Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 1998


       

(L-R) Al Davis, Jr, Fran Slattery, Dick Vining,  Lisa Carrara, Matt Pliszka, Rich Fenton

Lisa Carrara

A 1984 graduate of Enfield High School, Lisa began her athletic career as a field hockey, softball, and basketball player for Kosciuszko Junior High School.  She continued her athletic prowess at EHS in the same 3 sports earning the maximum of nine varsity letters in three years of participation. She tallied 21 goals and 12 assists while scoring the lone goals in both the state semifinal and championship field hockey victories in 1983.  Her performance catapulted EHS and charter HOF Inductee, Cookie Bromage, to their first of 5 state field hockey championships.  She went on to Quinnipiac College where she was a four-year starting catcher leading the team in several offensive and defensive categories.  In 1988, She won the women’s 8-ball billiards tournament and placed in the top 10 at the New England tournament.

Rich Fenton

A football star that showed potential the first time he touched the ball.  As a nine-year old quarterback, he ran his first play from scrimmage for the Enfield Ramblers 75 yards for a touchdown.  He continued his football expertise at EHS, where he was names All-Capital District conference quarterback in 1971.  A 3-sport athlete at EHS, excelling in football, baseball, and basketball.  He then went on to UCONN where he became a starting free safety, and set a team record with 6 interceptions in a season, and most interceptions in a game at 3.  His accomplishments helped the team win the Yankee Conference Championship, and was named All Conference and All-New England.  In 1977, he went to the NY Jets training camp, and in 1978 he played for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League.

Bill Peltola

A 1977 graduate of Enrico Fermi High School, he played both baseball and ice hockey for the Falcons.  At Fermi, he played 3rd base and pitcher (7-1), while earning All-League and Journal Inquirer honors as a senior.  He took his baseball talents to the University of California (1978-81) where he was a member of the 1978 NCAA National Championship team.  In 1980, he registered a 6-2 mark with a .290 Earned Run Average, and scored an All-Pac-10 First team honor.   After his junior campaign, he turned down an offer from the Milwaukee Brewers to stay in school.  He was then drafted after his senior season by the NY Yankees, and spent three solid years in their minor league system, before being released in 1983

Matt Pliszka

In the mid-1940’s, this sixteen-year-old was dubbed the “most promising athlete of the town”.  A three sports star (baseball, basketball, and football) at EHS, he averaged 20 points a game during the 1945-46 basketball season, and set the all-time single game scoring record at EHS with 47 points.  He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1946, and progressed through the minor leagues until enlisting in the military service in 1954.  During the off season, he played basketball for Bigelow-Sanford and Vic’s restaurant, both semi-professional teams.  He also devoted over 30 years in assisting the operations of the Enfield Adult Parks & Recreation Basketball league.

Paul Robeson

A true renaissance man, he is one of the most widely recognized inductees of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame, A 1919 valedictorian graduate of Rutgers University, he lettered in track, basketball, baseball, and football.  In 1917, he earned All-America honors in football.  Coaching legend, Walter Camp, called him the “greatest defensive end in football history”.  He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame.  He earned a law degree from Columbia University, and eventually became a renowned actor and singer.  He toured in the stage production of “Show Boat”, and became internationally known as the greatest bass singer in the world.  He and his family lived on Enfield Street in a house known as “The Beeches” from 1941-53.  His son, Paul Robeson Jr. attended and graduated from Enfield High School.

Fran Slattery

Possibly the most selfless and dedicated coach the town has ever seen.  His longevity with the town’s baseball and basketball leagues is unrivaled.  He coached 20 years (1965-85) in the Hazardville Little League, where he led teams to championships in 1967, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, and 1980.  He was named senior league all star coach three times (1978-80).  In 1979, his team was Connecticut State Champions, while his 1980 team was state runner-up.  Since 1980, he has managed The Enfield American Legion Baseball Team producing several tournament championship teams.  He was also a player/coach in the Park & Rec (1963-94) winter basketball league where his teams won 9 championships and over 300 games.  In 1983, he guided St. Martha’s CYO boys’ basketball team to the state championship.  In 1990, he was named the Enfield Jaycees “Outstanding Citizen of the Year”.

Dick Vining

A 1946 graduate of Enfield High, where he played football, basketball, baseball, and track.  He was named EHS’s most outstanding athlete after his senior year.  HE went on to UCONN playing three years of baseball.  In 1951, he was named captain and MVP of the team.  After his military service, he began his teaching and coaching career at the collegiate level.  With stops at Orange C.C., SUNY-Farmingdale (1957-67), LIU (1968-74), and US Merchant Marine (1975-77), he settled into his current position at C.W. Post.  In 1969, he was named Division II National Coach of the Year, and was a 1970 inductee to the Long Island University Hall of Fame.  His coaching career has been speckled with championship teams as well as former major league players including, John Blanchard (Yankees), Terry Crowley (Orioles), and Fred Cambria (Pirates).  He is the winningest college baseball coach in the history of NY State with over 800 victories.  He has also taught baseball in China, Holland, and Czechoslovakia.

George Daly, Jr. Special Recognition Award – Al Davis, Jr.

He has devoted much of his life to the athletic programs in Enfield.  His love for coaching softball has spanned over four decades (1960-1996) with numerous league titles.  His Merchant’s fast pitch team were Enfield champions from 1962-65.  He led his slow-pitch softball team to three consecutive Bangor, Maine tournament championships (1980-1982).  He has coached and directed both the Enfield Athletic Club (EAC) from 1972-1975, as well as the EAC semi-professional team from 1976-1978.  He still continues to administrate several Park and rec programs and leagues.  Since 1991, he has been the Youth Basketball Director.

Team Award

1983 Enfield High School Division I Ice Hockey State Championship team & 1983 Enrico Fermi High School Division II Ice Hockey State Championship team