Monday’s inductees into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, pictured above, in front from left, are Jessica Anderson, Ron Frederes, Tom Anderson, and Amy Sirianni accepting for Nick Sirianni. In back are Aaron Leeper, Mark Edstrom, Stephen Carlson, Nick Kahanic and Anthony Barone. OBSERVER Photo by Scott Kindberg

LAKEWOOD — When Tom Anderson was in his late teens and playing the best tennis of his life, he entered the Western New York tournament.

“I knew I wouldn’t win, because we had Penn State’s No. 1 player, and the best players from Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Rochester,” he recalled Monday night at the 43rd annual Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club. “If I won a few rounds, I would be happy.”

After a first-round victory, Anderson, then an outstanding player at SUNY Brockport, learned he would be matched up against an 11-year-old in Round 2.

“I was giddy,” he said. “He looked like a 6-year-old.”

Well, guess what?

Anderson, who grew up in Lakewood and now resides in Russell, Pennsylvania, lost 6-0, 6-1, to Jimmy Arias, the preteen phenom.

“He went on to become number-five in the world,” said Anderson, a 1976 graduate of Southwestern Central School.

At about the same time as that setback, Anderson entered, and won, the Jamestown City Tournament for the fifth straight year. Figuring that streak had to be one of the better ones in the history of the event, he went to the Prendergast Library in Jamestown, found old copies of The Post-Journal on microfilm and searched for tournament results.

What he discovered, however, was humbling tennis experience No. 2.

“Lenny Johnson (Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame Class of 1986) won 37 times!” Anderson said. “I quit tennis.”

Fortunately, Anderson found another passion as the director at the Lakewood YMCA. For more than 30 years, he was the point man for all kinds of events, including more than 90 running races, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament that was the largest youth indoor tournament in the eastern United States, as well as gymnastics, soccer and pickleball programs.

Anderson’s humorous, and inspiring, story was one of nine told by this year’s inductee class that also included Jessica Anderson, Anthony Barone, Stephen Carlson, Mark Edstrom, Ron Frederes, Nick Kahanic, Aaron Leeper and Nick Sirianni.

Following are portions of the speeches given by last night’s honorees:

JESSICA ANDERSON

Anderson did it all in multiple sports, first at Mayville Central School and, later, at Niagara University where she was a star in volleyball and softball, ultimately landing in the Purple Eagles’ Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002.

“My entire family has been instrumental in my life, helping and supporting me throughout everything, and thank you does not begin to cover it,” she said. “All of my playing experiences from a young age through college have molded me into the woman I am today. They have helped me develop into a person of strong moral character and convictions. I was able to model my coaching career after the incredible role models who taught me what it meant to be a student-athlete and young lady. I never took any of my playing or coaching career for granted. It was an honor and a privilege to do it all, and if I had a chance I would do it all over again.”

ANTHONY BARONE

The 1997 Jamestown High School graduate has spent his entire life in baseball, most recently as the head coach of the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association.

“It all started back in 1984,” Barone said. “My love for baseball became more of an obsession. I was 5 years old and wasn’t the normal 5-year-old. My mornings consisted of getting up and reading the box scores of all the MLB games. Most kids wake up, get ready for school and watch cartoons.

“I was at a part of my life where my father was going to law school at the University of Toledo, and our local baseball team was the Detroit Tigers. To put it mildly, I could not get enough of them.”

After banner high school and college careers as a player, Barone began his coaching journey in 2001 at Jamestown Community College and has found success at every stop since then, including as an assistant of Baseball United at Dubai in 2023.

STEPHEN CARLSON

A two-time First-Team All-State football selection at Jamestown High School, Carlson was an All-Ivy League wideout at Princeton University before signing as an undrafted free agent tight end with the Cleveland Browns. Now with the Chicago Bears, Carlson is the only Chautauqua County native to score a touchdown in the NFL.

“No matter where I’ve gone in my career,” Carlson said, “I’ve known I have a community here supporting me. It’s amazing how much support and backing I’ve received from my hometown. There has never been controversy, only unwavering love and support for me to keep going. The people of this community have pushed me to be my best.”

MARK EDSTROM

One of the finest athletes in Jamestown High School history, Edstrom went on to Alfred University where he played basketball and football, and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1988.

“More than 40 years ago, I got up the courage to ask a young lady (Elaine) out on a date, but she said, ‘No,'” Edstrom recalled. “She couldn’t go that evening, but we got together the next day and we have been together 41 years. Since that day, our life has been like a Hallmark movie where the wife knows nothing about her husband’s prior life. We never discussed the reasons why we are here tonight. She has tolerated me, has been a great teammate and is my MVP.”

RON FREDERES

A star fast-pitch softball hurler, who was inducted into the Western New York Softball Hall of Fame in 1992, the Jamestown native was also an accomplished basketball coach at the college and high school levels prior to his retirement.

“Back in the ’70s, Tim Brown put together a fast-pitch softball team called See-Zurh House which dominated the sport for a number of years,” Frederes said. ” … Tim happened to ask this young redhead to pitch for him. … So after a few games, my catcher (Bags Woodfield) christened me, “Red Man” and now 55 years later I’m still proud to be called that. He was one of a kind. Absolutely the best catcher I ever had as my battery mate.”

NICK KAHANIC

A track & field star at Falconer Central School and an All-American at Roberts Wesleyan College, Kahanic made his mark after graduation as a five-time national and North American champion and record-setter in the Highland Games.

“Back in 2013, just after the last event of the World Championships, I was standing with my parents waiting to hear the results,” Kahanic said. “My dad looked at me and asked, ‘How do you think you’ll end up?’ … I just looked at him and said, ‘Oh, sorry, I won by a point and a half after that last event.'”

That started the “waterworks” for dear old dad.

“So, of course, I started crying, too,” Kahanic said. “My dad hugged me, and said he was proud of me. … I’m going to remember that moment for the rest of my life.”

AARON LEEPER

After a record-setting, all-state football career at Jamestown High School, Leeper continued his pursuits at the University at Buffalo where he earned Mid-American Conference Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman in 2002.

“This recognition is not just about me,” said Leeper, who is a supervisor in the Federal Air Marshal Service. “It’s about teamwork and effort we put in together. I’ll never forget the memories we made, the battles we fought and the unity of ‘The Dirty Thirty.’ You all are part of this honor, and I am grateful to have shared the field with you.”

NICK SIRIANNI

From Southwestern High School, to Mount Union University, to NFL stops in Kansas City, San Diego/Los Angeles, Indianapolis and now as head coach in Philadelphia, Sirianni, who guided the Eagles to victory over Kansas City in Super Bowl 59, has placed himself among some of the biggest head-coaching names in league history. He is also the fourth member of the Sirianni family to earn induction into the CSHOF, joining his father, Fran; and his brothers, Mike and Jay.

Unable to attend the banquet in person, Sirianni provided his acceptance speech via video from his office at the team’s NovaCare Complex in Philly.

“To all the student-athletes there tonight and to all the young kids there tonight, I would attribute my success to hard work,” he said. “If you want to accomplish some things in this life you have to work your butt off. That’s number one. Number 2? Embrace the adversity. This life is filled with ups and downs. I can see now all the adversity that I went through in my life has been for a purpose and has made me and shaped me into the person I am today.”

OTHER HONOREES

Eighteen local athletes and coaches were also honored for their successes in their respective sports. Among them were Taytum Jimerson, Frewsburg, girls soccer; Julianna Roth, Falconer/Cassadaga ValleyMaple Grove, girls soccer; Elizabeth Pucci-Schaefer, Fredonia, diving; Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s head football coach Ty Harper and players Tate Catanese, Bryce Hinsdale, Carter Brink, Alex Barmore, Collin Ryan and Dalton Richter; Connor Young, Southwestern, boys soccer; Ethan Verbosky, cross country, Maple Grove; Emma Lewis, cross country, Southwestern; Camryn Slade, football, Gowanda/Pine Valley; Trent Lewis, 8-man football, Frewsburg; Chase Bonta, football, Jamestown; Jaylah Cossin, soccer, SUNY Brockport; and Rayven Sample, U.S. Paralympian.

NOTES: Banquet chairman Chip Johnson provided the welcome; Elora Watkins performed the national anthem; Father Rick Tomasone of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Warren, Pennsylvania provided the invocation and benediction; and Chautauqua County executive PJ Wendel, Jamestown Tarp Skunks manager Frank Jagoda and CSHOF president Randy Anderson provided remarks.