Bill Romanowski, Art "Pinky" Deras, Tom D'Eath and Stan Javie to be Inducted Into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame

39TH CLASS INDUCTION BANQUET SET FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011, TROY, MI

TROY, Mich., April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame expands its roster to 123 honored inductees this year, with the addition of four new inductees, as Bill Romanowski and Art "Pinky" Deras, top vote-getters in the NPASHF 2011 national balloting process, are joined by Tom D'Eath and Stan Javie, to make up the stellar Class of 2011. All four inductees will be honored at the 39th Annual Induction Banquet on Thursday, June 23, 2011, at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, MI.  Longtime Detroit radio personality Tom Ryan will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the event.

Bill Romanowski, a third round pick by San Francisco in 1988 out of Boston College, went on to an outstanding 16 year career in the NFL. The tough, hard-nosed linebacker played an incredible 243 consecutive games, an NFL record at that position, winning four Super Bowl Championships.  He is the only linebacker to start five Super Bowl games, and is one of only three players to win back-to-back Super Bowls with two different organizations.  With a reputation as a fanatic trainer and aggressive competitor, Romo did not miss a game in his 16 year career. The two-time Pro Bowl selection ended his career with Oakland in 2003.

Art "Pinky" Deras is arguably the greatest Little League baseball player of all time. In 1959, Pinky and his Hamtramck, MI teammates reached the Little League World Series having won nine of ten tournament games by shutout.  In the finals, Deras tossed a one-hit, 5-0 shutout against Puerto Rico, hit a grand slam in a 7-1 victory over Hawaii, and threw a three-hit 12-0 victory over West Auburn, CA in the championship game.  Deras' single-season pitching statistics were staggering; 18 starts, 18 complete game victories, 16 shutouts, 10 no-hitters, 298 strikeouts (only 26 outs in the field), and just 10 walks in 108 innings.  At the plate, he hit .641 for the season, with 33 home runs and 112 RBI.  Two years later, Deras led Hamtramck to the Pony League World Series Championship.

Tom D'Eath has excelled in the sport of hydroplane racing as a famed driver, designer, and builder.  As a driver, he has won national championships in nearly every class of hydroplane racing.  He is the winner of three APBA Gold Cups (1976, '89 and '90) and added Prince Edward Canadian Gold Cup titles in 1974, '76 and '80.  He remains the only three-time winner of both.  In 1988, Tom was named APBA "Outstanding Driver" while piloting the famous Miss Budweiser.  When he retired in 1991, D'Eath was sixth on the all-time list of unlimited victories with 16.  He was inducted into the Unlimited Hydroplane Hall of Fame in 1997, the Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Motor Sports Hall of Fame of America in 2000.

Stan Javie enjoyed a remarkable 29-year career as an official in the National Football League. From 1951 until his retirement in 1980, Stan was considered to be one of the NFL's premier officials, despite being one of the few on-field officials to wear eyeglasses.  As a back judge, Javie officiated in four Super Bowls (Super Bowl II, VIII, X and XIV), becoming one of the first NFL officials to achieve such a distinction. His last game worked prior to his retirement was Super Bowl XIV in 1980.  Today, son Steve carries on the high officiating standard set by his father, as a highly-respected National Basketball Association referee.  Stan Javie passed away in 2002.

Tickets for the banquet, which begins at 6 p.m., are $85, and include an open bar and traditional Polish family-style dinner.  Tickets can be ordered by calling (313) 407-3300.  Information on the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame is available at www.polishsportshof.com.

SOURCE National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame