Suffolk sports stars honored Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame to induct six new members By MARK NOLAN What do a boxer from Huntington, a football player from Sayville, a basket- ball coach from Eastport , a baseball player from West Islip, a. softball play- er from Centereach and a basketball player from Arnityville have in com- mon? They ' re all being inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame (SSHOF). The SSHOF announced Tuesday its 2005 class that included former profes- sional boxer Gerry Cooney, Suffolk County Community College men' s bas- ketball coach Rich Wrase, NBA player Mike James, former New York Jets player Jamie LaBelle, former Bowling College baseball coach John Davide and former New York Yankees pitcher John Habyan. SSHOF President George Roth said the class of 2005 is special because the long-awaited opening of the hall of fame , located on South Ocean Avenue in Patchogue. will occur this year. "The whole purpose of the hall of fame isn' t to put pictures on the wall and have people come one time and then leave, " Roth said. "We want to be interactive, we want community activists. This is a museum thai, is a part of the community that will be interactive with the kids of Suffolk County. " Indeed , another common thread between the members of the class of 2005 is that they are all active volun- teers who dedicate their time to help- ing others. "These guys give back to the community, " Roth said. "They' re not done, they' re just getting started. " Cooney leads the class of 2005, hav- ing amassed a 28-3 record as a profes- sional boxer with victories over Ken Norton and Jimmy Young. Cooney, who grew up in Huntington, won two New York Golden Gloves champi- onships and finished his amateur career with a 55-3 record. He also Sports Hall of Fame President George Roth (center) greets this year' s inductees (l-r): John Habyan, Rich Wrase, Jamie LaBelle and John Davide. Not pictured are Mike James and Gerry Cooney. SCN/Nolan tormed the Fighters initiative b or Sup- port and Training (FIST), an organiza- tion that helps retired boxers with counseling and support. Wrase, who coached the Eastport High boys' basketball team for 10 years and won the 1988 small schools championship, still teaches special education and social studies at East- port. He won two national titles with Suffolk County Community College and was twice named National Junior College Athletic Association coach of the year. He guided Suffolk to a 55- game wirinirig streak as well. "We try to save kids, " Wrase said. "They come to us and they don' t have great grades. I don' t leave Suffolk Former Sayville High football star Jamie LaBelle, now the athletic director at Plainedge High, will be inducted into the hall of fame. SCN/Nolan County to recruit, this is the biggest honor I' ve ever had in my life. " A captain of the Sayville High and Hofstra University football teams , LaBelle signed a contract with the New York Jets in 1984. He is the ath- letic director for Plainedge High School and has taught physical educa- tion in elementary, middle and high schools. "This is quite special to me, " LaBelle said. "(SayviUe High Principal and for- mer football coach) Joe Buderman was responsible for me getting through high school. He had a lot to do with character on and off the field. He was quite an inspiration to me and we' ve been great friends ever since." LaBelle, who is an NFL player men- tor; also helps young football players from around the country and their families with issues as simple as strength training and as complex as dealing with gangs. I' m a worker, " LaBelle said. "I do any challenge that comes to me to help people. " LaBelle also said that Sayville' s 2004 Long Island championship football team was the best in school history, and not just because of its success on the field. "Its not just their record , it' s the quality of kids they have ," LaBellesaid. Habyan, who played for St. John the Baptist in West Islip, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and later played with the Yankees, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals. As a coach , he led St. John ' s to the 2002 Nassau-Suf- folk Catholic High School Athletic Association championship and was twice named Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA coach of the year. Habyan conducts free baseball clinics. "I played in a lot of different places but most of my fondest memories arc from playing in New York, " Habyan said. "I think I' ve learned more about the game since I started coaching high school and youth baseball. Young kids challenge you to communicate the game well. It' s very fulfiJling. I' m just blown away by the induction. " James, who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks, was not present due to his NBA schedule. Roth , and James' high school coach Jack Agostino, said James is a commLmity-minded person who has not forgotten where he came from. "Mike is constantly speaking to high school and college players about the importance of education, " Roth said. "He' s helping rebuild a park in North Arnityville where he once played." James is the fourth all-time leading scorer in Arnityville history and the third all-time leader in steals at Duquesne University. Davide, a Centereach resident , was a two-time All-American baseball player at Buffalo State who twice led the nation in hitting. He led Bowling to a NYCAC championship in 1991 and is a member of the Metro-Long Island Amateur Softball Association and National Senior Softball halls of fame. "I' m in awe of some of my fellow inductees, " Davide said. "I'm truly hap- py and grateful. " SSHOF Executive Director Ed Mor- ris said the six inductees were selected from a field of 48. "We' re very happy with this class, " Morris said. "Every one of them gives back to the commu- nity. I am disappointed that we didn ' t get any female athletes. " ¦
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Suffolk sports stars honoredSuffolk Sports Hall of Fame to induct six new members
By MARK NOLAN
What do a boxer from Huntington, afootball player from Sayville, a basket-ball coach from Eastport, a baseballplayer from West Islip, a. softball play-er from Centereach and a basketballplayer from Arnityville have in com-mon? They're all being inducted intothe Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame(SSHOF).
The SSHOF announced Tuesday its2005 class that included former profes-sional boxer Gerry Cooney, SuffolkCounty Community College men's bas-ketball coach Rich Wrase, NBA playerMike James, former New York Jetsplayer Jamie LaBelle, former BowlingCollege baseball coach John Davideand former New York Yankees pitcherJohn Habyan.
SSHOF President George Roth saidthe class of 2005 is special because thelong-awaited opening of the hall offame, located on South Ocean Avenuein Patchogue. will occur this year.
"The whole purpose of the hall offame isn't to put pictures on the walland have people come one time andthen leave," Roth said. "We want to beinteractive, we want communityactivists. This is a museum thai, is apart of the community that will beinteractive with the kids of SuffolkCounty."
Indeed, another common threadbetween the members of the class of2005 is that they are all active volun-teers who dedicate their time to help-ing others. "These guys give back tothe community," Roth said. "They'renot done, they're just getting started."
Cooney leads the class of 2005, hav-ing amassed a 28-3 record as a profes-sional boxer with victories over KenNorton and Jimmy Young. Cooney,who grew up in Huntington, won twoNew York Golden Gloves champi-onships and finished his amateurcareer with a 55-3 record. He also
Sports Hall of Fame President George Roth (center) greets this year's inductees (l-r): John Habyan, Rich Wrase,Jamie LaBelle and John Davide. Not pictured are Mike James and Gerry Cooney. SCN/Nolan
tormed the Fighters initiative b or Sup-port and Training (FIST), an organiza-tion that helps retired boxers withcounseling and support.
Wrase, who coached the EastportHigh boys' basketball team for 10years and won the 1988 small schoolschampionship, still teaches specialeducation and social studies at East-port. He won two national titles withSuffolk County Community Collegeand was twice named National JuniorCollege Athletic Association coach ofthe year. He guided Suffolk to a 55-game wirinirig streak as well.
"We try to save kids," Wrase said."They come to us and they don't havegreat grades. I don't leave Suffolk
Former Sayville High football star Jamie LaBelle, now the athletic directorat Plainedge High, will be inducted into the hall of fame. SCN/Nolan
County to recruit, this is the biggesthonor I've ever had in my life."
A captain of the Sayville High andHofstra University football teams,LaBelle signed a contract with theNew York Jets in 1984. He is the ath-letic director for Plainedge HighSchool and has taught physical educa-tion in elementary, middle and highschools.
"This is quite special to me," LaBellesaid. "(SayviUe High Principal and for-mer football coach) Joe Budermanwas responsible for me gettingthrough high school. He had a lot to dowith character on and off the field. Hewas quite an inspiration to me andwe've been great friends ever since."
LaBelle, who is an NFL player men-tor; also helps young football playersfrom around the country and theirfamilies with issues as simple asstrength training and as complex asdealing with gangs.I'm a worker," LaBelle said. "I do
any challenge that comes to me to helppeople."
LaBelle also said that Sayville's 2004Long Island championship footballteam was the best in school history,and not just because of its success onthe field.
"Its not just their record, it's thequality of kids they have," LaBellesaid.
Habyan, who played for St. John theBaptist in West Islip, was drafted bythe Baltimore Orioles and later playedwith the Yankees, Kansas City Royalsand St. Louis Cardinals. As a coach, heled St. John's to the 2002 Nassau-Suf-folk Catholic High School AthleticAssociation championship and wastwice named Nassau-Suffolk CHSAAcoach of the year. Habyan conducts
free baseball clinics."I played in a lot of different places
but most of my fondest memories arcfrom playing in New York," Habyansaid. "I think I've learned more aboutthe game since I started coaching highschool and youth baseball. Young kidschallenge you to communicate thegame well. It's very fulfiJling. I'm justblown away by the induction."
James, who plays for the MilwaukeeBucks, was not present due to his NBAschedule. Roth, and James' highschool coach Jack Agostino, saidJames is a commLmity-minded personwho has not forgotten where he camefrom.
"Mike is constantly speaking to highschool and college players about theimportance of education," Roth said."He's helping rebuild a park in NorthArnityville where he once played."
James is the fourth all-time leadingscorer in Arnityville history and thethird all-time leader in steals atDuquesne University.
Davide, a Centereach resident, was atwo-time All-American baseball playerat Buffalo State who twice led thenation in hitting. He led Bowling to aNYCAC championship in 1991 and is amember of the Metro-Long IslandAmateur Softball Association andNational Senior Softball halls of fame.
"I'm in awe of some of my fellowinductees," Davide said. "I'm truly hap-py and grateful."
SSHOF Executive Director Ed Mor-ris said the six inductees were selectedfrom a field of 48. "We're very happywith this class," Morris said. "Everyone of them gives back to the commu-nity. I am disappointed that we didn'tget any female athletes." ¦
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