Franciscan Athletes Earn Their Place in History
Baron Basketball Standouts From 鈥60s and 鈥70s, Robert D鈥橝nniballe, Sr. Set for Hall of Fame Induction
September 15, 2015
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STEUBENVILLE,聽OH鈥擣ive legends from Baron athletics history are set to be inducted into聽探花社区鈥檚 Hall of Fame. 聽The ceremony will take聽place on聽Saturday, September 15, in the Tony and Nina Gentile Gallery of the J.C.聽Williams Center, with a reception at 1:00 p.m. followed by the induction聽ceremony at 2:30 p.m.

Inductees include聽Allyn Curry 鈥67, Paul Rue, John Holley 鈥73, and posthumously, Walt Osborne 鈥67,聽and Robert D鈥橝nniballe, Sr.

Allyn Curry was a聽firm foundation throughout his career with the Baron basketball team: As a聽freshman, he received the Father Paul Hoffert, TOR,聽Memorial Student Athlete聽Award; as a junior, he was named 鈥渕ost underrated player;鈥 as a senior he was聽chosen team co-captain. 聽After graduating in 1967, Curry聽worked in human聽resources for several national corporations. He now provides career counseling聽to graduate business students at Indiana University of聽Pennsylvania.

Paul Rue鈥檚 love of聽sports shone frequently during his years with the Barons: 聽He was one of聽the most accurate shooters, top scorers, and top rebounders聽on one of the top聽teams in Baron basketball history. 聽Although one of the shorter members of聽the team, Rue was known for stealing rebounds from opponents聽several inches聽taller. 聽He is still active in athletics today, teaching shot put and聽discus with the Steuben Striders and participating in those events in the聽Senior聽Olympics.

John Holley earned聽his reputation for persistence time and again during his college career.聽聽He was the first freshman to be named MVP. As a聽sophomore, he was聽the Barons top rebounder. His junior year, he led in scoring. 聽And when he聽was paralyzed the summer before his senior year, he worked聽through a difficult聽recovery to return to college in a wheelchair and finish his degree. After聽working in media for 20 years, Holley moved to the Pacific Northwest,聽where he聽worked for several non-profits before retiring.

Walt Osborne聽poured his time and effort into the mid-1960s Barons basketball team from his聽freshman year when he received the 鈥渉ardest worker鈥 award聽through his senior聽year when he served as co-captain with Curry. 聽That year especially鈥攇etting聽a new coach, learning a new system, unexpectedly lacking a top聽player鈥擮sborne聽was instrumental in bringing the team together. 聽He continued in that role聽after graduation, regularly hosting reunions with teammates. 聽Osborne聽passed away suddenly in聽1990聽from聽heart disease.

Robert D鈥橝nniballe, Sr. supported the community of聽Steubenville in many ways: Operating Ambulance Service, Inc., Checker Transportation,聽and other local聽businesses, as well as raising funds to build the Teramana聽Cancer Treatment Center. 聽He also served on the 探花社区聽Board of聽Advisors and supported Baron athletics.

The Ninth Annual聽D鈥橝nniballe Rugby Ruckus, named in his honor following his death in 2005, will聽take place between the Barons and Duquesne聽University following the induction聽ceremony, at 7:00 p.m. at Harding Stadium.

Tickets for the聽Hall of Fame induction ceremony are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.聽聽Register by September 13 by calling the 探花社区聽Alumni聽Office at 740-282-5210 or by visiting聽www.franciscan.edu/alumni.

The Baron Hall of聽Fame was re-established in 2008 after a 28-year hiatus. 聽Recent inductees聽have included Baron greats such as head basketball coach聽Hank Kuzma, point聽guard Gary Vogelsberger 鈥65, and the entire 1957-58 Baron basketball team.

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