Widener’s Barnett honored as MAC’s top scholar-athlete
Widener University baseball outfielder Bob Barnett has been named the Middle Atlantic Conference’s 2017 senior scholar-athlete of the year.
A graduate of Interboro High, Barnett compiled a 3.99 grade point average in civil engineering (minor in environmental engineering) and is enrolled in Widener’s accelerated masters in civil engineering program.
He also has been named winner of the university’s 2016-17 George and Sis Hansell male scholar-athlete award. He helped Widener to 105 victories during four winning seasons as well as a pair of conference championships and two NCAA Regional appearances.
In 2016, Barnett was named to the all-conference first team, was a CoSIDA Academic All-American and made the American Baseball Coaches association allMid-Atlantic Region team.
He compiled a .323 career batting average, getting 178 hits, 92 runs batted in, 65 stolen bases and 124 runs scored in his four varsity seasons.
He is the second Widener baseball player in three seasons to win the MAC scholar-athlete award. Pitcher Robert Barth, a graduate of Pope John Paul II High, was honored in 2015.
Barnett is the son of former Interboro athletes Bob and Lisa (Tinucci) Barnett of Glenolden.
The Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame’s Delaware County Chapter will hold its 37th awards dinner June 25 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (Wilmington North) on Naamans Road in Claymont, Del.
Social hour begins at 4 p.m., with dinner served at 5 o’clock. Tickets are $45.
Joining the Hall of Fame will be sports officials Jerry and Joe Crawford, basketball players Leroy Eldridge, Wilbur “Zain” Shaw and Eddie Swain, football player Dave Pacitti, track and field athlete Ronald Hunt, multisport athletes Beth (Potter) Bryan and Rhian Jones, coaches Bob Nugent (deceased), Bob Jesson and Cliff Wilson, and broadcaster Bill Werndl.
In addition, the chapter will honor a physically challenged athlete, a Special Olympian, high school male and female scholarathletes of the year and humanitarian award winner, and an individual who has made major contributions to youth athletics.
Additional information can be obtained from chapter president Frank May at 302-477-0648. Checks for tickets made payable to Delco Chapter PA Sports Hall of Fame can be mailed to May at 213 Lyndhurst Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19803.
The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum in Radnor is featuring one of the cards from its newest collection of top county sports figures each week on the museum’s website at www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com.
The featured card this week is that of Dave Johnson, who became director of the Penn Relays in 1996.
Johnson competed in cross country and track and field at Swarthmore High and helped Swarthmore College win three Middle Atlantic Conference cross country championships. He has worked for Track and Field News Magazine and the International Amateur Athletic Federation and did public address and statistical work at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Through an endowment in 2006, he became the first Frank Dolson Director of the Penn Relays.
The ongoing efforts by the Sports Legends Museum to raise funds to erect a statue of Emlen Tunnell continue to bring responses from around the country.
Museum curator Jim Vankoski recently received a letter and contribution to the statue fund from Tom Braatz, who played for the NFL’s Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys and is the former general manager of the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers.
“Emlen was a great team leader, both on and off the field,” Braatz wrote. “He is deserving of this tribute.”
Veteran lacrosse official Bill Ciavarelli, who teaches at Holy Cross School in Springfield and spends his summers as captain of the lifeguards in North Wildwood, worked Malvern Prep’s game against Episcopal Academy last week.
Ciavarelli and his crewmates were a little slow in recognizing a request from the Malvern sideline for a timeout and took some heat over the delay in granting the request.
Seeing Rev. James Flynn, O.S.A., Malvern’s president, standing on the sideline, Ciavarelli turned to him and said “Forgive me, Father.”
Father Flynn’s reply: “You’re forgiven. (Say) one Hail Mary and two Our Fathers. And don’t let it happen again.”
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Steven Johnson, who played at Strath Haven and the University of Kansas, and Faith Motivated are sponsoring a football camp July 7-9 at Strath Haven’s George L. King Field in Wallingford.
Players in grades 6-12 are welcome and must wear their school helmet with mouthpiece as well as football cleats. Shirts will be provided. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. Registration information is available at faithmotivated.org. Additional information can be obtained at FMCFOOTBALLCAMP@gmail.com.
Horizon Field Hockey Club will hold its day camp for players entering grades 3 through 9 from June 26-29 at the turf stadium field behind Strath Haven Middle School.
Camp sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with instruction in individual skills, game tactics, offensive and defensive concepts and turf-specific skills.
Each camper receives a progress report at the end of the week. The cost is $200 per player, with sibling discounts available.
Additional information can be found at horizonfhc@gmail.com.
Her Game, which is located at 5119 West Chester Pike in Newtown Square, is hosting its Last Line of Defense goalkeeping clinic for field hockey players June 10.
The session for U12 and U14 players begins at 11 a.m., while the clinic for U16 and U19 players gets under way at 2 p.m. Cost is $85 per player.
The clinic will be directed by Lower Merion High assistant coach Meg Davies, a former Haverford and William Paterson University goalie.
Additional information can be obtained by calling 610-353-5800.