Edward “Punk” Callaway's football officiating career began in 1943 and spanned 41 years. He refereed the first half of the inaugural Blue-Gold All-Star game in 1956 and worked six Blue-Gold games. Ed refereed the first Delaware State Football Tournament in 1971. His officiating included traditional Thanksgiving games between Lewes and Rehoboth (12 years) and the first-ever games played by Milton, Greenwood, Pocomoke, Crisfield and North Dorchester high schools. Punk served as President of Del-Mar-Va Coaches and Officials Association and as the Assignor. After his last game at Delmar High School in 1983 he was presented the game ball. His number was retired by the Association; he is the only Delaware High School official so honored. Punk was a basketball official for 32 years and served as president and assignor of I.A.A.B.O. Board #29. He was charter member of the Boys State Basketball Committee, serving from 1967 to 1972. He officiated in the first Boys' State Tournament in 1967 and continued until the 1972 State Championship game. Punk also worked college football and basketball games at Wesley, Salisbury State, University of Maryland - Eastern Shore, Washington College and many tournaments in the Dover Air Base Service League. His lifelong love of sports began at Laurel High School where, as a three- sport athlete, he earned 14 varsity letters from 1937-1941. He continued playing until 1952 with the Laurel Owls in the Eastern Shore Basketball League and softball teams until he was 65 years old.
Albert B. “Buddy” Clark, Jr. was one of the most respected high school basketball coaches in Delaware history and the first coach inducted into the Delaware High School Basketball Coaches' Hall of Fame. Clark began coaching in 1952 at Sanford School as the head football, basketball and baseball coach. Buddy went to P.S.Dupont High School in 1954, coaching as an assistant in football and becoming head basketball coach in 1959. Clark's Dynamiters won three Blue Hen Conference Championships. While at P.S., he was twice named state basketball Coach of the Year. In the mid- 1960's, Clark was head basketball coach at Mt. Pleasant High School, leading the Green Knights to the first Delaware scholastic state championship in 1967(20-1), and was named state basketball Coach of the Year. Buddy became Mount Pleasant athletic director after retiring from coaching and served as Blue Hen Conference president. He played a leading role in the Delaware Blue-Gold All-Star Football Game since its inception in 1956. For 25 years he served as game coordinator. Buddy played baseball and basketball at Wilmington High School in the 1940's, becoming a charter member of the Red Devil “Wall of Fame” honoring distinguished alumni. Clark served in the U.S. Marine Corps, playing baseball and basketball, while stationed in the Far East. After the Marines, Buddy played football, basketball and baseball at West Nottingham Academy in Colora, Maryland. Clark then entered Lafayette College, playing four years of varsity baseball and football. He played semi-pro baseball in Wilmington for Defiance Athletic Club.
James “Jimmy” Flynn was inducted into the Delaware Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1999. In 1954, Jimmy was timed in 5.3 seconds in the 50-yard dash on an indoor dirt track for a University of Delaware record that still stands. He also ran a leg on the UD record-setting mile relay team. Flynn was head men's track & field coach at Delaware for 18 years (1961-1979). He took a struggling team and in two years, turned it into a conference championship team with mostly Delaware athletes. His teams won conference championships three times. Jimmy's career record is 93-28 in dual meet competition. As an undergraduate at Delaware, Jimmy excelled in football as well as track. He led the 1954 football team in rushing with 705 yards and in scoring with 60 points. He finished his career with 1,387 yards, ranking him 15th on UD's all-time rushing list. Jimmy coached two IC4A champions at Delaware: Ed Mongan in the indoor 440-yard run and Bob Tatnall in the long jump. Two other Hen trackmen (Guy Ramsey in the high jump and Ed Mongan in the 440) qualified for the NCAA championships. Other highlights of Flynn's Delaware track coaching career include his team's unbeaten indoor spring track season in 1978. Jimmy also served as director of the Delaware high school track and field championship meets for many years. In addition to his track-coaching prowess, Flynn served as Delaware's freshman and assistant varsity football coach, helping to develop many successful Blue Hen standouts.
Dave Hubinger won 27 state tennis championships encompassing three states and 70,000 square miles: Pennsylvania three titles, seven in West Virginia and 17 in Delaware . This makes him Delaware's most prolific men's state tennis champion. An additional 25 major victories in Delaware means Dave won 42 tennis titles in the First State. In national Senior Olympics tennis doubles, Dave won bronze in 1999 and placed fourth in 2003. He's had over 90% tennis success in 20 cities in 10 states. He has won more than 150 trophies, most of them in tennis. Hubinger played three years on the Junior Davis Cup team, and was Lafayette College's #1 tennis player for four years, winning 36 of 38 singles matches, was undefeated and captain in 1953. He was inducted into the Lafayette College Athletic Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. Dave has taught tennis gratis to adults and children for more than 50 years, including four 2008 Delaware programs. Dave was Delaware Senior Olympics 2007 “Outstanding Athlete” having won 40 medals – 70% gold – in tennis, golf, bowling and table tennis. In 1995 he won gold in all four sports. He holds low gross golf scoring records in two age brackets. In 1998 Dave won the Delaware Seniors Bowling Tournament and registered a 278 game. He's rolled several over-700 series. In 1997 he placed fourth in National Senior Olympics bowling. Dave coached University of Delaware bowling teams. At the DuPont Country Club, Dave won eight tennis, five retiree golf, and three bowling titles.
James “JJ” Johnson was a junior and adult league bowling phenom in Delaware who took his game to the highest professional level as a member of the Professional Bowling Association (PBA) from 1988-to-2001. He is the only Delaware-born member of the PBA to ever win a title on the tour's regular national schedule, beating Pete Weber, 232-197, to win the PBA Oregon Open at Hollywood Bowl in Portland in 1997. JJ made four other top-five stepladder TV championship round finals, including twice in the PBA's National Championship Tournament, and placed 4th in both the 1989 and 1998 PBA National in Toledo, Ohio. In 142 PBA regular tour events, JJ advanced from qualifying to match-play competition 36 times. He earned prize money in 69 national tournaments, banking more than $176,000 while averaging nearly 214 in nearly 3,700 games. In PBA regional play, Johnson won 11 titles and advanced 111 times from qualifying to match play while cashing in 146 events for more than $117,000. JJ was sponsored on the PBA tour by “300 Inc.” – a corporate name selected because of his national reputation as one of the most prolific 300-game bowlers in the history of the game. United States Bowling Congress records credit JJ with 67 perfect games, including 15 in pro tournament competition. Considered by many as the best male bowler in Delaware history, JJ compiled a voluminous resume including three-time Delaware state average champion and three-time Delaware Top 20 Tournament champion.
Frank Kaminski played a key role for Salesianum School basketball teams coached by Father John Birkenheuer, which posted a 46-8 record from 1953-56, winning three City of Wilmington (Big 5) titles and the unofficial 1956 Delaware state championship. Kaminski later enrolled at Randolph Macon, where he rewrote the school's basketball record books. Frank was a four-year starter (1960-64). During his career the Yellow Jackets had the best four-year record in school history (77-21). Coach Paul Webb called Kaminski “the greatest thing to happen to Randolph-Macon in 100 years" and the “best all-round basketball player in school history.” Frank was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1996. His uniform number was retired in 2001. Kaminski still holds school basketball records in 10 categories, including: most points in a game (46) and season (626), most career points (1,995), rebounds in a single game (35) and season (407) and most free throws in a season (168). He also holds game and season field goal records. At Randolph-Macon, Kaminski led his team to four Virginia “Little 8” championships and three Mason-Dixon Conference Southern Division titles. Frank was named to the Little 8 basketball first team four times. He was named to the first team All-Mason-Dixon Conference team three times and was a second team pick in his freshman year. Kaminski was a two-time Virginia small college “Player of the Year.” He also received Little All-America basketball third team and honorable mention honors to cap his outstanding career.
Clifton “Gator” Lewis grew up in Newark, Delaware where his brothers and cousins mentored him in football, basketball and baseball. Those lessons paid early dividends for Lewis at Howard High School. He excelled in athletics, earning eight varsity letters in four sports. Lewis quarterbacked the Wildcats to an unbeaten football season in 1946. In 1947, Cliff's senior year, Howard gridders lost only two games by a total of four points while playing one of the toughest schedules among state schoolboy teams. Lewis finished fifth in the state football scoring standings that year and served as captain. In baseball, Lewis was a pitcher and became the first African-American to play American Legion baseball in Delaware. Cliff attended Tennessee State University for one year before transferring to Maryland Eastern Shore, where he quarterbacked the football team and played baseball. Lewis returned to Wilmington after earning his degree and served as an assistant and head football coach at Howard High for 20 years. He also coached basketball and track at Bancroft Junior High School. In that position, Lewis developed many of Delaware's outstanding track and field performers of the 1950's and 1960's. After retiring from coaching, Lewis became a high school administrator. He is highly respected by athletes and students in Delaware and the region as a strong advocate of discipline and sportsmanship. Wilmington City Council honored Lewis by naming a municipal park for him, and officially recognized his many contributions to athletics and education with a proclamation in October, 2004.
After winning numerous awards as an all-round athlete at Newark High School and the University of Delaware, Mike McGlinchey served as head football coach at Central Connecticut State University and Frostburg State University, and was head football and wrestling coach at Salisbury State University. He retired in 1996 after battling ALS for seven years, and died in 1997. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Salisbury State University, Frostburg State University and the Division III Wrestling Hall of Fame. At Frostburg (1992-96), McGlinchey's football team won the ECAC Championship in 1994 and 1996 and played in the 1995 NCAA Division III quarterfinals. He was head football coach at Central Connecticut from 1987-92. While coaching at Salisbury State from 1972 through 1986, McGlinchey started the school's wrestling program. His teams finished among the top five in Division III for four consecutive years. He developed 16 Division III All-American wrestlers including three national champions. Mike also served as defensive coordinator of the football program for ten years before becoming head coach in 1982. Under McGlinchey, the Seagulls football team also gained national attention, making the Division III semifinals in 1983, the quarterfinals in 1985 and finals in 1986. McGlinchey won letters in four sports at UD, where he was named 1967 Outstanding Male Senior Athlete. He won four varsity letters in wrestling, one each in football, soccer and baseball - and won the 1967 Red Tawes Award as the Blue Hens' most improved wrestler. At Newark High, Mike lettered in football, wrestling and baseball.
In 1951-52, Tom Marshall led Lewes High School to undefeated seasons in football and basketball, and only one loss in baseball – a phenomenal year. In football, he was captain, play-calling tailback and the punter for the 9-0 Pirates. In 1952, Tom showed great promise on the Delaware freshman football team, but did not return. Instead, he joined the Coast Guard, where in football he was named to the Coast Guard All-Service Team in 1956 and in 1957 to the prestigious All-Navy Team as a two-way end and punter. In 1958 and 1959, Tom was a starting end, linebacker, and punter for Wesley Junior College. In 1959, he led the nation in punting with a more than 44-yard average, was named All-American, and was selected to play in the East-West All-American game – all firsts for Wesley. In 1985, he was inducted into Wesley's Hall of Fame. Transferring to the University of Detroit, Tom was the team's punter. In his first game against Iowa State, Marshall boomed two 60-yarders. Halfway through the season, he was ranked number four in the nation with a 44.3 average. Following graduation, Tom embarked on a 32-year coaching career. As offensive coordinator at C.W. Post in 1971, Marshall's Post teams led the nation in total offense and played Delaware in the Boardwalk Bowl. In 1973 and 1976, Post won the Lambert Trophy as the top small college in the East. After retiring, Tom published three books.
Delaware athletics has no stronger advocate than F. Tucker “Tuck” Mulrooney. Tuck played a key role in the formation of Delaware Catholic Youth Organization sports programs that served thousands of children. Mulrooney is also a founder and former president of the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame. In 2000, Tuck was honored by the International Sports Heritage Association with the group’s highest honor, the Schroeder Award, for distinguished service to that organization and DSMHOF. Among his many innovations as CYO program director beginning in 1949 was the creation of girls sports leagues. At one point Mulrooney supervised 139 teams and more than 1,000 athletes competing in 15 baseball, bowling, basketball and softball leagues. Mulrooney also was responsible for the formation of parochial football leagues in New Castle County that developed hundreds of outstanding athletes. Mulrooney was a charter member of DSMHOF. Beginning in 1990, he led the search for the organization’s permanent site, which culminated with construction of the Hall of Fame at Frawley Stadium. Tuck worked with elected officials to obtain state bond bill funding for the Museum. He served two terms as DSMHOF president and chaired the design and exhibit committees. Since the founding of DSMHOF in 1976, Mulrooney worked closely with the international groups and the Delaware Afro-American Sports Hall of Fame to enhance DSMHOF exhibits and operations. Mulrooney is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University, where he played on the varsity tennis team, and Wilmington High School. He was a charter member of the WHS Wall of Fame.
In 1997 Charles “Gene” Schaen was elected to the Senior Softball Hall of Fame. In 2001 Gene was also elected to the Delaware Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame. Gene was a player/coach who appeared in the following tournaments: Men's Fast pitch: 21 ASA state Championships, 20 ASA regional Tournaments, one ICS World Tournament. Men's Slow Pitch: eight NASCS World Series appearances, four SSUSA World Championship appearances, eight International World Championships, and seven Senior Players World Championships. In addition, Gene was rated one of the top basketball referees in Delaware with DSMHOF inductees Lou Moser and Joe Kane. He officiated from 1956 to1977. Gene was president of Board #11 IABBO in 1975-1976. He worked in the Eastern Professional League from 1962-1967. Gene officiated many Delaware Blue Bombers games, and also refereed many Delaware state high school tournament games including championship games. Gene played basketball at Newark High from 1944-1946, serving as captain in 1946. While in the U.S. Navy, he was named to the 1947 All-Tournament team in Yokohama, Japan and All Far-East Team. While at the University of Tennessee, Gene played basketball and was a starter in 1948. In the semi-pro Susquehanna League basketball league from 1949-1951, Gene was on the All Tournament team each year and earned a pro tryout with the Baltimore Bullets. In baseball, Gene captained Newark High School in 1946, led Post #10 to American Legion titles in 1944 and 1945, and later played in the Susquehanna Semipro League. Gene signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1949.
First Team All-State in 1960 at Salesianum, Dave Sysko led Coach Jim Hagan's team to a 21-2 record. Dave played at the University of Delaware from 1961-64, becoming one of the most prolific scorers in Delaware basketball history. The 6-5 Sysko was a force on offense, leading Coach Irv Wisniewski's squads to a three-year mark of 45-23, including a school record 18 wins in 1962. He held the following records at Delaware for 25 years: Most points in a single season (549), most points in two seasons (910) and most points in three seasons (1269). He set the University of Delaware single season scoring average record in 1963-64 with an average of 23.9 points per game, the most points in a single game against Lafayette in 1963-64 with 45 and the career scoring average record of 19.2 per game. His 630 rebounds place him fourth on Delaware's all time list in that category. Captain of the 1964 team, Dave was the leading scorer in the Mid Atlantic Conference with a 26.6 average, first team All-Conference and honorable mention All American. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Army and was named to the All-Army Team in 1965-66 & 1966-67. In 1966-67, he was named to the All-Military Services Team. Dave was a member of the Baltimore Bullets Training Camp in 1967. Active in the community, Dave was a co-founder of the Future Stars program, an academic program for promising young basketball players in Wilmington and New Castle County.