VALLEY SPORTS HISTORY
2012
2012
• For the first time in the four-year history of the J. Budd Grebb Memorial Summer Basketball League, the league’s championship team went undefeated for the season. Bee Graphix capped off a 10-0 season with a 76-43 win over Union Cleaners.
• As part of its annual summer camp, the California University cross-country team will host a talk by two-time Olympian Amy Rudolph. She will be joined by American record holder Chris Solinsky.
Rudolph competed in both the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics. She is a six-time American champion and for a time held the record in the 5,000-meter run.
2004
• The Pennsylvania State Sports Hall of Fame will hold its annual induction dinner Nov. 6, featuring two Mon Valley athletes. Ken Griffey Sr. was a four-sport star athlete (baseball, football, track and basketball) at Donora High School before going on to a Major League Baseball career that included three All-Star games and two World Series wins with the Cincinnati Reds. The late Arnold Galiffa, who also hailed from Donora, achieved all-state honors in both basketball and football. Galiffa went on to be a threesport star for Army at West Point before playing in the NFL.
• For the third day in a row Rostraver was washed out in Fayette County League action. Rostraver defeated New Salem Art in Game 1 of a best-of-three tournament on Sunday but rain has prevented them from finishing the series. Despite the rain, Rostraver Manager Dan Palm said his team is ready to go. “The break could help us but it won’t hurt us,” he said. “If nothing else it may help a few nagging injuries heal, but we don’t have any major injuries. Pitching, defense and base running are our strengths. You don’t lose those by taking off a few days.”
1994
• O n the surface, Game 4 of the bestof- five Fayette County American Legion Championship series was a classic pitcher’s duel with two starters going the distance. But for Smithfield-Masontown, which won the game 3-2 and the league title, solid defense at the right time made all the difference. Although Charleroi scored in the first inning, it could have tallied had more runs. With two outs and Dennis Wengrove on third, A.J. Cooper hit a hard grounder deep in the hole that Smithfield-Masontown shortstop Josh Trump dove to catch and threw Cooper out at first. Despite the loss, Charleroi Manager Kevin Mollis was proud of his team, saying, “We had a great year. We never gave up.”
• Slovak Club scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to upset Baker’s 12-11 in Belle Vernon-Rostraver Softball League play. The victory was the fifth straight win for the Slovak Club. Mark Sinsic had two singles, a double and a triple while Tim Thomas had two singles and a double to lead the winners. Dale Petrucci (three singles and a double) and Slick Hayduk (four singles) were the leading hitters for Bakers. In other Belle Vernon-Rostraver Softball League action, a late innings surge by Valley resulted in a 22-19 slugfest win over Flask.
