BENNETT BEACON

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Fred Helmer

Fred Helmer

by | Feb 17, 2023

Fred was one of the greatest all-around athletes at Bennett High School. He earned major letters in football, baseball, and basketball. He was All-High football in 1 943 and second team All-High football in 1942. He was a triple threat back and one of the best punters the Harvard Cup has ever seen. He played shortstop and was a pitcher on the 1 943 Cornell Cup baseball team and a guard on the Bennett basketball team.


After graduation, he went into the Navy. Fred played softball (fastball) for many years and was considered one of the best pitchers, if not the best of his time. He is in the softball Hall of Fame.

Gary Brown

Gary Brown

by | Feb 17, 2023

Gary was a football and track star at Bennett, achieving All-High recognition in both sports. Gary was a two-way tackle all four years in high school, playing at 6’2″ and 265 lbs. Gary achieved 1 st team All-High status in football his sophomore, junior, and senior years.


In track, Gary finished his high school career as the city record holder in both the shot put and discus. Gary’s record shot put of 53′ ?” came in a meet at Sweet Home in his senior year. In that same meet, Gary threw the discus 1 36′ 9″, also an all-time city record. That throw placed Gary in the top 5 in W.N.Y. in an event the Buffalo Public Schools didn’t even have in its track program. The Tigers won the “Scalp & Blade” trophy all three years of Gary’s varsity career.


At graduation, Gary also won the “Fred Braun Award” for being selected the top male athlete in his senior dass, and the “Sherman Feyler Award” for scholarship and citizenship.

Upon graduation from Bennett, Gary enrolled at the University of Buffalo, where he played four years of varsity football. The awards kept right on coming, as Gary was selected AII-ECAC (03) in 1 982 for U.B. Gary resides in the City of Buffalo today.

Gerald Bratton

Gerald Bratton

by | Feb 17, 2023

Gerald was a football and track star at Bennett, earning All-High honors in both sports. In football, Gerald played guard on offense and linebacker on defense. Gerald was a rare three-time All-High selection, earning 2nd team as a sophomore and 1st team All-High as a junior and senior.


In track, Gerald was a record-setting shot putter. On three track squads, Gerald earned All-High honors as a junior and senior. His record heave of 52’11” is a record for All-High Stadium to this day. He was on one “Scalp & Blade” champion track squad.


After high school, Gerald attended J.C. Smith College in N.C. on a football scholarship, playing at linebacker. Gerald completed his studies at University of Buffalo, and holds a degree in Business Administration. Gerald resides today in North Tonawanda.

John Decarolis

John Decarolis

by | Feb 17, 2023

John came to Bennett from Buffalo School #63 in the fall of 1953. Sensing the spirited winning tradition of athletics at Bennett, he soon joined the baseball and basketball teams.

Showing his baseball versatility as both an infielder and a pitcher, Decarolis starred on three consecutive Cornell Cup baseball championship teams from 1955-57. In his junior year, DeCarolis hurled a five hitter at Offermann Stadium, striking out six batters along the way, as Bennett defeated Grover Cleveland 5-2 to finish undefeated. It was his fourth win of his junior year as a pitcher, and helped pace the Tigers to the crown in the city championship game. /ls a senior in 1957, performing at second base and as a pitcher, DeCarolis was a key component as the Bennett baseball team again finished undefeated. By winning over Riverside 3-2, the Tigers completed the “hat trick” of three straight baseball championships.

For his stellar infield play and timely hitting, he was named first team All-High after his senior year as a second baseman.

Decarolis played three years of basketball at Bennett He was a heady guard on the 1 957 Tiger team that won the Yale Cup championship, emblematic of city supremacy on the hardwood.

Following graduation from Bennett, DeCarolis went on to Cortland State and lettered as a baseball and soccer player. After a career of more than 30 years as a Physical Education teacher and coach in the Kenmore School system, he retired in 1996. He now resides on Grand Island.