Zanesville City Schools

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Class of 2008 / Biographies

Zanesville City Schools \ ZCS Hall of Fame \ Class of 2008 / Biographies

Ron L. Apperson

Ron Apperson attended Garfield Elementary, Grover Cleveland Junior High and graduated from Lash High School (ZHS) as class president in 1953. While at Lash, Ron lettered in football, basketball and baseball. For three years, he played varsity halfback on football teams that won two Central Ohio League championships. He was named all-league halfback and was selected for the Ohio North-South All-Star Game in 1953.

Ron continued his education at Muskingum College, receiving his bachelors degree in 1957. He earned a masters degree in secondary administration from Morehead State University in 1968. He also completed post-graduate work at the University of Detroit, Ohio University and Ashland University.

While at Muskingum College, Ron participated in football all four years under legendary coach Ed Sherman, lettered three years in track and field, and was selected for the William F. Lange award for Academic and Athletic Excellence as a senior.

In 1959, Ron became a teacher, head track and field coach, and assistant football coach at Zanesville High School. He became head football coach in 1969. He was Central Ohio League Coach of the Year in 1972 and 1978. During his coaching career, he served on several committees, including the Board of Directors for the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association (1969-81), the OHSFCA board that initiated and implemented the Ohio high school football playoffs (begun in 1972). He was inducted into the OHSFCA Hall of Fame in July 1996.

Ron also served as director of athletics for Zanesville City Schools from 1980-89. During his tenure, he also organized various athletic booster organizations to help promote and finance the athletics clubs, and he organized and implemented the ZHS Oktoberfest and ZHS Merchants Night events. Ron also implemented various programs to promote the development of Zanesville's youth, through the Elementary Basketball Program as well as the varsity and reserve soccer teams.

Ron is very active in the community. He has served on the Genesis Associate Board, YMCA Board of Directors, Community Center Board and American Cancer Society board. He has also served as co-chairman of the Muskingum County Heart Fund Drive, chairman of the United Way Education Division, and chairman of the Drug-Free Schools Grant Committee. Ron also served on the Muskingum County AIDS Task Force, the Salvation Army Board of Directors, and on the St. John's Lutheran Church Council.

PRESENTER: Dr. Dominic Brune

James L. Burrier

After graduating from Lash High School (ZHS) in 1934 and from Muskingum College in 1938 with a promising football career, Jim turned down an opportunity from the NFL's Detroit Lions to pursue a career in teaching and coaching. So he took a job teaching English and history and also coaching basketball and baseball at Bladensburg High School.

Two years later, he returned to Zanesville to teach health and physical education at Roosevelt Junior High. Jim also coached the Rough Riders' basketball, baseball and track teams. But World War II interrupted, and he spent the next four years (1941-45) serving as a captain in the U.S. Air Force. After his military service, Jim was hired again by Zanesville City Schools to teach English at Grover Cleveland Junior High and health, civics and physical education at Hancock Junior High. He also served as an assistant football coach for Zanesville High School.

Jim was appointed dean of boys at Zanesville HIgh School in 1958, and was named principal three years later. He held that title until his retirement in 1979. During his tenure, ZHS was educating approximately 1,700 students per year in grades 10-12. It was also during this time that Jim established the position of director of athletics (1963). He also served two terms on the North Central Association, chairing many high school evaluations, and he was also an adjunct faculty member at both Ohio University and Muskingum College.

Jim was elected to the OHSAA's East District Board in 1967, and he also served terms on the Board of Control in 1974 and 1975. He served on the committee that revised the OHSAA's constitution and by-laws. In 1977, Jim was elected secretary-treasurer of the East District Board and he held that position until 1990. He was elected to the East District Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, and inducted into the Ohio Inter-Scholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame in 1990. A year later, Jim was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during the OHSAA Boys State Tournament.

Within the community, Jim was president of the Lions Club; established and co-chaired the West Muskingum Schools Academic Fund; served as an elder, deacon and trustee at Central Presbyterian Church; was a 60-year member of the Bladensburg Grand Lodge; and was a 32nd Degree Mason. He also maintained a lifetime membership in the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association and was also a lifetime member of the ZHS Quarterback Club and ZHS Tipoff Club.

PRESENTER: Horace Hamilton
ACCEPTOR: Mrs. Liz Burrier

Vice Adm. Albert M. (Bert) Calland III, ret.

Bert was born in Columbus and moved to Zanesville, where he attended Roosevelt Junior High and graduated from Zanesville High School in 1970. He was a football standout as a wide receiver and linebacker for the Blue Devils. Bert lettered three years in football and baseball, and as a senior in basketball. That final year, he was named all-Ohio in football, and all-Central Ohio League in both football and baseball.

After graduation, Bert was appointed to the United States Naval Academy by Congressman Clarence Miller. Bert continued his football career at Navy, and still holds the Academy record for pass receptions in a single season (61 in 1972). He was the Silver Helmet Award winner in 1973, and team MVP his senior season. Bert graduated in 1974 with a bachelor of science degree in oceanography.

Bert received his masters degree in National Resource Strategy in 1996 from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. Throughout his military career, he commanded Naval Special Warfare units and Special Operations forces, beginning as a platoon commander of SEAL delivery vehicle. He has also served as Associate Director of the CIA, Deputy Director of the CIA (the agency's second-highest position), and Vice Admiral of CACI International Inc.

Following the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001, Bert transitioned his headquarters into a forward-deployed Joint Forces Special Operations Component Command, directing more than 3,000 U.S. and Coalition Special Operations Forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. In this position, he was the first U.S. military flag officer on the ground in Afghanistan.

Bert has worked on the most difficult national security issues at the highest levels of government. In June 2006, President George W. Bush approved the National Implementation Plan for the War on Terror, and Bert was named NCTC's Deputy Director for Strategic Operational Planning. He has since retired his Navy commission, and is now executive vice president for security and intelligence integration for CACI International.

During his highly decorated 33-year Naval career, Bert received the Distinguished Service Medal, two Defense Superior Service Medals, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, two Defense Meritorious Service Awards, five Meritorious Service Medals, and the Navy Commendation Medal.

PRESENTER: Blair Magaziner

Wayne Carpenter

A Zanesville native, Wayne is a devoted and enthusiastic role model. He graduated from Zanesville High School in 1962, taught in the Zanesville City Schools for 30 years, and for more than 40 years has been instructor of the Devilettes, a unit he also originated.

After graduating ZHS, Wayne furthered his education at Ohio University, from where he graduated in 1966 with degrees in English and French. Wayne then began his teaching career as a French teacher at ZHS.

During his tenure, Wayne was the sole founder of the Devilettes dance drill team. He started the team in 1966 and is still going strong as its leader. As the instructor, he has served as both director and choreographer. Wayne staged 30 state championship shows and coordinated performances nationally in Hawaii and Orlando as well as internationally in Japan, London and Paris.

Among Wayne's accomplishments are the creation of Pro Football halftime shows for the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears. He has choreographed halftime shows for the Peach Bowl (1988 and 1989) and the Fiesta Bowl (1990 and 1991); the opening production number for the NBC Fiesta Bowl Parade in 1990; and the Zanesville Community Theatre producation of "A Chorus Line."

For 28 years, Wayne was active as co-owner of ShowStoppers Inc., director/instructor at ShowStoppers summer dance camps throughout the midwest (1979 to 2004), and instructor for the Statue of Liberty Drill Team in New York City (1986). He produced and directed the original Miss Southeastern Ohio Scholarship Pageant for more than 25 years, and is a Lifetime Member of Dance Drill Team Directors of America.

PRESENTER: Miss Beth Harsch

Kevin Martin Jr.

Born and raised in Zanesville, and encouraged by his parents, Kevin was a gifted athlete. he played football, basketball and baseball as a child, but by his freshman year at Zanesville High School, he had narrowed his focus to basketball. As a ZHS senior, he finished fourth in voting for Ohio's prestigious Mr. Basketball award.

Kevin drew the attention of many college scouts and was successfully recruited by Western Carolina University. In 2001-02, he was the second-leading freshman scorer in the nation. He led the Catamounts in scoring all three seasons he was at WCU, and as a junior (his final season) he finished second in the nation in scoring average. For the 2003-04 season, Kevin was named all-district by both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writers Association.

In 2004, Kevin was the 26th pick in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. After his rookie year, "K-Mart" began seeing more playing time as the Kings made a run for the playoffs. Just as in college, he achieved a remarkable evolution to become the Kings' leading scorer by his third NBA season. In the 2006-07 season, Kevin was runner-up in voting for the NBA's Most-Improved Player Award. He socred a playoff career high of 26 points along with a playoff career best eight rebounds in 45 minutes in Game 2 of the playoff series against San Antonio. Kevin also ranked first in postseason free-throw percentage in 2006.

Not satisfied to rest on his laurels, Kevin became heavily involved in a number of charitable causes in Sacramento as well as Zanesville, mostly aimed at helping disadvantaged kids. Among his causes have been youth basketball clinics and Madison Square Garden's celebrity basketball game for Wheelchair Charities Inc. Kevin has distributed food baskets and Christmas decorations to needy families, helped refurbish the Kings' Reading and Learning Center at the Stanford Settlement, and participated in the Ready Rally benefitting the Children's Aid Society in New York. He has sponsored events for local schools and worked with the Police Athletic League. Additionally, he has developed his own charitable foundation to continue his community involvement after his basketball career.

NOTE: Kevin was traded by the Kings to the Houston Rockets in February 2010. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in October 2012, and then acquired by the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2013.

PRESENTER: Jeff Moore

Paula Thomas McColl

Born and raised in Zanesville, Paula McColl attended Westview Elementary and Roosevelt Junior High before graduating from Zanesville High School in 1966.

Paula attended Muskingum College for two years before transferring to Hunter College in New York City. She graduated Hunter with a degree in studio art. After studying with the Art Students League in New York City, she relocated to Brazil, where she became the first woman to have a one-artist show in Sao Paolo.

She once again relocated, this time to London, and launched her career through the attention of corporations. She has been distinguished as the only American artist represented in the Queen's collection at the royal estate of Sandringham.

Paula is a commissioned watercolor artist who paints architectural murals, portraits and, most recently, ballet dancers. Her work has been displayed around the world, including the Zanesville Art Center; the Litchfield Exchange in Connecticut; The Poindexter Gallery in New York City; San Francisco and La Jolla, Calif.; Brazil; the Marina Henderson Gallery in Chelsea, England; the Century Galleries in Henley-on-Thames, England; and Eton College. Paula has been commissioned to paint murals in hotels and private homes in Austria, Finland, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

After many years of living in London, Paula and her husband, Stuart, relocated to California.

PRESENTER: Kathy Balderson

Michele Redman

Michele was actually a tennis prodigy, but at age 11 turned her athletic ability to golf. She was the only girl playing on the boys golf team at Zanesville High School and then went on to play collegiate golf at Indiana University.

Michele graduated IU in 1988 with a degree in public finance and management. As a Hoosier golfer, she was named All-America twice and all-Big Ten four times. She was also the Ohio State Junior champion in 1983 and Big Ten Conference champion in 1987.

Michele first played on the Futures Tour for three years, where she won three events and posted several top-10 finishes. Her rookie year on the LPGA Tour was in 1992. Since then, she has posted two LPGA victories – the 1997 JAL Big Apple Classic adn the 2000 First Union Betsy King Classic. She had her best fnish on the money list in 2000. She was also a member of the U.S. Solheim Cup team in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Michele has played in such distringuished tournaments as the Welch's/Circle K Championship, the Kraft-Nabisco Championship, the Chick-Fil-A Championship, the Kellogg-Keebler Classic, the Evian Masters, the Los Angeles Women's Championship and the U.S. Women's Open, just to name a few. She has had corporate sponsorships from Target, DSW Shoe Warehouse and GlaxoSmithKline. Most recently, she represented Choice Hotels, FootJoy and Titleist.

In 2007, while competing in the LPGA State Farm Classic, she carded a season-low 64 in the third round, and also passed the $5 million mark in career earnings. She was inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association Players Hall of Fame on January 10, 2006.

Michele resides in Minneapolis, Minn., with her daughter, McKenna, and plans to continue playing golf as long as she can remain competitive.

PRESENTER: Maggie Redman

Dr. & Mrs. J. Diehl Sulsberger

The Sulsbergers were Zanesville-area residents for most of their lives. Both were members of St. James Episcopal Church and were the proud parents of one son, John D. Sulsberger.

Dr. Sulsberger practiced dentistry for more than 50 years. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Ohio State University and a masters degree in oral surgery from Northwestern University. He was a member of the American Dental Association, Bethesda Hospital and Good Samaritan Medical Center staffs, the ZHS Quarterback Club, and the Ohio University Presidents Club. Dr. Sulsberger also founded and supported the Zanesville City Schools' dental health program, which continues today.

Mrs. Elizabeth Sulsberger was born and raised in Zanesville, and graduated from Smith College in North Hampton, Mass., where she majored in music. She later studied under several noted teachers in New York. She became an accomplished pianist, but limited her performances to weddings as she preferred the role of wife and mother.

Dr. and Mrs. Sulsberger outlived their son, who lost his battle with cancer at age 18, just months after graduating from Zanesville High School in 1963. John had been awarded a football scholarship to Ohio State by legendary Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes. John's death on December 20, 1963, left the community shocked and devastated.

In his honor, Dr. and Mrs. Sulsberger donated the funds to build what is now known as the John D. Sulsberger Memorial Stadium on the ZHS campus. Community members were also given the opportunity to contribute to the stadium funds. The facility was dedicated on November 13, 1964 – less than six months after the groundbreaking – in a game against archrival Newark to decide the Central Ohio League championship. Woody Hayes, the dedication speaker, gave an inspiring and emotional message to a capacity crowd of 8,000. The stadium continues to serve the community as an outstanding athletic complex.

PRESENTER: Don Stahl

Fred Taylor

Fred Taylor graduated from Lash High School in 1943, and then served in the U.S. Army and Air Force until 1946. He attended Ohio State University from 1946 to 1950, and played as a forward on the Buckeyes' basketball team for three years. He was a starter on OSU's Big Ten championship team in 1950, a squad that finished third in the nation.

Fred also played first base for the OSU baseball team for four years, and was named an All-America in 1950. Following his graduation from Ohio State, he played professionally for the Washington Senators from 1950 to 1953.

For the next five years, Fred served as freshman basketball coach at Ohio State, then was appointed head coach in 1958. He led the Buckeyes' program until 1976, and compiled a record of 297-158 during his career. He also coached OSU's only National Championship team (1960), and his Buckeyes were also runners-up in 1961 and 1962. The 1968 team finished third. Fred's OSU teams won seven Big Ten championships, including a record five in a row from 1960 to 1964.

Fred was named Coach of the year by the USBWA and UPI in 1961 and 1962. He coached six All-America players, including National Basketball Hall of Fame members Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek and Bob Knight. Fred was enshrined in the Ohio State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980 and as a coach in the National Basketball Hall of Fame on May 6, 1986.

Fred served on the United States Olympic Basketball Committee from 1964 to 1972. He was president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 1972 and 1973. Fred was manager of the United States National Team at the FIBA World Championships in 1978 and at the Pan American Games in 1979.

Fred was a leader with a reputation for coaching excellence, honesty and dedication. He stressed the importance of "education first" to his players and recruits, and was committed to volunteering, civic duties and charitable causes.

Until his illness in 1996, Fred was manager of The Golf Club in New Albany. He passed away on January 6, 2002, survived by his wife, Eileen Stillion Taylor, and his daughters, Janna, Krista, Nicola and Sharla.

PRESENTER: Mike Swain

Donis Toler Sr.

Donis Toler was born and raised in Zanesville. After a prestigious college athletics career, he returned to Zanesville and went on to become an accomplished coach and educator.

Donis graduated from Zanesville High School in 1955. He earned nine varsity letters in three sports and was All-Ohio in football and basketball. He was the leading scorer and rebounder for the school's 1955 state championship basketball team, and also was a member of the Ohio North-South All-Star football game.

After graduation, Donis attended Central State University. He received his bachelors degree in education in 1960 and eventually continued his studies at Ohio University-Zanesville. As a Central State athlete, Donis was captain of the Marauders football team, setting records for pass receptions and reception yardage. He was also all-Midwest Athletic Association three times and was a Small College All-America in 1958 and 1959.

Donis was drafted by the New York Titans (now Jets) of the American Football League after graduating from Central State, then started his career as a coach and educator at Zanesville High School.

Donis retired from Zanesville City Schools after 40 years of service in physical education and weight training. At ZHS, he was an assistant football coach from 1961 to 2003 and was also the schools first African-American head coach, running the Blue Devils' baseball program from 1967 to 1988.

Donis was also active in his church and was recognized by many civic and community groups as well. As a member of St. Paul AME Church, he served as a Sunday school teacher, trustee and steward. The ZHS Quarterback Club honored him (along with fellow inductee Ron Apperson) as "ZHS Legends: Coach and Player" in 2007. He received Sertoma's "Service to Mankind Award," presented the NAACP Outstanding Educator/Leader in Promoting the Development of Our Youth Award, and was named Central Ohio League Baseball Coach of the Year five times. His biography is published in the Times Recorder's "Sports Legends of the Muskingum Valley."

Donis was among the inaugural inductees into the Central State University Marauder Hall of Fame in 1987. He is also a member of the Muskingum Valley Old Timers Baseball Hall of Fame (1991), Central State University Alumni Achievement Hall of Fame (2000) and the Ohio High School Basketball Officials Hall of Fame (2003).

"Coach T" died on August 22, 2008 – only hours after the Blue Devils football team defeated Newark to end a long losing streak to the archrival Wildcats.

PRESENTER: John Lucas