Moments from Bristol Sports Hall of Fame 2023 dinner, a fun and special night for families and friends

Mark Dunn, center, one of the inductees to the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023, is joined by Bristol Eastern classmates, class of 1967, Roland Corbin and Bob Kalat before the festivities begin Saturday evening. | David Fortier

Posted By: Staff November 19, 2023

Eight new inductees to the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame were welcomed and feted at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Saturday evening. One longtime member of the BSHoF volunteer staff was acknowledged for her contributions and another longtime coach received the annual Julie Larese Award.

Those inducted at the 27th BSHoF Dinner were Mark Dunn, Rob Nicoletti, Carol Langlois Panigutti, Frank Oswianko, Jr., Chris Michalowski, Sara Paradis, Chuck Nolan and Tim Washington, Jr.

Longtime BSHoF secretary, Ellie Wilson, was recognized with a certificate for her years with the hall of fame. Tad Doyle received the Julie Larese Award.

Each of the speakers took to heart the admonitions of BSHoF president Jack Krampitz, who in his opening comments was clear about speeches being short, or else.

Some of the highlights from the speeches follow. (The speeches in their entirety are available on the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame website: www.bshof.org.)

Among speakers, three drew laughs when they acknowledged that being accepted into the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame might be the thing to finally get people in their life to recognize their accomplishments on the playing fields.

Clockwise from upper left, Rob Nicoletti greets his granddaughter after delivering his speech, Carol Langlois Panigutti addresses the gathering while presenter Tom Monahan looks on, Dave Greenleaf presents Chris Michalowski with his plague, David Hernandez and Mark Noon catch up on old times and Marty Hurwitz, Jim Tetro and Tom Dickau chat over a drink and snacks. | David Fortier

Washington and Michalowski both said that their sons might now have to see them in a different light. Paradis said that her boyfriend just might have to acknowledge her accomplishments.

Kicking off the speeches was Chuck Nolan, Bristol Central graduate, Class of ’79, with a few memories of his days during high school playing for the late coach Ralph Papazian. Among his memories, he included a moment when he joined the varsity team as a sophomore, a moment where he was so rattled that during a water break he ended up using the water to clean his helmet.

The moment drew a comment from one of the veteran players, that amounted to, “Geez, the sophomores aren’t too smart this year.” Nolan attended the University of Pennsylvania, of Ivy League repute, where he played football on two Ivy League championship teams, and accomplishment he shared with with BCHS classmate, Karl Hall, who was also in attendance.

Upper, Dave Greenleaf and Ellie Wilson who is acknowledged for his contributions as BSHoF secretary, and lower, Maryellen Holden and Tad Doyle, who is the recipient of this year’s the Julie Larese Award. | David Fortier

Rob Nicoletti, another BCHS alum, kept his comments short, but included a shout out to his family, including his granddaughter, whom he greeted with a smile and a big “yeah” upon returning to his seat. (See photo above.)

Tim Washington Jr., the BCHS football and track standout — at one point he held 11 state high school football records, said he was thrilled to be honored, since now, his son, Tim Washington III, might have to recognize that his dad was not only cool but a pretty talented athlete.

He ended his speech acknowledging that of all his accomplishments he was proudest of being the father of his son, Tim, and his daughter, Milani.

BCHS standout Sara Paradis, along with Washington, said that perhaps, now, her boyfriend might finally have to acknowledge her athletic accomplishments, which did get a laugh. Among the people that she credited for her success, aside from each family member, was her mother, also an educator and cancer survivor.

Chris Michalowski, St. Paul Catholic High School standout — he earned All-State honors in three sports — joined Washington and Paradis in saying that, maybe, now his son might have to acknowledge his accomplishments.

While the awardees each brought their own cheering sections, Michalowski’s was the loudest, and he reveled in sharing memories of his playing and coaching days.

Upper left, clockwise, Frank and Lynne Owsianko, Jr., upper right, Sara Paradis: middle, Tim Washington III, Milani Washington, Tim Washington, Jr., and family friend Morris “Rippy” Patton; lower, Karl Hall (flashing Ivy League championship ring), Chuck Nolan, Lance Chase and Nick Nolan. | David Fortier

Roller skating champion and Bristol Eastern graduate, Carol Langlois Panigutti has garnered awards and inductions into several sports halls of fame, including the Northeast Regional Roller Skating Hall of Fame in 2013 and the National Hall of Fame in 2015.

Panigutti, who suffered a spine injury in a diving accident, addressed the gathering from her wheelchair speaking with wit and charm, tossing in that her love of life continues and is even contagious, sharing that just a few days before, her husband, at 81, had been skydiving.

Owsianko who hails from Forestville, and was recognized for his contributions as an athlete at St. Paul Catholic High School and coaching, said he would be remiss if he did not remind people that Forestville is the capital of Bristol.

Mark Dunne, Bristol Eastern graduate and high school coach for many years, acknowledged his late brother, who was inducted earlier. And he brought cheers, when he announced that the Thanksgiving Day football game should and must go on as it has for years, and that he would work on the state level to make certain it did.

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