{"id":612,"date":"2021-06-07T18:48:27","date_gmt":"2021-06-07T18:48:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/inductee\/kenneth-erickson\/"},"modified":"2021-09-27T18:43:04","modified_gmt":"2021-09-27T18:43:04","slug":"kenneth-erickson","status":"publish","type":"inductee","link":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/inductee\/kenneth-erickson\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenneth Erickson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Although he was known to bring amusement and inspiration to his fellow classmates, 1997 Branford Sports Hall of Fame inductee Ken Erickson struck fear and frustration to his opponents as a three sport athlete in high school.\u00a0 With his talent and his overall good nature, tonight\u2019s inductee competed in what was one of Branford\u2019s finest championship runs of all time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Born in New Haven, the son of Josephine and George Erickson, Ken attended Branford High School from 1944 to 1947, where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball.\u00a0 During his freshman year, he was a member of the Class \u201cB\u201d Championship baseball team under the guidance of 1992 Hall of Fame inductee Warren Sampson, Jr.\u00a0 Despite winning only two of its first games, Branford showed impressive performances against the like of Milford, Boardman Trade, Seymour and Shelton en route to its title run.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 During the 1944-45 season, Ken played on the Branford Hornets basketball squad as a guard.\u00a0 He competed with fellows inductees Bill Hinchey (1991), Bill Mischler (1995) and Robert Geier (1996).\u00a0 This team brought the State Championship for Class \u201cB\u201d Schools to Branford as they downed Derby in the tournament final 31-25.\u00a0 In the regular season, the Hornets ran second to \u201cA\u201d class Stratford in the Housatonic League, finishing with an overall record of 16-6 and posting two seven game winning streaks.\u00a0 Ken\u2019s success followed him once again to the baseball diamond as the team went on to capture Housatonic runner-up spot, as Branford won six of its first eight games that year, with tonight\u2019s inductee assuming the role of catcher.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In his junior year,Ken continued his quick progression as an all-around athlete.\u00a0 As a center on the Branford Hornets football team, his reputation as a formidable barrier against all of his opponents spread quickly.\u00a0 During the season, the all to familiar sight of running back and fellow inductee Richard Jackson running behind Ken proved that he was an awesome sight on the offensive line.\u00a0 When it came time to make the transition to the hardwood floor, Branford did not have difficultly in succeeding.\u00a0 The Hornets went on to win both the Housatonic League championship and a second consecutive State Class B Basketball title.\u00a0 The state title was taken over Stonington 44-31 inside the Yale Gym.\u00a0 Branford finished with a 17-5 record. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As a senior, Ken and the Hornets basketball team went undefeated with 18 regular season victories and three tournaments wins en route to a second Housatonic League Championship and a third state title.\u00a0 As a guard on the team, Kenneth established himself as a deadly shooter from outside the foul circle.\u00a0 During the season, he had a game high 16 points in a crucial league game against East Haven.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Following graduation, Ken went on to the merchant Marine Academy in Castine, Maine.\u00a0 While there, he was captain of the Maine Maritime Middies Football Team.\u00a0 Upon graduation in 1950 from the Academy, Ken received the Alumni Award of Outstanding Midshipman out of at graduating class of 80 cadets.\u00a0 Ken held the rank of Ensign in the United States Naval Reserves and Third Assistant License in the Maritime Service\u00a0 upon graduation\u00a0 from the Academy.\u00a0 Ken sailed in the Merchant Marine until 1958 when he took employment with Bailey Controls of Cleveland, Ohio.\u00a0 Ken retired from Bailey Controls in January of 1996 and is now a fulltime grandfather.\u00a0 He married Mary Lou (Fraley) 39 years ago and had three daughters: Rhonda, Cheryl, and Sandra.\u00a0 Now he was his wife live in Claymont, Delaware where they are the proud grandparents to seven.\u00a0 \u201cHaving received numerous awards over my lifetime, one of the greatest honors of my life is the induction into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame.\u00a0 It is an incredible honor for me and my family to join all those who have been honored in this way before me,\u201d said Erickson.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

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