Coach Bo Birsky's grandaughter Michelle Birsky is the lead singer/songwriter in Brooklyn-based band BIRCH.
http://thelala.com/exclusive-interview-michelle-birsky-birch
http://thelala.com/exclusive-interview-michelle-birsky-birch
Each inductee will be honored with a plaque to be displayed in the high school lobby wall that leads to the school’s trophy cases. Of the mix of 12 athletes and coaches entering, all but one graduated from Springfield High School.
Only 125 tickets to this event will be sold and are on sale now. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased from any Hall of Fame Committee member or by contacting Springfield High School Athletic Director Rich Saypack at rsaypack@ssdvt.org or by phone at 885-7905.
The first class:
Bill Bibens, athlete: SHS Class of 1968. Four-year varsity football player, two-time all-state 1967 and 1968. Co-Captain of the 1968 Vermont Shrine Team. Four-year letterman and co-captain Washburn University (Kansas).
Boleslof “Bo” Birsky, coach: SHS Class of 1942. He was a state champion coach in basketball and baseball and guided his teams to Class L state titles in basketball in 1946, 1956, 1957 and 1960 and runner-ups in 1951 and 1955, compiling a 215-100 record in basketball during his 15-year tenure. Also coached baseball for 29 years, from 1946 to 1974.
Greg Birsky, athlete: SHS Class of 1975. Greg was a four-year varsity member of the football, basketball and baseball teams and named the Most Outstanding Male Athlete in 1975. In basketball, his school record of 1,468 points stood for 30 years. As valedictorian of his class at SHS, he attended Middlebury College, where he excelled in basketball as captain and in baseball for all four years.
Mary Beth Birsky, athlete: SHS Class of 1978. Mary Beth was a four-year varsity member of the field hockey, basketball and softball teams. She was a member of state championship softball teams. Upon graduation, she attended Becker Junior College followed by Division I University of Wyoming, where she received second-team All-American Honors as a shortstop/second baseman.
Brad Dunbar, athlete: SHS Class of 1957. Brad was captain of the football, basketball and track teams and a member the 1956 and 1957 state champion basketball teams, becoming an All-tourney and All-American selection. Attended Middlebury College, where he was a member of the basketball and track teams, holding the school shot put record for many years.
Curt Dressel, coach: SHS Class of 1928. His 1928 basketball team was Vermont Class L State Champion. After a stellar career at Springfield College, Curt returned to SHS in 1932 and as physical education teacher and head coach of football, basketball and baseball, led his team to state football titles in 1933 and 1937, a state baseball title in 1939 and a state basketball title in 1942.
Tracy Guilford, athlete: SHS Class of 1991. Tracy was a member of the soccer, basketball and track & field teams. In soccer, she was the all-time scoring leader with 113 goals and was selected to the Vermont All State, All-American and All-Marble Valley League teams. She later went on to the University of Connecticut, where she played Division I soccer as a midfielder/striker, becoming the leading scorer as a freshman and a member of the NCAA Final Four UConn team.
Albert Gutterson, athlete: SHS Class of 1907. Albert competed in several sports at SHS including track & field, where he was the 1906 and 1907 Green Mountain Interscholastic (Vermont and New Hampshire) champion in the high jump and also medaled in the 220 meters, discus and long jump. At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, he became Vermont’s first and only track & field gold medalist and Olympic Champion.
Mary Rose Jasinski, athlete: SHS Class of 1977. She was the first Cosmo girl to score 1,000 points in basketball, finishing her career with 1,121 points. In softball, her four-year record of 60-5 as a pitcher included a 31-game win streak while leading her teams to state championship titles in 1974 and 1976.
Bob Schweitzer, coach: Teacher/Coach 1969-1997. Longtime Cosmo football line coach. He was selected as the 1993-1994 Vermont Wrestling Coach of the Year and inducted into the New England Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999.
Jim Schwartz, athlete: SHS Class of 1968. Jim was a four-year member of the football, basketball, baseball and track & field teams. Vermont September (1968) Athlete of the Month and the state’s leading scorer and record breaker with 84 points as a running back. He played football at the University of Vermont as a scholarship student-athlete, graduating with a BS degree in Civil Engineering.
Richie Wyman, coach: SHS Class of 1952. After a successful baseball career at Springfield College, Richie taught briefly at Burlington High School and Merrimack (New Hampshire) Valley High School. At SHS, Richie coached basketball and baseball over a period of 38 years, compiling a 286-234 overall record. His teams won two Southern Vermont League titles and appeared in the Division I finals four times, claiming the Vermont State baseball crown in 1980.
www.rutlandherald.com
Three Birskys in 1st Cosmos Hall class Staff Report 23 hrs ago 0 SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Athletics Hall of Fame Committee has announced its inaugural class to be inducted March 9 during its first annual banquet at Springfield High School at 6 p.m. Each inductee will be honored with a plaque to be displayed in the high school lobby wall that leads to the school’s trophy cases. Of the mix of 12 athletes and coaches entering, all but one graduated from Springfield High School. Only 125 tickets to this event will be sold and are on sale now. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased from any Hall of Fame Committee member or by contacting Springfield High School Athletic Director Rich Saypack at rsaypack@ssdvt.org or by phone at 885-7905. The first class: Bill Bibens, athlete: SHS Class of 1968. Four-year varsity football player, two-time all-state 1967 and 1968. Co-Captain of the 1968 Vermont Shrine Team. Four-year letterman and co-captain Washburn University (Kansas). Boleslof “Bo” Birsky, coach: SHS Class of 1942. He was a state champion coach in basketball and baseball and guided his teams to Class L state titles in basketball in 1946, 1956, 1957 and 1960 and runner-ups in 1951 and 1955, compiling a 215-100 record in basketball during his 15-year tenure. Also coached baseball for 29 years, from 1946 to 1974. Greg Birsky, athlete: SHS Class of 1975. Greg was a four-year varsity member of the football, basketball and baseball teams and named the Most Outstanding Male Athlete in 1975. In basketball, his school record of 1,468 points stood for 30 years. As valedictorian of his class at SHS, he attended Middlebury College, where he excelled in basketball as captain and in baseball for all four years. Mary Beth Birsky, athlete: SHS Class of 1978. Mary Beth was a four-year varsity member of the field hockey, basketball and softball teams. She was a member of state championship softball teams. Upon graduation, she attended Becker Junior College followed by Division I University of Wyoming, where she received second-team All-American Honors as a shortstop/second baseman. Brad Dunbar, athlete: SHS Class of 1957. Brad was captain of the football, basketball and track teams and a member the 1956 and 1957 state champion basketball teams, becoming an All-tourney and All-American selection. Attended Middlebury College, where he was a member of the basketball and track teams, holding the school shot put record for many years. Curt Dressel, coach: SHS Class of 1928. His 1928 basketball team was Vermont Class L State Champion. After a stellar career at Springfield College, Curt returned to SHS in 1932 and as physical education teacher and head coach of football, basketball and baseball, led his team to state football titles in 1933 and 1937, a state baseball title in 1939 and a state basketball title in 1942. Tracy Guilford, athlete: SHS Class of 1991. Tracy was a member of the soccer, basketball and track & field teams. In soccer, she was the all-time scoring leader with 113 goals and was selected to the Vermont All State, All-American and All-Marble Valley League teams. She later went on to the University of Connecticut, where she played Division I soccer as a midfielder/striker, becoming the leading scorer as a freshman and a member of the NCAA Final Four UConn team. Albert Gutterson, athlete: SHS Class of 1907. Albert competed in several sports at SHS including track & field, where he was the 1906 and 1907 Green Mountain Interscholastic (Vermont and New Hampshire) champion in the high jump and also medaled in the 220 meters, discus and long jump. At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, he became Vermont’s first and only track & field gold medalist and Olympic Champion. Mary Rose Jasinski, athlete: SHS Class of 1977. She was the first Cosmo girl to score 1,000 points in basketball, finishing her career with 1,121 points. In softball, her four-year record of 60-5 as a pitcher included a 31-game win streak while leading her teams to state championship titles in 1974 and 1976. Bob Schweitzer, coach: Teacher/Coach 1969-1997. Longtime Cosmo football line coach. He was selected as the 1993-1994 Vermont Wrestling Coach of the Year and inducted into the New England Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999. Jim Schwartz, athlete: SHS Class of 1968. Jim was a four-year member of the football, basketball, baseball and track & field teams. Vermont September (1968) Athlete of the Month and the state’s leading scorer and record breaker with 84 points as a running back. He played football at the University of Vermont as a scholarship student-athlete, graduating with a BS degree in Civil Engineering. Richie Wyman, coach: SHS Class of 1952. After a successful baseball career at Springfield College, Richie taught briefly at Burlington High School and Merrimack (New Hampshire) Valley High School. At SHS, Richie coached basketball and baseball over a period of 38 years, compiling a 286-234 overall record. His teams won two Southern Vermont League titles and appeared in the Division I finals four times, claiming the Vermont State baseball crown in 1980.
Excellent choices for the first inductions. Congratulations to all of them.
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