Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame

The Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame is pleased to announce its Hall of Fame Class of 2015, who will be honored on Friday, Oct. 1. The induction ceremony will be held at halftime of the varsity football game with rival Donegal. Kickoff for the game is 7 p.m. A reception honoring the inductees will be held in the high school cafeteria featuring the Class of 2015 and past inductees from 5-6:30 p.m.

The Class of 2015 includes:

Newman Draper, Class of 1941

John "Tink" Lutz, Class of 1948

Thomas Hondras, Coach

John Betrone, Class of 1956

Michael Kuhn, Class of 1980

Included are brief biographies of the Class of 2015.

Draper: Was Columbia's first state champion in track, winning the Class A mile run in 1941. He also won three District 3 titles, two in the mile and one in the 880 yard run in 1940 and 1941. He also participated on the Crimson Tide football team in 1938.

Lutz: Is being inducted as a "friend of the CHS athletic program." "Tink" started with the football program as an assistant equipment manager to Luke Kise when Mike Burke II was the head coach. He became equipment manager when Kise retired and has served not only Mike Burke II, but coaches Mike Burke III, James Burke and Jason Shoff. He became known as the "man with the towel on the sidelines" and the "get back coach" and often would help the officials with their calls. He was also periodically tackled on the sidelines.

In his role as equipment manager, "Tink" filled water bottles, patched wounds and rubbed down sore muscles, but players will always remember him for his words of encouragement and being a "stand-in" parent during special events. He has touched many lives through his service to the football program and has been blessed with wonderful memories and lifelong friendships.

Hondras: Was the first wrestling coach in school history, starting it as a club sport in 1951 and coached the varsity program from 1953 through the 1967 season. During that time, Hondras coached nine sectional champions, seven district champions, four regional champions, a state runner-up and state champion in Bobby Bell.

Betrone: Won nine varsity letters at Columbia High School including three in basketball and football, two in baseball and one in track. He was named first team All-County in basketball and football as a senior. The Crimson Tide basketball team won 54 games and lost 9 during his career and was honorable mention Little All-State in 1956. The legendary Elmer Kreiser, CHS coach, called Betrone "one of the finest all around athletes" he ever coached.

Kuhn: Was a basketball and baseball player at Columbia. He scored 693 points during his varsity career, averaging 17.2 points a game and 11.4 rebounds as a senior and was the sixth leading scorer in the league during his senior year. He was the 1980 Danny Monk Memorial Award winner and was named first team All-Section and honorable mention All-League in 1980. In baseball, he has a career batting average of .310 and career fielding percentage of .996 and made just one error his senior year. He was a Section 3 All-Star as a senior and named an outstanding outfielder in 1979.