IRVINGTON, NJ — After two cancellations due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Irvington Varsity Club held its Hall of Fame induction dinner on Oct. 7 at Westwood Caterers in Garwood. The dinner was attended by 125 former athletes and alumni, including family and friends of those being inducted.
The Varsity Club, after a long hiatus, was reestablished by Ed Kirchgessner, Class of 1972. The initial years of the club saw reunion dinners of 30 to 40 members. John Taylor, the current Irvington High School athletic director, contacted Kirchgessner in 2018 to offer one historic pick into the athletic department Hall of Fame. After several discussions, it was determined and agreed upon that there were many overlooked, historic athletes who deserved entrance into the Hall of Fame. At that point, Kirchgessner, along with Michael Cohen, Class of 1975, researched athletes to determine whether they fit the Hall of Fame’s criteria.
The induction class of 2019 added 10 members into the hall. The 2021 induction class includes the following:
- Jeff Bosslett, Class of 1967.
- Dexter Brown, Class of 1974.
- Alex Grohol, Class of 1975.
- Myron Hura, Class of 1962.
- Mike Krill, Class of 1975.
- Charles Lombard, Class of 1972.
- Dennis Marine, Class of 1969.
- Lambert Sadowski, Class of 1949.
- Bryon Smith, Class of 1962.
- Ed Zangari, Class of 1975.
Also included was the 1975 baseball team, which finished with a 25-3 record and was one of Irvington High School’s most dominant teams.
The Irvington Varsity Club’s mission is to unite the Campers era with the current Blue Knights. Proceeds from the dinners and donations go to the Varsity Club Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to students for their continued education.
Photos Courtesy of Felicia Laguerre Owens
About the Author
