Three talented athletes who sparkled more than half a century ago kick off the selections for the Martins Ferry Athletic Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

The first three individuals in the Class of 2023 are Bill Padgelek from the Class of 1965, Mike Deaton from the Class of 1969 and Bob Krone from the Class of 1970.

Those three and six other selections will be inducted on Friday, Sept. 2 with an afternoon luncheon at the MFHS cafeteria and they will be introduced at halftime of the Purple Riders’ home football game against Tuscarawas Valley.

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.

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

Bill Padgelek

Class of 1965

(Wrestling/Football/Track)

He was a four-year member of the Purple Riders’ football team and wrestling squads, serving as captain of both sports as a senior, and he was a three-year participant in track.

In wrestling, Padgelek was a two-time OHSAA Class AA District champion and state qualifier (1964 and 1965) and a two-time Ohio Valley Athletic Conference champion (1964 and 1965) at 152 pounds.

During his mat career, Ferry won four straight OVAC team titles under Hall of Fame coach John “Corky” Vrotsos.

Padgelek was inducted into the Martins Ferry Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002.

In football, he was a two-way end for the Riders on teams coached by Hall of Famer Robert “Smokey” Wion. Although MF was only 3-7 in his senior season, he played on a 7-3-1 squad in 1962 and a 9-0-1 team in 1963.

His specialty in track was the hurdles and he finished third in the 200-yard high hurdles (16.1) at the OVAC Track Championships as a senior.

Mike Deaton

Class of 1969

(Wrestling)

Deaton was among a select group of Purple Rider wrestlers during his four-year career. He was a four-time Ohio Valley Athletic Conference finalist, winning the championship twice (as a junior in 1968 and senior in 1969) after taking the runner-up spot twice (as a freshman in 1966 and 1967).

He also sparkled in postseason tournament competition, finishing as a three-time Sectional and District champion and qualifying for the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament each year (1967, ’68 and ’69).

Deaton, who went on to wrestle in college at Morehead State University, was a 2003 inductee into the Martins Ferry Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Bob Krone

Class of 1970

(Football/Basketball/Baseball)

He was a standout for the Purple Riders in three sports – football, baseball and basketball – before going on to play college football.

In football, Krone was a three-year letterman/starter as a split end and defensive back, serving as captain of the 1969 Riders. He led the OVAC in receptions (45) and receiving yards (715) as a senior and earned first team all-OVAC Class AAA, all-Eastern District Class AA and all-Valley “Big School” honors.

In baseball, he was a four-year letterman/starter (Krone actually started at all nine positions during his career) and was team captain as a senior.

He posted a .300-plus career batting average, including a lofty .416 mark as a senior. Krone was named second team all-Valley at shortstop as a senior and all-Eastern Ohio Baseball League as both a junior and senior.

In basketball, he lettered three years and started two, including once again serving as a captain as a senior.

Krone averaged 10 points per game as a senior and received all-Eastern District Class AA honorable mention.

Krone received a full scholarship to the University of Toledo where he was the leading receiver on the freshman team.

He transferred to Marshall University where he played three years as a defensive back, leading the team in interceptions as a senior with four and also recording 80 tackles.

He was a member of the 1971 Young Thundering Herd team that was featured in the 2006 movie “We Are Marshall” which depicted the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 75 people including 37 players on the MU football team.

He was honored by the Upper Ohio Valley Dapper Dan Club for collegiate achievement in football in 1975.