Five inducted into district’s Athletic Hall of Fame during ceremony
Five individuals from Mohonasen Central School District’s sports past were honored during the 2nd annual Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet, which highlighted the richness of the district’s sports history and family-like bond that unites the community.
The ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 28, at Draper Middle School highlighted a former softball and bowling star, former coach and athlete, and standouts from baseball, basketball and football. As honorees and their family members and school officials entered they grabbed a bite to eat while chatting with old friends. Before the ceremony started there was a slideshow compiled of photographs and newspaper articles about the honorees athletic career during Mohonasen and at colleges and universities. The five inductees were Bill Gold, Mohonasen employee from 1968 to 2000; Debbie Capullo, class of 1990; Jim Danton, class of 1971; Dan Lucca, class of 1965 and Bruce Wheeler, class of 1966.
It is not just a special for our class, I received a lot of thank yous from our new inductees, but I think it is more special for our school district, said Joseph Scalise, athletic director for Mohonasen High School. `We are proud to have these individuals as part of our school and it is time to recognize them for their accomplishments.`
In 2008, as the district approached their 50th anniversary, the district decided to create the school’s Hall of Fame Committee, which is comprised of nine individuals that range from former coaches, current coaches, former players and current school officials.
`These five individuals that you are going to meet this evening are arguably the best athletes at their respective sports played at Mohonasen,` said Scalise. `They are the leaders that every coach desires and just hopes to have one year during their coaching career. We also have a coach whose leadership in the clubhouse put the program on the map.`
Before each inductee accepted their plaque and shared their stories of being in the district, a person from the district who was close to the individual would present them with the plaque and also share a few words.
Bill Baker, 2009 Hall of Fame inductee and former basketball coach and athletic director gave the introduction for Bill Gold, who was a former baseball coach at the district who won three league championships and three co-championships. Gold was also a social studies teacher from 1968 to 2000 and a member of the 1963 Mohonasen Suburban Council co-champion baseball team.
`When I had my teams, we used to invite them over to the house for a spaghetti dinner,` said Baker. `Well, Bill continued that when he continued his baseball coaching career, so it is very flattering for him to have done that.`
Gold said it was a great honor to be inducted after spending a great deal of time in his life at the district.
`This a special honor for me, special, because like Debbie Capullo and Dan Lucca, not only did I teach and coach in Mohonasen, but I also graduated from Mohonasen,` said Gold. `Having spent over 45 years here in some capacity you can understand the special bond I have with Mohonasen, which makes this honor very special for me.`
Gold said he might have placed too much emphasis on winning and his own importance for successes that were had during his coaching career. He wanted to thank those individuals that where truly responsible for the success of the baseball team, which were Baker that taught him many lessons he would later use, administers that supported the programs and other school officials and support staff at the school. Also, the little league coaches that prepared individuals and coaches he played under and his family.
The next inductee up to bat was Capullo, who led the softball team to win two Suburban Council titles in 1989 and 1990 and held a Greater Capital District high school bowling high average of 189.79 back when a score of 190 was equal to a current score of 210. Also, she was the sixth woman in the country to bowl back-to-back 300 games, which require a strike time up to the lane, in 1998.
`And to my son Jason, who is by far the youngest coach I think I have ever had and he is wise beyond his years,` said Capullo while thanking individuals for her success. `Jason, thank you for being mommy’s mental coach. You always remind me before my matches, whether it be Wednesday night bowling or before a tournament, to always bowl good and don’t think.`
She said her husband is always saying that she thinks too much when she steps up to the lane and she just needs to relax and enjoy the game. She also thanked her parents and grandparents for their support and getting her interested in bowling.
`I remember my first attempt at bowling back when I was just 11 years old,` said Capullo. `I went bowling with my grandparents and it was fun, but really scary. I had no idea what I was doing that day. At the end of our two game experience we had so much fun that I just couldn’t wait to go back and that is what started it all for me.`
Danton, the third inductee, was unstoppable in a different sport, basketball, and also still continues to play the sport he enjoyed while at Mohonasen.
`Jimmy was a tough, tough football player and he was also a tough, tough basketball player,` said Baker during his introduction for Danton. `One of the things that I remember about Jim is Jim’s mother. One night after a basketball game she invited the whole team over to the house for a ribeye dinner. We pulled the bus up in front of the house and everybody got out.`
Danton said he had a lot of fine memories of the school and it prepared him for college and life in general. In 1970, he was the Suburban Council scoring champion, averaging 19.2 points per game and totaling 346 points. Also, he was the Set Suburban Council single game scoring mark of 44 points, which he outscored the opposing team by himself.
`This is very nice and very shocking actually,` said Danton. `After 40 years of playing, to get a phone call from Joe saying we are going induct you into the Hall of Fame it was surprising to say the least.`
Lucca was also honored to be inducted and Scalise said when Lucca was playing football he was a `beast on the field.`
`This is indeed an honor for me and my family,` said Lucca. `The kinds of thing that I’ve seen this evening are really family kinds of things are really family kinds of things.`
Lucca played varsity football from 1961 to 1964, being a four-year starter, and in 1963 he was the Suburban Council Player of the Year in football. Other sports he palyer were basketball and baseball while in high school. He currently is the academic administrator for social studies at the district for grades K through 12.
`It is a unique situation, Mohonasen, and it always has been for me in all the years that I’ve been here,` said Lucca. `Just so many opportunities over those four years that I was here to play with some wonderful, wonderful young men and had an unbelievable experience here at Mohonasen I know that as long as we continue to have administrators and coaches like the people I have mentioned, Mohonasen is always going to be a very special place for kids.`
Bruce Wheeler, captain of the football, basketball and baseball team from 1965 to 1966, was the final inductee of the night and closed off an a nostalgic note as he held up his practice jersey from the school’s football team that he held on to for a tangible memory.
`This is a 45-year-old Mohonasen practice jersey,` said Wheeler as the attendees applauded. `I have been married for 33 years and I have now survived 33 years of defending this from my wife. I came into this tonight with this tangible memory of Mohonasen High School and I thank Joe for the ability to leave with an even more vibrant and up to date memento of Mohonasen High School.“
