Year Inducted: 1981
Nominated By: Brian Macartney
Sports Competed In: Football
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach

Ernest Ballotti

High School:
Attended Hyde Park H.S. in Chicago, IL, graduating in 1942.

College:
Went to Western State College where he graduated in 1950...Completed his Master's Degree at Western State College in 1955.

Achievements:
College:
Earned six total letters playing quarterback on the football team (1946-47), forward on the basketball team (1947-48) and a member the Mountaineers baseball team for two years (1947-48).

Honors:
Served in the Navy Air Force, in the Pacific, during WW II as a nose gunner on a B-24.

Related Activities:
Played professional baseball for Palatka, Florida Class C in 1948 and Gainesville, Florida Class C in 1949.

Coaching Career:
● Begin his coaching career in Manzanola, CO, as an assistant with the football team and head basketball and track coach (1950-52).
● Moved to Gunnison,CO, and spent the next four years as the head football and basketball and track coach (1952-54).
● Ventured north to Caldwell, ID, to take the reins of the football, basketball and track programs from (1955-59).
● Returned to Colorado and was hired as the head football and assistant wrestling coach at Pueblo Centennial H.S.

Achievements:
● Placed into the Colorado Coaches Hall of Fame and National Coaches Hall of Fame.
● Received the Ed Lesar Award given annually for the most influential high school football coach in Colorado.

Occupation:
Hired by School District #60 in 1960 as a math teacher and coach at Centennial High School.

Personal:
Lived in Pueblo with his wife, Donna... Passed away on November 18, 2013 at the age of 89.


GPSA "G" By The Numbers

LEGEND: p = awarded posthumously; ^= attended first meeting; * = deceased;+ = charter member (placed after year inducted)

1
Athlete/Coach/Official
Bennie M. "Ben" Garcia (2007)

Athlete/Contributor
Thomas Carlyle Gilmore (1984*p)

Athlete/Official
Michael "Mickey" Giarratino (1993*)

Attended H.S. Outside Colorado
James S. "Jim" Grieve (1981*)
Hyde Park H.S., Chicago, IL

Attended Pueblo Roncalli H.S.
Paul Gradishar (1989)

Attended Vineland H.S.
John "Johnnie" Greco (1988*)

Coach/Administrator
Robert Luis "Bobby" Gonzales (2004)

Cross Country
Joe E. Garcia (1985)

Gymnastics
Karen L. (Koshak) Griebel (2011)

Marksman
Tom Carlyle Gilmore (1984*p)

Skeet/Trap
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)

Tennis
John "Coach" Michael Gallina (2017)

 

2
Attended Pueblo Catholic H.S.
David P. Galich (2011*)
Richard "Dick" Giarratino (2001)

Attended Pueblo Centennial H.S.
Joe E. Garcia (1985)
William Ansel "Bill" Gower II (1982)

Contributor
Arthur "Art" H. Gonzales (2017*)
John "Johnnie" Greco (1988*)

Honorees Awarded Posthumously
Thomas Carlyle Gilmore (1984*p)
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)

Softball
Bennie M. "Ben" Garcia (2007)
Michael "Mickey" Giarratino (1993*)
Joe E. Garcia (1985)

Wrestling
Robert Luis "Bobby" Gonzales (2004)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)

 

3
Athlete/Coach/Contributor
Becky Lynn Golob (2010)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)
Paul Gradishar (1989)

Attended H.S. Inside Colorado
Thomas Carlyle Gilmore (1984*p)
Ft. Collins H.S., Ft. Collins, CO
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)
Boulder Prep H.S., Boulder, CO
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)
Adams City H.S., Commerce City, CO

 

4
Athlete
David P. Galich (2011*)
Patrick Geonetta (2001)
William Ansel "Bill" Gower II (1982)
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)

Baseball
Anthony "Nino" Giarratino (2010)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)
Paul Gradishar (1989)
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)

Basketball
Gary John Gehlhoff (2011)
Becky Lynn Golob (2010)
Bennie M. "Ben" Garcia (2007)
Bobby M. "Bob" Graham (1990)

 

5
Attended Pueblo South H.S.
John "Coach" Michael Gallina (2017)
Karen L. (Koshak) Griebel (2011)
Anthony "Nino" Giarratino (2010)
Becky Lynn Golob (2010)
Bobby M. "Bob" Graham (1990)

Track
Gary John Gehlhoff (2011)
Patrick Geonetta (2001)
Joe E. Garcia (1985)
James S. "Jim" Grieve (1981*)
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)

6
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Gary John Gehlhoff (2011)
Robert Luis "Bobby" Gonzales (2004)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)
Patrick Geonetta (2001)
Michael "Mickey" Giarratino (1993*)
Paul Gradishar (1989)

Honorees Deceased
Arthur "Art" H. Gonzales (2017*)
David P. Galich (2011*)
Michael "Mickey" Giarratino (1993*)
John "Johnnie" Greco (1988*)
Thomas Carlyle Gillmore (1984*p)
Henry "Hank" Gilmore (1977*p)

 

8
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
John "Coach" Michael Gallina (2017)
Karen L. (Koshak) Griebel (2011)
Anthony "Nino" Giarratino (2010)
Richard "Dick" Giarratino (2001)
Bobby M. "Bob" Graham (1990)
Joe E. Garcia (1985)
James S. "Jim" Grieve (1981*)
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)

 

9
Football
David P. Galich (2011*)
Gary John Gehlhoff (2011)
Nick Charles Graham (2004)
Patrick Geonetta (2001)
Bobby M. "Bob" Graham (1990)
Paul Gradishar (1989)
William Ansel "Bill" Gower II (1982)
James S. "Jim" Grieve (1981*)
George A. Grosvenor (1980*)

 

22
Honorees in "G" Section

Remembering Our Fallen GPSA Inductees

The Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) has announced a list of honorees that have passed since the 2022 induction ceremony on Nov. 16.

 

Dennis TrujilloDennis
Trujillo

11/28/2022
Class of 2007

Knafelc obitGary L.
Knafelc

12/19/2022
Class of 1973

Don StuttersDr. Donald
Stutters

01/20/2023
Class of 1993