2015 Hall of Fame Inductees
Pete Baylor
Stephen Bigelow
John Lemmons
Jeff Messerle
1996 State Champion Cheer Team
Stephen Bigelow
John Lemmons
Jeff Messerle
1996 State Champion Cheer Team
Article by Yourgo Artsitas of The World, September 26, 2015
For the 13th straight year, Marshfield High School inducted former athletes into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday.
At five inductees, the 2015 honorees make up the smallest class the Pirates have ever recognized, but the packed house at The Mill Casino-Hotel got quality over quantity.
Pete Baylor, Stephen Bigelow, Jeff Messerle, John Lemmons and the 1996 state champion dance team were the inductees honored at the event.
Hosting was Marshfield's athletic director Greg Mulkey, the master of ceremonies Saturday. Mulkey, a Coquille High graduate, was put into the Red Devils Hall of Fame last week, which admittingly gave him a new perspective on the proceedings.
"I always knew it was," Mulkey said. "But now I know how special it is to be elected to a hall of fame."
Pete Baylor
The first honoree was 1945 graduate Baylor, a lifelong Pirate fan who has been making it out to games for nearly three quarters of a century.
To honor Baylor, Marshfield will recess a plaque into a chair at Pirate Palace that reads, "Forever memories of Pete Baylor and his longtime support of Marshfield High School."
"You didn't know that, did you?" Mulkey quipped to Baylor, stunned.
"I'm not near the great person he's making out, but I'm grateful to be honored for something I love to do, which is watch high school sports," Baylor said. "I'll do that as long as I can."
1996 State Championship Dance Team
For the second straight year, Marshfield honored the 20-year anniversary of a Pirates state dance championship, inviting the 1996 team to be inducted.
Brooke Billings, Katie Allender, Molly Barrett, Megan McDaniel, Quinn Busby, Krissy Hanson, Erin Gould, Julia Matejka and coach Judy Parker were all honored, some for a second time after last year's induction for the 1995 state champion team.
"When I told the guys around the office I was elected into the Marshfield Hall of Fame, I got some clout," Gould said, referring to being in the same hall of fame as Oregon Ducks head football coach Mark Helfrich. "It's incredible to be part of (Marshfield sports) history."
Stephen Bigelow
Bigelow, a 1954 graduate, played on the Pirates 1953 state basketball team and was named to the All-America team for football by Scholastic Magazine and was MVP of the 1954 Shrine Game.
Bigelow was a little overwhelmed by the moment, but made a point to thank his family and high school sweetheart Betty, his wife of 59 years.
"I thought about it for quite awhile," Bigelow said. "I just want to thank everybody for choosing me for this honor."
The final two (Lemmons and Messerle) were inducted separately, but brought up together, which was appropriate given their success as teammates in their 1992 graduating class.
John Lemmons
Lemmons was a four-sport letterman with 10 varsity letters. He also won the MVP award at the 1992 state title game against Ashland, leading the team in tackles, intercepting two balls and scoring four total touchdowns. He's now the linebackers coach for Marshfield's football team.
"(Messerle) still looks like the quarterback and, like coach (Chuck) Crandall said a few years ago, 'You could be the pulling guard now,'" Lemmons said, starting out self-deprecating before giving a warm, lighthearted speech.
Lemmons named dozens of coaches and mentors along the way, leaving Messerle with fewer Thank Yous for his turn.
Jeff Messerle
"John pretty much named them all," Messerle said. "I'm just so thankful for everyone that helped me out along the way."
Messerle was the starting quarterback on the 1992 state team, but played basketball in college at Chemeketa Community College and Sonoma State.
Besides his family and mentors, Messerle went on to thank the community in general and its penchant for rallying around its sports teams.
"I think it's one of a kind," Messerle said. "But I'm a little biased."
For the 13th straight year, Marshfield High School inducted former athletes into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday.
At five inductees, the 2015 honorees make up the smallest class the Pirates have ever recognized, but the packed house at The Mill Casino-Hotel got quality over quantity.
Pete Baylor, Stephen Bigelow, Jeff Messerle, John Lemmons and the 1996 state champion dance team were the inductees honored at the event.
Hosting was Marshfield's athletic director Greg Mulkey, the master of ceremonies Saturday. Mulkey, a Coquille High graduate, was put into the Red Devils Hall of Fame last week, which admittingly gave him a new perspective on the proceedings.
"I always knew it was," Mulkey said. "But now I know how special it is to be elected to a hall of fame."
Pete Baylor
The first honoree was 1945 graduate Baylor, a lifelong Pirate fan who has been making it out to games for nearly three quarters of a century.
To honor Baylor, Marshfield will recess a plaque into a chair at Pirate Palace that reads, "Forever memories of Pete Baylor and his longtime support of Marshfield High School."
"You didn't know that, did you?" Mulkey quipped to Baylor, stunned.
"I'm not near the great person he's making out, but I'm grateful to be honored for something I love to do, which is watch high school sports," Baylor said. "I'll do that as long as I can."
1996 State Championship Dance Team
For the second straight year, Marshfield honored the 20-year anniversary of a Pirates state dance championship, inviting the 1996 team to be inducted.
Brooke Billings, Katie Allender, Molly Barrett, Megan McDaniel, Quinn Busby, Krissy Hanson, Erin Gould, Julia Matejka and coach Judy Parker were all honored, some for a second time after last year's induction for the 1995 state champion team.
"When I told the guys around the office I was elected into the Marshfield Hall of Fame, I got some clout," Gould said, referring to being in the same hall of fame as Oregon Ducks head football coach Mark Helfrich. "It's incredible to be part of (Marshfield sports) history."
Stephen Bigelow
Bigelow, a 1954 graduate, played on the Pirates 1953 state basketball team and was named to the All-America team for football by Scholastic Magazine and was MVP of the 1954 Shrine Game.
Bigelow was a little overwhelmed by the moment, but made a point to thank his family and high school sweetheart Betty, his wife of 59 years.
"I thought about it for quite awhile," Bigelow said. "I just want to thank everybody for choosing me for this honor."
The final two (Lemmons and Messerle) were inducted separately, but brought up together, which was appropriate given their success as teammates in their 1992 graduating class.
John Lemmons
Lemmons was a four-sport letterman with 10 varsity letters. He also won the MVP award at the 1992 state title game against Ashland, leading the team in tackles, intercepting two balls and scoring four total touchdowns. He's now the linebackers coach for Marshfield's football team.
"(Messerle) still looks like the quarterback and, like coach (Chuck) Crandall said a few years ago, 'You could be the pulling guard now,'" Lemmons said, starting out self-deprecating before giving a warm, lighthearted speech.
Lemmons named dozens of coaches and mentors along the way, leaving Messerle with fewer Thank Yous for his turn.
Jeff Messerle
"John pretty much named them all," Messerle said. "I'm just so thankful for everyone that helped me out along the way."
Messerle was the starting quarterback on the 1992 state team, but played basketball in college at Chemeketa Community College and Sonoma State.
Besides his family and mentors, Messerle went on to thank the community in general and its penchant for rallying around its sports teams.
"I think it's one of a kind," Messerle said. "But I'm a little biased."