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Former umpire Randy Marsh is guest speaker at Wednesday’s NKY Sports Hall of Fame induction


By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter

Randy Marsh, a former Major League Baseball umpire who worked in the National League from 1981 to 1999 and throughout the major leagues from 2000 to 2009, will be the guest speaker for the January induction meeting of the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame.

The meeting is set for 1 p.m., January 18 at the Gardens of Park Hills (1622 Dixie Highway, Park Hills) and is free and open to the public. Five new members are set to be inducted into the Hall.

Marsh, a Covington native and a member of the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, umpired in the World Series in 1990, 1997, 1999, 2003 and 2006, serving as crew chief for the last three Series, and in the All-Star Game in 1985, 1988, 1996 and 2006, calling balls and strikes for the 1996 game. He is the tenth umpire in history to serve as crew chief for three World Series.

Randy Marsh

He also officiated in nine League Championship Series (1989, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009) and in five Division Series ( 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2006). He had been a crew chief from the 1998 season until his retirement following the 2009 season.

As of 2018 Marsh –a Board Member and First Vice-President for the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame – has served as Director of Umpiring, as well as an Evaluator and Supervisor for Major League Baseball.

January Inductees:

• Mike Lewis – A four year football starter and captain at Ludlow High School, he was also a four-time NKAC All-Star. In 2004, he was named NKY Class A Player of the Year, as well as District Player of the Year.

He passed for 96 touchdowns during his career, and finished topping all major passing categories – and, he was the first player from Ludlow to rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 2,000 yards in a single-season. Lewis was named MVP in the NKY All-Star Game, and his “Hail-Mary” pass in 2003 snapped a 32-game losing streak – and made him the Cincinnati Enquirer Player of the Decade.

As a basketball performer, Lewis was also a four-year starter, and three-time NKAC All-Star, and a team captain. A three-time All-Tournament A Classic selection, he was the Ninth Region Defensive Player of the Year and Ninth Region All-Star Game MVP.
He earned a scholarship to Georgetown College where he was a three-year starter at quarterback and Mid-South Player of the Week four times, and a two-time team captain. He finished his career in the Top Five or Top 10 in 10 different passing categories.

• Alan (Sonny) Sullivan – “Sonny” has been coaching in some capacity for some 50-plus years —starting in Knothole Baseball and Girls Softball. For 18 years he assisted the Conner Girls Softball Team. He started umpiring Knothole Baseball at the age of 14 – and continued to his 65th birthday. In addition, for 10 years he was a basketball referee in Boone County Leagues.

At Boone County High School, he has run the scoreboard or clock for 20 years and did the same for five years at Conner High School. For 15 years, he’s worked Thomas More football games.

• Greg Menetrey – The Campbell County High School grad ended his football career at the school holding eight different school records. He was named All-Conference in 1973 and again in ’74. He was tabbed Honorable Mention All-State in 1973, and named Second Team All-State the following year. The running back still holds the school mark for yards-per-carry at an amazing 14.7 yards.

As a pitcher, he tossed two no-hitters, and four one-hit ballgames. And in track, Menetrey ran all the sprint races – the 100, the 200 and 400. He coached eight years at Campbell County where he earned 13 varsity letters in four sports and was named to the Campbell County High School Hall of Fame and the NKFL Hall of Fame.

• Mike (Cootie) Creutzinger – A two sport athlete at Ludlow High School – football and basketball – “Cootie” was named the 1966-67 Honorable Mention defensive back in Northern Kentucky. That same year he was named Athlete of the Year at Ludlow High School. From 1972 he taught and coached through 2007 at Finneytown High School. After a year off, he coached from 2009-13 at Mason High School and from 2015-2019 served as coach at Mosheim Middle School.

• Jim Wihebrink – A football coach at Dayton (Ky.) High School, he started his career in 1968 coaching the linebackers for a team that made it to the state semi-finals.

He coached freshmen track at Purcell for two years where the team was GCL Frosh Champions.

Dixie Heights was his next stop as varsity track coach (two years) – and his team placed third in the region. He was Head Track Coach at Lima Catholic as well as Assistant Football Coach – he held the same titles at Forest Park High School.

He returned to Kentucky in 1977 as Track and Cross Country Coach at Boone County High School – he stayed with the Rebels 20 years. He was named the NKAC Coach of the Year on four different occasions.

His combined coaching record: Boys 825 wins, 496 losses (68%) Girls 733 wins, 564 losses (57%). His track and field record was 1,302 wins and 399 losses (77%).

The Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame started in October, 1982 for the purpose to recognize and honor individuals for outstanding athletic achievements and overall contributions to the sports scene in Northern Kentucky.

Categories to include: Team Sports, Managers, Coaches, Umpires, Sponsors, League of Tournament Managers, Park Owners, Media Members and Sporting Goods Owners.


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