Six named to CMU Hall of Fame
Greg Burghardt
Six new members will join the CMU Athletics Hall of Fame this year.
The Class of 2003 will be inducted at the Hall of Fame banquet Oct. 31, at the Comfort Inn and also will be honored at the CMU football game on Nov. 1, against Eastern Michigan.
The new inductees include: Rob Johnson (1970), track; Dean Kreiner (1998), baseball coach; Charles Markey (1974), football; Jeff Mills (1986), wrestling; Steve Papes (1970), baseball; and Beth Bull-Spencer (1991), softball.
“Once again it’s an outstanding class,” Deromedi said. “We’ve had athletes that have had distinguished careers, and also a former baseball coach, Dean Kreiner. Their accomplishments speak for themselves.”
Deromedi said he had the opportunity to watch each of the six individuals compete.
“I think that’s what’s most impressive. They’re deserving of this recognition,” he said. “They’ve competed at a high level, they’re very successful and all of them have carried their achievements into life after CMU, which had been pointed out with Rob Johnson’s done as a high school coach.”
Former track star and team captain Johnson finished sixth in the nation in the shot put to earn All-America honors in 1969 and lead the Chippewas to a conference championship.
“He was an All-American at a time period before we were in the MAC,” Deromedi said. “What was impressive was that he just had a very distinguished career as a coach since leaving CMU.”
Johnson has been successful as head coach at Clare High School for the last 34 years, and was selected Michigan Coach of the Year three times. In 2002 he was named National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Coaches Association.
Kreiner is known as the winningest baseball coach in CMU history with a winning percentage of .646 (516-282-4). He retired in 1998 after 14 seasons as head coach. Before that, he spent 14 seasons as assistant coach to Dave Keilitz.
“I think it’s a wonderful honor,” Kreiner said. “It certainly didn’t have anything to do with my athletic ability, but it was for my coaching.”
Kreiner played baseball for CMU in the 1950s.
“Twenty-eight years of coaching is a long time. I think we won almost 1,000 games in that time,” Kreiner said.
Kreiner still is active in helping his son, who is the head coach at Alma High School. He resides in Mount Pleasant.
Markey was a running back and MVP for the CMU football team. He rushed for a school-record 1,513 yards in 1972, a record that stood for 22 seasons until Brian Pruit broke it with 1,890 yards in 1994.
Markey’s 290 rushing attempts that year also stood for 22 seasons.
Mills was an All-American wrestler and helped lead the Chippewas to their first MAC championship in 1986. He won MAC titles in 1985 and 1986.
He still holds the season record with 45 wins and is second in career wins with 132. He also is tied for first place with 20 straight wins.
Papes was captain of the 1970 baseball team, which posted a record of 36-4, third in the nation. He set school records for total bases (98), slugging percentage (.721), triples (eight) and extra base hits (25).
Papes taught and coached at Hart High and Newaygo High School for 32 years and won seven league and two district titles in baseball.
Spencer was a successful softball player for CMU.
“She was the first four-year All-MAC team player and along with that she did receive some all-region and all-American recognition,” Deromedi said.
She won All-MAC honors from 1987 to 1990. She was a second team All-American in 1989, a third-team pick in 1990 and also an all-region selection three times. She helped CMU to the College World Series in 1987.
Plaques honoring all the inductees will be on display at the Rose Center.
The CMU Athletics Hall of Fame has inducted 113 members since its establishment in 1984.
An athlete becomes eligible for induction 10 years after leaving school. The athlete has to have earned two letters in one sport or one or more in two sports, or brought recognition to the school by his or her athletic efforts. The athlete must also continue that excellence in his or her profession.
A faculty or staff member can be eligible after five years of leaving his or her position.
