At the top of the main athletic stairs there are two red doors. One door leads to the track, the other to the best hallway in MHS. In this hallway, bright colorful flags from Milford’s rival competitors hang from the ceiling proudly on display. But, believe it or not, the flags are not the most interesting part of this hallway. The best part is the gold plaques of Hall of Fame inductees.
“We take for granted the speed of life,” said Chirs Ceresa, MHS Athletic Director. “The Hall of Fame gives us the opportunity to look at accomplishments.”
This year on Feb. 3rd, MHS added six new shining plaques to the hallway in honor of Bob Baker, Buddy David, Kory Kramer, Kyle Plummer, Katie Kramer-Salyers, and Jessica Wojcik.
The ceremony was spectacular. Every sport was represented by at least six players in Mavericks gear. The players all lined the edge of the basketball court in support for the inductees.
“The Hall of Fame is a great way to honorMilford athletes who have made a difference,” said Junior Dana Zeese. Zeese attended the ceremony and is a Varsity Golf member and a good student.
In this years Hall of Fame ceremony, Milford inducted a wide range of ages. The inductees had about a 70 year graduation span, with the oldest inductee graduating in 1940.
Baker graduated from MHS in 1940, he received ten varsity letters in baseball, football, basketball and track. Baker’s major football accomplishment during the 1939 season was three 90-yard touchdown runs. Bertha Baker, his mother was the first women elected to the school board and Baker Elementary was named on her account. Baker passed in 1990 and has been greatly missed.
David was a part of the class of 1984 and received five varsity letters in football and wrestling. David won the 145lbs KVC title and the most valuable athlete award for wrestling and football in the same season. David came form Tennessee, where he now lives, to attend the ceremony.
Kramer graduated in 1995 and received eight varsity letters in cross country and track and field. He was the most inspirational runner in ’94 and most valuable runner in ’95. Kramer broke the 8-kilometer school record at Kalamazoo College and after graduating he volunteered as a Peace Corps in Bolivia. Kramer now lives in Seattle, where he lives happily with his wife Saima.
Plummer was a part of the class of 2003. He received eight varsity letters in football, basketball and track and field. As captain of all three teams his senior year, Plummer broke many records and led his team to victory. Plummer played football at the University of Michigan. While he was there, his teams won two Big Ten championships and competed in three Rose Bowls. Plummer now runs the family business in Plymouth with his wife Susan.
Salyers also graduated in 2003 and received eight varsity letters in cross country and track. Salyers was the most valuable runner twice, the most inspirational athlete four times and a three time captain. Salyers went on to play division one soccer at Stony Brook College and moved back here to finish her soccer career at Madonna University. Salyers now works in the district as a fifth grade teacher at Heritage Elementary and is married to her husband Brian, who works at MHS.
Wojcik was proudly apart of the class of 2006. She received four varsity letters in softball. In MHS softball history, Wojcik is the most accomplished pitcher ever. Amazingly, she recorded 20 shutouts during her senior year. Wojcik was selected as the first team all-state and runner up for Miss Softball for class A in 2006. She continued her softball career by earning four varsity letters at Northwood University, where she earned a degree in Sports Marketing and Management. Currently Wojcik is the assistant softball director at Total Sports and will be the JV softball coach at Walled Lake Northern this coming spring.
“[We have] very diverse committee members who are very proud and envious,” said Ceresa. “The Hall of Fame requires a dignified resume to get in.”
In order to become inducted into the Hall of Fame, one must be nominated by community members. Once a person is nominated, they stay in the nomination group for five years. Anyone can nominate a deserving person; the form is available online at http://www.huronvalley.k12.mi.us/schools/highschools/milford/athletics/hof/halloffamenominationform/ .
A committee of 10 people read all the nominations each year on the first Monday of October By the second Monday, the committee meets again and every member gets 10 votes. The members vote on who they believe should be inducted and a nominee must receive seven votes in order to become inducted into the hall.
Please go online and nominate someone so next year’s Hall of Fame will add to Milford High School’s Hall of Fame successes.
“The Hall of Fame is spiritual to me,” said Ceresa. “It means history, dedication and commitment.”