2007 - YHS Induction Class

Hall of Fame - 2007

Hall of Fame induction Class of 2007

• Louis Batterson
• Michael Bradley
• Leo Clark
• Jeff Fulton
• Annette Kubiskie
• Jessica Riccobono-Thomas
• Richard Robb
• Richard Roberts
• Don Schwall
• Ambrose Wilbanks

LOUIS BATTERSON – YHS 1930 – FOOTBALL – BASKETBALL – BASEBALL –  TEACHER – COACH

• YHS - LETTERED IN FOUR SPORTS – FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL BASEBALL AND TRACK
• 1928 -  QUARTERBACK OF THE STATE CHAMPION YHS FOOTBALL TEAM
• 1930 – RECIPIENT OF THE YHS “BILL FOY CUP” SIGNIFYING THE TOP 4-YEAR ATHLETE
• ATTENDED MICHIGAN STATE NORMAL COLLEGE – NOW EMU – EARNING HIS TEACHING DEGREE
• LETTERED IN THREE SPORTS AT MSNC – FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, AND BASEBALL
• CAPTAIN OF MSNC/EMU BASEBALL TEAM
• PLAYED 5 YEARS OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL WITH THE DETROIT TIGER ORGANIZATION
• 4 –TIME ALL-STAR IN MINORS BEFORE A BROKEN ANKLE ENDED HIS BASEBALL CAREER
• SERVED IN THE AIR FORCE DURING WORLD WAR II
• SERVED AS PLAYER/COACH FOR HIS MILITARY UNIT
• COACHED FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, AND BASEBALL AT YHS
• 25 – YEAR TEACHER/COACH CAREER IN YPSI SCHOOLS
• NEVER COACHED A LOSING SEASON
• COACHED YHS BASKETBALL TEAM TO MULTIPLE REGIONAL FINALS
• FOUNDED THE FIRST BASKETBALL TEAM AT CLEARY COLLEGE
• 1975 – WON MICHIGAN SENIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS AGE GROUP
• 1979 – INDUCTED INTO THE EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
• 2006 – PASSED AWAY

MICHAEL BRADLEY – YHS 1964 – FOOTBALL – WRESTLING – TEACHER – COACH

• 1963 – FOOTBALL TEAM CO-CAPTAIN
• 1961 – FOOTBALL THRILL – UPSETTING ANN ARBOR PIONEER AT EMU’S BRIGGS FIELD
• 1963 AND 1964 – REGIONAL WRESTLING CHAMPION
• 1964 – WRESTLING CO-CAPTAIN
• 1964 – STATE WRESTLING CHAMPION
• 1962 AND 1964 – MEMBER OF TWO YHS STATE CHAMPION WRESTLING TEAMS
• 1964 – ACCEPTED ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
• MSU – LETTERED IN FOOTBALL AND WRESTLING
• 1965 – MEMBER OF THE MSU BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL TEAM
• 1966 – PLAYED IN THE ROSE BOWL GAME FOR MSU
• 1966 – MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MSU FOOTBALL TEAM
• 1966 – 67 – 68 – 3 TIME BIG TEN CHAMPION WRESTLER
• 1967 – MIDLANDS WRESTLING CHAMPION AND WRESTLED IN THE EAST/WEST ALL STAR DUAL MEET
• 1967 – 2ND PLACE ALL AMERICAN WRESTLER IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
• 1967 – MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CHAMPION MSU WRESTLING TEAM
• 55-7 – CAREER WRESTLING RECORD AT MSU
• 1966 AND 1967 – VERY RARE- MEMBER OF TWO NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS IN TWO DIFFERENT SPORTS
• 1968 – GRADUATED WITH HIS TEACHING DEGREE FROM MSU AND ACCEPTED A TEACHER/COACH POSITION WITH YPSILANTI SCHOOLS
• 1969-79 – U.S. NATIONAL MEDALIST IN GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING
• 1970-73 –U.S. NATIONAL FINALIST IN FREESTYLE WRESTLING
• 1971 – ALTERNATE TO THE U.S. PAN AMERICAN WRESTLING TEAM
• 1972 – 2ND IN THE U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS
• 1973 – MEDALIST FOR THE U.S. GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING IN THE WORLD GAMES IN MOSCOW
• 1979 – REGIONAL WRESTLING HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR
• 1969-79 – YHS WRESTLING COACH
• 1980 – 89 – COACHED AT EMU, PINCKNEY H.S.,LINCOLN HS – U OF MISSOURI
• RETIRED AFTER 35 YEARS IN EDUCATION AND COACHING
• 2017 – INDUCTED INTO THE MICHIGAN CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME

LEO CLARK – YHS 1948 – FOOTBALL – BASKETBALL – BASEBALL – TRACK - COACH - TEACHER – ADMINISTRATOR

•  AN ACTIVE  AND MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO MANY YHS SPORTS
• 1948 – ACCEPTED FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP TO MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE IN SIOUX CITY, IOWA
• LEFT COLLEGE AND RETURNED TO YPSILANTI AFTER HIS FATHER BECAME ILL
• COMPLETED HIS BS DREGREE IN EDUCATION FROM MSNC/ EMU
• YPSILANTI PUBLIC SCHOOL HIRED MR. CLARK AS A HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER AND COACH – ONE OF THE VERY FIRST BLACK TEACHERS IN THE YPSI DISTRICT
• AFTER 7 YEARS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, TRANSFERRED TO EAST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AS A SCIENCE AND P.E. TEACHER
• 1967 - FOLLOWING THE ADVICE OF HOF MEMBERS EUGENE BEATTY, ACCEPTED A POSITION AS COMMUNITY AGENT FOR THE YPSILANTI SCHOOL DISTRICT
• 1969 – NAMED PRINCIPAL OF PERRY ELEMENTARY
• MAINTAINED HIS COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND SUPERVISED MANY OF THE BEST  ELEMENTARY TEACHERS IN YPSILANTI
• 1976 – NAACP THREATENED TO CLOSE PERRY ELEMENTARY, BUT WITH HIS MENTOR MR. BEATTY, THEY CREATED A PROGRAM FOLLOWING MR. BEATTY’S MASTER THESIS THAT BECAME THE PERRY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
• THE PERRY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER BECAME A MODEL FOR EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT(CDC) THROUGHOUT THE USA
• THE CDC  PROGRAM, LED BY MR. CLARK, HAS EARNED NUMEROUS AWARDS AND IS WELL KNOWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY EDUCATION EXPERTS
• THE CDC HAS BEEN STUDIED AND EMULATED BY MANY REKNOWNED EDUCATORS
• 1981 – HONORED AND AWARDED FOR HIS “OUTSTANDING AND UNSELFISH SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY”.
• 1991 – MR. CLARK RETIRED OVER 30+ YEARS SERVING IN THE YPSILANTI DISTRICT
• HIS LEGACY IS WHAT FRIENDS, TEAMMATES AND COLLEAGUES SAY ABOUT  HIM:

HOWARD NEELY(HOF 2018) – “HE WAS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH ON THE GRIDIRON. HE WOULD RUN INTO OPPONENTS WITHOUT FEAR. A TOP FLIGHT GUY, A LEADER, NOT JUST IN SPORTS.”

LAWRENCE PERRY,JR (HOF 2008) – “HE WAS A TEAM PLAYER. LEO WAS WILLING TO DO WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO WIN. HE COULD PLUG IN WHEREVER HE WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE. HE SWITCHED FROM FULLBACK TO END TO HELP THE TEAM. PLAYED TREMENDOUS DEFENSE AND WAS A GREAT COMPETITOR.”

SUPERINTENDENT DR. JAMES HAWKINS – “LEO WAS RESPECTED AND WELL-LIKED BY HIS STAFF. HE WAS EASY GOING AND VERY PERSONABLE. HE PROVIDED SOUND LEADERSHIP AT PERRY CDC. HE WAS RECOGNIZED AS A STRONG LEADER AND ADVOCATE IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION MOVEMENT.”

• A FORMER STUDENT SAID OF  HIM, “ EVERYTHING HE’S DONE HAS ALWAYS BEEN FOR KIDS. HE MADE US FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES AND GAVE US A SENSE OF DIRECTION.”
• 2016 – PASSED AWAY

JEFF FULTON – YHS 1974 – FOOTBALL – LIFETIME COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL SUPPORTER

• 1972 -FOOTBALL – HIGHLIGHT BEING A MEMBER OF THE TEAM THAT WENT 8 – 1 AND WON THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP  - RANKED HIGH IN THE STATE
• WIFE AND THEIR THREE SONS ALL YHS GRADUATES
• ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THE YHS GIRLS’ GOLF TEAM
• OWNER OF HICKORY WOOD GOLF COURSE THAT HELD MANY FUNDRAISERS
• HICKORY WOOD (HWGC) LAUNCHED THE YPSILANTI BRAVE GOLF INVITATIONAL
• FORMER STATISTICIAN FOR YHS FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL
• PAST TREASURER OF THE YHS ATHLETIC BOOSTERS
• HELPED REFURBISH THE ORIGINAL YHS WEIGHT ROOM
• 1980-2007 – HOSTED HUNDREDS OF GOLF FUNDRAISERS AT HIS HICKORY WOODS COURSE RAISING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR YHS ATHLETICS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
• 1985 TO PRESENT – WAS EMU FOOTALL STATISTICIAN AND ENGINEER FOR WEMU GAME BROADCASTS
• PAST YPSI PUBLIC SCHOOLS(YPS) BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER
• PAST BOARD MEMBER OF THE YPS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
• YPSI HERITAGE FESTIVAL – MC FOR RUBBER DUCKY RACE
• INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE FLOAT JUDGE
• TOOK PART IN NUMEROUS OTHER COMMUNITY FUND RAISING EVENTS
• 2003-2008 - DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE WASHTENAW SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN SCHEDULING 9-1-1 AWARENESS ASSEMBLIES IN AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
• 50 + YEAR MEMBER OF ST. MATTHEWS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
• “OLD MAN WALKING” -AFTER RETIREMENT, MR. FULTON WALKED ACROSS THE STATE FROM TAWAS CITY TO FRANFORT PUBLISHING HIGHLIGHTS HIS ACCOMPLISHMENT IN HIS JOURNAL. HE WALKED 182 MILES IN 14 DAYS

JEFF FULTON - “ I ENJOYED MY HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE AND I THINK SPORTS REMAIN AN IMPORTANT EXTRACURRICULAR OUTLET FOR STUDENTS AT YPSILANTI HIGH SCHOOL. IN SOME CASES, INVOLVEMENT IN SPORTS MOTIVATES STUDENTS TO REMAIN IN SCHOOL.”

ANNETTE KUBISKIE – YHS 1977 – SWIMMING/DIVING - GYMNASTICS – COACH

• YHS PIONEER IN WOMEN’S SPORTS
• AT 16 YEARS OLD – WAS ASKED TO COACH YOUNG GYMNASTS ON SATURDAYS
• MS KUBISKE HAD HER EYE ON ENGINEERING, BUT FELL IN LOVE WITH COACHING AS A RESULT OF HER YOUTH GYMNASTIC’S COACHING
• 1973 – EARNED TOP YHS GYMNAST AWARD
• ATTENDED MSU SUMMER DIVING CAMPS AND LOCAL POOL PROGRAMS
• TOOK UP COMPETITIVE DIVING COMPETITION ONLY IN HER SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
• 1976 – BECAME MICHIGAN’S FIRST FEMALE STATE CHAMPION DIVER
• 1976 – UNDEFEATED IN DIVING HER SENIOR YEAR
• 1976 – SELECTED FOR THE ALL-STATE SWIM TEAM
• 1977 – SELECTED AS A HIGH SCHOOL ALL AMERICAN DIVER
• 1977 – RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BOTH GYMNASTICS AND DIVING
• 1977 - ACCEPTED DIVING SCHOLARSHIP TO PURDUE
• TWO-TIME VARSITY LETTER FOR DIVING AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY
• EARNED BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN EDUCATION FROM EMU
• EARNED MASTER’S DEGREE FROM PURDUE
• 1984 -1987 – PURDUE UNIVERSITY DIVING COACH
• SHE BECAME A RESPECTED AND VALUED TEACHER COACH
• APPEARED IN “WHO’S WHO AMONG AMERICA’S TEACHERS”
• NOMINATED FOR PRESTIGIOUS GOLDEN APPLE AWARD” FOR OUTSTANDING TEACHERS
• WORKS AS A LABOR RELATIONS CONSULTANT WITH THE OHIO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

“WHEN I WAS 16 I WAS ASKED TO COACH YOUNGER GYMNASTS SATURDAY MORNINGS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. I BELIEVE AS A RESULT OF THAT WORK, I AM WHERE I AM TODAY. I FELT I HAD A BETTER KNACK FOR THE DIVING PIECE BUT WITHOUT MY GYMNASTICS BACKGROUND I COULDN’T HAVE DONE WHAT I DID. MY LOVE FOR COACHING STARTED AT YPSILANTI HIGH SCHOOL.” – ANNETTE KUBISKE

JESSICA RICCOBONO-THOMAS – YHS 1993 – SWIMMING / DIVING – GYMNASTIICS – SOFTBALL - TRACK – COACH

• TALENTED MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE
• 2 – SPORT CAPTAIN – GYMNASTICS AND SWIMMING
• 4 – YEAR ALL STATE DIVER
• 1992 – STATE CHAMPION DIVER
• 1993 – YHS FEMALE STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
• 1993 – DETROIT FREE PRESS ALL-METRO SWIMMING TEAM
• HIGH SCHOOL ALL AMERICAN DIVER HONORABLE MENTION
• 1993 – HIGH SCHOOL ALL AMERICAN DIVER
• 1993 – YHS RECIPIENT OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION(DAR) LEADERSHIP AWARD
• 1993 – ACCEPTED DIVING SCHOLARSHIP TO THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
• 1993-1997 -4 - YEARS – BIG TEN DIVER FOR IOWA
• 2021 – MS. RICCOBONO REMAINS IN THE TOP TEN IN TWO DIVING EVENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HISTORY – 1995 - 8TH IN ONE METER – 413.45 AND 1995 - 9TH IN 3 METER – 472.69
• 1997 – COMPLETED HER BACHELOR’S DEGREE FROM IOWA WITH A DOUBLE MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY AND SPEECH AND HEARING SCIENCES
• COACHED DIVING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA
• 2000 – AWARDED NCAA DIVISION II MEN’S DIVING COACH OF THE YEAR
• COACH RICCOBONO’S MEN DIVERS PLACED IN THE 1 METER PLACED 3RD, 5TH,  AND 8TH,  WHILE HER 3 METER DIVERS PLACED 1ST, 3RD AND 10TH.
• AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA, SHE COMPLETED HER MASTER’S DEGREE IN SPEECH THERAPY AND IS A SPEECH THERAPIST IN NEW JERSEY

COMMENTING ON HER HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE, “I WAS THE UNDERDOG IN THAT COMPETITION BUT I STAYED RELAXED AND DID THE FINAL DIVE THE WAY I KNEW I COULD. “ AND HER PARTICIPATION IN SEVERAL SPORTS, “THIS ALLOWED ME TO MEET A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, MAKE GOOD FRIENDS AND TO  BE EXPOSED TO A WIDE VARIETY OF VERY TALENTED ATHLETES.” – JESSICA RICCOBONO-THOMAS

RICHARD ROBB – YHS 1954 – SWIMMING / DIVING – LIFETIME COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL SUPPORTER

• SCHOOL ACTIVITIES – SWIMMING, INTRAMURAL SPORTS, VARSITY CLUB,

YHS THEATER PRODUCTIONS

• A LIFETIME OF SERVING THE YPSILANTI COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT
• 1957-59 -SERVED IN THE ARMY
• 1959 -EARNED A BA DEGREE FROM EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
• 1964 -EARNED HIS DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
• 1967 – 1993 – SERVED ON EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY’S BOARD OF REGENTS – 26 YEARS -LONGEST SERVING TENURE OF ANY EMU REGENT
• 1975-85 – ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF EMU REGENTS
• 1967-1970 – ELECTED YPSILANTI CITY COUNCILMAN
• 1967-71 – MEMBER OF THE YPSILANTI JAYCEES
• FORMER TRUSTEE OF THE YPSILANTI BOYS’ CLUB
• SERVED ON THE YPSILANTI YOUTH COMMISSION
•  SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EMU FOUNDATION
• MEMBER OF THE YPSILANTI AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
• 1967 – RECIPIENT OF THE JAYCEES OUTSTANDING YOUNG MEN OF MICHIGAN
• 1993 – CO-CHAIR COMMUNITY TASKFORCE ON YPSILANTI PUBLIC SCHOOLS
• 1993 – RECEIVED AN HONORARY DOCTOR OF SCIENCE FROM EMU
• 2004 – CO-CHAIR COMMUNITY TASKFORCE ON YPSI PUBLIC SCHOOLS FINANCES/MILLAGES
• 2009 – RECEIVED YPSILANTI CHAMBER OF COMMERCES DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
• FORMER  BOARD MEMBER FOR BANK ONE, CITIZENS BANK , AND BANK OF ANN ARBOR
• SUPPORTED YPSILANTI AND EMU ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC PROGRAMS
• EMU’S OLDS-ROBB STUDENT RECREATION0INTRAMURAL COMPLEX IS NAMED FOR DR. ROBB AND DR. OLDS IN HONOR OF THEIR SUPPORT AND SERVICE TO EMU
• DR. ROBB BELONGED TO A PLETHORA OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
• DR. ROBB RETIRED FROM HIS DENTISTRY PRACTICE, STILL LIVES IN THE AREA AND ENJOYING HIS MANY ROUNDS OF GOLS GOLF

“ATHLETIC OUTLETS ALONG WITH ACADEMICS PREPARED ME FOR COLLEGE AND BEYOND. I HAVE A FONDNESS FOR THE YPSILANTI PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE CITY.MY THREE DAUGHTERS GRADUATED FROM YHS, WENT TO COLLEGE AND HAVE DONE WELL.BEING INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME IS A SURPRISE AND AN HONOR.” – DR. RICHARD ROBB

RICHARD ROBERTS – YHS 1949 -  FOOTBALL – BASKETBALL – TENNIS – LIFETIME COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL SUPPORTER

• SCHOOL ACTIVITES – VARSITY CLUB, CLASS OFFICER AS A JUNIOR AND SENIOR, CLASS SALUTATORIAN, AND NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
• MR. ROBERTS WAS A RECOGNIZED SCHOLAR, AN ATHLETE, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTER
• THREE SPORT STANDOUT HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE – FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, AND TENNIS AND IN LATER YEARS BECAME AN ACCOMPLISHED GOLFER
• HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS STATE CHAMPION DOUBLES PLAYER
• 1949 – ENTERED MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
• MEMBER OF THE MSU R.O.T.C.
• BIG TEN CHAMPION TENNIS DOUBLES PLAYER FOR MSU
• COMPLETED HIS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE AT MSU
• SERVED IN THE ARMY AIR FORCE AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT
• STATIONED AT FORT BRAGG AND WAS PART OF THE ARMY’S TENNIS TEAM
• WON SEVERAL TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH THE ARMY TENNIS TEAM
• EARNED HIS LAW DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
• ESTABLISHED HIS SUCCESSFUL 40+ YEARS LAW PRACTICE IN YPSILANTI
• 10 YEAR MEMBER OF THE YPSILANTI BOARD OF EDUCATION – AS PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEE
• ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE YPSI JAYCEES AND WAS A STATE OFFICER IN THE STATE JAYCEES
• MEMBER OF MANY LOCAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS INCLUDING, THE YPSILANTI COUNCIL ON AGING, THE YPSILANTI FINANCIAL ADVISORY BOARD, CHAIRMAN OF THE YPSILANTI REPUBLICAN PARTY,  YPSILANTI TAX COMMISSION, YPSILANTI YOUTH COMMITTEE, BOARD OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, ON THE BOARDS OF NATIONAL BANK OF YPSILANTI, BANK ONE, AND CITIZENS BANK,
• 1960-68 – TAUGHT BUSINESS LAW AT EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY,
• MARRIED FOR 47+ PLUS YEARS TO WIFE MARGARET WHO RAISED ALL 8 CHILDREN IN YPSILANTI
• PASSED AWAY

“Dick was a guy who could qualify for the YHS Hall of Fame in all three areas; sports, Academics, and community service. I don’t know anyone who was more active in the community than him and he was a tremendous contributor to Ypsilanti. Dick was a great guy, extremely dependable and loyal.” Ambrose Wilbanks, 2007 Hall of Fame inductee.

DON SCHWALL – YHS 1954 – FOOTBALL – BASKETBALL – BASEBALL

• FAMILY MOVED TO YPSILANTI FROM PENNSYLVANIA TO WORK AT THE BOMBER PLANT

• ALL-STATE BASKETBALL -GUARD AND FORWARD
• ALL-STATE BASEBALL – PITCHER
• ALL-STATE HONORABLE MENTION FOOTBALL – QUARTERBACK
• 1954 – ACCEPTED BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP TO UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
• 1957 -ALL BIG EIGHT BASKETBALL PLAYER – AVERAGED 15.1 POINTS PER GAME
• 1957 – LED BASKETBALL TEAM IN REBOUNDING – AVERAGING 8.7 PER GAME
• 1957 - HIGHEST SCORING SOPHOMORE IN U OF OKLAHOMA BASKETBALL HISTORY
• 1957 – PLAYING HEAD TO HEAD WITH WILT CHAMBERLAIN-OUTSCORED HIM 30 TO 11
• 1957 – LEFT A BASKETBALL PRACTICE TO ATTEND A BASEBALL TRYOUT
• 1957 – SIGNED PRO BASEBALL CONTRACT WITH THE BOSTON RED SOX WITH A BONUS OF $65,000, A VERY HIGH AMOUNT IN THOSE TIMES.
• 1961 – PITCHED IN FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE GAME FOR RED SOX ON  MAY 21, 1961 AND ON JULY 13,1961 WITH AN 11-2 RECORD, WAS PITCHING IN THE ALL STAR GAME IN FENWAY PARK
• 1961 – AMERICAN LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WITH THE RED SOX
• 1961 – PITCHED THE MIDDLE THREE INNING OF THE 1961 ALL STAR GAME
• 1961 -  STRUCK OUT THE LAST BATTER HE FACED, HALL OF FAMER, STAN MUSIAL
• 1961 – FINISHED WITH A 15-7 RECORD, ERA OF 3.22, AND 14TH IN THE MVP VOTING FOR A BOSTON TEAM THAT FINISHED 10 GAMES UNDER 500 AND 33 GAMES OUT OF FIRST PLACE
• 1961 – GAVE UP MICKEY MANTLE’S 54TH AND LAST HOMERUN OF 1961, BUT MR. SCHWALL WAS PROUD TO SAY HE NEVER GAVE UP A HOMERUN TO HANK AARON, WHO HE GOT THE BEST OF.
• 1961 – MADE THE AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL ROOKIE TEAM
• 1963 – TRADED TO THE PITSBURGH PIRATES
• 1966 – TRADED TO THE ATLANTA BRAVES
• 1967 – AFTER 7 YEARS, RETIRED FROM PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
• 1961 -COMPLETED HIS BUSINESS DEGREE FROM THE U OF OKLAHOMA, BUT ATTENDED GRADUATION CEREMONY IN 2018
• STOCKBROKER – PRESIDENT OF BOB PRINCE CHARITIES
• LIVES IN PENNSYLVANIA WITH HIS WIFE OF 40 + YEARS, PATTY

          “ I attribute part of my success to the superior coaching staff at Ypsilanti High School that includes YHS Hall of Famers Ron Isbell, Ed Shadford, and Lou Batterson. “ After being Rookie if the Year and pitching in an All Star Game, he said, “A memorable sports moment happened in high school when we played Kalamazoo Central. Kalamazoo Central was a basketball powerhouse and had been State Champions. That night I scored 36 points and we beat them 64-57. My uncle, Joe Schwall, who had played professional basketball, was at the game and it was a real thrill for me to have him there.” – Donald Schwall

AMBROSE WILBANKS – YHS 1957 – WRESTLING – GOLF – TEACHER – COACH –  ADMINISTRATOR

• SCHOOL ACTIVITIES – YHS CLASS PRESIDENT, NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, VARSITY CLUB MEMBER
• 3 – TIME ALL STATE WRESTLER
• 1956 -CO-CAPTAIN OF TWO TEAMS – WRESTLING AND GOLF
• 1956 – 112 LB STATE CHAMPION WRESTLER
• 1956 – CO CAPTAIN OF THE STATE CHAMPION YHS WRESTLING TEAM
• 1956 – ACCEPTED A WRESTLING SCHOLARSHIP TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
• 1960 – WON THE BIG TEN WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP
• COMPLETED BACHELOR’S DEGREE FROM U OF MICHIGAN
• COMPLETED MASTER’S DEGREE FROM EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
• 30+ YEARS AS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED AND SOUGHT AFTER WRESTLING REFEREES IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
• 1960’S – BEGAN HIS 30+ YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR IN THE YPSILANTI PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT WEST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
• 1960’S – ESTABLISHED AND COACHED THE WEST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING PROGRAM
• MOVED UP THE RANKS OF YPSILANTI SCHOOLS – TEACHER, COACH, AND COUNSELOR
• WAS
•  A WELL-LIKED, WELL-RESPECTED PRINCIPAL IN THE YPS
•  CONTINUED HIS VERY SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL CAREER IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE AS AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.
• LIFETIME YPSILANTI RESIDENT THAT CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
• LONG TIME MEMBER OF THE YHS/YCS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE
• AFTER RETIRING FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BECAME A VERY SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT, WHICH HE CONTINUES TO DO TODAY

“The friends you make through sports are long lasting. I am still friends with the kids I wrestled with at Ypsilanti High School. The camaraderie of sports is impossible to put a value on. We had a very demanding coach, YHS Hall of Famer Bert Waterman. We were a powerhouse team for 25 years. It’s proof that if you work hard you can accomplish anything.” – Ambrose Wilbanks