November 13, 2009
Chandler Sports Hall of Fame induction luncheon on Dec. 12 at Hamilton High School
The Chandler Historical Society will honor nine individuals and one team with induction into the Chandler Sports Hall of Fame (CSHOF) on Saturday, December 12, 2009. The names and athletic accomplishments of these honorees will be the focus of the 6th annual Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hamilton High School auditorium, 3700 S. Arizona Ave.
The buffet luncheon will feature guest speaker Brad Cesmat of Channel 3 Sports, and will be emceed by Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Eddie Wilson, a 2006 CSHOF inductee. Wilson, a Chandler High graduate, is a member of the University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, played professional football and coached college football teams for 40 years.
Tickets for the event are $12 per person in advance through the Chandler Museum by phone (480-782-2717) or in person, or $15 at the door on the day of the event. The event is sponsored by the East Valley Tribune newspaper, and other sponsorships are also available (starting at $250). Donations of sports related items for a silent auction, or cash donations in any amount are also being accepted.
Since 2004, the Chandler Sports Hall of Fame has recognized some of the best athletes, coaches and teams from nearly 100 years of Chandler sports excellence. The 2009 inductees include:
- Adam Archuleta
- John Carlson
- Berenice Dossey
- Jose Fernandez
- Dennis Lamb
- Danny Landers
- Cody Ransom
- Lindsay Taylor
- Joey Vincent
- 1984 Chandler High School Boys Basketball Team
The Chandler Sports Hall of Fame committee is comprised of representatives from each high school in Chandler, the Chandler Unified School District, Chandler Museum, and Chandler Historical Society, and retired administrators of Chandler athletics.
The Chandler Sports Hall of Fame and is located in the Chandler Museum at 178 E. Commonwealth in Historic Downtown Chandler. Nomination forms for the 2010 Chandler Sports Hall of Fame will be available at the luncheon or through the Museum and must be submitted by March 1, 2010.
Chandler Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The museum is closed on Sundays and holidays. More information can be found on the museum web site at www.chandlermuseum.org or by calling 480-782-2717.
Chandler Sports Hall of Fame 2009 Inductees:
- ADAM ARCHULETA
As a four year old, Adam Archuleta watched a Denver Broncos game that would forever change his life. He credits that game as the inspiration to play football. Born in Chandler, Adam excelled in football at Chandler High. He twice earned the honors of first team All-Central Regional and All-State Honorable Mention. After graduating high school in 1996, Adam was a walk-on at Arizona State University as a linebacker. Adam exceeded others’ expectations, serving as team captain for the Sun Devils his junior and senior years and being named to the All-Pac 10 Conference Team, and the 1999 Pac-10 Player of the Year award. In 2001, the St. Louis Rams drafted Adam as the 20th overall selection. He played five years as a safety with the Rams, and experienced his first Super Bowl game with the team. In 2005, Adam joined the Washington Redskins as the highest paid safety in the history of the NFL. He also played briefly with several other NFL teams. In his NFL career, Adam made over 450 solo tackles, 18 sacks, and four interceptions.
- BERENICE BLAIR DOSSEY BOLEN
Born in Washington in 1913, Berenice Blair Dossey Bolen began riding horses at the age of three. She learned trick riding skills in the early 1930s as part of the 101 Ranch Wild West shows. Berenice excelled in cowgirl horse races, quadrille, and trick riding. Berenice shined in rodeos from coast to coast in America and Canada, including Madison Square Garden, Boston Garden, San Francisco's Cow Palace, and scores of major and smaller rodeos. Berenice’s daring tricks such as the Cossack drag, where she would hang under the horse’s belly at a full gallop, earned her the title of World Champion Trick rider in 1941 and 1945. But Berenice was best known for standing on the saddle of her horse Sundee at a full gallop, known as the hippodrome stand. In 1949, she moved to Chandler with her third husband, Carl Dossey, a World Champion bareback rider She retired from trick riding in 1956. Berenice died in 1974, before officials at the National Cowgirl Museum honored her career by inducting her into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
- JOHN CARLSON
John Carlson grew up in Iowa and moved to Arizona at the age of thirteen. He graduated from Mesa High in 1965, and earned a degree in Education from Arizona State University. John started his coaching career at Mesa’s Westwood High in 1969, before teaching and coaching at many high schools throughout central Arizona. In 1974, John joined Chandler High as a history teacher and coach in football, wrestling and track. Over a thirty-five year career in Chandler, John has led many athletes and teams to championships, including five national wresting titles, nine national track titles and two national swimming titles. Among many honors, John is a member of the Arizona Wrestling Hall of Fame and recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was a Wrestling USA Magazine Man of the Year and most recently was recognized by the National Federation of State High School Associations in 2008. In 1985, John moved into the position of Athletic Director for Chandler Unified School District, a position he still holds in 2009.
- JOSE FERNANDEZ
Jose Fernandez was born in Zacatecas, Mexico in 1956, and came to Arizona with his family in 1968. He grew to love track and field sports during junior high, and then joined the cross-country team at Chandler High. Jose ran the mile in 4:19, the second fastest time in the school’s history. After Jose graduated from Chandler High in 1975, Coach Nido encouraged him to attend the University of Arizona. Jose lettered all four years in track and cross-country at the U of A, finishing in the top ten of the NCAA for cross-country. He graduated with a degree in Sociology and went on to become a long-time teacher at Frye Elementary School in Chandler.
- DENNIS LAMB
Dennis Lamb grew up in Chandler on a dairy farm in the 1940s and 1950s. He attended Chandler High and enjoyed playing football and basketball, but baseball was his true passion. He graduated from Chandler High in 1961, and enrolled at Brigham Young University, where he played three years of varsity baseball. With an outstanding batting average of .616 during his college career, he earned the honors of All-Conference, All-District, and All-American. In honor of his determination during the game, BYU officials gave him the “Mr. Hustle” award in 1966 and 1967, among other honors. In 1967, Dennis played on the Pan American Baseball Team. The USA team beat the Cubans that year, the only time the Americans won the baseball championship in the history of the games. Danny was named to the All-American College Team and became a Collegiate District Seven All-Star Player. Although pursued by Major League Baseball scouts during most of his college years, Dennis chose to focus on his business career and raise a family.
- DANNY LANDERS
Danny Landers, born in 1980, grew up in Chandler. Wrestling caught Danny’s interest while he was in elementary school. He attended Chandler High and became a highly successful wrestler. In his sophomore year, Wrestling USA Magazine ranked Danny as seventh in the nation. As a senior, Danny held a season record of 34-1 and was State Champion in the 160 lb. weight class. That year he set a school record for the most takedowns (153), and the most technical falls (13). Danny earned the 1999 First Team All-State Wrestler honor, and was one of five wrestlers from Arizona to receive the High School All-American Honorable Mention. Danny entered Arizona State University in 1999 and joined the school’s wrestling team. Injuries ended his wrestling career, and he went on to receive his Masters degree in Political Science.
- CODY RANSOM
Chandler native Cody Ransom graduated from Chandler High in 1994. While he also played soccer and golf, Cody’s true passion is baseball. Cody added his talents to three college level teams: South Mountain Community College, Mesa State and Grand Canyon University. While playing shortstop at Grand Canyon, he hit .330 with eight homeruns and 48 RBIs, leading the team with 20 doubles. In 1998, the San Francisco Giants drafted Cody in the ninth round. Cody made his major league debut in a September 2001 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since 2005, Cody has played for several major and minor league teams, most recently with the New York Yankees. He was the first Yankees player to homer at his first and second at bats for the team. In September of 2008, Cody made the last putout in Yankee Stadium history.
- LINDSAY TAYLOR
Lindsey Taylor joined the Girls’ Basketball Team at Chandler High and helped lead the team to two regional championships and the Arizona State Championship in 1998. She graduated from Chandler High in 1999 and attended UC Santa Barbara. As a center, Lindsey’s talent captured the attention of the NCAA. In 2003, Lindsey won a silver medal as a member of the U.S. Team in the Pan American Games. She graduated from college in 2004 as the all-time leader at UCSB in three areas of women’s basketball in scoring, most blocked shots, and field goal percentages. That year she stood as the 26th pick overall in the WNBA draft, and landed a contract with the Phoenix Mercury. After 2005, Lindsey left the WNBA and played with professional women’s leagues in other countries, including the Turkish Women’s Basketball League (WKBL), the Korean Women’s League, France’s Ligue Feminine de Basketball, and the Polish Women’s Basketball League (PLKK). Although she briefly returned to the WNBA with the Washington Mystics, in 2008 Lindsey once again joined the PLKK where she has continued her excellent performances.
- JOEY VINCENT
Joey Vincent, born in 1984 in Mesa, joined the first class at Hamilton High to attend all four years at the new school. Joey’s talent and dedication led him to a distinguished career in football and baseball. As quarterback, Joey guided the team to a 12-1 season during his junior year. In his senior year, Joey helped the team win twelve out of fourteen games, and earned a long list of honors: 1st Team All Conference, Conference Player of the Year, 1st Team All East Valley, East Valley Player of the Year, 1st Team All State, 1st Team All Arizona, and the Arizona All American Award. Joey became the first player in Arizona to rush for 1000 yards and pass for 2000 yards in the same year. In 2002, Hamilton High awarded him Male Athlete of the Year. Joey won a scholarship to New Mexico State University, where he played football and baseball. He graduated from NMSU in 2007.
- 1984 BASKETBALL TEAM CHANDLER HIGH SCHOOL
The 1984 Chandler High Basketball Team earned the title of State Champions after a winning a thrilling game against South Mountain High. With a 14-6 record, the local news media and sports pundits believed that the Chandler High team didn’t stand a chance against the best high school basketball teams in the state, such as St. Mary’s and South Mountain. In the final seconds of the final game of the AAA Championship tournament, John Paul Jones shot the winning basket, leading the Wolves to a 54-53 win. The players credit the excellent teamwork and the leadership of Coach Joe Partain for the outstanding victory.
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