Dr. Charles Stacey reflects on Donora sports history

By Wayne Stewart

For MVI Sports

Donora’s unofficial historian is Dr. Charles Stacey, and his qualifications are impeccable. 

He has observed the local sports scene as a student, graduating from Donora High School in 1949, as a junior and senior high teacher, beginning his days in education in 1953, and as the  Superintendent of Ringgold schools. No sports topic is beyond his reach.

For example, the Donora debate of which Dragon athlete was the fastest one of them all rages on, no doubt never to be fully resolved. 

Nevertheless, Stacey’s input is invaluable. After all, he has seen them all, often from his perch as the man running the clock for sporting events. 

“It was my way of getting a good seat, up front,” he joked.

When asked to choose between Larry Crawford, his brother Greg, Roscoe Ross, Dane Tartt or Ken Griffey, Stacey said it was too close to call, but added, “The greatest speedster in Donora was actually Warren ‘Rabbit’ Walton, who won the WPIAL championship in the 100 and 220 in both his junior and his senior year (1949). He always placed high for the state championship, too. One of his teammates was a fullback, Willie Mitchell. ‘Rabbit’ was the only kid in this area who could beat Willie in any dash.”

Stacey continued his reminiscences of other athletic superlatives, starting with the strongest high schoolers he ever saw. 

“For Donora, I think Rudy Andabaker was the first of the football players to take up weightlifting. That’s how he became so strong. He was very aggressive and he had great speed for a lineman, but in this day and age, guys like Rudy and Tony Romantino would never be considered very strong.” Stacey quipped. “They couldn’t even make the cheerleading squad the way the guys pick up the girls and throw them in the air now.

“Myron Pottios of Charleroi was a big, strong guy. He was a great linebacker for them. Another big, strong one was Carl Crawley from Monessen. Although I never saw him play, Red Worrell from Centerville was a great football player who went on to Penn State, but between his freshman and sophomore years, he was involved in an accident and was killed. That was a tragedy.”

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