BENNETT BEACON

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Martin “Chip” Motley

Martin “Chip” Motley

by | Feb 17, 2023

“Chip” Motley was a three sport varsity athlete at Bennett. Motley played football in his senior year, and two years of basketball, but his athletic claim to fame was in track and field. Chip ran track all four years of high school, and the Tigers were undefeated “Scalp & Blade” champions all four of those years.

During his track career, Chip competed in the 1 1 0 high hurdles, the 1 00 and 220 yard dashes, 440 yard run, long jump, high jump and the mile relay. Motley turned in outstanding times in the 1 00 yard dash, 1 0.2, long jump 21 ‘5″, and 1 600 m. relay of 3:25.3, a city record at the time. However, his “specialty” became the high jump. Motley was #2 in the city as a sophomore with a jump of 6’2″. As he perfected the “Fosbury Flop” style of jumping, Motley set a city record as a junior with a leap of 6′ 6 1 /4″. In his senior year Motley eclipsed his own record, turning in a 6′ 8″ effort. This made him the All-High and AII-WNY champion. In the State track meet following the season, he repeated his 6’8″ jump, narrowly missing at 6’ 1 0″, to take second place in N.Y.S. Motley was named “Super 7” athlete of the week.

Motley’s track career rose to an even higher level after high school at Erie Community College. He became a Junior College All American. Motley was named ECC’s Athlete of the Year, and is in ECC’s Track Hall of Fame.

Motley presently resides in Buffalo, and is a member of the Buffalo Police Force.

Kris Konrad Mendoza

Kris Konrad Mendoza

by | Feb 17, 2023

Kris was a rare athlete for any era of sports. A four year athlete in all three of her sports, she played volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter and softball in the spring.

That translates to being on a team every day for the entire four years of her high school career. For her efforts Kris was chosen “female athlete of the year” in 1982. The softball teams she played on had a combined record of 32 wins and 12 losses. The four basketball squads had a combined record of 25 wins, 17 losses. Her specialty was volleyball, where her teams had a combined record of 43 wins and 5 losses. The Lady Tigers captured the city volleyball titles in 1980 and 1981. kris twice was chosen team “MVP” of her volleyball team, including the 1981 team that finished undefeated with a 12 win, 0 loss record.

After high school Kris attended Florida State and South Carolina Universities, before finishing her BA and MA degrees in Education at Buffalo State College. Today Kris is in her 16th year as a teacher in the Buffalo Public Schools. The mother of two sons and one daughter, Kris enjoys her time assisting in coaching volleyball.

Kim Poliachik Grant

Kim Poliachik Grant

by | Feb 17, 2023

Kim was a well-rounded student while at Bennett. She was a class officer, on the prom committee and stage crew among her many activities. Yet she still found time to be on an athletic team all three sport seasons, all four years at Bennett. Kim was named “Most Athletic Female” in her senior year. The fall sports season found Kim playing volleyball, where she was team captain and an “All-High” selection in her senior year. Her specialty skill was in “serving” the ball. During the winter season Kim was on the basketball squad for three years, and the swimming squad her senior year. There she qualified for the finals at the All-High swim trials. The spring season saw Kim playing her most proficient sport, softball. She was team “co-MVP” and an All-High selection, alternating between pitcher and shortstop positions. She once recorded 1 6 strikeouts in a game, and participated in a post season All Star game following her senior season.

After high school Kim attended Hilbert College, where she continued her athletic career playing volleyball and softball. Kim earned a BA and MA degree from Hilbert College in Elementary Education, and is presently a 3rd grade teacher in the Clarence School District. Kim is the mother of 4 boys.

Greg Batt

by | Feb 17, 2023

Greg Batt was one of the greatest athletes that attended Bennett High School. Most people that saw him play hockey have stated that he was the greatest player they have ever seen.

He attended Bennett for three years before transferring to Nichols School. At Bennett he was All-High in hockey in 1935 and 1 936. He was a halfback on the football team and played third base on the baseball team. At Nichols he was a star in hockey and baseball and is in their Sports Hall Of Fame.

He won a scholarship to Colgate University where he was also a star in hockey and baseball, and was captain of both teams. He played tennis for three years. During 1942 – 1943 as player-coach, he led Colgate to its only undefeated hockey season. He scored 52 of his teams1 16 goals that season, along with 36 assists to propel Colgate to an 1 1 – 0 record, including a 1 3 – 3 victory over Army. While at Colgate he became an All-American, and is in their Sports Hall Of Fame.

Greg had offers in hockey from the Chicago black Hawks when there were only 6 teams in the NHL. He also received an invitation to play on the American Olympic Hockey team, but decided not to accept because of school work. After graduation he joined the U. S. Marines and was in on the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. There he was injured and received the “Purple Heart”.

After the war he returned to Colgate and coached hockey, soccer and tennis, but commuted to Clinton, NY to play center for the Clinton Comets, a professional team in the New York – Ontario Hockey League. He was named All-Star center by the American Hockey Association. He had acquired a legendary reputation on the ice by the time Hamilton College invited him to coach at their school in 1 948. He coached hockey and was backfield coach in football. He coached hockey for 36 years and was elected to be chairman of the rules committee of the American Hockey Coaches association and was formerly Dean of hockey coaches. Hamilton College named their new hockey arena the Perryman-Batt Arena.

Greg had six brothers who attended Bennett H.S. All of them were on sports teams. They are as follows; Dr. Richard Batt ’31 – was on the cross country team and ran the mile in track. Paul Batt ’34 – was on the football and hockey teams. James Batt ’35 – was on the cross country, hockey and tennis teams. Theodore Batt ’37 – cross country team and ran the mile in track. Jerome Batt ’37 – was on the baseball team. He captained the hockey and baseball teams at Cornell University. Dr. David Batt ’43 played baseball and football, and was All-High in baseball in 1 943.

Fred Gordon

Fred Gordon

by | Feb 17, 2023

Fred Gordon was All High in Cross Country for Bennett High School in 1 964 and 1 965, finishing 5th and 2nd, respectively, in those two years in the All High meet. The top five finishers in the All High Cross Country Championships were automatically declared All High by the association’s rules.

Gordon also starred in track and finished second in the mile run in the All High meet with an outstanding time of 4:36. Equally impressive is that Gordon also received a major letter in swimming. Gordon also achieved a major varsity letter in
swimming. He will always be remembered as one of Bennett’s most versatile athletes by achieving major letters in three different sports.

Gordon credits much of his success to teachers such as Yvonne Lewis, his computer math teacher, and coaches Byron Vickery, Nick Mogavero, Elmer Rosenthal, and Gary Berkman.

After high school Gordon trained with good friend Delbert Mullen. Mullen’s training methods led Gordon to a successful 30 year running career, which was highlighted by an incredible 2:25 time in the Boston Marathon in 1 978.