Hall of Fame Committee selects newest members
MUNCY – The Muncy High School Athletic Hall-of-Fame committee is proud to announce that Kathy Brehm, Class of 2000, from Muncy and Ralph “Butch” Feigles, Class of 1953, from LaBelle, FL have been elected as its two newest members for 2012.
Brehm and Feigles are slated for induction at the annual Muncy Alumni banquet, Saturday, May 26 at the Ward L. Myers Elementary School. They will be the 56th and 57th members, respectfully, to enter the Hall since the late Stanley T. Schuyler established the Muncy Athletic Hall-of-Fame some 36 years ago.
Committee member, Paul Wertman, will be in attendance to present honorary plaques to the two newest members.
Kathy Brehm is one of the finest female athletes ever to don the blue and white in Muncy High School history and is recognized as one of the best softball players to ever come out of the Lady Indian program and all of Lycoming County. She was a standout catcher with a rifle arm, while also holding numerous offensive and defensive records that still stand today.
Individual honors saw Brehm make Mid-Penn League first team all-stars, all four years of her career while also picking up the freshman of the year award. She was a two-year captain and a member of the 1999 team that was the first Lady Indian softball team to play for a District Championship and qualify for State playoffs.
In 1999, Brehm was a member of the ASA State Champions at the Keystone games and in 2011, she was selected as a member of the PIAA District IV Softball Hall-of-Fame. One of only 15 members.
She currently holds several career offensive records with a batting average of .419, runs scored 83, RBIs 77, triples 9, at bats 246, and stolen bases 80, while single season marks include, runs 32, doubles 11, triples 5, at bats 67 and stolen bases 22. Her defensive records include most putouts by a catcher (season & career), best fielding percentage-any position .989 and most runners thrown out attempting to steal-season and career.
Kathy also played basketball three seasons. Contributing and lettering her senior year. At graduation, she received offers to play soft ball for both NCAA Division II and Division III schools. Instead, she made the decision to enter the work force, however, her love of the sport brought her back to Muncy High School as a junior high softball coach.
Ralph Feigles was one of the best all-around athletes to ever come out of Muncy High School. He earned eight varsity letters during his stellar MHS athletic career. He played baseball in 51,52. and 53 (captain). wrestling-51, 52 and 53(captain), football-50,51,52 and 53(captain) and gym team 52 and 53 (captain). In football Feigles was an exceptional halfback and linebacker with blazing speed who contributed to two great seasons in the falls of 1951 and 1952.
In 1951 the Indians finished 7-2 overall and finished runner-up in Watsontown who eked out a hard fought 13 to 6 win over the Indians in a game that could have easily been the other way around. During that season Muncy won many big games, with Feigles scoring six touchdowns along the way.
In the fall of 1952, saw Muncy avenge the heartbreaking loss to Watsontown a year prior and beat them handily 38 to 6. Muncy then strung five more wins in a row, capped off with a 7-0 win over Montoursvillle and captured the 1953 West Branch championship with a 4-0-1 record, 6-1-2 overall. Butch during the championship year tallied 11 touchdowns and with yards from scrimmage and all-purpose yards had over 1,000 yards. It was Muncy’s first title since 1941.
In 1954, Feigles played one year of college football as he walked on at Penn State’s freshman team. Butch was also a key wrestling performer for the Indians and lettered twice in the upper weights
In baseball. Feigles played centerfield and batted 300 plus for his career while also playing softball for 5 years after his scholastic days with Mike’s Esso who competed in the Lycoming County Softball League. They won two league titles and a tournament.
Ralph Feigles also sponsored a Little League team for five years and a softball team for another 4 years while living in Tioga county. Both teams won a pair of championships.
In one word, Butch Feigles was a winner and his dedication to be the best was a marvel to watch, said a big time Muncy fan who saw him perform in that era. /