The Northeast Ohio Baseball Coaches Association has released its 2016 hall of fame class.
Marlington High School’s Scott Gabelt, Twinsburg High School’s Donald Jones, North Olmsted High School’s Tim Murphy, North Canton Hoover High School’s Mel Long, Cardinal’s High School’s Paul Verno and Akron Ellet’s John Server will be enshrined and honored during the NEOBCA All-Star Game at Canal Park on June 21.
Enshrinee bios provided by NEOBCA
Marlington’s Scott Gabelt
- 30 Years of Coaching Baseball (1985-2015)
- Head Baseball Coach 1994-2015 (21 years)
- Career Record: 343-260 (.569%)
- Regionals Runner-Up (Elite 8): 2010
- District Champions: 2010
- District Runner Up (7): 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998,2000, 2003, 2014
- Sectional Championships (14): 1994,1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,2000, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
- Northeastern Buckeye League Champions (4): 1995, 2003, 2008, 2014
- Northeastern Buckeye Coach of the Year (4): 1995, 2005, 2008, 2015
- Mizuno All-Ohio Coach (2): 2003, 2015
- Inducted Stark County Baseball HOF in 2009
- Served as Northeast Ohio OHSBCA State Representative
- OHSBCA 300 Win Recognition
- OHSBCA 20 Seasons Coaching Recognition
- 19 Players earned scholarships (Div. 1, Div. 2, NAIA)
- 39 players went on to play college baseball
Twinsburg’s Donald Jones
- 29 Seasons (1988-Present)
- Career Record: 377 – 271 (.582%)
- 1990 AA (DII) State Poll Champions
- Division II Final Four 1990, Division I Final Four 2006 Appearances
- Regional Championships (2): 1990, 2006
- Regional Appearances (3): 1990, 2004, 2006
- District Championships (3): 1990, 2004, 2006
- District-Runner Up (4): 2010, 2015
- Sectional Championships (13): 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015
- Conference Championships (6): 1989, 1990, 1994, 2008, 2009, 2010
- Conference Coach of the Year (6): 1989, 1990, 1994, 2008, 2009, 2010
- Inducted into Lake County Captains’ Crows Nest Hall of Fame in 2014
- Five student-athletes went on to play professional baseball:
- 40-plus collegiate players
- 11 Academic All-Ohio recipients
- 3 All-Ohio Poll Players
- 3 Mizuno All-Ohio Players (2006, 2006, 2003)
- OHSBCA 300 Wins Recognition
North Olmsted’s Tim Murphy
- 22 Seasons as Head Coach (1994 – Present)
- Career Record: 341-212 (.617%)
- South Western Conference Champions (3): 1996, 1997, 2002
- Regional Runner-Up: 2002
- District Championships: 2002
- Sectional Championships (7): 1998, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011
- 6 All-Ohio Poll Players
- 10 Academic All-Ohioans
- Coached 2 Mizuno All-Ohioans (2006, 2009)
- Coached Mizuno All-Ohio Series in 2006
- Coached two Southwestern Conference MVPs
- Coached two Major League Baseball Players
- 30-plus collegiate players
North Canton Hoover’s Mel Long (deceased)
- Coached Baseball 34 Years (1971-2004)
- Head Varsity Coach 20 Seasons (1985-2004)
- Career Record: 327-221 (.597%)
- Federal League Champions (2): 1992, 1998
- Sectional Championships (7): 1985, 1988, 1992,1994, 1999, 2003, 2004
- District Runner Up (5): 1985, 1988, 1994, 1995, 2003
- District Championships (2): 1992, 1998
- Regional Championships (2): 1992, 1998
- State Final Four: 1998
- State Finalist: 1992
- Coach in Hank Miller All-Star Game four times
- Site director of Northeast Division I baseball and softball sectionals and district playoffs (1985-1995)
- Coached 29 collegiate players (9 Div. I players)
- Coached 1 Mizuno All-Ohioan (1989)
- Inducted into Stark County Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame 1985
Cardinal’s Paul Verno (deceased)
- 1955-1989 (35 seasons)
- 423-187 Career Record (.693%)
- 15 Conference Championships: 1956-1963, 1970-1971, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1985, 1988
- 1973 District Champions
- 1985 East Suburban Conference Coach of the Year
- Coached two Conference MVPs
- Cardinal High School’s baseball field is named in is honor
- Inducted into Cardinal Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014
Akron Ellet’s John Sarver
- 36 Years as head baseball coach at Akron Kenmore, Akron Buchtel, Archbishop Hoban and Akron Ellet
- Career Record: 493-322
- Coached 1993 state runner up Hoban team
- 1993 Tri-County Conference Coach of the Year while at Hoban
- 1993 OHSBCA All-Ohio Series Coach while at Hoban
- Coached four district championship teams at Hoban
- Coach at Ellet 1999-Present
- 10-time Akron City Series Champions
- 6-time Akron City Series Coach of the Year: 2009, 2011
- Inducted into Summit County Sports Hall of Fame in 2014
- Inducted into Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994
Cuyahoga Community College’s Bob Merritt, retired Benedictine coach Brian Sliwinski, Crestwood’s John Bakalar, Holy Name’s Dennis Markiewicz, Massillon Jackson’s Bill Gamble and Firelands’ Dan Ransom currently serve on the NEOBCA Hall of Fame Committee.
For more Northeast Ohio high school sports news, scores, photos and videos, visit WKYC.com/hss.
