robinson, “Toots” Malsberger, “Teddy” Rapp, manager Katherine McClean and a sophomore star, Rosemary Deniken, who was the team’s high scorer that year. While it took a total team effort to bring home the undefeated season and championship, it should be noted that several players on that team have already been inducted into the Collingswood Athletic Hall of Fame for their individual accomplishments. They are Rosemary Deniken Blankley (charter 1991), Coach Ruth Woolston Pond (1992), Ruth King Cline (1993), Barbara Gallimore Fisher (1998), Betty Wallstin Clifford (1999) and Edie Robinson Kluge (2001).

Doris E. Hand
Recipient of the second Collingswood High Lifetime Achievement Award is Doris E. Hand, who has enriched the borough of Collingswood with leadership positions in many civic and service organizations since her graduation from Collingswood High in 1935. She is also a graduate of Philadelphia Business College and has taken additional courses at both Glassboro State and Rutgers-Camden. Doris served the Collingswood Library for 28 years before retiring in 1995. However, she has been president and is now vice-president of the Friends of the Library and still leads the Family Tree Genealogy Club, which she founded as liaison to the library. She is well-known for her efforts in organizing and leading the Friends of the Collings-Kinght House, Collingswood’s historic homestead. In addition, she has been president of the Collingswood-Newton Colony Historic Society for many years, served on the borough’s Historic Commission and several years ago was appointed the town’s official historian. Doris has been Collingswood Blood Bank chairman, is a long-time member of the Tatem-Shields American Legion Auxiliary and has been president of the unit three times – as well as president of the Camden County Legion Auxiliary. In her younger days, she was a Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout den mother, Camp Fire Girls leader and Sunday School teacher. Doris is the widow of Lawrence Hand and has a son and daughter. In short, Doris Hand has brought honor and recognition to Collingswood High School by a lifetime of service to local people and organizations. She and her long-time friend and colleague, fellow honoree Ralph Daugherty, are truly town treasurers.
Past Recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award 2002 – Bob Scaraborough ‘41