Herb Johnston Jr

Herb Johnston Jr

Herb was All-High in tennis at Bennett during his junior and senior years. When he received All-High status at 2nd singles in 1955 he was arguably part of the greatest high school tennis teams in the history of Western New York competition. Each of the seven players on that team were All-High selections, as the team went undefeated in league play. Members of that team including Johnston Jr. went on to win over 30 city tennis titles in different divisions.

Although Johnston Jr. was recognized as an outstanding player, he was equally renowned for becoming the first player of note to hit a two-handed backhand in WNY. With this deadly shot he was able to produce uncanny winners and angles as he frustrated many opponents with this deadly weapon.

Johnston went on to star at Cornell University in singles and doubles and was a three time winner in the Men’s Muny Doubles competition.

A lawyer by profession he was also a Buffalo City Court Judge and held many prestigious positions in city government

Tom Smith

Tom Smith

Smith was a basketball and baseball star at Bennett in the early 1 950’s. He was a four year starter on the varsity baseball team, and led Bennett to the Cornell Cup title in 1 955. A left handed pitcher, he threw two career nohitters, one in his junior year and one as a senior, exhibiting a wide array of pitches.

In basketball, Smith was a three year varsity player and a starter in his senior year. During his sophomore year Bennett won the Yale Cup, symbolic of basketball supremacy in the Buffalo Public Schools.

After high school, Smith signed a professional baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. After his pro career, Tom played MUNY baseball locally for many years and was part of an AA championship team.

Edward Harling

Edward Harling

Edward “Slim” Harling graduated from Bennett in 1955, after transferring from Fosdick Masten High School following his sophomore year in 1953.

Harling played the 3 major sports of basketball, baseball, and football at Bennett. In football, he held down an offensive end position, and in baseball, he was a rangy target as a first baseman.

A basketball center, Ed was named to the Buffalo News and Courier Express All High teams in both his junior and senior years. He finished first in the Yale Cup individual scoring race during his senior year, averaging over 25 points per game. During his junior season, Ed led Bennett to the Yale Cup championship. He was an outstanding rebounder and scorer throughout his playing days at Bennett, pacing the team in both categories during his Tiger career.

An individual highlight for Harling occurred during his junior season, when he scorched the nets for 62 points. The feat came in a 1 08-60 Bennett win over Grover Cleveland High School, breaking the previous single game record of 60, set in 1951. The 6′ 4″ center connected on 26 of 49 shots from the field, and 10 of 14 free throws on that memorable day. It was a record that stood for 28 years.

During Harling’s 1954 season, in a showdown game on the home court of Kensington, Bennett clinched the Yale Cup by defeating the Knights, 70-67 Ed was again at the forefront for the Tigers, providing the tying and deciding points with successful free throws 26 seconds before the final buzzer. The sizzling battle was termed by Ray Glunz, Buffalo Director of Physical Education, as “one of the finest games I have witnessed in 20 years.”

Prior to his final year at Bennett, a state basketball publication named Harling as a potential All-American candidate, amongst New York state high school cagers entering their senior year.

Ed went on to play basketball at Bowling Green (Ohio) University.

A recent retiree as a physical education teacher in the Buffalo Public Schools, he resides with his family in Williamsville.

Bill Monkarsh

Bill Monkarsh

Monkarsh, affectionately nicknamed “Monk,” had a great athletic career at Bennett. He starred in baseball, basketball and football, earning seven varsity letters with an aggressive style that marked his play in all three sports. Bill was the All-High catcher on the ’55 Cornell Cup baseball champions. He also was All-High honorable mention in football during his senior season.


After graduation, “Monk” signed a professional baseball contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and later signed with the Detroit Tiger organization during his five-year career. After his pro baseball career came to an end, Monkarsh took up tennis and became one of the areas finest tennis players, winning a MUNY Open Doubles title with David Loder.

He graduated from the University of Buffalo in physical education, and later coached there. His UB baseball and tennis teams achieved an amazing total of 560 wins during his tenure at the university. Over 40 of his baseball players signed professional contracts, including major leaguers Joe Hesketh and Dennis Howard.

It is rare that any athlete has accomplished as much as Monkarsh did, both as an athlete and as a coach.