At least four Linfielders are members of the Bulkeley (Hartford, Connecticut) ‘Bulldogs’ High School Athletics Hall of Fame. They’re all part of Linfield famous ‘Hartford Pipeline:’
Member of Bulkeley (Hartford, Connecticut)
High School ‘Bulldogs’ Athletics Hall of Fame ‘Class of 2020’ -- Class of 1978,
Bulkeley High School
Charles L. Ferguson
Linfield Class of 1982
“Fergie”
Coach
Class of 1978,
Bulkeley High School
“Don’t ever give anyone the opportunity to take something away from you that you enjoy doing.”
During his four years at Bulkeley High School, Charles was a 4-year football player and a 4-year wrestler. In 1978, he placed 2nd in the CIAC Class L state championship.
A 4-year letter winner on the wrestling team and a 2-year letter winner on the football team, Charles was also a 4-year member of the high school marching band, concert band, and jazz band.
After graduating, Charles went on to Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, where he studied music education. The Linfield College wrestling head coach noticed him wearing his BHS wrestling jacket and invited him to a wrestling team meeting.
Charles joined the college team that night. Charles broke into the varsity line up wrestling at the 159 lb. weight class and participated in the battle of wrestle-offs—the first freshman in college history to do so.
Charles has held various coaching positions. In 1989, he was Assistant Head Coach at Hall High School. In 1993, Charles became the head wrestling coach at BHS, taking over for his longtime coach, Roger Vertefeuille, and continued the winning tradition of BHS wrestling. In 2004, Charles became head wrestling coach at New Britain High School. In his coaching career, his teams earned a total of 400 wins. Charles is presently the president & founder of two youth programs in the Greater Hartford area: “The Hartford Wildcats Youth Football Association” and “The New Britain “PAL” Twisters Youth Wrestling Club.”
Career Highlights:
14 CCC Conference Championships, Bulkeley High School Wrestling
400 Career Wins as Head Coach
1989-1992 Assistant Coach, Hall High School Wrestling
4 Conference Championships, Hall High School Wrestling
6 State Open Championships, Hall High School Wrestling
5 Class L and LL Qualifiers, Hall High School Wrestling
2 All State Finalists, Hall High School Wrestling
1993-2003 Head Coach, Bulkeley High School
2004-2017 Head Wrestling Coach, New Britain High School
46 CCC Conference Champions
Member of Bulkeley (Hartford, Connecticut)
High School ‘Bulldogs’ Athletics Hall of Fame inaugural ‘Class of 2015’ -- Class
of 1960, Bulkeley High School
Peter
C. ‘Doc’ Dengenis
Linfield Class of 1964
Bulkeley
High School 1958-1960 Football award; First team all conference 1959; Captain
1959; Best blocker 1959; Lineman of the week; Bulkeley 16-East Hartford 14;
Bulkeley 40-Wilbur Cross 16; Varsity letters 1958 & 1959; Nutmeg bowl
Connecticut East-West High school all star game 1960; Captain, started on
offense and defense; Linfield College 1963 NAJIA Student Athlete award; 1963
Latourette Scholarship for Outstanding Social Science student; Four year
Letterman starter; Best defensive player 1962 & 1963; Most tackles 1962
& 1963; Team captain 1963; Most inspirational 1963; First team UPI Little
All Coast 1962 & 1963; First team AP Little All Coast 1963; Third team UPI
All Coast (included major colleges) 1963; Oregon Journal Pacific Northwest
Conference Lineman of the Week vs. Lewis & Clark 1962 and Oregon College of
Education 1963; NAIA District 2 Student Athlete award 1963; Oregon Journal
First team Northwest conference all star 1962 &1963; Oregon Education
association lifetime achievement award.
Peter was inducted into Post Linfield NAIA District 2 Hall of Fame in 1987; Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame 2000; 1961 Camelia Bowl team; Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame 2005; Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame Executive board.
Peter was the creator, designer and chief fundraiser for the Durham Monument Project at Linfield, he initiated the Peter C. Dengenis endowed Linfield College Football Fund, he was the owner of four U.S. Government copyrights and wrote and self published four books.
Source: https://bulkeley.hartfordschools.org/hall-of-fame-class-of-2015
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Member of Bulkeley (Hartford, Connecticut)
High School ‘Bulldogs’ Athletics Hall of Fame inaugural ‘Class of 2015’ --
Class of 1960, Bulkeley High School
Robert G. ‘Ruff’
Raffalo, Sr.
Linfield Class of 1965
Bob was a steady, reliable
running halfback. He helped his team senior year to go 7-1. Bob was referred to
by the sports writers as “the mity might.”
HIGH SCHOOL HONORS: Awarded nine varsity letters at Bulkeley High
School; Baseball undefeated pitcher senior year, 8-0; won 8 of the 12 games
played in 1960; Overall pitching career record 12-2; Co-Captain baseball team
1960; Hartford Courant All State pitcher 1960 by Pat Bolduc, Hartford Courant;
Captain of the swimming team 1960; CIAC Connecticut Diving Championships 1960
2nd place; New England Diving Championships 1960 placed 3rd among 6 states;
COLLEGE HONORS: Bob played two sports Linfield College, baseball
and swimming.
BASEBALL 1962 First Team All-Conference;
1963 First Team All-Conference; 1964 Honorable Mention All-Conference; 1965
First Team All-Conference; 1965 Most Improved Award; 1965 Offered tryout with
St. Louis Cardinals.
SWIMMING (DIVER) 1965 Captain; 1961-65 First Team
All-Conference 4 years; 1961-65 All-Conference League Champion 4 years; 1961-65
Linfield Invitational Champion 4 years; 1961-65 NAIA District II Champion Diver
4 years; 1961-65 First Place NAIA District II All-Star 4 years; Undefeated
Diver Northwest Conference 3 years; Undefeated NAIA District II four years;
First Linfield Swimmer to be Invited to the NAIA National Diving Championships;
lost only two Diving meets in four years
2011 Inducted into the Linfield
College Hall of Fame as an Athlete.
Source: https://bulkeley.hartfordschools.org/hall-of-fame-class-of-2015
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Member of Bulkeley (Hartford, Connecticut)
High School Athletics Hall of Fame inaugural ‘Class of 2015’ -- Class of 1966,
Bulkeley High School
Robert ‘Sully’
Sullivan
Linfield Class of 1971
Bob grew up in the South End of Hartford during the 1950’s and 60’s. Prior to entering Bulkeley High School in the fall of 1962, he watched the Bulldogs play countless football games at Dillon Stadium. He dreamed that someday he would play on that same field in a Bulkeley uniform. With luck, and much help from an outstanding coaching staff and a great group of teammates, that dream came true. He played football for four years, receiving varsity letters in his junior and senior years. He also participated in track for four years, receiving varsity letters in his junior and senior years. In 1966, he was selected to the First Team All Capital District Conference and selected to The First Team All State Team by the New Haven Register. As a result of the recognition he received playing for Bulkeley, and with a great deal of support from coach Bob Raffalo and alumni Pete Dengenis, he was accepted into Linfield College.
COLLEGE SPORTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Football: 1967 All Northwest Conference Honorable Mention; 1968-69 All Northwest Conference First Team; 1970 Co-Captain; All Northwest Conference First Team (Unanimous); Little All Northwest All Star Team; NAIA District Two All Star First Team; NAIA Little All American Honorable Mention; 2006 Inducted into the Linfield Athletic Hall of Fame; NAIA All West Coast; NAIA Honorable Mention Football Team
Bob felt that all the individual
honors received are shared with his professors, coaches, and teammates who
helped him a great deal. It’s important to note that many of the skills and
fundamentals that he employed throughout his professional and private life were
ones learned and observed from those dedicated teachers and coaches who helped
him while he was at Bulkeley High School. “For me and countless individuals,
Bulkeley helped define who and what we are today.”
Source: https://bulkeley.hartfordschools.org/hall-of-fame-class-of-2015
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Read about the ‘Hartford Pipeline’ here:
http://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2011/11/linfields-storied-hartford-connection.html
