Hall of Fame  

2002 Inductees

Pat Byerly, Volunteer, Butler County
Pat Byerly has exhibited tremendous dedication to individuals with mental retardation for over 35 years. In 1965 (preceding Special Olympics) Pat helped establish a bowling program in her areas. Since that time, bowling has been a year-round passion for Pat. Under her guidance, the Special Olympics bowling program has expanded in Butler County to five sites, three of which Pat runs. In 1987 she was chosen to be Pennsylvania's bowling coach for the World Games. Pat was one of the original management team members and assumed the position of manager in 1986 -- a position she continues to hold to this day.
 

Wayne Jones, Athlete, Bethlehem (Posthumous)
His loved ones remember Wayne as a determined, honorable competitor and a caring person. Wayne undoubtedly left his mark in Special Olympics and was well-loved by the athletes and volunteers. He was a two-time soccer MVP (1989 and 1998), a two-time bowling MVP (1997 and 2000), a volleyball MVP (1989), and was named to the Bethlehem chapter's Hall of Fame. In 1987, he earned his first trip to Summer World Games, bringing home a gold medal for team volleyball and a bronze medal for individual skills competition. He made a return trip to World Games in 1991, again bringing home a gold, this time for soccer.
 

Michael Plappert, Athlete, York County
Michael Plappert began participating in Special Olympics as early as he possibly could and competed in athletics, basketball, bowling, golf, soccer and softball. But his true love is aquatics. In 1997, Michael became the first athlete with Down Syndrome to ever compete on the Dover Area High School swim team. He earned four varsity letters and served for two consecutive seasons as the captain of the boys' varsity swim team. The entire time he trained for his high school team, Michael remained an active participant in Special Olympics. He has been a consistent presence at both Summer and Fall State Games since 1997, earning medals in aquatics, softball and soccer.
 

Christina Polito, Athlete, Blair County
A Special Olympics athlete for 13 years, Christina Polito has trained and competed in nine sports: aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cross country skiing, roller skating, soccer and softball. She has twice competed at World Games. In 1995, she won a gold medal in singles bowling and a sixth place ribbon in doubles bowling. She built on that success in 2001, competing in cross country skiing and earning a gold and a bronze medal. She was the Athlete of the Year for Special Olympics Blair County in 1996 and received the Female Athlete of the Year for Special Olympics Pennsylvania in 2000.
 

Bob and Alice Rau, Volunteers, Montgomery County
The Raus have been involved since the early '80s when Alice started volunteering in Northampton County. They have come to embrace Special Olympics for the confidence it gave their daughter, Pat, who was first an athlete and then grew into a coaching position. Their love of skiing has led them to serve on the games management team for the State Winter Games and as co-event directors of the Eastern Ski Sectional. Their other sport is bowling. They are certified bowling coaches, have been coaching and running bowling leagues for over 15 years, and have run the county's local tournament. Alice also served as a bowling coach at the 1995 Summer World Games.
 

Pete Retzlaff, Chairman's Choice
During his playing days for the Philadelphia Eagles, Pete Retzlaff was the consummate professional, who impressed his teammates and opponents with work ethic and positive attitude. During his 11-year career, "The Baron" caught 452 passes for 7,412 yards, scored 47 touchdowns, and made 5 All-Pro teams. In 1960, he was one of the leaders of the Eagles that won the NFL championship. After retiring from football, Retzlaff has dedicated much of his time to Special Olympics, where he served on the board of directors for Pennsylvania for over 20 years and on the board at the international level. A true leader, Pete has helped shape the movement during a period of intense growth.

Tracey Tribendis, Athlete, Luzerne County
Tracey Tribendis, a 20-year veteran of Special Olympics, excels in aquatics, long distance running, bowling, athletics and ice skating. In 1995, Tracey reached a longtime objective of earning a spot on Team USA at the 1995 Summer World Games in New Haven, Connecticut. She didn't stop there - instead, she was the first American swimmer to receive a gold medal in aquatics at that event. The icing on that cake was an interview with ESPN. In all her years competing, Tracey has earned 42 gold, 25 silver and 26 bronze medals at state events, and she has earned the respect of teammates by always being there to cheer them on in their races.