Written By Lisa Breslin
More than 130 people gathered on Friday, April 17, at Carroll Community College to celebrate the induction of six athletes into the Carroll County Sports Hall of Fame.
The 17-year tradition was started by The Westminster Rotary Club to honor the athletic careers and community contributions of Carroll athletes.
Inductees this year included Urban Bowman (football player and coach), Rob Johnson (track and field athlete and semipro football player), Don “Fireball” Joy, Sr. (baseball player, basketball player, weightlifter and strength trainer), Steve Kartalia (cross country runner), and Dave Byers (basketball player and coach).
This year, Mary E. Sanders, whose accomplishments in archery included state records and national medals, received the award posthumously. Sanders died about a year ago.
“The highlight of the evening, for me, are the acceptance speeches,” said Rotarian Barry Boston, who co-chaired the event with Arnold (Skip) Amass. “Many of us love hearing what the inductees – or family members if the award is given posthumously – have to say about their careers, their sports histories and their families.”
The banquet, which was catered by Salernos, was originally a fundraising event for the Rotary Club. Over the years, the fundraising element, Boston explained, gave way to the club’s primary goal: to host a valuable community event.
For more information about the Rotary Club or the Sports Hall of Fame: www.westminsterrotary.org.
