Queen’s football announces 2010 Hall of Fame inductees

KINGSTON, Ont. (July 16, 2010) – Queen’s football head coach Pat Sheahan, along with the Queen’s Football Club, are pleased to announce the 2010 Hall of Fame induction class.

This year’s class includes three teams (1956, 1964 and 1968), two builders (Bob Howes and Bob Mullen) and five players (Bill Sirman, Mark Robinson, James Osborn, Jim Aru and Paul Correale).

Sirman is this year’s lone representative from the Queen’s teams of the 1960’s. A halfback on the 1961 Senior Intercollegiate and Yates Cup Championship team, Sirman led the Ontario-Quebec Athletic Association (OQAA) in scoring that season after scoring seven touchdowns for 42 points. That number included three receiving touchdowns against Toronto on Nov. 4th of that year, a school record that stood for 17 seasons.

For his success, he was named an OQAA first team all-star and went on to be drafted in the third round by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1963.

The four other inductees in the player category were all members of Queen’s squads of the 1990’s. Headlining the list is offensive lineman Mark Robinson, who was a member of the dominant Queen’s teams of the early 1990’s. Robinson was a member of the two Dunsmore Cup Championship teams in 1991 and 1992 and helped lead the team to the 1992 Vanier Cup Championship over the Saint Mary’s Huskies.

Robinson received numerous accolades over the course of his career at Queen’s, including winning the Royal Todd Memorial Trophy as team Rookie of the Year in 1990 as well as twice being named the Orrin A. Carson Lineman of the Year in 1993 and 1994. At the league and national level, Robinson was the Ontario-Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference (OQIFC) Russ Jackson Award winner in 1993 as well as a First Team All-Star. That same year, he was also named a CIAU Second Team All-Canadian and added CIAU Academic All-Canadian status in both 1993 and 1994.

Rounding out the inductees on the offensive side of the ball is running back Paul Correale. Correale, who played with Queen’s from 1995 to 1999, is one of the most decorated backs in team history. The three-time OQIFC First Team All-Star still holds two school records for most rushing touchdowns in a career (29) and most carries in a career (503). He is also ranked in the top five all-time in most carries in a season (149), most all-purpose yards in a career (4,007), most kickoff return yards in a season (860), most kickoff return yards in a game (146), longest kickoff return in a season (100) and most 100 yard rushing games in a career (12).

Correale’s rookie season was one of his most decorative in his time with Queen’s as he was named the team’s rookie of the year (Royal Todd Memorial Trophy), the OQIFC Rookie of the Year and the male rookie of the year at Queen’s (Alfie Pierce Trophy). He also added the team MVP award in 1998 (Johnny Evans Memorial Trophy) after leading the team in carries, yards, touchdowns, scoring and all-purpose yards that season.

Jim Aru, a defensive lineman with Queen’s from 1994 to 1998, is the fourth member of this year’s class. Another three-time OQIFC First Team All-Star (1996 to 1998), Aru is the Queen’s all-time leader in sacks in a season (12), sacks in a career (31.5) and tackles for a loss in a career (15.5). The two-time CIAU Second Team All-Canadian is also second all-time in total tackles in a season (73) and sacks in a game (4).

Aru’s defensive prowess led him to be named the recipient of the Royal Todd Memorial Trophy in 1994 and Lou Bruce Memorial Trophy in 1997 and 1998. He capped off his career at Queen’s by being named the recipient of the Jim Tait Award in 1998, given to the top male graduating athlete in a team sport.

Fellow defensive lineman James Osborn is the final player in this year’s class. Osborn, who was a Dunsmore Cup finalist in 1995, was a three-time OQIFC First Team All-Star from 1996 to 1998, added CIAU Second Team All-Canadian status in 1996 and 1998 and was an Academic All-Canadian in 1995 and 1998. On top of the league and national honours, he was also the Orrin A. Carson Lineman of the Year for Queen’s in 1996 and was the recipient of the Jenkins Trophy as top male graduating athlete in 1997.

Moving to the builders category, Bob Howes enters the Hall of Fame this year after being a part of Queen’s Football in a variety of capacities from 1982 to 2005, including a stint of five years as head coach from 1995 to 1999.

During his time with the team, Queen’s won seven Dunsmore Cups, two Churchill Bowls in 1983 and 1992 as well as the Vanier Cup in 1992. He was twice named the OQIFC Coach of the Year, in 1995 and 1997.

As a head coach, Howes posted a .533 winning percentage while coaching 44 Academic All-Canadians, 27 conference All-Stars, eight All-Canadians and five players who would go on to play in the CFL. His success as a coach led to the Gaels Special Teams Player of the Year award being re-named in his honour in 2001.

Bob Mullen goes into the Hall of Fame as one of the top Defensive Coordinators in Queen’s history. Holding the post from 1988 to 2000, Mullen’s defensive teams hold a number of school records, including most interceptions in a season (1992 – 22), fewest rushing touchdowns allowed in a season (1989 – 2), fewest total yards allowed in a season (1992 – 2,099), most turnovers created in a season (1997 – 42) and most sacks in a season (1998 – 40). His team’s defensive prowess is highlighted by the fact that Queen’s remains the only team to shutout an opponent in the Vanier Cup when Queen’s defeated Saint Mary’s 31-0 in 1992.

His success as a coach was recognized in 1993 when Mullen was named the recipient of the Gino Fracas Award as the CIAU Volunteer Coach of the Year.

The final inductees into the Hall of Fame this year are three teams, beginning with the 1956 Yates Cup Champions. This team posted a 4-1-1 record during the season and went on to capture the Yates Cup by defeating Toronto Varsity 4-2. The team’s captain was Gary Lewis while Gus Braccia was the recipient of the Johnny Evans Memorial Trophy and Paul Corbett the recipient of the Royal Todd Memorial Trophy. Ron Stewart was also named the recipient of the Jenkins Trophy that year.

The second team to enter the Hall of Fame is the 1964 Yates Cup Championship squad. This team, co-captained by John Erickson and Bob Latham, went undefeated that season, winning all six of their games before beating McMaster 63-6 to win the Yates Cup. Jim Young was the recipient of the Johnny Evans Memorial Trophy while Brian Parnega was named the recipient of the Royal Todd Memorial Trophy.

The final entry into the Queen’s Football Hall of Fame in 2010 is the 1968 Yates Cup, Western Bowl and Vanier Cup Championship team. After posting an 8-1 record in the regular season, the 1968 squad overcame Toronto 14-6 to capture the Yates Cup, got past Manitoba 29-6 to win the Western Bowl and defeated Waterloo Lutheran 42-14 to win the Vanier Cup.

The team was co-captained by Bob Climie and Ron Brooks, Don Bayne was named the MVP of the Vanier Cup, while Keith Eaman was awarded the Johnny Evans Memorial Trophy and Cam Innes the Royal Todd Memorial Trophy.

The induction ceremony for the five players, two builders and three teams will take place on Friday, October 22, the night before the Gaels final regular season home game against the York Lions.

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