The first three individuals in the Class of 2026 are Harry Johns (Class of 1941), Walter J. Veloski (Class of 1941) and Frank Twardoski (Class of 1973).

Those three and six other selections yet to be announced will be inducted on Friday, August 28 with an afternoon luncheon at the MFHS cafeteria and they will be introduced at halftime of the Purple Riders’ home football game against Columbus Mifflin.

Two more Hall of Fame announcements will follow in the coming weeks. After that, this year’s “Wall of Honor” choices (individuals who’ve supported or impacted Purple Rider athletics in a variety of ways) and this year’s additions to the “Teams of Distinction” (MFHS teams deserving of special recognition for their accomplishments) will be announced.

Unified Bank is once again the Presenting Sponsor of the Martins Ferry Athletic Hall of Fame.

WALTER VELOSKI

Here’s a look at the bios of the first three Hall of Fame selections:

Harry Johns

(Class of 1941)

A 5-10, 185-pound three-year letterman, he played guard on the Purple Riders’ ultra-talented offensive line that also included Walter Veloski and Lou Groza.

As a senior, he received first team All-Ohio accolades from the International Wire Service and United Press International. Also a stellar defensive lineman, his honors also included first team Daily Times All-Valley and Intelligencer All-Valley. He played on the 1940 team that posted an 8-2 record and outscored its opponents 183-40 with five shutouts and during his three seasons, the Riders were a combined 21-6-2.

FRANK TWARDOSKI

Johns also played basketball as a freshman.

Walter J. Veloski

(Class of 1941)

A 5-9, 195-pound, three-year letterman, he was the anchor of one of the best Purple Rider offensive lines of all time alongside fellow All-Ohioans Harry Johns and Lou Groza.

During Veloski’s senior season (1940), Ferry posted an 8-1 record, outscoring its opponents by a whopping 183-40 margin with five shutouts. He received first team All-Ohio recognition by the International Wire Service; first team All-Daily Times All-Valley and third team Intelligencer All-Valley honors. During his three years, the Riders posted a combined 21-6-2 record on the gridiron.

Veloski was also a two-year letterman on the MFHS baseball team and was an infielder on the 1939 team that captured the district championship and advanced to the OHSAA Class A State Tournament. He also played on the 1940 and ’41 teams that were district runners-up.

He is the uncle of MFHS Hall of Famer Don Veloski.

Frank Twardoski

(Class of 1973)

He was a three-sport, three-year letterman (football, basketball and track), and would become the third member of his family in the “Hall” – joining his father, Frank “Pedro” (MFHS Class of 1948) and his brother Sam (MFHS Class of 1970), who were both inducted in 2017.

On the football field, Twardoski earned special mention All-Ohio Class AA honors along with first team All-Eastern District Class AA, All-OVAC Class AAA and All-Valley “Big School” honors. A talented receiver-defensive back-punter-punt/kickoff returner, he caught 21 passes for 450 yards with four TDs and 4 two-point conversions as a senior while intercepting six passes from his cornerback position.

In basketball, he received honorable mention All-Ohio Class AA (UPI and AP) and was second team All-Eastern District Class AA and special mention All-OVAC Class AAA. He averaged 19 points and was also the team’s leading rebounder as a 6-3 senior captain of the Purple Riders, who posted a 15-7 record while winning the OHSAA Class AA Sectional title and finishing as the District runner-up. He was also second team All-OVAC Class AAA and third team All-Valley “Big School” as a junior.

In track, his best event was the high jump, evident in the fact that he tied what was at the time the school record with a 6-foot, 2-inch leap. He finished second in the OVAC Class AAA meet at 5-6; won the Cambridge Relays (6-2) and finished second in the Shadyside Relays (5-10) and Martins Ferry Relays (5-10).

As a junior, he was third in the OHSAA Class AA District (6-0) to qualify for the Regional; tied the record in the Shadyside Relays (5-11½); tied for first in the Martins Ferry Relays (5-10); tied for second in the OVAC Class AAA event (5-10); second in the Belmont County Relays (6-0) and was an All-Valley selection in his specialty.

He also competed in the long jump, 220-yard dash and shuttle hurdles.

Twardoski played football for one year at the University of Akron before joining the U. S. Navy.