BATTLE CREEK – It is America’s 250th birthday this year. That gives us a good reason to come up with the 250 best high school athletes ever in Battle Creek. Have high school sports been around in Battle Creek since 1776? Well, no. But there have been 250 athletes who have shined in the city since high school sports did begin and the Enquirer will take this opportunity to come up with a list worthy of this banner year.
The Battle Creek Enquirer combined with other USA Today Network newspapers recently to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States with the top 250 athletes from around the state. You can see that list here, broken down by regions.
But, this is Battle Creek’s 250. We are showcasing the greatest athletes of the ‘last 250 years’ at each school in the city of Battle Creek.
So join us for this 10-part series with each chapter focusing on the top 25 male or female athletes at each of the five current traditional core city schools. Each list will be in alphabetical order, with Enquirer Readers getting to choose who should be No. 1.
When we are done with all five schools, we will have Battle Creek’s 250.
MORE:
Battle Creek’s 250: Lakeview boys
Battle Creek’s 250: Lakeview girls
Battle Creek’s 250: Harper Creek girls
Battle Creek’s 250: Harper Creek boys
Battle Creek’s 250: Pennfield boys
Battle Creek’s 250: Pennfield girls
Battle Creek’s 250: St. Philip boys
Battle Creek’s 250: St. Philip girls
Top 25 Male Athletes at Battle Creek Central for the Battle Creek 250:
(Alphabetical order)
Carl Angelo – Class of 1950
A legendary figure in baseball in Battle Creek, Carl Angelo is probably the best sandlot player ever in the Cereal City. Angelo is considered the winningest pitcher in the history of amateur baseball with 353 wins with 13 no-hitters, as he played in seven decades for recreational teams in Battle Creek. Angelo has been inducted into 10 Halls of Fame, including the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At BCC, Angelo helped the Bearcats to a league title his senior year and went on to play at Lawrence Tech and at Michigan State. He later was in the Chicago White Sox minor league organization before joining the service in 1955.
Tom Beard – Class of 1967
Tom Beard is one of the few Bearcats to make it to the NFL. Beard eventually became a starter for the Buffalo Bills as the huge 6-foot-6 offensive lineman was a dominating presence due to his size in that era. Beard was named to three high school All-American teams despite fighting injuries during the Bearcats’ 1966 mythical state championship season. Beard went on to start at center at Michigan State University during an era when the Spartans were among the elite in college football. Beard played in the annual Senior Bowl following his senior year and the Blue-Gray Game.
Brandon Bouyer-Randle – Class of 2016
A three-sport standout, Brandon Bouyer-Randle was named Enquirer Athlete of the Year in 2016. Bouyer-Randle was a standout on a division-winning football team, a key role player on a district-championship basketball team and qualified for the state meet in multiple events in track. In football, he was named as a high school All-American and was a four-star prospect, before signing with Michigan State University. He later played at Texas Tech and the University of Connecticut before signing an NFL contract as an outside linebacker.
Larry Caper Sr. – Class of 1978
When he left Battle Creek Central, Larry Caper Sr. was the all-time leading rusher at the school and later held a similar ranking after his days were done at Western Michigan University. He had nearly 3,000 yards rushing in high school, earning all-state honors. He also had almost 2,500 yards rushing at WMU, graduating with the third-highest total ever at the school. Also a standout in track, he was among the top sprinters in the city and was a member of regional championship team. He also earned all-state honors in the 400 relay.
Larry Caper II – Class of 2009
Larry Caper II shattered nearly all the rushing records at Battle Creek Central, including those formerly held by his father Larry Caper Sr., also on this list. Those numbers made him the No. 12-ranked running back in the country when he left high school and a top prospect as he signed with Michigan State University. He graduated as the career leader in rushing yards and for yards in a single game. He also set school records on the track as a member of the 400 relay team and was all-league in that sport as well. After four years of football at MSU, he signed a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders.
Robbie Crockett – Class of 1997
Robbie Crockett averaged 6.9 yards every time he touched the ball his senior year with 18 touchdowns and a then-single season school record of 1,603 yards. A two-time all-city and all-state pick, he also graduated with school records of points in a season, career rushing yards and rushing yards in a game. His senior year, he helped BCC to its first playoff game in 18 years. Committed to play at University of Iowa and played four years for the Hawkeyes. Also a captain on the track team, Crockett qualified for the state meet in the 400 relay.
Calvin Fox – Class of 1966
Calvin Fox helped BCC to its first undefeated and untied season since 1897 as the Bearcats finished No. 2 in the final high school football polls, missing being named as the state’s mythical state champion by just a couple of points in the voting. Fox was an all-state end and linebacker who went on to play and start at Michigan State University during an era when the Spartans were among the elite in college football. Fox was drafted by Houston in the NFL Draft in 1971.
Ken Hamlin – Class of 1953
Ken Hamlin played in Major League Baseball from 1959-66, seeing the diamond for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Athletics, Los Angeles Angels and Washington Senators, finishing with a .241 career batting average as a utility infielder. Hamlin was an All-American shortstop at Western Michigan University and hit a then-school record seven home runs for the Broncos, helping them to the NCAA Tournament. After a standout career with BCC, he first signed with Albion College before going to WMU.
Jeff Hersha – Class of 1972
Jeff Hersha had a decorated wrestling career at Michigan State University. Hersha was a four-time varsity letter winner at MSU and team captain for the Spartans in 1976. As a senior at MSU, he led the team in pins and finished third in the Big Ten Championships at 177 pounds. At BCC, Hersha was a state champ at 185 pounds in 1972. The win helped the Bearcats finish third as a team at the state finals that year. Hersha was also named Enquirer Athlete of the Year.
George Hobbs – Class of 1958
George Hobbs was a standout wrestler and a state champ at 112 pounds. Hobbs was undefeated his senior season and helped BCC finish fourth as a team in the state finals. Hobbs went on to Michigan State, finishing as a runner-up in the Big Ten Championships three times. His best season had him finishing as an All-American and fifth at the NCAA Championships in 1962. Hobbs later became the head coach at Western Michigan University and was inducted into the State of Michigan Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Shaun Howitt – Class of 1968
Shaun Howitt had one of the best single seasons ever during his time in baseball at Michigan State University. Howett, a 6-foot-4 slugger, was All-Big Ten his senior season with the Spartans as he set then-league and school records for a single season in home runs and RBIs, hitting 12 dingers and coming up with 45 RBIs while batting .369 for the Spartans. Howitt would sign with the Kansas City Royals in 1972 after college. At BCC, Howell led the Bearcats to a league title.
Bob James – Class of 1958
Bob James led Battle Creek Central to the school’s first undefeated regular season in boys basketball and was the program’s first 1,000-point scorer. When he graduated, James had the single-season scoring record at BCC with 334 points in just 14 games and was named local athlete of the year by the Battle Creek Enquirer and was all-city, all-conference and all-state. When he was done playing at BCC, he also held the career record for points in the city. He is tied for the most points in a single game with 48. James went on to start for two seasons at Western Michigan University, leading the team in scoring his sophomore season.
Tim Kellogg – Class of 1973
Tim Kellogg is the only Bearcat to win two state championships in wrestling. As a junior, Kellogg won the Class A title at 105 pounds and helped the Bearcats to a third-place finish as a team at the state meet. As a senior, Kellogg went up two weight classes and won the 119-pound state title in Class A. Kellogg went on to earn a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma, considered then to be the No. 1 wrestling program in the country.
Leon McGee – Class of 1989
A solid player in high school on a No. 4 state-ranked team, Leon McGee really blossomed in college. McGee is in the Western Michigan University Hall of Fame after being named as an All-Mid-American Conference player for three seasons, including being named conference Freshman of the Year. His career average at WMU was 19.3 points per game as he is one of only 39 WMU players ever to score 1,000 points in a career, helping WMU reach the NIT in 1992. McGee went on to earn a tryout with the New Jersey Nets of the NBA before an injury ended his chances. In high school, McGee helped BCC to the state semifinals in 1989.
Tony McGee – Class of 1967
The only Battle Creek player ever to play in a Super Bowl, Tony McGee was a member of two Super Bowl teams with the Washington Redskins in the 1980s as a defensive end. McGee played in the NFL for 14 seasons. In high school, he was part of the Bearcats’ mythical state championship team of 1966. McGee went on to be an All-American at Bishop College in Texas and was picked in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Fritz Messner – Class of 1953
A member of one of the most successful baseball teams ever at Western Michigan University, Messner was the catcher for the 1955 Bronco team that advanced to the NCAA College Baseball World Series. He later was the captain of the 1957 WMU team as a senior. But it was his junior year that caught the eye of the pro scouts as he hit .426 and was later signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and placed in their minor league organization.
Kenyon Murray – Class of 1992
As the only basketball player in city history to be named Mr. Basketball for the state, Kenyon Murray was a high school All-American and the most awarded basketball player ever to play for the Bearcats. He graduated with the city record for points in a season and for a career. The 6-foot-6 forward helped BCC get ranked in the USA Today Top 25 boys basketball national poll. He went on to be a four-year starter at the University of Iowa, becoming the first player in that program to have over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 steals and played professionally overseas.
Antonio Postell – Class of 2018
Antonio Postell was the Enquirer Athlete of the Year in 2018. As a standout on the Battle Creek Central football team, Postell earned all-city honors. Over his four years as a Bearcat, he was also a standout wrestler, qualifying for regionals in his weight class. But it was his work on the track that earned him the most accolades as one of the fastest runners in the state. He was the Most Outstanding Performer at the All-City Track Meet. He qualified for the state meet in four events and earned all-state honors. He went on to run track at Michigan State University and competed in the sprint events in the Big Ten Championships in both the indoor and outdoor season.
Ben Reed – Class of 2001
Ben Reed finished third in the Mr. Basketball voting his senior year as he was all-state and Enquirer Athlete of the Year. Reed graduated fourth on the all-time career scoring list with 1,288 points as he had a monster senior year where he averaged 23.6 points per game and is among the school’s leader for points in a single season with 542. Reed also graduated as the school’s career leader in rebounds as well with 698. Reed went on to star at Western Michigan University where he was Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year, a two-time All-MAC selection and led the Broncos to two MAC West titles and a trip to the NCAA tourney, earning all-conference honors. When he left WMU, he was in the top 10 in scoring all-time with the Broncos and No. 1 in 3-pointers made.
Fred Rounds – Class of 1957
Fred Rounds was named Battle Creek Enquirer Athlete of the Year as a standout swimmer for the Bearcats. Rounds won Class A state titles in both 1956 and 1958. He set school and national high school records in the 100 freestyle and in the 200 and 400 relay. He went on to swim at Indiana University where he was a Big Ten champion and three-time All-American.
Steve Sebo – Class of 1931
A member of the Battle Creek Central Hall of Fame, Steve Sebo was an all-state football and baseball player for the Bearcats. He went on to Michigan State College and was the captain of the baseball team as a catcher. He also played three years at halfback for the Spartan football team. He later became general manager of the New York Titans of the AFL and was athletic director of the University of Virginia.
Tony Warren – Class of 1987
Tony Warren finished fourth in the Mr. Basketball voting his senior year, earning all-state honors and honorable mention All-American honors as well as being named Enquirer Athlete of the Year. A three-year starter, Warren graduated as the all-time career scorer at the school with 1,067 points. Warren was also the career leader in assists with 454 and also holds the record for assists in a season with 218. Warren helped BCC to the state semifinals his senior year, getting the Bearcats to the Final Four for the first time since 1949. With Warren as a point guard, BCC went 52-9 over his career. Warren went on to play two years at Vincennes University and two years at Fairleigh Dickinson where he led the team in assists his senior season.
Jason Washburn – Class of 2008
Jason Washburn signed a preseason NBA contract early in his pro career and continues to play basketball at a high level professionally overseas. Washburn was an all-conference player at the University of Utah where the 7-footer had 11.9 ppg, 6.8 rebounds and 49 blocks his senior season for the Utes. He also led the team in scoring and rebounding as a junior. In high school, Washburn finished as the all-time leader in blocked shots at Battle Creek Central, including getting 11 in one game as he earned all-conference and all-city honors. Washburn helped BCC to its first regional final in 11 years.
Marc White – Class of 1990
Marc White finished as runner-up in the Mr. Basketball voting his senior year, earning all-state honors and was honorable mention All-American after a banner season. When he graduated, White was the all-time career scorer for the Bearcats with 1,442 points. The physical 6-foot-4 forward led Battle Creek Central to two straight state semifinal appearances and had 21.8 points per game as a senior with 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists. White, who was also Enquirer Athlete of the Year, went on to play in junior college before starting two seasons for Central Michigan University.
James Yore – Class of 1954
Jim Yore was a standout athlete in football, baseball, track and wrestling and is a member of the Battle Creek Central Hall of Fame. An all-state fullback, he went on to Indiana University on a full scholarship in football and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. Shortly after the signing he was drafted into the U.S. Army. After his discharge he returned to the NFL and was traded to the New York Giants. He later left the Giants as a free agent and ended his NFL career with the Detroit Lions.
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Top 250 athletes in Battle Creek. Which BC Central boys made the list?
Reporting by Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer / Battle Creek Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
