Rawley Brown Class of 1928 (Inducted in 2005)

Rawley Brown was the first mulit-sport star in school history and ranks among the best athletes of all-time at GRHS. Brown earned 4 letters in football, 4 letters in basketball, 3 letters in baseball, and 1 letter in track. In Brown’s junior football season he finished 12^th in the state in scoring, and as a captain his senior year he earned all-state recognition. He was also the captain of the basketball team as a senior. In 1934 Rawley Brown returned to Glen Ridge High School as a teacher and assistant coach, and worked under Bill Cartmill during the legendary campaigns of 1935 (7-0-1) and 1944 (8-0). He took over as head football coach from 1947 – 1955, and also served as head baseball coach, guiding his teams to five sectional championships. Brown’s strong sense of morals and his ability to influence young men is legendary among his former players.

The 1944 Football Team (Inducted in 2005)

The 1944 football team is one of the greatest team in GRHS history…in any sport. They won the conference championship and the group I state championship and they shut out five of their eight opponents. In front of a crowd of 7,500 at Hurrell Field, Glen Ridge defeated previously undefeated (and eventual group IV champs) Montclair HS 14 – 7. This was a monumental small school vs. big school victory. With out a doubt this is one of the single greatest victories in school history. The Newark Sunday Call awarded the 1944 team the annual State Championship Trophy naming Glen Ridge as the best team in the state of New Jersey.

Gary Cuozzo Class of 1959 (Inducted in 2005)

Gary Cuozzo is considered one of the greatest names in Glen Ridge High School athletic history because of his three-sport accomplishments in high school and for playing 11 seasons in the National Football League. He was the quarterback of the 1957 and 1958 North Jersey, Group I, Section 2 state champion football teams. Cuozzo put together a senior year the likes of which may never be equaled, receiving all-state recognition in football and basketball while leading both teams to state championships and winning the Group I state shot put and discus champion. Cuozzo graduated as the all-time leading scorer in basketball with 779 points and went on to co-captain the University of Virginia football team.

Ron Erskine Class of 1980 (Inducted in 2005)

As of his enshrinement, Ron Erskine stands alone as the most accomplished tennis player in GRHS history. While leading his team to Sectional Championships in 1977, 1978 and 1979, the Group I State Championship in 1978 and 1979 and to the All Group Tournament of Champions Finals in 1980, Erskine was a two time Essex County Singles Champion (1979,1980), the NJ High School State Singles Champion in 1980 (32-0 record). He was named The Star-Ledger All-State first team in the 1st singles position in both 1979 and 1980. Erskine was the first schoolboy to win over 100 matches at the first singles position in state history finishing his brilliant career with a record of 105-8. Erskine went on to co-captain the University of North Carolina Tennis team and won the ACC Champion at second singles in 1983.

Stephen Ortman Class of 1981(Inducted in 2005)

The multi-sport accomplishments of the Ortman family are legendary in Glen Ridge. Stephen Ortman captained both the GRHS football and baseball teams to State Championships in his senior year (’80-’81). As of his enshrinement, he holds multiple baseball records including the record for stolen bases in a season (31). Ortman hit in the leadoff spot for the 1981 baseball team that finished the year with a school record 28 wins and a top 5 finish in the Star-Ledger rankings. He was the focal point of the offense for the 1980 football team and led all of Essex County in scoring. Ortman holds the distinction of being named 1^st team All-County and 1^st team All State (Group I) in two different sports (football and baseball) his senior year. The epitome of a student-athlete, Ortman was as outstanding academically as he was athletically and went on to star on the football field and in the class room at the University of Pennsylvania.

David Kennedy Class of 1988 (Inducted in 2005)

David Kennedy, considered by many to be the greatest all-around baseball player in Glen Ridge High School history, won four varsity baseball letters, was a member of three Colonial Hills Conference championship teams in 1986-88, was the winning pitcher on the Glen Ridge Greater Newark Tournament championship team of 1987 and the winning pitcher on the Glen Ridge 1988 Group I state championship team (27-1), ranked No. 2 in the state. He set Glen Ridge season records for victories (10), batting average (.546), runs (47), hits (55), triples (11) and home runs (7) and was selected as All State, All Groups in 1988. In basketball he was a three-year starter on teams which were Group I state runner-up in 1986, and state champion in 1988, being named MVP of the 1988 state championship game. Glen Ridge basketball teams were 60-16 with him in the lineup. Kennedy went on to play baseball at the collegiate level and played professionally for ten years.

Jessica King Class of 1994 (Inducted in 2005)

One of the most prolific Track and Field athletes in GRHS history, Jessica King started her career by winning the Essex County Indoor and Outdoor 3200 Meter Run and the Colonial Hills Conference 1600 Meter Run as a sophomore. She repeated this feat the following year and added a 1^st place finish in the Group I 3200 Meter Run. The Star-Ledger selected her 1^st team All-State in her senior year as King was the Indoor Meet of Champions winner in the 3200 Meter Run, and again won the Essex County Indoor and Outdoor 3200 and the Colonial Hills Conference 1600 as well as the 3200. In addition to her incredible athletic achievements, she was also outstanding academically and graduated from Dartmouth University.