They were denizens of the diamond, operators on the oval, and gladiators on the gridiron, all of whom were clad in maroon and gold to those many years ago.

They were also district and league champions, state qualifiers, all-stars, and fierce competitors whose accomplishments put them into the record books as well as the collective memory of the Whitehall community.

They were also the latest class of inductees into Whitehall's Hall of Fame, honored last Friday in a ceremony between the boys and girls varsity basketball games.

Among those enrolled into the class of 2015 are Mark Bonshak, Robert Kline, the 1980 Baseball team and the 1981 girls 3200 meter relay team.

Athletic Director Robert Hartman opened the ceremony touting the many achievements of everyone in this year's class.

Leading off the evening was Mark Bonshak, something that the 1982 graduate noted was unusual given his athletic career as someone who bats farther down the line-up.

Bonshak played football and baseball at Whitehall. In football he was a three-year starter and captain in 1980. He was a member of the 1980 East Penn Conference Champions, and was selected as a first-team EPC running back that same year. Additionally, he was an All-State Honorable Mention in 1980, and the following year was again a member of the EPC champs.

Bonshak's football accomplishments also included 20 touchdowns in a single season, placing him seventh all-time. He finished with 32 in his career, good for fifth place.

In baseball, Bonshak was a three-year starter and a captain in 1981. He was a member of the District XI champs in 1980, and was a first team EPC catcher in 1981.

He was also an assistant coach in baseball from 2011-2013, and was on the staff when the team won the Lehigh Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference title in 2013.

Robert Kline was a three-year varsity starter in football, making the first-team Lehigh Valley League as both a running and linebacker in 1968. That same year he was also an Associated Press All-State Honorable Mention.

Kline was also a member of the 1966 LVL championship team, and upon graduation held the single season rushing record of 1,267 yards (currently eighth). He's also fifth all-time in career yards with 2,264 yards.

Kline played baseball as well, and was a member of the LVL champs in 1967.

After graduating from Lock Haven State College, Kline stayed active in high school sports as an assistant football coach at Dieruff, Liberty, William Allen and Allentown Central Catholic High Schools.

Friday's inductees also included the 1981 girls 3,200 meter relay team which featured Elaine Walgren Hamill, Catherine "Picci" Gober Bonshak, Karen Schmidt Solderitch and Lisa Saganowich Lynn.

They were introduced by head coach Pat Stetz-Grammes who challenged the girls to be the best they could be. In doing so, they set a school record in the 3,200 which still stands today, clocking in at 9:50.3.

In 1981 they finished second at the East Penn Conference Championships, and then went on to become the District XI champs that same year which paved their way to the PIAA Championships where the quartet finished tenth.

Finally, they inducted the 1980 baseball team that finished the season at 22-6. Along the way, the team managed by Joe Steiner, became District XI champs and then reeled off four wins in the PIAA Championships before being put into the consolation bracket by Shaler High School, winding up third in the state tourney.

The roster included Ed Bloomfield, Bob Bloszinsky, Bill Bodisch, Mark Bonshak, John Bowman, Jim Carpenter, Eric Csencsits, Mark Cuth, Scott Eberhart, Jim Emerick, Greg Hamscher, Tim Harakal, Bob Holder, Ron Madouse, Mark Matejicka, Chuck Mondschein, BobMotsko, Bill Pugh, Randy Remaly, Jerry Somers, Mike Spanitz, Steve Weidner, Kyle Wise, along with coaches John Churetta, John DeLucia, Bill Kunkle and manager Steiner.

"It was great to get the guys together after thirty-five years," said John "Beet" Bowman who served as the team spokesman.

Bowman said that everyone attended the induction except Madouse who passed away in 2014. Madouse, whose spirit lives on among the teams he coached at Whitehall, was represented by his mantra of "We Play Big" at the ceremony, a slogan adopted by the boys basketball team.

Bowman said that members traveled from as far away as North Carolina and Virginia to attend the induction.

"It was good to see everybody; we're still a team," said Bowman who was the shortstop of the D-11 title team. "We were a pretty close-knit group thirty-five years ago and still are today."

Bowman said they were a team that was predicated on pitching and defense, noting they won a lot of low-scoring games.

"We got enough runs to win games," he said.

He said that played what came to be known as "small ball," using that combination of moving runners over with sacrifices until someone would eventually knock them in with a single.

"Our district finals and semifinals were won 4-1 and 3-1," said Bowman. "That's how we did it."

The team was also defined by its excellent pitching staff, posting a 2.23 season ERA.

Bowman said it was also a good way to honor Madouse who was their starting first baseman.