It stands to reason that good things happen to good people.\u00a0 Such is the case for 1997 Branford Sports Hall of Fame inductee Blake Lehr.\u00a0 As a three-sport athlete in high school, a respected serviceman in the United States Army, and a valued contributor in the town of Branford, tonight\u2019s inductee has brought considerable admiration to himself, his family, and to the community.<\/p>\n
As a student at Branford High School from 1948 to 1951, Blake played varsity football, basketball, and baseball for three years under 1992 Branford Sports Hall of Fame inductee Warren Sampson.\u00a0 On the gridiron, Blake played left halfback for the Hornets.\u00a0 While attempting to build a stronger program in football the Hornets excelled during Blake\u2019s senior season, when they finished with a 4-3-1 record.\u00a0 During that year, he set the tone for the Hornets as he scored the first touchdown of the year in the season\u2019s opener, a 31 yard match, enabling Branford to defeat St. Mary\u2019s Friars, 13-7.\u00a0 Branford won four of its first five games and in those contests.\u00a0 Blake scored five touchdowns.\u00a0 During his career on the football field, Blake played with the likes of fellow inductees such as: Joe Chandler (1990), Peter Ablondi (1992), Russell \u201cButch\u201d Gordon (1994), Robert J. Massey Sr. (1994), and Louis Locamo (1996).<\/p>\n
Tonight\u2019s inductee enjoyed some of his finer moments on the basketball floor while at Branford High School.\u00a0 As a sophomore, Blake was an impressive passer for the Hornets as they posted 13-6 record, which included a win versus Windsor High School in the C.I.A.C. play down game, before falling to Sacred Heart in the quarterfinals of post-season play.\u00a0 That year, Blake played in all 19 games and was fifth on the team in points scored, baskets and points per game average.\u00a0 It was during Blake\u2019s senior season that the Hornets enjoyed the road to success.\u00a0 The 1950-51 basketball team posted an impressive 14-5- l record, including a 10-2 league record.\u00a0 Branford lost in the quarterfinals of the C.I.A.C. Class B Tournament to Woodrow Wilson by a score of 57-56.\u00a0 After trailing by 17, the Hornets unleashed a furious last quarter assault that just fell short.<\/p>\n
As a member of the high school baseball team, Blake competed as a shortstop and was named co-captain of the team in his senior season.\u00a0 Off the field, he was senior class Vice President and voted Most Popular by his classmates.<\/p>\n
Following graduation, Blake went on to play short stop and third base for the Branford Townies in the Shoreline League and later in the Middlesex County league where he won the batting title in 1956 with a batting average of .354.\u00a0 He also attended New Haven State Teachers College, now known as Southern Connecticut State University, where he played football and baseball under Coaches Jess Dow and Doc Moore.\u00a0 In 1954, he entered the service and was stationed at Fort Drevins, Massachusetts where he was chosen to play third base for the post baseball team.\u00a0 In 1955, his team won the first Army tournament and Blake represented the Army in the All-Army Tournament in Virginia.<\/p>\n
In 1956, Blake went to work for Western Electric and retired 37 years later from AT&T.\u00a0 During that span, he held various positions including Account Clerk, Time Standards Auditor, and then retired as a Line Production Supervisor. \u00a0During this time, he played baseball in the West Haven twilight league and basketball in the Industrial League.\u00a0 Tonight\u2019s inductee has also coached Buddy League baseball, Little League and youth hockey teams.\u00a0 He brought the pee wee hockey team to two titles in 1983 and 1984, in addition to earning the Branford Townies Award for dedication in athletics and sportsmanship in 1982.\u00a0 He is currently working at the Guilford Racquet Club as a tennis instructor for the Junior tennis program.<\/p>\n
Blake was married to his wife of 40 years, Joan Kaminsky Lehr, until her unfortunate passing this past June, and is the father of five children: Blake Steven, Tracey (Roth), Kristin, Stuart and Stephanie.\u00a0 He is also the grandfather of four.\u00a0 \u201cI am so proud, honored and blessed to be inducted with so many teammates and friends into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame,\u201d said Lehr.<\/p>\n
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