The Summit County Sports Hall of Fame will grow by eight members when the Class of 2012 is inducted Oct. 2 at Tangier restaurant in Akron.
Earning slots in this year’s class are Carl “Rob” Adamson (football), Joe DeRosa (officiating), Dick Gran (bowling), Jerry Laria (coaching), Larry Radcliff (football) and Curtis Wilson (basketball).
Also entering the hall will be Rilla Yeater as the Andy Palich Award winner and W. “Ski” Lawler as the Phil Dietrich Senior Athlete Award winner.
Adamson, a Manchester High School graduate, never lost a game he started as quarterback at Mount Union College, including two NCAA Division III national championship games. As a senior, he was second in the nation in passing efficiency.
DeRosa began his NBA officiating career in 1989 and worked through the 2009-10 season. He officiated 75 NBA playoff games, two NBA All-Star Games and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Still active in NCAA officiating, he is the only person to officiate in the NBA Finals and the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Gran’s numerous titles include the Akron Beacon Journal championship, Akron City Singles, Doubles and Team championships and Ohio Inner City championship. He has posted 45 perfect 300 games and 11 times has reached 800 for a series.
Laria finished 20 years of coaching boys basketball in the City Series with a record of 266-188. His teams won eight sectional and four district titles. He was named City Series Coach of the Year five times.
Radcliff, a three-year letterwinner as a running back at Eastern Michigan, was the university’s Athlete of the Year in 1971, a season that saw the Hurons go 7-0-2 in the regular season and advance to the Pioneer Bowl. The East High graduate established team rushing records with 2,848 career yards, 1,188 yards in a season and 291 in a game. He averaged 5.96 yards per carry for his career.
Wilson was a three-year starter at Ohio State University (1986-88), serving as co-captain the final two seasons. He still holds OSU records for single-season steals (74) and assists in a game (14). The St. Vincent-St. Mary graduate is one of only 25 players in OSU history to surpass 1,000 points.
Yeater, a graduate of Garfield High School, has been involved in bowling for more than 54 years as a participant and in administration. She has served in executive capacities for a number of associations on a local and national level. She was a past president of the Akron Area Women’s Bowling Association and vice president for the Ohio Women’s Bowling Association.
Lawler served three years in the U.S. Army after graduation from East High, and upon discharge took an interest in officiating high school basketball, working for more than two decades. He became interested in senior softball competitions and was named to numerous all-state and all-tourney teams. Twice he captured the Senior World Series MVP.
Tickets for the banquet are $40 and can be ordered by calling 330-388-6062. Reservation deadline is Friday.