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Ken Parr

Ken Parr

by | Feb 17, 2023

Parr starred in two sports at Bennett in the mid 50’s. In basketball, he was the star of the Bennett team, leading the Tigers to the Yale Cup in his senior year. He led the Tigers in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. His 21 ppg average was good for second in the Yale Cup series.


Parr was named first team All-High in both the Buffalo Evening News and Courier Express following his senior season. He represented Bennett in three post-season all-star games following his senior season, and was awarded the “Mr. Basketball” trophy. Parr was a tough shooter and rebounder inside and had an uncanny soft touch from the outside.


In basebal l, Parr was one of the players who was instrumental in leading Bennett to the Cornell Cup Championships in 1 957 with a 3-2 win over Riverside at Offermann Stadium (formerly the Buffalo Bisons home field). His sixth inning single drove in the winning run in the championship game. Parr completed an errorless season in 1 957 at first base.


Following graduation, Parr went on to the University of Buffalo on a basketball scholarship. After a very successful career, he was inducted into the UB Sports Hall of Fame. He has since retired after a 35 year career as a physical education teacher and coach in Buffalo and Kenmore.

Francis DeYoung

Francis DeYoung

by | Feb 17, 2023

Fran DeYoung Jr. graduated from Bennett High School in 1957. He was on the swim team from 1953-54, the baseball team from 1954-1957 and the football team from 1953-1957 where he was team co-captain with Bill Hedger in 1956 in football.. In baseball he was part of the team that won 3 consecutive Cornell Cups from 1955-57. He has been an avid supporter of many venues at Bennett over the years and has kept in touch with many of the athletes he played with in high school.

After graduating from Bennett he attended the University of Buffalo and graduated in 1961. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve where he served six months of active duty and 5 1/2 years in the active reserves.

He accepted a position with the Travelers Insurance Company in Buffalo as a claims adjuster. He then left Travelers to take a job as a partner in an insurance company in Leroy, NY. He and his partner purchased the business in 1972 and opened additional offices in Batavia and Caledonia. For good measure he also taught insurance classes at Genesee Community College. After selling his ownership in the business in 1994 he and his wife Carol
now live in Falmouth. Massachusetts. He has three children: Fran, Renee, and Claudia.

DeYoung Jr. noted that being inducted into the Bennett Sports Hall of Fame is is an honor that he greatly appreciates and will treasure forever. He said, “I am extremely proud of my relationship with Bennett and will always be a Bennett Tiger!”

H. David Jay

H. David Jay

by | Feb 17, 2023

David Jay, affectionately known as “Duke” or “Uncle Dave”, has had a life long connection with sports. Like Earle Hannel himself, Dave played varsity baseball at Bennett, helping the Tigers win three consecutive Cornell Cups in 1955, ‘56 and ‘57. Both men also stayed loyal to Bennett forever, and never missed a chance to boost the city or our sports teams.

From Bennett, Dave attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he played varsity baseball and basketball, and coached the bowling team at Pratt. Dave graduated with a degree in Architecture. During and after Dave’s time in the U.S. Service, Dave continued his lifetime connection with sports, playing service baseball,refereeing soccer. Dave then spent 18 years as a youth baseball coach in the Virginia area, becoming Virginia State Asst. Commissioner of the Babe Ruth Leagues from 2004 to 2013.

Uncle Dave, now 75 years old, still works today, and can be found any Sunday there is a Bills game on TV at Grevey’s Restaurant in Falls Creek, VA. Dave always makes Bills and sabre games along with “Buffalo Night” a major event in the D.C. area.

Today, Dave ( a widower for 13 years ) resides in Ashburn, VA and enjoys spending time with his 3 children, 2 step daughters and 2 Grandchildren.

Dennis Schoen

Dennis Schoen

by | Feb 17, 2023

Dennis Schoen, a 1957 graduate of Bennett H.S., played four years of football at Bennett. The 1956 edition of Tiger football claimed a tie for the League II crown when they defeated previously undefeated and defending champion East, 6 – 0. Schoen sparkled in this showdown game by rushing for 72 yards on 10 carries, for an outstanding 7.2 yards per attempt. Showing his versatility in the Kensington game, Dennis caught a 75 yard touchdown pass from Billy Hedger. It turned out to be the lone score against the arch rival Knights. After East claimed revenge against the Tigers in a special playoff game, Bennett qualified for the 3rd place game on Thanksgiving Day. Schoen and his teammates went out as winners in their final game of the year, as they edged McKinley 9 – 6 on the gridiron of venerable All-High Stadium. In addition to his football exploits, Schoen continued on his path to future leadership by serving as varsity basketball manager during his junior year.

Upon graduation from Bennett, Schoen attended Western Kentucky University and attained a B.S. degree. After college, he married and began an illustrious service career in the United States Marines. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. He was stationed at various posts in the USA that included Camp Lejeune, NC; Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA; OIC Recruiting Station, Minneapolis, MN; Fort Benning, GA; Quantico, VA; Headquarters Marine Corps, Arlinton, VA and on the Navy staff at the Pentagon. Overseas, numerous assignments took him to Spain, Portugal, Italy, Phillipines, Okinawa, and the Republic of Vietnam. During his service in Vietnam, Schoen participated in 7 combat operations against Communist Insurgents and North Vietnamese Regular Army Forces in the I Corps Tactical Zone of RVN. Schoen is a graduate of the Marine Corps Basic School, the Advanced Infantry Course, Fort Benning, GA, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, as well as several other military schools that include Nuclear Weapons Course. In 1977, Schoen received an MA degree in Business Management from Central Michigan University. His list of military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnamese Service Medal, the RVN
Unit Gallantry Cross, and the RVN Campaign Medal. Schoen retired after 20 years of service at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Schoen and his wife Susie will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 2, 2012. They have a son Craig ( Suzy ), and a daughter Michele ( Michael ), and four beautiful granddaughters, Samantha,Jayme, Madison and Gabriella.

All Bennettonians, past and present are indebted to Dennis Schoen, for his service to our country.