Syracuse University Varsity Club Announces 2005 LetterWinners of Distinction
10/5/2005 4:21:01 PM | Football
Six individuals will be honored as Syracuse University LetterWinners of Distinction at the 41st annual Syracuse University Varsity Club LetterWinner of Distinction Dinner on Friday, October 14, 2005, at the Schine Student Center on SU’s campus. The 2005 honorees include Al Cady III ’65 (lacrosse), David R. Coffman ’38 (basketball and baseball), Ralph Ellis ’54 (lacrosse), Frederick G. Martin ’34 (lacrosse), Ruth E. Sadler ’72 (basketball), and Thomas Sedgwick ’78 (skiing) will be honored posthumously.
Tickets for the dinner are $50 per person ($500 for a table of 10). A reception begins at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m. To make a reservation, call the Varsity Club Office at (315) 443-2054.
The six honorees will be recognized at halftime of the Syracuse University football game against Rutgers on Saturday, October 15. Tickets for the football game are $32 for adults and $15 for youths ages 18 and under. To purchase tickets contact the Carrier Dome Box Office (1-888-DOMETIX) or online at suathletics.com.
Mr. Al Cady III ‘65
Lacrosse, Edina, Minn.
A 1965 graduate of Syracuse University, Alfred M. Cady III played men’s lacrosse for three years for the Orange. Cady, who earned his bachelor’s degree in history in 1965, was named most dedicated player for the 1965 season. He was also a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Cady graduated from the Naval Officer Candidate School in February 1966 and was commissioned as Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam, including the Mobile Riverine Assault Force in the Mekong Delta and aboard the USS Princeton LPH-5 off-shore.
In 1978 Cady became vice president of consumer and small business marketing for Control Data Corporation. In 1983 he was instrumental in starting a joint venture with TMP Inc., the largest recruitment and yellow pages agency in the world. In 1993, TMP Worldwide acquired Monster.com. At the time of his retirement in 2000, Cady was the division president for TMP Worldwide, which has since been renamed Monster Worldwide. Monster.Com is currently one of the top 20 most widely recognized web sites in the world.
Cady is actively involved in the community, serving as a volunteer basketball and football coach. He also has served on the board of directors for several non-profit organizations, including the University of Minnesota Children’s Cancer Research Fund, which has raised more than $15 million to find a cure for childhood cancers through research, and Camp Dudley in Westport, N.Y., a YMCA affiliate which is the oldest boys’ camp in the United States and is currently fundraising to establish a “sister-camp” for girls.
Cady is a Syracuse University Varsity Club lifetime member.
Mr. David Coffman, ‘38
Baseball and Basketball, Haverhill, Mass.
A 1938 graduate of Syracuse University, David Coffman was a three-year member of the varsity baseball team. He was also elected manager of the freshman basketball team for the 1937-38 season.
In 1959, Coffman formed his own business, the Pepsi-Cola franchise of northeastern Massachusetts. He has served as president and treasurer of the franchise since its inception.
Coffman has also become a respected and visible member of his community. Since 1960 he has been a member of the South Church, United Church of Christ in Andover, Massachusetts and has held a variety of positions within the church through the years. He was honored as the “Citizen most helpful to local youth” in Methuen, Massachusetts.
Coffman is a lifetime member of the Varsity Club.
Mr. Ralph Ellis ‘54
Lacrosse, Ridgefield, Conn.
A two-member of the lacrosse team (1952-53), Ralph Ellis earned his degree in drama in 1954. During his collegiate career, Ellis was involved in numerous drama productions and was president of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity.
Upon graduation, Ellis served in the Army where he taught Morse code. In the following years he moved to New York City to become an actor. After spending time working in off-Broadway shows and in several television shows, he became a writer, working for shows including “Dark Shadow” and “A Time for Us”. Ellis then became the head writer for “The Doctors”, “Search for Tomorrow”, “As the World Turns”, “Guiding Light” and “General Hospital”. During his 40-year writing career he was nominated for three Emmy Awards, and in 1996, he won an Emmy for “General Hospital.” Ellis also was a three-time recipient of the Writer Guild of America Award.
Ellis returned to Syracuse University in the Fall of 1983 to teach a graduate course in television writing. In February 2005, a play he wrote about Wilmeth Sidat-Singh (SU ’39) was staged at the Lubin House in New York City. Ellis, who graduated from Central High School in Syracuse, has given to many local charities in Ridgefield, Conn., including the library and the Special Olympics. He was a volunteer assistant lacrosse coach at Ridgefield High School and coached the fifth and sixth grade lacrosse teams in the Ridgefield Youth Lacrosse League.
Ellis is a Syracuse University Varsity Club member.
Mr. Frederick G. Martin ‘34
Lacrosse, Clemson, S.C.
A 1934 graduate of Syracuse University, Frederick G. Martin was a three-year member of the varsity lacrosse team. Martin, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, earned All-America recognition and was the captain of the men’s lacrosse team in 1934. He shared the team’s MVP Award with his brother, Ben, as a senior. Martin was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and was chosen for the Monx Head Junior Honorary Society.
After completing his undergraduate career, Martin spent four years as District Chief Referee for the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.
For more than 35 years, Martin worked at The Home Insurance Company, serving as manager of the Syracuse office until his retirement. A 46-year resident of Skaneateles, he was a two-term member and four-year president on the Board of Skaneateles Central Schools. He served nine years as Board President in the Skaneateles Library Association, as well as two terms on the Vestry of the St. James Episcopal Church.
Martin remained involved in the Syracuse University community, as well. He has served on the 1934 Reunion Committee each year since graduation, serving as chairman several times. He is a lifetime member of the Varsity Club and an original member of the Orange Pack.
Ms. Ruth E. Sadler ‘72
Basketball, Baltimore, Md.
A 1972 cum laude graduate of Syracuse University, Ruth Sadler earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science. During her undergraduate career, Sadler was a member of the women’s basketball team and was actively involved in several campus activities including the Women’s Athletic Association, Zeta Tau Alpha and Sigma Delta Chi.
After her graduation, Sadler worked for the Buffalo Evening News before joining the sports staff of the Watertown Daily Times, where she was the first female in the history of the sports department. Sadler, who is currently a sports copy editor at The Baltimore Sun, has also worked for the Titusville (Fla.) Star-Advocate, Port Huron (Mich.) Times Herald, and Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, N.J.). In 2004, she was a member of the committee to formulate ethics code for the Baltimore Sun.
Sadler is involved in several community and charitable activities, including serving as an election judge for Baltimore since 1995. She is also a member of the walking patrol of neighborhood watch, was a member of the first National Board of Advisors to the Baldwin School (Pa.) from 1991-97, and the Zeta Tau Alpha alumnae chapter.
Sadler, who served as the secretary of the SU Alumni Club in Baltimore from 1988-90, is a Syracuse University Varsity Club lifetime member and an Orange pack member.
Mr. Thomas P. Sedgwick ’78
Skiing
A 1978 graduate of Syracuse University, Thomas Sedgwick was a two-year member of the skiing team. Sedgwick earned a bachelor’s degree in geology in 1978.
In 1977, Sedgwick established his own business, Sedgwick Construction Co., Inc. Sedgwick was a long-time member of the East Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and the Syracuse Builders Exchange. He received several professional awards and was recognized for his community and volunteer efforts.
An avid golfer and skier, Sedwick was a member of the U.S. Eastern Ski Association, Cavalry Club, worked with the Boy Scouts of America and the Boy Power Dinner, and served as president of his Neighborhood Association. He served as a youth ski instructor at Toggenburg Ski Center, and in 1977, was the New York State Eastern Regional water ski trick champion.
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