BENNETT BEACON

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Roger R. Lowe,

Roger R. Lowe,

by | Feb 17, 2023

Roger is a rare selection to our Sports Hall of Fame due to the fact that he had only one varsity sport, swimming. The achievement that caught our attention is that Roger was All-High in swimming all 4 years at Bennett. Roger was the backstroker on the All-High freshmen medley relay team, and followed that as the All-High 100 yard backstoker in his sophomore, junior and senior years. roger earned a 5th All-High medal on the medley relay team as a senior in 1951 .


Roger was voted “Best Athlete” in the senior class in 1951 , and attended Michigan State University after graduation from Bennett.

NOTE -Tireless efforts to locate Roger have been fruitless. If any alumnus has information on Roger’s whereabouts following high school, the committee would appreciate the information.

Gerald Schweibel

Gerald Schweibel

by | Feb 17, 2023

Jerry Schweibel starred for Bennett in three sports in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. On the Bennett track team, Schweibel lettered all 4 years at Bennett, running the 100 yard dash and the sprint relays. He finished first or second each year for Bennett in the 1 00, and as a senior, made first team All-High on the 880 yard relay team.


As a football player, Schweibel started from his sophomore year through his senior year at running back and in the defensive backfield. He played in the most famous football game in Bennett history, the 1948 game against Kensington, played before 50,988 fans at Civic Stadium.


A 3 year letterman in basketball, Schweibel led the way as Bennett upset the famous Emerson team that featured college standouts, Jim Home of UB, and Harvey Austin of Purdue, as well as Nazeer Aljuanni. They had won 31 consecutive Yale Cup games until Bennett pulled off the shocking upset. During his outstanding athletic Career, Schweibel also played Classic League softball against such famous teams as Fort Wayne Zollners, Bell Aircraft, as well as the “King and His Court,” starring the legendary Eddie Feigner. Schweibel also ran track for the Downtown “Y” in several international meets.


Jerry is retired, and currently resides with his wife in Williamsville.

Gerald Rosenbaum

Gerald Rosenbaum

by | Feb 17, 2023

Gerald Rosenbaum, affectionately known as “Kelly”, had a standout baseball career at Bennett and UB. He played from 1949-1951 at Bennett and from 1953-1956 at UB. In 1951 “Kelly” was All High as an outfielder. At UB he still holds the all time record for most runs batted in in a single inning; a mind boggling total of six in 1955. He served in the army from 1956-58 and was stationed in North Korea.

As great as his high school and collegiate records were his career as a coach in the Buffalo school system was exemplary. “Kelly” was a Physical Education teacher for many years at Lafayette High School . He coached football and baseball for 35 years. He also coached track, basketball and swimming for short periods of time. His baseball teams won Cornell Cup Championships in 1964, 1975, 1978-1981, and 1983. In addition, he was a Health Teacher in night school at Bennett from1962-1987. In racquetball, he was ranked 6th in the WNY B Racquetball League in 1978 and 1979.

“Kelly” is also a member of the Harvard Cup Football Hall of Fame, Lafayette High School Wall of Fame and the Jewish Center Wall of Fame. In 1977 he was named WNY Football Coach of the Year. “Kelly” and his wife Linda have two daughters named Jill and Wendy and four grand sons.

Joseph Voskerichian

Joseph Voskerichian

by | Feb 17, 2023

Joey Voskerichian appears to be the ideal person to be receiving the E.Y.Hannel Memorial Award. Like Earle, Joey has a backround in athletics at Bennett, playing varsity baseball and football, and continued his career in the business world with involvement in sports and charity work. Voskerichian is a University of Buffalo graduate and a Korean War veteran. His work history includes the Tampa, FL Police Department and a banking executive. Voskerichian retired in 2000 as a senior vice president of Bank of America. He also served on numerous boards of directors.

Voskerichian’s sports backround beyond Bennett H.S. includes varsity baseball and football at the University of Buffalo and service ball, coaching at the Jr. and Sr. high school level and officiating H.S. and college baseball and basketball. Voskerichian received the “Outstanding Citizen Award” from the Tampa Sports Foundation. His activities include chairman of the Special Olympics at USF, the World Championship Boxing Challenge, and involvement with the late George Steinbrenner’s “Gold Shield Foundation”, which provides financial assistance to families of law enforcement and firefighters killed in the line of duty.

Joey Voskerichian joins his brother George as a member of the Bennett Sports Hall Of Fame.