THOMAS E. (TOM) CAMERON

This 1963 Hammond Tech graduate was an Indiana state high school wrestling champion at 120 pounds in 1962. He went on to compete at the University of Northern Iowa. In 1969 he embarked on a teaching and coaching career in Hammond before moving on to Merrillville High School, where he was head wrestling coach for 19 years (1973-92). He led his teams to a 171-45-3 record, four semi-state championships, numerous sectional and regional titles, and a top 10 state finish six times. He coached four individual state champs, five runners-up and 22 state qualifiers. He also was named Indiana Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1986. Active in the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association (IHSWCA), he was respected state wide for the advancements he championed in the sport, including the dual team state tournament series. He was inducted into the IHSWCA Hall of Fame.

HUGH A. DAWSON

A basketball, track and golf standout at Hammond High, this 1945 graduate was a state high jump champion and member of the state-winning 440-yard relay in ‘45. He also captained the ‘44-45 Wildcat basketball team. He continued his basketball and track & field career at Michigan State, earning seven varsity letters before graduating in ’52. Briefly, he played semi-pro basketball, then moved into the teaching/coaching ranks—first in Flint, Mich., then returning home to Hammond, where at Hammond High he coached basketball, tennis and golf squads.

JAMES DONALD EARL

Considered one of the Calumet Region’s outstanding pre-World War II baseball players, this 1934 Hammond High graduate was a standout catcher for the Wildcats. He once faced legendary pitcher Satchel Paige in an exhibition game. During World War II, he received a Bronze Star.

TOMMIE D. FRANKS

One of Hammond’s most versatile and exciting athletes, this 1979 Hammond High graduate starred in football, basketball, baseball and track for the Wildcats and was named The Times’ Male Athlete of the Year in ’79. As a football quarterback his elusiveness helped the Wildcats to a sectional championship in '78 and earned him UPI all-state honors. He also was an all-state baseball center fielder, all-conference/team MVP basketball guard and set a school long jump record. He went on to play football (wide receiver) and baseball in college at Indiana State and Drake University.

LARRY JACKSON

This former Hammond Tech basketball standout was an all-conference guard for coach and previous Hammond Sports Hall of Fame inductee George Bereolos. After his Tiger playing days, he went on to compete at Lake City (Fla.) Junior College (1966-68), where he earned all-conference recognition. He then moved on to Sul Ross State (Tex.) University (‘68-70), where he received NAIA all-America honors and was an eighth round draft pick of the National Basketball Association’s Atlanta Hawks and the American Basketball Association’s Carolina Cougars.

TIM KEOUGH

This 1975 Hammond High alumnus is among the most accomplished, yet overshadowed athletes in Hammond sports history. During the middle ‘70s, he and fellow Hammond Sports Hall of Fame inductees/Hammond High teammates Carey Pinkowski and Rudy Chapa achieved what is arguably the most impressive distance running fete in high school athletics. In the spring of ’75, Keough, Pinkowski and Chapa became the only trio from the same high school track team to each break 9 minutes in a 2-mile race—and within days of each other! Keough, as one of the state’s top runners while a member of Wildcat track and cross country teams, broke the state record in the 2-mile run at the ’75 Indiana high school track finals--finishing second to Chapa. He continued his running career at Arizona State University.

PATRICIA MASSOELS-MISKUS

This 1987 Bishop Noll graduate became one of the Calumet Region’s outstanding gymnasts. She starred on the United States Gymnastics Federation (USGF) club level as a youth. An all-around standout, she traveled the world excelling in her sport in various international competitions. Among her numerous honors, she was the USGF national Balance Beam champion in 1983. As a 15-year-old, she won the Brazil Cup. She also competed in the World University Games. She received a college scholarship to the University of Utah, where she earned All-America honors (’88), was named team MVP (’89) and was an ‘88 nominee for the prestigious Sullivan Award.

GORDON PAQUIN

One of Morton High School’s early standouts, this versatile, 1956 alumnus starred in football, basketball and track. In football, as a speedy wingback and safety, he earned honorable mention all-state honors, helping lead the Governors to their first winning season and Hammond city championship. In track & field, he set numerous school records in the sprints, hurdles and field events and was a sectional record-setting, state runner-up in the long jump in ‘56. He accepted a football scholarship to the University of Wisconsin, but later attended Ball State (‘58-62), where he was a 3-year track letterman and also played football. He earned bachelor’s (’62) and master’s degrees (’66) there and his education administrator’s license (’69).

STEPHEN J. (Steve) PSIKULA

After a sterling 3-sport (football, baseball, wrestling) career at Clark High School, this 1962 graduate enjoyed multi-sport success in college at Ball State. A 2-way lineman and 3-time all-conference selection, he captained Ball State’s undefeated ’65 football squad, which earned the school’s first postseason bowl berth (Grantland Rice). He also was a baseball team captain and all-conference catcher—once belting a 490-foot homer against Valparaiso that helped Ball State win a conference title and qualify for its first NCAA tournament. At Clark, he earned 9 varsity letters, achieving honorable mention all-state honors on the gridiron, as well as starring in baseball (first base/catcher) and wrestling (heavyweight).

GEORGE C. RASCH, M.D.

He served more than 20 years (1953-76) as team physician for all sports at Hammond High—and took on similar responsibilities at Munster High from ’66 to ’75. While he holds fond memories of many a local high school athletic contest he attended, his involvement in sports is also participatory. A founder of the Calumet Region Striders running club, he earned acclaim as an accomplished runner long after many others his age had given up competitive sports. In fact, he was named Indiana Runner of the Year—(60 & Older division)--in ’84.

MARK STEVEN SANDERS

This 1973 Gavit graduate was a 9-letter winner in 4 sports in high school and went on to play college football—first at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College and, then at Northeastern Oklahoma State University. At Gavit, he played running back and cornerback in football, earning various honors, and was co-captain his senior year. He also starred on Gladiator baseball teams, leading the ’73 squad in batting and pitching five 2-hitters. At Northeastern Oklahoma State, he was an all-conference defensive back. He graduated in ’77 with a degree in criminal justice. After college he won numerous power lifting competitions.

RICHARD F. SIVULICH

This 1963 Hammond High graduate and 3-sport standout earned all-state and honorable mention all-American football honors as a hard-hitting linebacker for the Wildcats’ ’62 mythical state championship team. He also was a conference and sectional wrestling champion and all-conference/all-area baseball center fielder. He went on to play college football at Eastern Kentucky University, gaining all-conference honors as a linebacker and offensive guard before graduating in ’67.

THE KITCHELL FAMILY

Special Recognition for more than half a century of contributions and achievements to the sport of tennis in the city of Hammond…

Since 1946, 17 Kitchell family members, spanning two generations advanced the sport of tennis in Hammond in an unprecedented way. Parents William and Betty and their offspring—Neal, Richard, John, Donald, Ina, Robert, Nancy, James & Philip—as well as William’s brother, Walter; his wife, Shirley; and their children—David, Daniel, William & Thomas—competed and/or coached the sport in the city for nearly 55 years. Introduced to tennis by William upon his return from the Navy after World War II, Kitchell offspring and cousins went on to excel. For 21 straight years, there was a Kitchell presence on Hammond High varsity teams. For at least 14 years, a Kitchell earned Wildcat team MVP honors. Before girls high school tennis evolved, Ina is believed to have been the first NW Indiana female to play on a high school boys team (1974). Kitchells also earned countless tournament championships; all-conference, all-state and national recognitions; several played in college; and some went on to coach tennis—including Nancy and Robert at Hammond High (1996-2000). Most continue to play competitively, as do third generation Kitchells locally and across the country.