2004 - YHS Induction Class

Hall of Fame - 2004

Hall of Fame induction Class of 2004

• Eric Ball
• Rodney Barber
• Eugene Beatty
• Fred Cofield
• Linda Crabtree
• Jill Deuel
• Patrick Dignan
• Dane Emerson Fortney
• Rodney Holman
• Tino Lambros
• Robert Moffett
• Dick Ouellette
• Sue Parks
• Lowell Perry
• Kirk Profit
• Levi Simpson
• Roy Wilbanks

ERIC BALL – YHS 1984 – FOOTBALL – BASKETBALL - TRACK

• Earned 9 varsity letters – 3 each in football, basketball, and track
• Honor student – compiled an impressive 3.8 GPA
• 1983  – Football first team All State
• Selected MVP of the Detroit Free Press Scholar/Athlete Award
• Accepted football scholarship to UCLA
• 1986 -Set Rose Bowl  records with 4 touchdowns and 227 yards rushing
• 1986 – Named Rose Bowl MVP
• 1986 -Was first pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the NFL draft
• Played 6 years with the Bengals and one with the Oakland raiders 
• Lives in Cincinnati with his wife and 5 children
• Currently the Director of Players Relations with the Bengals

RODNEY BARBER - YHS 1974 – FOOTBALL -TRACK – COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPPORTER

• Varsity football and track
• 1972 - Starter on the YHS football team that went 8-1 and was ranked 6th in State
• The Barbers three children all graduated from YHS
• Constant and active community and YHS Athletic Department supporter
• Many years involved in the Ypsilanti  Huron Braves youth football league
• Long time President of the YHS Athletic Booster’s  raising thousands of dollars to support athletes and athletic programs at YHS
• Ran annual fundraisers like the craft show and the model train show
• Rodney was always there to help and lead – even painting bleachers at Shadford  Field
• Served as co-chair of the YHS Athletic Hall of Fame for many years
• Rodney Barber did so much for the “kids” of Ypsilanti

 EUGENE BEATTY– 34 YEAR YPSILANTI PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADMINISTRATOR

• Graduate of Detroit Northeastern High School
• 34-year career that left an enduring impact on so many

• Helped shape the Ypsilanti Public School District
• Principal of 5 schools in Ypsilanti over his career
• EMU - Earned many honors and citations throughout his lifetime

• 1932 – Named to the All American Track and Field Team

• 1932 – Set and held the world record for the 400-meter hurdles for 18 years
• 1932 – graduated from Michigan State Normal College (EMU)
• Held Penn relays and EMU (MSNC) record in the 220 for 18 years
• Member of mile relay team that won the Penn Relays 3 consecutive years
• 1936 – Narrowly missed being on the 1936 USA Olympic Team by a controversial decision of the Olympic Committee for the Berlin Olympics that featured Jesse Owens
• 1940 – Became the first Black Principal in the history of Michigan – Harriet Elementary -Now Perry School
• 1974 - Retired from Ypsilanti Public Schools after 34 years of dedicated service to Ypsilanti
• 1974 – Awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for Eastern Michigan University (Michigan State Normal College)
• 1976 – Inducted into the Eastern Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame
• 1976 – Inducted into the Michigan Educational Hall of Fame
• Mr. Beatty was instrumental in developing and initiating the world award winning Perry Early Childhood Development Center studied worldwide
• With High Scope Foundation, he was a leader in the High Scope/Perry School Study
• One of the Ypsilanti Early Learning Centers is named for Mr. Beatty
• 1998 - Passed away

FRED COFIELD – YHS 1980 – BASKETBALL

• Arguably one the best and most memorable players in Ypsilanti history
• Fred could take over a game at any moment
• Played 2 years of basketball at the University of Oregon
• Returned to Ypsilanti for his final 2 years at Eastern Michigan University
• Averaged 20.5 points and 5.9 assists per game for Eastern Michigan University
• 1986 – was the 4th round  pick in the NBA draft by the New York Knicks.
• Played 50 professional games for the Knicks and the Chicago Bulls
• Played 10 years of international basketball for Venezuela, Spain, and Australia averaging 22.1 points per game
• 2017 – signed as a professional scout for the New York Knickerbocker

LINDA CRABTREE – YHS – LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

• Served the Ypsilanti School District, Athletic Department, and community for many years
• Served as past president and director of the YHS Athletic Boosters Club
• Mrs. Crabtree helped design the Scholar Athlete Award given by the Booster’s Club
• Served 4 years on the Ypsilanti Board of Education
• 1994-1995 – served as Vice President of the Board of Educaton
• Served as President of the Ypsilanti Education Foundation providing mini grants for Ypsilanti teachers
• Mrs. Crabtree served on the following committees: District Wide School Improvement Team, District Budget Committee, District/EMU/Community/School Excellence  Committee, Past President of the Chapelle Elementary PAB, West Middle School PAB, and Ypsilanti High School PAB.
• Past President of the Citizen’s for Better Schools, Ypsilanti Rotary Club, corresponding secretary of the Philanthropic Educational Organization, and  past President of the Ypsilanti Choral Association
• Linda Crabtree is a true friend of Ypsilanti athletics and a viable leader in the Ypsilanti community
• Earned the State of Michigan recognition for her "Dedicated services toward ongoing effort to  meet the needs of Ypsilanti students."

• 2019 - Passed away

JILL DEUEL – YHS – TEACHER – COACH – ADMINISTRATOR

• 30 + years serving the students of Ypsilanti High School
• Has had a huge impact on students at YHS
• A true pioneer in women’s athletics
• 1966-84 – 18 years, Mrs. Deuel coached the synchronized swim club and produced an annual swim show
• 1973-1976 – coached the YHS Women’s Swim Team
• 1982-1997 – Assistant Athletic Director for Women’s Athletics
• She scheduled all women’s sporting events, officials, and supervised evening events
• Mrs. Deuel managed and organized league competitions for all women’s sports
• 1973 – 1997, 24 years -Managed and organized the annual Ypsilanti High School Wrestling Invitational Tournament
• For 15 years Jill was highly active in the American Red Cross safety Services Committee and for her work was honored with the Ruth Harris Award
• Mrs. Deuel has not only been a monumental part of YHS Athletics but has been a  wonderful role model to all

PATRICK DIGNAN –YHS - TEACHER – COACH

• 1958 - All State football and 1959 All State Basketball player for St Thomas H.S. (Gabriel Richard H.S.) in Ann Arbor
• 1958 – Football team was undefeated and unscored upon

• Long time teacher/coach for YHS
• 1959-1963 – EMU – played football(halfback) and baseball(centerfield)
• The Dignan’s two children both graduated from YHS
• Helped foster the football and baseball programs to great success
• Produced many All State and college athletes
• Football defensive coordinator – helped produce such notables as Eric Ball (Cincinnati Bengals), Rodney Holman (Cincinnati Bengals), and  Fred Cofield (New York Knickerbockers)
• 1986 – Coached YHS Baseball team to the State Championship
• 1986 – was honored as the Michigan State High School Baseball Coach of the Year
• Many of Mr. Dignan’s baseball players went on to college baseball and the minor leagues
• Mr. Dignan was looked upon as a highly effective economics and history teacher
• When people think of YHS baseball they think of Coach Pat Dignan

DANE EMERSON FORTNEY – YHS 1972 – FOOTBALL – TRACK AND FIELD

• 2-year varsity in football and 3 in track and field
• All State in two sports football and track and field
• 1971 - 1st team All State Football – wide receiver
• 1971 YHS Football team went  undefeated and finished with a 3rd ranking in State
• 1972 -  State Champion in the 880 (1/2 mile) – 1:52.2 still among the best in State history
• Attended Michigan State University on a football Scholarship
• Mr. Fortney competed in both sports while at MSU -  3 years in football and 4 years in track
• Competing in two Division I sports is a rare accomplishment for any athlete
• 1974-75 – Michigan State University Varsity Club president
• He currently works for TRW Automotive as a sales manager.
• He and his wife are active with their children and resid in White Lake, Michigan

RODNEY HOLMAN – YHS 1978 – FOOTBALL – WRESTLING

• Earned 7 varsity letters – 4, wrestling, 3, football
• 1977 – All State football
• 3 Time All State wrestler, winning 2 undefeated State Championships 1977 and 1978 – winning 144 consecutive matches
• 1978 – Accepted a football scholarship to Tulane University
• Played 4 years as a tight end for Tulane University
• Tulane - Set career  school  tight end records with 135 receptions, 1512 receiving  yards
• 1979 – Set Tulane season tight end receptions record of 47
• Instrumental is leading Tulane to two consecutive bowl games – first time in school history – 1978 Liberty Bowl and the 1980 Hall of Fame Bowl
• 1982 – Graduated from Tulane University with a double major in History and Physical Education
• 1982 – NFL Draft, picked in the 3rd round by the Cincinnati Bengals
• 1988,1989,1990 -All Pro selection 3 consecutive years
• 1988,1989,1990 - Pro Bowl selection 3 consecutive years
• Played 14 years of pro football – Cincinnati Bengals -1982-1992 and the Detroit Lions -1993-1995
• Career –365 receptions for 4771 reception yards and 36 touchdowns
• As of 2005 - his 318 receptions were a Bengal career record for a tight end and  6th most over all
• Mr. Holman played in 213 consecutive games and 216 career games – both 2nd most by a tight end in NFL history.-
• 1989 – Played in the XXlll Super Bowl losing to the San Francisco 49”ers 20-16
• 1998-99 – Tight end coach for the New Orleans Saints
• 2001-2002 – Strength coach for the Cincinnati Bengals
• 2013 – Inducted into the Greater New Orleans All State Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame
• 1985-1992 – “Football Outsiders” ranked Rodney in the top 6 tight ends in the NFL for those years with the number 1 ranking for 1989
• The Holman’s have  two daughters and live in Slidell, Louisiana
• At his induction into the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame/ Allstate Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame in August of 2013, Mr. Holman said,
  “It means a lot to be recognized by the Allstate Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame. Without my teammates I  wouldn’t have been there. Anytime you have an honor bestowed upon you, it’s humbling. To think that somebody thought to recognize me for what I enjoyed doing.”

C.TINO LAMBROS – YHS 1962 -CROSS COUNTRY -WRESTLING – BASEBALL – TEACHER - COACH

• 7 varsity letters – 1-Cross Country, 2- Baseball, 4 – Wrestling
• 1960 - Member of the 1960 State Champion cross country team
• 1961 and 1962 – 2- time State wrestling runner-up
• 1961 and 1962 – Member of the back to back State Championship wrestling teams
• 1962 – Co- Captain of the State champion wrestling team
• Member of three teams with 32 consecutive win streaks – Babe Ruth League Baseball, YHS and U of M wrestling
• Active in school activities – Varsity Club, Student Council, NHS, National Thespians, A’Capella Choir, and school plays
• 1962 – Accepted scholarship to wrestle at the University of Michigan
• 4 Year U of M wrestling team member that won 3 Big Ten Championships and finished in the top six in the NCAA wrestling tournaments all 4 years
• 1966 –  NCAA Wrestling All American
• 1966 – Earned Bachelor’s from U of M and 1975 a Master’s Degree from EMU
•  32-year teaching and coaching career 
• 1966 – 1971 – Wrestling coach at West Junior High School - record of 45 – 1
• Wrestling coach at Saline High School, YHS, and Lincoln High School with over 250 victories,
•  9 Conference Championships, 4 District championships, 2 Regional championships, over 35 All State wrestlers and over 100 State qualifiers., and several top 10 team finishes in the State Tournament
• 4-time MHSAA Regional Coach of the Year awards
• 1976 – Member of the Men’s’ Fast Pitch Class B State Champions and was awarded the “Outstanding Outfielder” of the tournament
• Community involvement – Ypsilanti Chamber Committees, member of the Boards for Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Washtenaw Credit Union, Chairman of the C. Robert Arvin Foundation, and member of the YCS Athletic Hall of Fame Committee
• Lifetime Ypsilanti resident
• Ypsilanti High School/Ypsilanti Community School's Invitational Wrestling Tournament renamed the Charles Beatty - C. Tino Lambros Wrestling Tournament

ROBERT MOFFETT, SR – YHS 1946 – FOOTBALL – BASKETBALL - BASEBALL - TEACHER – COACH – ADMINISTRATOR

• 3 sport athlete at YHS – football – basketball - baseball
• 3 sport athlete at Michigan State Normal College (EMU) – 4 years baseball, 3 years in football, and 2 years in basketball
• Personable, caring man of high integrity – mentor to many
• 1949 – graduated from MSNC – EMU
• Began his long career as athletic director at Lincoln High School
• At Lincoln, started the football program and coached basketball and baseball, as well
• 1958 – joined the staff at YHS and began a long career at YHS as teacher, coach, and athletic director
• I950’s -3rd baseman for the men’s Class Double “A” Fast pitch softball team that won the State Championship, led by the hitting of Mr. Moffett
• “Coach” had an outstanding 30 + year career spreading his kindness to hundreds of YHS students
• The Moffett Scholarship was established honoring two senior athletes, one male and one female.  The recipients are selected for their strength in character and leadership ability, just like Robert Moffett displayed over his years of working with children.
• Moffett Baseball Field, the high school baseball field, is named honoring Mr. Robert Moffett
• 1981 - Passed away

RICHARD (“DICK”) OUELLETTE – YHS – TEACHER –  COUNSELOR – COACH

• 32-year career as a teacher and coach – 23 years at YHS
• Graduate of Michigan State University
• 1964 -After 9 years at Addison High School, came to YHS
• Best known as a basketball coach, Mr. Ouellette also coached football, baseball, tennis, and golf
• Served as a Guidance Counselor, Chair of the Guidance Department, and later, the Cooperative Education Coordinator, and Driver’s Education teacher for 30 years
• Considered an outstanding football official
• Past President of the Michigan High School Coaches Association
• 482-198 – career basketball record; YHS 465-171
• Won a record 40 consecutive regular season basketball games
• 17 League championships
• 18 District TITLES
•  9 Regional titles
• 1968 and 1969  - two 2nd place finishes in State
• 1964 – Adrian Telegraph Lenawee County  Coach of the Year Coach of the Year
• 1969 – Detroit News Coach of the Year
• 1971 – Michigan High School Coach of the Year
• 1984 – Washtenaw County Coach of the Year
• 1984 -  Nominee for National Coach of the Year
• 1985 – Inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame
  “If you can get young people to believe in themselves, work hard ,it is amazing what they can accomplish.”  Dick Ouellette

SUSAN PARKS – YHS 1974 – CROSS COUNTRY – TRACK – COLLEGE COACH

• 1971 –  As a high school student won the US National high jump championship and made the US Pan American team that competed in the Pan American games in Cali, Columbia,

• 1972 – As a high school student ran for the USA in a meet against the Russian team and was a member of the  2-mile relay team that set the American record

• 1972 - First woman to compete in high school track in Michigan as she was allowed to compete on the men’s YHS track team
• 1973 - As a one lady team, she finished 5th in State in the team scoring for YHS
• 1974 –State Champion setting the record in the 880
• Attended Eastern Michigan University and earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
• Ms. Parks competed 4 years in both track and cross country for her father, Hall of Fame EMU coach, Bob Parks
• 1976-78 – won 3  unofficial MAC cross country championships
• 1979 – Won the official MAC cross country championship, as it became an official sport
• While at EMU, Ms. Parks set records in the 880, 1000, 1500, mile, 2-mile, 3 mile, and was a member of the record setting 2 mile relay team.
• After graduation, she went on to coach at the University of Michigan (1986 Big Ten Coach of the Year), Michigan State University, University of Arizona (NCAA Regional Coach of the Year),
• 1994 – Began a 12-year tenure as coach at Ball State University coaching indoor and outdoor track, and cross country
• At Ball State she earned 7 coach of the year honors spread among the 3 disciplines, and an NCAA Cross Country Regional Coach of the Year
•  Ball State accomplishments include numerous MAC team championships, 6 NCAA All Americans, 7 Conference MVP’s, 70 MAC individual champions, and  12 MAC relay champions,
• President of the Cross Country Coaches association
• 2006 – Returned to EMU as head track and field, and cross country coach
• She continued her legendary success by adding 6 more track and field MAC championships, 5 MAC cross country championships, and 9 more MAC Coach of the Year awards
• 1992 – Inducted into the EMU Athletic Hall of Fame
• 2020 – In her 15th year at EMU, and still going strong!

LOWELL PERRY – YHS 1949 – FOOTBALL

• 3 years captain of the YHS football team
• 1946-47-48 -Led the YHS football team to 3 consecutive State Championships
• 1949 – attended the University of Michigan and graduated with a History degree
• 1951 – Earned All American, All Midwest, and All Big Ten honors as a wide receiver 
• 1951 -Two-way player, punt returner and safety – rated best defensive back in college
• 1951 – Was a key member of the U of M Rose Bowl team defeating the Unversity of California – 14 – 6.
• Held U of M receiving records for 15 years – Most receptions in a season – 71; Most receiving yardage in a season - 1261 yards; Most receiving yardage in a game -, 165
• After graduation, Mr. Perry had a two-year military obligation through his ROTC program
• Played football at Bolling Air Force Base- named the Outstanding Football Player in the Military
• 1953 – Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a receiver and return specialist.
• 1956 – In his 6th game as a rookie, he sustained a career-ending injury - many thinking he was on his way to being Rookie of the Year
• Mr. Perry spent 13 weeks in the hospital recovering from a career-ending broken pelvis and dislocated hip
• 1960 – Graduated with a Law Degree from Detroit College of Law
• Many firsts in Mr. Perry’s resume’- Black assistant coach in the NFL(Steelers), Black NFL Broadcaster to national audience (Steelers), Plant Manager for Chrysler(17-year career),
• 1975 – President Ford appointed him Commissioner of the Federal Equal opportunity Commission
• 1989 – Inducted into the University of Michigan Hall of Honor
• 1990-1996 – Director of the Michigan Department of Labor
  “You make a living by what you earn but  make a life by what you give.” Lowell Perry

KIRK PROFIT – YHS 1970 – FOOTBALL – WRESTLING – TENNIS – PUBLIC SERVICE

• 3 Sport letter winner
• A hard, dedicated worker who got things done
• 1975 – Completed BS from Eastern Michigan University in Philosophy and Political Science
• 1979 – Earned law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy Law School – ( J.D.)
• 1980 – Completed The FBI National Academy
• 1982 – Completed Columbia University for postgraduate law studies
• 1989-1998 – Served in the Michigan House of Representatives for the 54th and 22nd Districts
• Served many years in the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department
• Supported YHS Athletics in many ways over the years
• Kirk A. Profit Fund for Michigan – raised revenues to send the world-famous YHS Choir to Vienna, Austria
• The Profit Fund helped purchase football uniforms for YHS
• Established the pre-game football meal
• Mr. Profit was a strong supporter of the YHS Athletic Booster Club
• A YHS alumnus who has stood tall and continues to support and extend a helping hand to get things done

LEVI SIMPSON – YHS 1955 – FOOTBALL – BASKETBALL – TRACK – TEACHER – COACH

• 8 Varsity Letters – 2 football, 2 basketball, and 4 in track
• 1955 – 440 State Champion – 50.5
• Graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Physical Education and history
• Mr. Simpson was the anchorman on the mile relay team for EMU
• Member of the EMU track team that went undefeated for 3 years
• After graduation, returned to YHS and had an extraordinarily successful 38-year teaching and coaching career
• 42 years Coach Simpson was a mainstay on the “chain gang” for all YHS home football games – missing only one game in that span
• This pure “purple and gold” man touched and influenced the lives of hundreds of YHS students and athletes

ROY WILBANKS – YHS 1960 – CROSS COUNTRY – WRESTLING – GOLF - TEACHER – COACH – PUBLIC SERVICE

• 3 time All State wrestler
• 1959 – State Champion wrestler
• 1960 – Wrestling team captain and accepted wrestling scholarship to Colorado State University
• Qaulifier for the NCAA Wrestling Tournament for CSU.
• 1969 – Returned to YHS as a biology and Physical education teacher, wrestling, and golf  coach
• 48-5-2 Overall wrestling dual meet coaching record at YHS
• 4 Sauk Trail Conference championships,
• 3 District Championships
•  4 Regional championships
• Mr. Wilbanks’s teams finished in the top  10 in State and twice finished 3rd
• 34 – Consecutive dual meet victories and a perfect 14-0 in the 1969-70 season
• 7-year tenure as golf coach – finished in the top 5 in State twice
• Earned a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University
• 10 years as a successful administrator at the Regional Career Technical Center
• A recognizable person at Eastern Michigan University in several capacities
•  CEO of the EMU Foundation, Assistant to the EMU President, on the Board of Regents(2004-12), EMU Vice President for University Relations,
• 26 years of service to Eastern Michigan University
• 2014 – Eagle Crest Golf Course Clubhouse named in his honor
• Received the EMU John W Porter Distinguished Service  Award
• Received the Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award
• Named the Ypsilanti Press Person of the Year
• Made our community a better place and Ypsilanti’s athletic history truly richer