Norwood Athletes Join an Elite Squad

The 2019 Norwood High School Athletic Hall Of Fame will induct this year’s recipients during Reunion Weekend in November. The event will be held on Saturday November 30, with a reception at noon, followed by the ceremony in the high school auditorium. Hall of Fame Vice President, Jack Tolman will be showing videos of this year’s inductees during the ceremony.
According to Brian McDonough, the selection committee usually receives between 60 -70 nominations each year, in which is then whittled down to about seven.
“The selection committee usually has their hands full, but they do a good job pulling it all together while representing generations as well as gender each year,” McDonough said. “Athletes must wait 10 years to be eligible, while coaches 7 years after their careers are finished. State and New England Champions are much easier to quantify their induction.”
This year’s student-athletes are: William Wenstrom ’57, Ken Sheehan ‘67, John DiCalogero ’82, Sue Drummey Daly ’90, Mike Whittier ’92, Jim Martin ’01 and Coach Bruce Gregory. The Class of 2018 will join last year’s inductees: Ed Praino ‘43 (posthumously), Alice Kelley ‘74, Ned Brigham ‘85, Kouri Ferris Wright ‘96, Jennifer Chin Schleicher ‘99, and Lisa Davenport Reggiannini ‘03. The coaches are Donna Glaser Brown 76, and Jim Forrest 86.
Wenstrom played football and was a sprinter in track as well as captain; Sheehan was Norwood High School’s first ever state wrestling champion; DiCalogero was a state champion running the 300 and was part of the 4x200 relay team for the Mustangs; Drummey Daly was a three-sport athlete in field hockey, basketball and softball; Whittier was a state champion in the 600, was part of the relay team while participating, and named a captain in both winter and spring track; Martin, was one of the best baseball players to ever suit up for Norwood. He also played hockey, but was best known for his baseball skills where he was named Bay State League MVP. Martin went on to coach baseball in Stony Brook, New York.
Gregory, who coached the wrestling team from 1973-84, was Norwood High School’s most successful wrestling coach compiling a 112-30-2 record during his 12-year career. During his tenure, his team’s captured 4 Bay State League Titles, 2 Sectional Championships, 1 State Championship and were state runner-ups twice. He also guided 7 athletes to go onto become State Champions in their respective weight classes as well as 3 New England Champions. Gregory is also a member of the Massachusetts State Hall of Fame.