Fame

James G. Cochran of Cochran Auctioneers and Associates recently was selected into the Maryland Auctioneers Hall of Fame at a ceremony at the state association's winter conference in Ocean City, Md. Cochran, who has his main offices in Boonsboro, graduated from the Reppert School of Auctioneering in 1972, and along with his firm, is commemorating his 40th year in business.

Frederick County Arts Hall of Fame seeks nominations for its second class of inductees. The first class included names such as Francis Scott Key, Helen Smith, Joyce Michaud, Richard Troxell, and Bobby Steggert.   The Frederick Arts Council is seeking nominations for persons who have reached significant accomplishments in the arts field, including performing, visual, and literary arts.     The Frederick County Arts Hall of Fame honors persons, living or deceased, who have made significant contributions to the arts in Frederick County either as performing or practicing artists in individual disciplines.

The local NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition will be returning to North Hagerstown High School this year on Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. Junior Hubs president Ron Thomas is taking over the event from last year's organizer, Randy Franklin. “We registered with USA Football and they gave us a whole gameplan,” said Thomas. “We want exposure in this area, we're trying to do that.” NFL Punt, Pass and Kick is a competition for boys and girls ages 6-15, in which each competitor gets one punt, pass and kick and the distances of all three are combined for each individual's final score.

The Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame Inc. is seeking nominations of state residents 65 and older who have volunteered and made outstanding contributions to improve the lives of others in the community.  Nominations will be reviewed, and up to 50 nominees will be selected for induction into the 2013 Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Nomination forms must be postmarked by April 30. Nomination forms and details for eligibility are available by written request to MSCHF, 800 Southerly Road, Box 1, Towson, MD 21286-8403 or can be found at www.mschf.org .

For 43 years, Larry Yanos was recognizing individuals and groups through the newspaper. On Saturday evening, it was time for Yanos to be officially recognized. The former sports editor of The Daily Mail was one of 10 inductees into the Washington County Sports Hall of Fame during ceremonies at Elks Lodge No. 378 in Hagerstown. Yanos, who became sports editor of The Daily Mail in 1967 at the age of 22 and then retired in 2008, passed away at age 65 in 2010. He's never been forgotten.

Jerry Resh played baseball with something to prove. “I don't like to lose,” said Resh, a 1991 graduate of Williamsport High School. “I've always been highly competitive, and if I know there's someone a little better out there, I set my mind on matching your level or beating you. “Relentless is a good word for me.” After playing four years on the Wildcats' varsity, Resh made his mark at McDaniel College, where he earned several honors...

FUNKSTOWN - Recognized for his 24 years of service, Funkstown Mayor Robert L. Kline was inducted into the Maryland Municipal League Hall of Fame, Funkstown Town Clerk Brenda Haynes said at Monday's Mayor and Town Cuncil meeting. "Congratulations, Bob," Town Council member Sharon Chirgott said. "It makes you feel good," Kline said.

scottb@herald-mail.com The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday directed city staff to explore putting a hall of fame for Hagerstown residents at the entrance buildings to Fairgrounds Park. The discussion was sparked when City Director of Administrative Services John Budesky asked the council if it wanted to move a memorial to Cpl. William Othello Wilson, a Hagerstown native who was a "Buffalo Soldier," a black man who fought during the Indian campaigns with the U.S. Army 9th Cavalry.

The Washington County Sports Hall of Fame held its 23rd annual induction ceremonies Saturday at Elks Lodge No. 378 on Robinwood Drive in Hagerstown. Members of the 2009 class were, from left, Gwynn (Gordon) Rodemsky, Rick Knepper, Mike Spinnler and Chris Fox. Seventeen Washington County high school graduates were presented awards or scholarships and numerous civic leaders also were honored at the banquet.

The Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame Inc. is seeking nominations of state residents 65 and older who have volunteered and made outstanding contributions to improve the lives of others in the community.  Nominations will be reviewed, and up to 50 nominees will be selected for induction into the 2013 Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Nomination forms must be postmarked by April 30. Nomination forms and details for eligibility are available by written request to MSCHF, 800 Southerly Road, Box 1, Towson, MD 21286-8403 or can be found at www.mschf.org .

Major League Baseball's all-time leader in home runs and MVP awards, the all-time leader in Cy Young Awards, and the only player to hit more than 60 home runs in three different seasons were on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot this year. Despite those accomplishments, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were not voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and many area residents were just fine with that because of the players' connections to performance-enhancing drugs. “If you can't play by the rules, you don't belong in that elite class,” Hagerstown resident Richard Schwartz, 51, said.

Rachel Powell of Boonsboro will perform with the Duquesne University Tamburitzans dance group at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, Md., on Sunday, Oct. 28, at 3 p.m. She is a 2009 graduate of Boonsboro High School. The Tamburitzans is a multicultural song and dance company. The world-renowned troupe is made up of about 30 dancers. The group is dedicated to the performance and preservation of the music, songs and dances of Eastern Europe and neighboring folk cultures.

The local NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition will be returning to North Hagerstown High School this year on Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. Junior Hubs president Ron Thomas is taking over the event from last year's organizer, Randy Franklin. “We registered with USA Football and they gave us a whole gameplan,” said Thomas. “We want exposure in this area, we're trying to do that.” NFL Punt, Pass and Kick is a competition for boys and girls ages 6-15, in which each competitor gets one punt, pass and kick and the distances of all three are combined for each individual's final score.

The deadline for nominating farmers and farm families for the Governor's Agriculture Hall of Fame has been extended to Aug. 31 to give Maryland residents more time to prepare nominations. The hall honors the leaders of Maryland's thriving agricultural community and pays tribute to those who have dedicated their lives to Maryland agriculture. Any farm family that derives its income principally from farming is eligible for the award. Since 1991, when the Hall of Fame was established, 42 farm families from 22 counties have been honored for their high standards of conduct; personal values; contributions to their community; and performance, leadership, innovation and achievement in agriculture.

The Washington County Sports Hall of Fame has announced its scholarship winners in advance of its annual dinner and induction ceremonies tonight. The award winners: Dylan Dopson, North Hagerstown - Harry L. Cunningham Jr. Male Athlete of the Year Danielle Harbaugh, Smithsburg - Sara “Skip” Ward Female Athlete of the Year Shane Fritts, Smithsburg, and David Wilbraham, Boonsboro - Aaron “Major” Steiner Golf Scholarships ...

The Washington County Sports Hall of Fame will induct six new members at its annual banquet July 21 at Elks Lodge No. 378 on Robinwood Drive near Hagerstown. The Class of 2012 includes: Clayton Anders Anders has been the head football coach at Boonsboro High School since 1985. His 162 career wins rank second in Washington County history. He led the Warriors to the Maryland Class 1A championship game in 1993 and 1994, winning the school's only title in 1993.

On Friday at 7 p.m. at the Hancock Town Hall and Community Center, noted historian and author Steve French will present a program titled “Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson: The Early Years.” French's talk will focus on Jackson's early frustrations and failures while in the area before the Valley Campaign. French's take is always appreciated and well enjoyed by enthusiasts, serious historians and new disciples to the cause. The community is invited. If there is a strong response, future Civil War lectures will be considered.

Nine years before Hall of Famer Lewis Robert “Hack” Wilson set the yet-to-be-broken Major League Baseball single-season record for runs batted in, he got his professional start in Martinsburg. Wilson, who is buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Martinsburg, started in 1921 as a catcher for the Mountaineers, the city's minor league team, according to historical accounts.  Wilson's success led to a major league career, which was highlighted by his 56-home run season in 1930 with the Chicago Cubs.

Most high school seniors are faced with the same exciting - and sometimes frightening - decision about where to attend college. Finances, curriculums, proximity to home and campus lifestyle all go into that decision. For an athlete, coaches, athletic facilities, program stability and prestige also figure heavily into that choice. For Pat Sweeney, that decision-making process was no different. Sweeney, a standout baseball player at Clear Spring in the mid-1990s, had plenty to think about during his senior year of high school.