Township Times
The Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame held its 8th annual induction banquet Sunday at the Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw Township. Nine individuals and three teams were inducted as the class of 2009.
Most notable for Saginaw Township sports fans is the inclusion of Douglas MacArthur graduate, world class swimmer, Wade King. King is the first MacArthur athlete to be inducted and the second from Saginaw Township Public Schools. Eisenhower golf standout, Steve Brady, was previously inducted in 2004. At the height of his career at the University of South Carolina while swimming for Team USA, King was part of a world record relay team, swam at two Olympic trials, and competed internationally in the Pan-Am and Pan-Pacific Games. He was a 16-time NCAA All-American.
Saginaw Township's Wendell Nehmer is well known in baseball circles as the long-time coach of Means Stamping and a pro scout. For the past 40 years, Nehmer has helped over one hundred local players advance to the college level through his contacts in the sport. His 1980 Means Stamping team won the Connie Mack World Series. Current Oakland A's pitching coach Curt Young played for Nehmer in the 1970's.
Pat Boyd was a high school football All-American at Saints Peter and Paul in the early 1960's, and later starred as quarterback of Central Michigan University where he broke or tied 14 school records during his collegiate career. He later became a successful wrestling coach winning Michigan Coach of the Year honors one season.
Saginaw's Dave “Tuck” Bedford was one of the tri-cities top recreation athletes. He is a member of the Michigan Touch Football and Michigan Softball hall's of fame. As a member of the Saginaw Bolters 1979 World Championship softball team, Bedford was selected to the All-World team. Bedford is co-owner of Sports Junction.
After a hall of fame coaching career at Hillsdale College, and before accepting the head coaching job at Michigan State University, Frank “Muddy” Waters made a stop in Saginaw County as the first coach and founder of the Saginaw Valley State University football program. He was instrumental in getting funding for the school and putting SVSU on the map. Frank "Murky" Waters of Saginaw Township accepted on behalf of his father.
The 1946, 1947, and 1948 Saints Peter and Paul basketball teams were 74-2 with three consecutive appearances in the Class C state championship game. The Midgets won the title in '47. Team members Art McColgan and Leo Smokey Boyd were previously inducted as individuals. Team member Francis Kruske was spokesperson for his teammates. Team member Fred Horn travelled from California to participate and Saginaw Township's Mike Lazorchak III represented his father who was the team's coach.
The rest of the 2009 class includes, Terri Phillion-Dulude - Volleyball (Bridgeport and CMU), Art Gelow - Basketball and Golf (Arthur Hill and Univ. South Dakota), Howard Patterson - Swimming (Arthur Hill, MSU, Saginaw's first Olympian - London 1948), Mike Walderzak - Pro football player, high school coach ( St. Andrew High School, University of Detroit, Canadian Football League, Bridgeport High School).