Bangas, Angelo

 

Angelo Bangas – (1980)

 

ANGELO BANGAS
Inducted April 30, 1980

The late Russ Davies, sportswriter for the Chronicle-Telegram and an enshrinee in the Elyria Sports Hall of Fame, once wrote: “Bangas rates as one of the finest all-around athletes in the history of Lorain High.”

A brilliant and versatile performer, he earned eight varsity letters at LHS from 1944-47 — three each in football and basketball, two in baseball — and was named to the All-Ohio gridiron team by the Associated Press along with teammate and Hall-of-Famer, the late Harry Jabbusch.

He was named to the All-Lake Erie League basketball squad by the Cleveland News, and also earned All-LEL honors as an outfielder for the Steelmen baseball team. He concluded his great Lorain High roundball career as the second highest scorer in LHS cage history, surpassed only by Hall-of-Famer John Skolnicki.

At Baldwin-Wallace College he won eight varsity letters — four in football, two in both baseball and basketball — and upon graduation in 1951 was hailed by the school newspaper as “one of B-W’s all-time best athletes.”

In football he was part of coach Eddie Finnigan’s famed “B-W Aerial Circus”, as he and future NFL star Norb Hecker were the favorite receivers of “Touchdown Tommy” Phillips. He was chosen for the All-Big Four pigskin squad along with future NFL greats Don Shula, Carl Taseff and Hecker. Playing both ways — offensive and defensive end — he was picked for the all-conference team for his remarkable defensive prowess. Coach Finnigan commented: “I’d like to have a team of fellows like Bangas.”

Following a two-year stint in the Army during the Korean War — in which he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant — he coached track, football and basketball at Clearview High School from 1953-55. From 1955 to 1965 he coached football and basketball at Lorain High. He and his former mentor at Whittier Junior High — Hall-of-Famer Al McConihe — became the first coaching opponents in the history of Lorain Senior and Admiral King varsity basketball, with Bangas replacing McConihe at LHS when the latter moved to new AK in 1961.

Mr. Bangas has been a standout performer while competing in numerous local basketball, baseball, softball, golf and bowling leagues. Since 1973 he has served as Athletic Director at Brookside High School.