BENNETT BEACON
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Mel was a two sport star in both cross country and track. Mel achieved a double-all-high in both sports. In cross country Mel was the # 1 finisher in the all-high run in both ’67 & ’68. In track Mel was the 880y run champion in Junior and Senior years.
Myron Hunt was on the finest all-round Bennett athletes of his time. He played baseball, basketball and football.
He was on the baseball team for four years and was on the undisputed first Cornell Cup Championship team in 1943. Myron was the Co-captain of the 1944 team and was on the All-High team as an outfielder. He had a batting average of .450 that year and played in the longest high school game on record, beating Kensington High School in 17 innings. Myron was on the basketball team for four years and was a member of the first Yale Cup Championship team in 1944. That year, the Bennett High School team was selected as the second All-High Team. That was the first time that this has ever occurred. He was on he football team for two years and played center and linebacker. In 1943, his team played the consolation game on Thanksgiving and had a record of six wins and one loss.
He was the class Historian for his senior class and appeared in the Spotlight section of the Bennett Beacon as one of the outstanding graduates of this class. After graduation in 1944, he was inducted into the US Army for 2 years. After the war, he spent one year at Nichols School and played football, basketball and baseball. They had an undefeated football team and were the Interstate League Champions. Myron played center and linebacker. From Nichols, he went to Middlebury College in Vermont. He played football and baseball and was chosen All State in Vermont in baseball. He was a member of the Blue Key Honor Society.
For the past 45 plus years, Myron has been president of Myron M. Hunt, Inc., a real estate development company.
Paul Emerick was a baseball standout and basketball player at Bennett in the 1950’s. He was, arguably, one of the best right handed pitchers ever to represent the ngers in the long baseball history of Bennett High School. His superb fast ball and curve, as well as his outstanding control, enabled Bennett to capture the Cornell Cup during his junior year. The Tigers also won the Cornell Cup during his sophomore season. He was named to the All-High first team as a pitcher during his senior year at Bennett.
Paul enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after graduating from Bennett. While serving in “Special Services” in the Philippines, Paul was a star pitcher, as he competed against the top teams in the Far East. Upon discharge from the Air Force, he signed a professional baseball contract with the Kansas City Athletics organization. He was assigned to the Daytona Islanders of the Florida State League in 1963, and was slated to move to AAA Albuquerque the next year, when a serious rotator cuff surgery ended his pitching career.
Paul retired after a long career in the New York State Correctional System, and currently resides with his wife in North Tonawanda.
Fate brought the ever popular Coach Vickery to Bennett HS. After finishing graduate school in Iowa, Byron was making his way East on his way back home to his native Wales, G. B. A stop-off to see Niagara Falls was a must. During his stopover in our area, Byron stopped at City Hall and inquired about a job. Byron was immediately put to work at school #6 and in 1963 came to Bennett. At Bennett Byron became a consistently successful educator. Byron’s teams won championships in cross-country(? Columbia Cups), swimming(4 Syracuse Cups) and tennis(3 Dr. Bapst trophies). Byron also had a short stint coaching his favorite sport, soccer. Nichols School benefited from Byron’s expertise, with a 33 wins, no losses in the early 60’s.
The highlight of this brilliant coaching resume’ has to be the year 1978. Byron’s teams went undefeated in all three of his sports, winning the boys and gins championships in cross country, swimming and tennis, surely any coaches dream.
The star athletes Coach Vickery developed are too numerous to mention here. It must be noted however, that Byron was the first coach to use females on a boys varsity team. Byron helped “revolutionize” Buffalo city sports when Kathy McCarthy and Lydia Manuel swam on the varsity swim team in 1971.
Eric was a three sport star during his athletic career at Bennett.
In football Eric was 1st team All-High at running back in 1961 . In track, Eric was a two time All-High in the 880 yard relay in both 1960 and ’61 seasons. The Tigers were “Scalp and Blade” champions in 1960 and 1962 during Eric’s career. Eric was also a guard and co-captain of the basketball squad in 1 963.