North Tonawanda Football Hall of Fame to induct 12

There will be 12 new inductees into the North Tonawanda Football Hall of Fame this fall, with the induction celebration scheduled for Oct. 8 and 9.

Those selected by ballot votes are NT graduates Casey Shreve (2008-09), Joe Montesanti (2008-10), Darrik Bloomfield (2009), Scott Gregson (2004-06) and Andrew Davis (2003-05). Shreve, Montesanti and Bloomfield were members of North Tonawanda's 2009 New York State Championship team.

In the Legends category, Steve Rusin (1978-79) and Bishop Gibbons graduates Bob Aikens (1965), Bill McCarthy (1963-65) and Dennis Winiecki (1965-66) were selected.

And Bud Henry Award recipients, for exemplary off-the-field contributions to the North Tonawanda program, are Al Maglisceau, Kim Tuzzo and Keith Miranto.

This is the largest class to be inducted and equals the 1968 class. The North Tonawanda Football Hall of Fame began honoring former players in 1967.

All inductees will be introduced at halftime of the Oct. 8 game versus Kenmore West. The Hall of Fame dinner will be held at Rescue Fire Hall on Saturday, Oct. 9. 

For more HOF induction information, contact Keith Pascucci at 716-909-8403.

NT Football Hall of Fame YouTube Channel Features More Than 775 Videos

Since its beginning in January 2000, the North Tonawanda Football Hall of Fame has processed and digitized more than 775 old North Tonawanda, Bishop Gibbons and Buffalo Geminis football games. Its YouTube channel includes interviews with former players. The idea is to preserve the memory and the accomplishments of these former football players and their opponents.

Videos for these films were originally in 8mm, 16mm, Beta, VHS, three-quarter-inch and rare 9.5mm pathé formats. So far, the oldest processed video dates back to the 1928 T-NT game. Additional short films from 1924-31 in 9.5mm formats are being processed and digitized by a western Canadian company.

Many of these game films were from coach George Vetter's coaching career, from 1937-70. North Tonawanda's opponents were primarily of the old Niagara Frontier League (NFL), which many believe was among the top football league for many years in New York.

In addition, the Historical Society of the Tonawandas, the Tonawanda School District and some former high school coaches from other schools have contributed videos for this project and channel.

The North Tonawanda Football Hall of Fame is appealing to current and former schools and coaches and their families, especially Bishop Gibbons opponents from the Msgr. Martin League, to search their archives for applicable old game films. Bishop Gibbons played football from 1963 until its closing in 1971.

And besides being able to view these YouTube videos on a laptop, PC and smartphone, folks can watch these videos via Roku and smart televisions. It's also believed this channel is one of very few such YouTube channels devoted to classic high school football history.