47th Annual Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
The 47th annual YMCA of Frederick County Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Saturday, January 28, at 6 pm at the New Spire Arts.
Each year the YMCA recognizes individuals who, through their accomplishments and contributions in the field of athletics, have brought honor to themselves and to Frederick County. Alvin G. Quinn was the Executive Director of the YMCA of Frederick County from 1919 to 1960. No individual has ever had such an impact on so many of the area’s young people during his 40-year career as did Mr. Quinn.
Six new inductees will be recognized:
Dell Ahalt was a superb baseball player for Middletown High School in the mid-1980s, where he played all four years on the varsity baseball team. He racked up countless awards for his excellence on the baseball field, including three-time All-MVAL and the Frederick News-Post 1st and 2nd team honors. In his senior year, he was chosen to the Maryland All-State baseball team after hitting .500 and going 6-1 as a Pitcher. Dell helped Middletown to a state runner-up finish in 1983. He played in the 16-18-year-old Babe Ruth World Series in Frederick. Dell received a full scholarship to attend N.C. State University to play baseball, where he led the Wolfpack in the ACC. He was named to the ACC 1st Team in 1988 and batted .346 with 14 home runs his junior year. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1988 and played for the Erie Orioles and Frederick Keys. After his professional career, Dell took the reigns as a Player/Coach for the Hagerstown Braves semi-pro team and led them to three Franklin County League titles. He had a lifetime average of .404 and was named tournament MVP on two occasions. In 2022, he was inducted into the National Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame.
Michael Rice was one of the top basketball players ever to play at Governor Thomas Johnson High School. Today, he still holds many top basketball individuals records at the school. He remains the top rebounder in school history with 1,284 rebounds and is second in school history with 1,972 career points. His 51 points in a single game record is tied for first in school history. His senior year, he averaged 27.7 points a game and helped led the team to win their first state championship. His senior year he was ranked in the top 20 power forwards in the country. Mike went on to play basketball for the University of Pittsburgh from 1976-1977 and for the University of San Francisco 1979-1980. After college, Mike went on to play professional basketball for several years in Finland, Chile, and Puerto Rico in the CBA.
Ernie Bowens was known as a dynamic athlete and team leader on the football field and basketball court. He played for Governor Thomas Johnson High School in the early 1970s, where he excelled in football and basketball. Known for his athleticism, speed, quickness, and toughness, he led the 1971 Governor Thomas Johnson High school football team to a 10-0 season. As quarterback, he guided a team that averaged 36 points per game. He helped a defense that allowed only 50 points for the season. He was named to the Maryland All-State team in 1971. For years, he was the all-time leading scorer in TJ basketball history and led the basketball team to the Tri-State League Championship and state playoffs in 1970-71, as the starting point guard. Ernie went on to play for the Frederick Falcons in 1972 and helped the Falcons go undefeated that season and won the league championship.
Brittain Altomare is known as one of the greatest women’s lacrosse players ever to come out of Frederick County. Brittain went to Middletown High School and was selected as a four-time Frederick News-Post All-Area and all-conference selection for the Knights. In her senior year, she helped lead the Knights to an 18-0 regular season. At Middletown, she tallied 247 career goals and 95 assists. She was selected as a High School All-American. She went on to play lacrosse at Hofstra University from 2012-2015 where she racked up numerous achievements, including NCAA Division 1 All-American, Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year, CAA All-League First Team Selection 3 Years in a row, CAA All-Rookie Team, USWLA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Team, and IWLCA Third Team All-American. She was also included on the Tewarraton Award Watch List during her senior season. Upon graduation from Hofstra, she was the program all-time leader in Points, Assists, and Draw Controls, as well as holding the season record for all of those categories. She remains in the top three on the all-time list for most of the significant point categories at Hofstra. She played professionally after her stellar collegiate career for the Baltimore Ride in the United Women’s Lacrosse League in 2017. Brittain spent her first four years after college working for Harlem Lacrosse, the nation’s largest lacrosse non profit. She now works as a 5th-grade teacher at PS 149, the Sojourner Truth School in Harlem, New York. Brittain joins her great-grandfather Warner Brittain in the Sports Hall of Fame. Inducted in 1986, Warner “Mike” Brittain was known locally as the father of Frederick County football through his leadership as a coach and promoter of sports. The Frederick Seneca Football Team was founded in the early 1940s. This program helped to reinstitute football at Frederick High School in 1946, following a 24-year absence dating back to 1923. Brittain was the complete coach, treating his athletes with respect and understanding, which fostered lifetime values. He was a valued community leader, devoted coach, and friend to all privileged to work with him.
Kathleen Sixx certainly meets the YMCA Core Values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility by her lifetime of accomplishments on and off the field in Frederick County. Kathy spent 40 years as a field hockey official in Frederick County before retiring in 2017. She also served as the Coordinator for Frederick County Officials for nearly 39 years, advocating for the sport, the players, and officials. She was instrumental in helping field hockey grow in Frederick County and even recruited players to become officials and trained them. Kathy held training camps regularly throughout Frederick County to help train and mentor young athletes. Kathy has received as many accomplishments off the field as well, being recognized as Outstanding Teacher of the Year, Department Chair/s, Team leader, and teacher. She is a graduate from Catoctin High School and Frostburg State University.
Started in 2020, the Rising Star Award, goes to a Frederick County individual or team who demonstrated exceptional accomplishments and contributions in their athletic field in the past year. The 2022 recipient is Carson Smith.
Carson Smith, a senior at Middletown High School, was the key running back for the 2021 Middletown Knights where he rushed for 1,618 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per carry. Smith averaged more than 200 yards per game and no team was able to hold Smith under 100 yds per game rushing during the season and in the postseason. He was selected as an All State Running back and All County Running back his Junior Year. During his Senior year playing for the Knights, Carson was again the top running back in the County, with 1,912 total yards, averaging almost 180 yards per game, and 26 touchdowns. He also had 156 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns, passed for 2 touchdowns and recorded 3 interceptions while starting as outside linebacker. He helped lead the Knights into the State’s 2A playoffs. Carson is a stellar student at Middletown High School, where he takes many AP classes and has maintained a GPA over 4.4. He also is a mentor to younger athletes in the Middletown community, donating his time as an Assistant Coach for the MVAA JV Knight football team and participates as the Huddle Leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Carson was highly sought after by many Division 1 programs, however, he ultimately committed to Army West Point.
The ceremony will be held Saturday, January 28, 2023, at the New Spires Arts in downtown Frederick (15 W Patrick Street). Doors open to ticket holders at 6 pm with a reception from 6-7 pm with the induction ceremony beginning at 7 pm. Tickets are available on a first-come-first-served basis, available in-person at either YMCA branch, or for purchase online. (Tickets purchased online will be available at New Spire Arts will-call window the night of.)
The Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame collection is located at the Downtown campus of the YMCA of Frederick County, 1000 N. Market Street, Frederick. It is accessible to the public. Permanent and rotating displays of photographs and memorabilia honor Frederick County’s finest athletes, coaches, and athletic and community supporters.
Please contact Josh Henson at jhenson@frederickymca.org if you have any questions.
