Bob Brown
Bob Brown
Bob Brown's name has been popping up in area sports for nearly 50 years. It all started at South Dayton High School as an athlete and ended there, now known as Pine Valley Central School, as a long-time coach and athletic director.
Brown played basketball and baseball for four years at South Dayton and was a starting guard on the 1941-42 sectional championship team that had an undefeated record. After a three-year stint in the Army, Brown attended Cortland State where he played baseball and soccer for three years and was the right halfback on the 1948 All-America Soccer Team. During that time, Brown also played baseball with the Steel Partition Bombers who won the New York State Championship and went on to compete in the national toumament at Wichita, Kansas.
In 1949, he signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers and played second base with their farm team in Nashua, New Hampshire. The manager was former Jamestown Falcons manager Greg Mulleavy and some of the Brown's teammates were Billy Hunter, Billy Loes and Gino Cimoli. In one game Brown set a record for handling 17 chances, nine putouts and eight assists, without making an error.
His teaching career began in 1950 at Whitesville Central School and he also coached basketball and baseball. While teaching in 1951, Brown also played second base for the Wellsville Rockets of the PONY League and batted .233 with four home runs and 37 RBI's.
After three years at Whitesville, Brown became a physical education teacher at Pine Valley in 1953 and remained at the school located in Chautauqua County until his retirement in 1984. In addition to holding the post of athletic director, Brown coached football, basketball, baseball, wrestling volleyball and track; and he also was a principal.
Bob Brown, back row, second from right, with the Steel Partition Bombers
Brown's football coaching career involved both six-man and 11-man and he finished with over 90 wins. His 1966 team was undefeated and was one of his two championship squads. One of his former players was Bill Bergey. Brown's baseball teams won numerous league and sectional championships. Brown was a representative to the Chautauqua County Athletic Association Executive Council and the Section 6 Athletic Council.
Bob Brown was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 1986. He died in 2011.
More about Bob Brown
Brown Was Simply 'The Coach' At Pine ValleyBrown To Miss Coaching Pine Valley
Obituary
Robert M. Erickson
Robert M. Erickson
Known by the nicknames of Swede and Froley, Erickson was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on June 8, 1917 and moved to Jamestown when he was 4. Erickson played basketball at Jefferson Junior High School in 1933 and 1934 and then had an outstanding career in football and basketball at Jamestown High School in 1935 and 1936. He played for coach Denton Moon in both sports. He was captain and high scorer in basketball and was an All-Western New York selection in football as an end.
In non-related school activities in the 1930s, Erickson played football for Ariel Athletic Club. He also helped Art Metal Construction win the YMCA basketball championship in 1937-1938 and was a softball pitcher for Jamestown Moose and baseball pitcher for the Nordic Temple.
While playing in the YMCA toumament, Erickson was approached by Syracuse University, which had been scouting him in both basketball and football. He accepted a scholarship to Syracuse and was then sent to Folk Union Military Academy in Virginia.
He excelled in his one year at Folk Union Military Academy, considered one of the top prep schools in the country. He was named an all-state end in football and an all-state forward in basketball while winning state titles in both sports.
During the post-season in basketball, Folk Union played Durham High School in the finals of the Washington & Lee University Southern Atlantic Prep Tournament in Lexington, Virginia, and lost one of their few games to a team that had won around 60 straight contests. Among the players for Durham was Bones McKinney, who was a very successful coach at Wake Forest.
Erickson decided to go to Richmond University in the fall of 1939 where he played four years of football and basketball for the Spiders and made quite a name for himself. He also won the freshman class senatorship and was named to the all-state freshman basketball team.
Erickson was captain of the basketball team in 1942-1943 when he was a senior and the Spiders scored a big upset of Washington & Lee, 45-36, that knocked the latter out of the Big 6 Championship. Erickson tossed in 13 points to lead the way.
He was always one of the top scorers on the basketball team during his career and during his junior campaign scored 181 points in 19 games. He received honorable mention all-state recognition.
During the 1941 football season, Erickson and Richmond were matched up against North Carolina State, which had Ray Benbenek of Jamestown on its team.
Robert "Swede" Erickson, back row right, coach of the Franklin &
Marshall swimming team 1945
One of his football highlights was a pass he caught in Richmond's 14-13 win over North Carolina in 1940.
Erickson served in the United States Navy in Gene Tunney's Fitness Program from November 1943 through April 1946 and was a First Class Petty Officer. He was captain and high scorer for Philadelphia Naval Hospital basketball team in 1946.
Additionally, he coached junior varsity football at Cardinal McCaskey in Lancaster and coached the Franklin & Marshall College swim teams.
On June 28, 1946, J.D. Holahan of the Pittsburgh Steelers sent a letter to Erickson advising him to attend the training camp in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on August 5. Unfortunately, an injury suffered in softball that summer kept him from getting that opportunity to try out for the Steelers and a shot at making the National Football League.
Among the volunteer work that Erickson was involved in was to raise money for the Duke University Children's Hospital. Also he was involved with the Sertoma Club. Erickson also played semi-pro basketball for the Richmond Barons, comprised of players from various Virginia colleges.
Robert M. Erickson was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He died in 2011.
Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame Announces Banquet Ticket Locations
Chip Johnson, chairman of the 31st annual Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet has announced the locations where tickets may be purchased for the February 20th event. Matt's News on Third Street in Dunkirk, Fredonia Food Mart on Temple Street in Fredonia and Jamestown Cycle Shop on Harrison Street in Jamestown are the official distribution sites. Tickets can also be ordered by phoning Johnson at 485-6991. The price per ticket is $50.
Inductees for the Class of 2012 are Jim McElrath Sr., Bob Schmitt, Greg Peterson, the late Ben Bishop, John O'Neil and Betty Bartkowiak. The guest speaker will be Andre Reed, former Buffalo Bills All-Pro wide receiver. Chautauqua County high school and college athletes who have earned First Team All-State or All-American status will also be honored.
The Lakewood Rod and Gun Club will again host the CSHoF banquet. Hospitality begins at 5:00 P.M. with dinner to follow at 6:30.
CSHoF to Screen The Natural
The Natural, the tale of unknown middle-aged batter named Roy Hobbs with a mysterious past who appears out of nowhere to take a losing 1930s baseball team to the top of the league, will be shown Wednesday, February 1, 7 p.m., at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown. Scenes from The Natural were shot in Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium and South Dayton.
The Natural, starring Robert Redford, Glenn Close and Kim Bassinger, originally released in 1984, will be the third classic sports film shown in a series of eight Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame movie nights that will be held on the first and third Wednesdays, from January through April at the Jackson Center. The movies are open to the public with no charge.
Lee Harkness, director of the Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation will introduce the film and relate his experiences in leasing horses to the production. Also, Dave Roehmholdt, Jamestown High School baseball coach, will explain the acting role his grandfather had in the film.
Support the CSHoF and the Jamestown Ironmen
Craving some hometown hockey? Interested in supporting the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame? Well the Jamestown Ice Arena is where it's at!
You can order tickets online at the arena's website, www.jamestownarena.com. When purchasing your tickets, use the promotional code, CSHOF. With every ticket sold using this code, we will receive a portion of the ticket cost.
Thanks so much for your support of the Chautauqua Sports Hall Of Fame and the Jamestown Ironmen. Go Ironmen!
Join the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame
Member Benefits
- CSHOF window decal
- $5 off the 2012 induction banquet ticket
- monthly newsletter
- membership card with discounts at selected sports-minded marketing partners
The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce that a membership program is now available to persons who are interested in preserving the history of sports in Chautauqua County and honoring the outstanding individuals who have created our cherished sports memories.
The CSHOF maintains a hall located at 15 W. Third Street in Jamestown staffed by volunteers that contains our Hall of Honor and displays of sports memorabilia.
Our program also includes an induction banquet. Held each February to induct a new group of honorees into the Hall of Fame, the banquet provides an opportunity to recognize the special accomplishments of outstanding local high school and collegiate athletes.
In addition to helping the CSHOF carry out its twin missions of maintaining a hall of fame and a sports exhibit hall, members will receive several value-added benefits for their membership fee.
One year memberships are only $25 for individuals and $100 for businesses. Business members will receive 4 discount cards and plus an acknowledgement at the CSHOF hall and website.
Please join us by purchasing a 2011-2012 membership in the only organization solely dedicated to preserving and honoring the wonderful history of athletics in Chautauqua County.
CSHOF Membership Card Marketing Partners
- Jock Shop • 10 Harrison Street • Jamestown
- 10% off regular items, excludes team sales, service & sale items
- Jamestown Jammers • Diethrick Stadium • Jamestown
- $1 off game ticket excluding Dollar Night
- 10% off retail price in Jammers gift shop
- Jamestown Savings Bank Arena • 319 West Third Street • Jamestown
- Buy one public skate, get second free
- Gametime Sports Bar and Grille • 850 Foote Avenue • Jamestown
- 10% off food purchase
- Lakewood Golf Center • 4341 W. Fairmount Avenue • Lakewood
- Buy one round of mini-golf, play second round free
- Pinehurst Golf Club • Route 20 • Westfield
- Buy 2 for the price of one green fees
- South Hills Country Club • Busti-Stillwater Road • Jamestown
- $5 off 18-hole golf services on Fridays
- Hometown Grille • 718 West Third Street • Jamestown
- 10% off your order, excluding specials
- Honest John's • 1245 East Second Street • Jamestown
- 10% off regular prices
- Wing City Grill • 10450 Route 60 • Fredonia
Wing City Grill • 273 East Fairmount Avenue • Lakewood- 10% off food purchase
