Hard Hittin' Heros

Hard Hittin' Heros. Sports legends of New Britain. New Britain is a city with a proud sports heritage. You don't have to look hard to witness this heritage first-hand. It is evident by the many youth organizations and school-based athletic programs, collegiate sports played by the CCSU Blue Devils, and professional sports played at Veterans and New Britain Stadiums. In recognition and in celebration of some of the more notable sports related accomplishments, the New Britain Sports Hall of Fame was established in September of 1996; by 2015, 246 people were inducted. Plaques in New Britain's City Hall and Veterans Stadium honor the names of those inducted into the city's Sports Hall of Fame. A few of the more notable New Britain sports figures and their contributions to sports include: , Thomas J. Lynch (born: 1859) , New Britain native Thomas J. Lynch was a National League umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1888 and 1902. Lynch was known as an honest, but sometimes brash umpire. He later became National League president in 1910. The National League is sometimes referred to as the senior circuit because it predates the MLB's American League by 25 years, and Lynch became president of the National League only 7 years after the two leagues had agreed to have their champions compete with each other in the inaugural World Series which was held in 1903. Lynch died in New Britain in 1924, and his funeral service was attended by many of baseball's most influential people of the day. , Harry Anthony Jacunski (born: October 20, 1915) , Harry Jacunski was a National Football League (NFL) player and had a long career as a college football coach. Jacunski's athletic talents spanned beyond the football field. He was an all-state basketball player and baseball player for New Britain High School, as well as star back on New Britain High School's 1934 state championship football team. Jacunski attended Fordham University where he played football with Vince Lombardi, and along with Lombardi was one of Fordham's “Seven Blocks of Granite”. In 1938 he became a co-captain of the Fordham football team, and had an NFL career that spanned six seasons (1939-1944) where he played defensive end for the Green Bay Packers, who were NFL champions in 1939 and 1944. , Charles Toros Avedisian (born: September 19, 1917) , Originally born in West Hoboken, New Jersey, Charles Avedisian was a NFL football player that played college football for the Providence Friars. While his professional football playing career was relatively short (New York Giants between 1942-1944), his contribution to sports in New Britain is big as he served as the Director of Physical Education, Athletics, and Safety for the city, and was known for has major contributions to the city's Armenian community. , Steve Louis Dalkowski (born: June 3, 1950) , Steve Louis Dalkowski, nicknamed “Dalko”, had a reputation for being the fastest pitcher in baseball history and some experts believed his fastball went well over 100 mph, but Dalkowski pitched prior to the days when radar guns were used so the actual top speed of his pitches remains unknown. Despite the amazing speed of his pitches he was also famous for his inability to control his pitches which kept him from ever reaching baseball's major leagues. Stories about Dalkowski's pitching exploits became a thing of legend and Ted Williams who once faced Dalkowski in a spring training game, and said thereafter, “Fastest ever. I never want to face him again.” Dalkowski's impact goes beyond baseball though. Ron Shelton played in the Baltimore Orioles minor league organization shortly after Dalkowski, and later went on to become a screenwriter and film director. Shelton's 1988 film Bull Durham features a character named “Nuke” LaLoosh (played by Tim Robbins) who is based loosely on Dalkowski. , [Captions] , Top right: New Britain defenders swarm to the ball in an effort to secure another Hurricane victory c. 1940s (Local History, NBPL) , Left, top to bottom: Thomas J. Lynch; Harry Anthony Jacunski; Charles Toros Avedisian; Steve Louis Dalkowski , Willie Charles Hall (born: September 29, 1949) , Willie Hall was born in Montrose, Georgia, but shortly after his family relocated to New Britain he became a multi-sports star at Pulaski High School in both track and football. Hall played college football for the University of Southern California Trojans after catching the eye of USC coach Jim McKay. In his first game as a Trojan he helped lead the USC Trojans in a road victory over Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant's Alabama Crimson Tide. He was drafted in the second of the 1972 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints, and was picked up by the Oakland Raiders for the 1975 season where he became a Super Bowl champion. , Thomas Joseph Thibodeau, Jr., “Tom” (born: January 17, 1958) , Thomas J. Thibodeau lived and grew up in New Britain on the second floor of a brick house on Hillhurst Avenue where he and his siblings first learned about basketball on the small hoop in the basement near the washer and dryer. He is a New Britain High School alumnus, and attended Salem State College in Massachusetts where he played basketball and went on to become their head basketball coach. He began his NBA coaching career as an assistant coach in 1989. During his time as an assistant coach in the NBA he spent time with the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia ’76ers, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics, and then went on to become head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 2010. In 2011 he was named the NBA's Head Coach of the Year. People say Thibodeau retained a certain toughness from his hometown of New Britain, and Thibodeau's drive and passion enabled him to become the fastest head coach in NBA history to reach 100 regular-season victories. , Red Foster (born: October 10, 1960) , While only 6'-1” and weighing only 160 pounds, Rod Foster's talent playing point guard brought mim all the way to the NBA. Foster was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but moved to New Britain where he played at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, and averaged 30.2 points per game and led his team to a state championship. He attended college at UCLA, was a two-time All Pac 10 selection, and also set an NCAA record for highest free throw percentage in a season (95%). In 1983 he was a second-round (28th overall) by the Phoenix Suns in the NBA draft. He played for the Suns for three years, but his NBA career was cut short after he and two of his Suns teammates were involved in an off-road accident that resulted in both his legs being broken in two places. , Jon C. Olson (b: April 25, 1969)) , New Britain is proud to include a multiple time Olympic champion among its natives. Jon C. Olson was a relay swimmer for the U.S. national team in the late 1980s and 1990s, and represented the USA at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and again at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia where he won four gold medals, a bronze medal, and helped set a world record in the 4X100 meter freestyle relay. In total, Olson won 27 medals in major international competitions, including 20 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze between the Olympics, the World, Pan Pacific, and the Pan American Championships. , Tebucky S. Jones (born: October 6, 1974) , Tebucky Jones was a New Britain High School star who played collegiate football for Syracuse University and was a first-round draft pick by the New England Patriots in 1998. He also went on to play football for both the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints, but Tebucky is best known for the significant role he played as a safety on the Patriots' team that won Super Bowl XXXVI. This Super Bowl victory was the first under Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. After leaving professional football Jones returned to New Britain to coach his high school alma mater as the head coach of New Britain's Golden Hurricanes football team. , George Chilton Springer III (born: September 19, 1989) , George Chilton Springer's father came to Connecticut from Panama in the early 1950s, and their family settled in New Britain where his grandfather taught history at New Britain High School. Springer became a top prospect for professional baseball during his high school years after growing from 5'-2" and 100 pounds as a sophomore to 6'-2" and 200 pounds as a senior in 2008, with throws from center field being clocked at 95 mph. Instead of directly to the pros Springer elected to play college baseball for the University of Connecticut, and was named the Big East Player of the Year in 2011. Later in 2011 Springer was drafted in the first round (11th overall) by the Houston Astros and he made his MLB debut on April 16, 2014 at Minute Maid Park against the Kansas City Royals. , [Captions (top to bottom)] Willie Charles Hall . Thomas Joseph Thibodeau, Jr. . Red Foster . Jon C. Olson . Tebucky S. Jones . George Chilton Springer III