The Wareham High School Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1989, but after only a year, it disappeared.

It wasn’t until 2013 that a group of people associated with the school decided to bring it back, and on Saturday night, the third ever Wareham High School Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony took place at Salerno’s Function Hall. Six former athletes, a coach, and a team were inducted.

“Unfortunately, the Hall took a 24-year hiatus and didn’t emerge until last year,” said former Wareham High teacher and coach Peter Balzerini, who served as the emcee of the event. “It was extremely successful last year, and even more successful this year. We have a tremendous number of very, very deserving athletes.”

Among those honored were Frank Mott, Edwin Monteiro Sr., Leonard Lopes, Marty Cardoza, Larry Senna, Patrick Schultz, Coach Gilbert “Dobie” Franklin, and the 1954 football team.

Mott, who was unable to attend, was a five-letter athlete, playing football, basketball, baseball, track, and gymnastics. Considered a scat back, he once scored five touchdowns in a game, and was also a safety on the 1948 football team’s defense that only allowed one touchdown the entire season.

“He was fast, he was speedy, and he was a tricky runner,” said John Decas, who spoke of Mott’s high school career, saying that before Mott arrived, Wareham wasn’t known for football, though Mott and others were able to change that. “If he had a step on you, you weren’t going to catch him.”

Monteiro, a 1957 graduate, earned 12 varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball, and was co-captain of both the basketball and baseball teams before going on to Stonehill College, where he earned a full scholarship and starred in baseball and basketball.

“He was just an outstanding athlete,” said Richie Coyle, a former teammate of Monteiro’s at Wareham High.

“So many great athletes went to Wareham,” said Monteiro, who was also part of a group to help form the Wareham Tigers Pop Warner football teams. “To have my name on this list—I’m so proud.”

Lopes, a 1963 Wareham High grad, was a four-year starter on the football, baseball, and basketball teams. Coyle recalled a particularly-legendary moment involving Lopes.

He said Lopes did all the kicking for the football team, once entered the tri-county championship with a casted, broken leg to attempt a game winning field goal. Instead of kicking, he recovered a botched snap, stiff armed at least four opposing players, and threw the game winning touchdown in the final moments of the game.

“All of his teammates thought he was the greatest thing in the world,” said Coyle of Lopes, who passed away in a car accident but who once tried out for the Boston Patriots.

Cardoza graduated in 1978 after playing basketball and football for three years. He was the first Wareham High student to score 1,000 points in his basketball career (before the three point line was established) and held the school’s scoring record for 20 years.

Former boys basketball coach, teacher, and fellow Hall of Famer Jim Brogioli said Cardoza once scored 44 points in a game.

“No one’s broken that one yet,” said Brogioli.

Senna, who graduated in 1982, was the captain of the cross country team and the basketball team. He still holds the record for Wareham’s old cross country course at 15:32, and placed ninth in the state championships for cross country. He still holds the school record in track for the two-mile at 9:56.

“Everybody likes Larry 'Spider' Senna,” said current boys coach Kevin Brogioli. “He was an unbelievable competitor . . . he was and still is a good sport before and after the game, but during the game, he’ll rip your heart out.”

Patrick Schultz, a ’94 graduate, played for both the hockey and baseball teams. In 1993, he led that state with 67 goals (which was the state record at the time), and also was the leader in points with 112. He was an exceptional baseball player, attending several tryouts for Major League Baseball.

“He’s one of the greatest hockey players in the history of the school, if not the greatest,” said Balzerini.

Franklin played, coached, and taught at Wareham High. He was recognized for a career that saw him earn All-Suburban honors as a football player and coach the football team for 35 years.

“Dobie’s a person I hold in the highest esteem,” said Phil LeFavor, who spoke on behalf of Franklin. “He’s a man who doesn’t just do things right but always does the right thing.”

The 1954 football team is recognized as one of the best in school history, and was undefeated from 1951 to 1954, winning both Class D and Class C championships and scoring the most points in the state in 1954.

A majority of the inductees thanked family, friends, and the community of Wareham for their support over the years and in response to the event.

Current Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino said that the ceremony is something they plan to do every year going forward. He also said proceeds from the event will go towards scholarships for students and to help build a new trophy case or something similar at the school to honor the inductees from 1989, 2013, 2014, and in the future. He added that there is a long list of those worthy of being inducted.

“We’ve only begun to scratch the surface,” said Palladino.