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Melrose High School Athletic Hall of Fame

LEGENDS & LEGACIES
"It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly." — Kobe Bryant
1912
Rube Cram
Rube Cram, a standout baseball pitcher for Melrose High School, is remembered for achieving remarkable success with an astonishing pitching average of 14 strikeouts per game throughout his high school pitching career. In 1912, Cram and future major leaguer Bags Wanamaker earned the distinguished title of the All-Scholastic Battery. Upon graduating from Melroe High School, despite receiving a major league baseball, contract offer, Cram continued his academic and athletic pursuits at Brown University, At Brown, Cram ascended to legendary status, emerging as the most dominant college pitcher of his era with an impressive record boasting 39 wins against a mere 3 losses.
1907
Donald Dike
Donald Dike, was an outstanding baseball for Melrose High School. Beyond baseball, Dike is most remembered for organizing Melrose High School's first Tennis Team. Dike went on to win the Massachusetts Interscholastic Singles Championship. Dike's support of tennis was instrumental in making it one of the most popular sports in the City of Melrose. Following his graduation, Dike attended Brown University in Providence Rhode Island where he was successful in both baseball and tennis. Following his graduation from Brown, Dike enjoyed a career in semi-professional baseball.
1922 - 1940
Barbara Goss
Barbara Goss was one of the first physical education teachers at Melrose High School, the first Director of Athletics for Girls, and a pioneer in creating athletic opportunities for young women. Goss is remembered for her emphasis on sportsmanship, hard work and as a tireless planner for girls' sports, Goss was instrumental in achieving Interscholastic status for girls in Massachusetts. At MHS Goss coached Girls Basketball for 10 years, from 1925-1935 and, in 1925, introduced the sport of Field Hockey to MHS beginning the MHS tradition of excellence in the sport. Goss was also a nationally ranked official for both field hockey and basketball.
1922
Leland "Hago" Harrington
Hago Harrington was an outstanding hockey player at Melrose High School for three years and was named an Interscholastic All-Star in 1921 and 1992. After high school, Harrington became only the third Native-American to play for the Boston Bruins; playing alongside legendary Melrose hockey star Miles Lane. In 1929 Harrington was a member of the Boston Bruins Stanley Cup Championship Team. Harrington remained active in professional hockey until 1932 and is remembered for coaching the U.S. Olympic teams in the 1930s. Harrington was also a well-known businessman, owning a very popular miniature golf facility on Main Street in Stoneham.
1900
Joseph "Joe" Harris
Joe Harris attended Melrose Schools and was a well-known local athlete of the late 19th century. Along with his two brothers, Joe was locally famous for his baseball ability. He had a successful try-out with the Boston Braves and played in their minor league system. In the 1905 season, he made it to the parent club as a pitcher. On September 1, 1906, at the old Huntington Avenues Grounds in Boston, Joe Harris pitched the longest game in major league history up to that time. On that day, Joe Harris pitched 24 innings for the Boston Braves. After his eventual retirement from professional baseball, he continued to pitch in the Old Trolley League in Malden.
1912
Herbert Hunter
Herbert Hunter was an outstanding baseball player for the Red & White in 1911 and 1912 and is remembered as one of the best talents to emerge from Melrose High School. After graduating Melrose High School, Hunter played for a semi-professional team in Malden, Massachusetts before spending 1921 and 1922, playing second-base for the New York Giants. In 1922, the Giants played in a series of baseball exhibition games in Japan. Following this, Hunter chose to remain in Japan, dedicating the next three years to organizing baseball teams and leagues in Japan, making Hunter one of the early architects of Japan's now cherished national pastime – professional baseball.
1931
Rexford "Rex" Kidd
Rex Kidd is one of the most outstanding and dominant athletes to ever play for the Red and White. Melrose High School Hall of Fame Coach, Harold Poole described Kidd as one of the fastest runners and skaters he ever coached. An exceptional football player, Kidd captained and quarterbacked the first undefeated football team under Coach Poole. Kidd also earned All-Scholastic honors in hockey. Following graduation from Melrose, Kidd attended Holy Cross College and was a nationally recognized star football player, earning second team All-American honors. When the United States entered World War II, Kid volunteered and became a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps, seeing considerable action in Burma.
1920 - 1960
Coach George McPheters
George McPheters taught at Melrose High School for forty years, from 1920 to 1960. An outstanding educator, he was known for infusing humor into his classroom and cartoons of himself in yearbooks. Serving as the Freshman Hockey Coach from 1920 to 1940 and Head Football Coach from 1920 to 1924, McPheters left a lasting athletic legacy at Melrose High School. Additionally, he founded the Camera Club, Pep Club, and Girls Club, and initiated the tradition of Thanksgiving baskets for those in need. McPheters sponsored over 30 trips to Washington D.C. for Melrose students and is fondly remembered as a coach and teacher who positively impacted the lives of thousands.
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1917
Frank Ross
The younger of the renowned "Ross Brothers," Frank Ross, served as the captain of both the Melrose High School hockey and baseball teams in 1917. In the same year, Ross achieved the rare distinction of being selected as a league All-Star in football, hockey, and baseball—a difficult feat in his9 time. Widely acknowledged as the most versatile and gifted athlete in the Boston suburban area, Ross followed in his brother's footsteps to Dartmouth College. There, he garnered further athletic acclaim by securing victories in every baseball game he pitched. Alongside his brother, Frank played a pivotal role in establishing Melrose as a pre-World War I athletic powerhouse.
1916
Jack Ross
Jack Ross was the older of the two famous Ross brothers. He was an outstanding hockey and baseball player at Melrose High School. In one season, he struck out 129 batters, a school record for many years. Jack went on to Dartmouth College and excelled at both baseball and hockey. He was the Captain of the 1920 Dartmouth National Championship Hockey Team. Jack Ross was an early hockey star at MHS and helped establish a tradition of MHS hockey excellence that in later decades produced many of the best hockey players and teams in the state.
1931
Ben Vaughn
Vaughn was an excellent three-sport athlete in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and is most remembered as an outstanding basketball player for Melrose High School. At a time when Melrose played their varsity games in the old Lincoln School gym, with its limited seating capacity, Ben Vaughn was the key to the teams basketball success and was a significant contributor to the popularity of the sport at the MHS. For many years, he held the school scoring record, netting 39 points against Stoneham in 1931. Later in life, proving to be a complete athlete, Vaughn became one of the area's most accomplished golfers.
1912
Clarence "Bags" Wanamaker
In 1912 Clarence "Bags" Wanamaker earned the distinction as the Most Outstanding Schoolboy hockey player in the country. Wanamaker was voted as an all-scholastic in both baseball and hockey. Following his graduation from MHS, "Bags" went to Dartmouth College where he he continued his athletic career excelling in hockey and baseball where he was Captain of both teams and earned "All-Collegiatic" honors in both sports. Wanamaker is the only MHS athlete to play two professional sports including baseball for New York Giants and playing on several professional hockey teams, before the inception of the National Hockey League
1931
Billy Weir
Billy Weir was the starting pitcher of the Melrose High School Mystic Valley League Championship Team of 1931. Weir became the first major league player from MHS since Herb Hunter in 1916. Weir was offered a major league contract upon graduation, but elected to attend the University of New Hampshire, where he earned All-American honors. After graduating from college Weir signed with the Boston Braves and in his first season he posted a 4 and 3 record. After three years with the Braves, late in the 1938 season, Weir suffered a career ending arm injury. Weir is long remembered, by those who saw him pitch at MHS, as having the best fastball of the era.
1911
Roger "Peter" Winsnap
Peter Winsnap, a four-sport athlete at Melrose High School, was the star player and Captain of the 1910 Championship Football Team. As a senior, Winsnap was Captain of the 1911 New England Champion Hockey Team. Winsnap also ran track and was a member of the then-record breaking four-man relay team. However, Winsnap is most remembered for his basketball exploits at Melrose High School, holding the schoolboy record for most consecutive baskets at 26 in a row. Winsnap attended Dartmouth College where he continued earning honors in football as a speedy end and hard hitter, a great track-man, and an outstanding basketball player.