By: Ed Weaver / September 16, 2019 / Photo: Ed Weaver
The Wellsboro Hornets Sports Booster Club and the Wellsboro Athletic Department held their 4th annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony at halftime of the Wellsboro vs. Towanda football game on Friday, September 13.
Making up the Hall of Fame Class of 2019 are athletes Mike Burns and Susan Sweet (Hars).
Burns was a three-sport star for the Hornets lettering in football, basketball, and baseball. Burns was a member of Wellsboro’s recently reinstated football team as a sophomore in 1958-59 then led the Hornets to a 6-1-1 season in 1959 and went on to earn honorable mention all-state honors as a senior. Burns also helped lead the Hornets in scoring and a Tioga County League basketball titles in 1958-59 and 1959-60.
Burns passed away from complications of Parkinson’s Disease on October 18, 2012.
“It’s a special moment. Mike, my brother, would be very proud to be a member of the Hall of Fame in Wellsboro,” said Tim Burns. “His life here, when we lived here, was based on sports, he excelled in all three: baseball, basketball, and football and he would be very happy he is now in the Hall of Fame.”
“We’re super proud,” said Burns’ sister Barbara Wetzel. “We’re happy for our family but it’s really a special moment for us because Wellsboro was special to him and he excelled in Wellsboro High School. He excelled in sports here, he went on to Xavier University, he went on to be a high school coach and a wonderful teacher of history for 40. This is quite an accomplishment and we’re really thankful for him being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Sweet was a pioneer in girls sports at Wellsboro. After Title IX was passed in 1972, Sweet was in the first class as a 4-year beneficiary of the equal rights amendment to the Constitution. Sweet was a 4-year starter and letter winner in basketball, member of the 1973-74 Tioga County League championship team, and 1975-76 team captain. In addition to her success on the basketball court Sweet was a member of 4 volleyball league championship teams, including the Lady Hornets’ first District IV championship in 1975-76, and held records in the 440-yard relay, 880-yard relay, 880-yard medley relay, and the long jump in track & field.
Sweet passed away on January 5, 2019.
“I think my mom would be honored and would be very humble,” said Sweet’s daughters Alyssa and Kerry Hars. “We didn’t really find out how amazing she was until after she passed away when we came across some old books that had her records in it and if she was here right now she would just be very honored and say it was her teammates that helped her.”
She is survived by her daughters Alyssa and Kerry and dog Gracie of Pittsgrove, NJ..; brother, Phill (Susan) Sweet of Wellsboro; sister, Sally (Chris) Cooney of Athens; mother-in-law, Lorraine Hars of Rockaway, N.J.; brother-in-law Patrick (Laura) Hars of Mt. Olive, N.J.; brother-in-law Bruce (Diane) Hars of Alexandria, La.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
WellsboroAthletics.com would like to congratulate all of the members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2019.
Nominations for the Hall of Fame Class of 2020 are now open, running from now until January 1, 2020.
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