Four Aroostook County men will be inducted into the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Fame representing the northern region.
Emmett “Bud” Porter, Terry Spurling and posthumously Donald “Lefty” Graves and Frank Tapley are being honored for this extraordinary commitment and work behind the scenes to help students excel both academically and athletically in Maine.
The induction ceremony will take place Oct. 9 in Waterville at the Alfond Boys and Girls Club.
Emmett “Bud” Porter
Bud Porter, of Mars Hill, is a longtime educator, coach, basketball official, community service leader and outdoorsman.
He graduated from Aroostook Central Institute in 1949 where he was an all-sport standout playing varsity basketball, baseball and skiing.
Bud continued his athletic career at Aroostook State Normal School, now the University of Maine at Presque Isle, as a varsity baseball catcher. He played in the Aroostook League semi-pro baseball league for 10 years and was selected to play in the league All-Star game as catcher two of those years.
In 1953 he started his teaching career in Mars Hill and taught there for 35 years where he is remembered as accepting every student regardless of limitations, and modeled integrity and self-discipline. Bud was always interested in students far beyond the classroom, and to this day, his wise counsel is still sought by many former students.
Bud coached varsity baseball at Mars Hill from 1957-68, winning the Aroostook League Championship in 1958 and 1959. After baseball he coached the girls varsity basketball and softball teams. In basketball his teams never had a losing season and went to the Eastern Maine tournament every year.
He retired, Roger Shaw, assistant superintendent AOS 99 in Mars Hill, says, “When the cupboard was full of talent.”
Joni Averill of the Bangor Daily News wrote in her column, “Bud wasn’t satisfied with his work as a basketball coach and wasn’t afraid to admit it. Often times the Eastern Maine title would get away from them and they would lose a shot at the state title, and that bothered him.” She continued saying that, “Bud decided to try and get the best coach for them that he knew that was Katahdin’s Dick Barstow. When Central Aroostook came to the 1981 girls’ basketball tournament, Bud was watching his friend, Coach Barstow do what needed to be done. When the girls won the state championship, no one was happier than the man, more than anyone else, who is responsible for that school’s fine sports tradition, Coach Porter.”
During the same 11 years Porter coached the girls softball team and they won seven division titles, Eastern Maine Champions in 1977 and runners-up in 1980. His record as a softball coach was 126 wins and 43 losses.
“I think athletics is a very important part of the educational system, I don’t hesitate to say that I have used athletics to keep individuals in school who might otherwise have left. In cases like that, the value of athletics can’t be measured,” said Porter.
Bud was a basketball official from 1955-76, a charter member of IAABO 50. He often traveled to Canada to referee semi-pro games also. He is currently an elected honorary member of IAABO 50. His daughter is also a basketball official and has refereed in the Eastern Maine tournament following her father’s footsteps.
Bud had little time to be bored, along with his teaching and coaching and now retirement he served his community as a member of the Mars Hill Town Council, chairman of the Mars Hill Charter Commission, board member of the Mars Hill Utility District, moderator for the Mars Hill School District Budget Meeting, 49-year member of Aroostook Masonic Lodge and National Honor Society adviser from 1955-87.
Bud is also an avid outdoorsman, who enjoys hunting and fishing at his camp on Number Nine Lake.
After his retirement from teaching and coaching he kept the clock for boys and girls basketball game at Central Aroostook High School in Mars Hill for several years.
Roger Shaw states that “Emmett ‘Bud’ Porter has had immeasurable impact on hundreds of people through his life-long involvement in athletes, education and community both locally and regionally. Some people come into our lives and leave quickly, some stay and leave footprints in our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.”
Bud is a lifelong resident of Mars Hill, where he and his late wife Jean raised five children. His three daughters, who live in Maine and have been involved in teaching, coaching and officiating sports. A daughter and son passed away in childhood from health complications. He and his current wife, Gwenn McBurnie have blended their families to include Gwenn’s two sons. Together they have nine grandchildren.
Terrance “Terry” Spurling
Terry Spurling is a longtime educator, coach and athletic director.
During his high school years, he played basketball at Ellsworth High School. While he was playing for Ellsworth his team won Class L State Championship in 1953-54. He continued being an intense competitor on the basketball team and was chosen Eastern Maine Tournament Second Team and Second Team All State, the first year they had All State. His 1954 State Champion Ellsworth Eagles were later inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. Terry also played football at high school for two years.
He continued his basketball career at the University of Maine in Orono being on the varsity team his first three years and is a member of the University of Maine’s “M” Club. Terry graduated from Maine with a bachelors degree in physical education.
After graduation from Maine, Spurling was hired to teach physical education and coach varsity basketball at Aroostook Central Institute in Mars Hill in 1960. During the next four years Coach Spurling’s teams placed in the Class L tournament three straight years. In 1963 his team made it to the Eastern Maine finals.
Roger Shaw, assistant superintendent AOS 99 in Mars Hill, says of Coach Spurling, “His passion for the game of basketball and disciplined approach to coaching transformed mediocrity into excellence. Anyone who played for him still affectionately calls him ‘coach’ and to him we are still ‘Terry’s boys.’’ “The high standards he set started a tradition of excellence that continues at our school to this day,” Shaw added.
Spurling moved to Houlton High School teaching physical education, athletic director, varsity boys basketball coach and driver education instructor.
Between 1964 and 1977 Coach Spurling had the basketball team in the tournament eight times. In 1967 his team was in the Eastern Maine finals losing to Old Town High School.
Terry also coached volleyball for 31 years at Houlton along with teaching physical education for 36 years and driver education for 38 years.
Shaw says, “In education today we often talk about ‘high standards.’ Terry Spurling had the ability to convince average young people that with hard work and commitment they could achieve great things, and they always did.”
When asked about his basketball and coaching career Coach Spurling would always say, “I thank all of my teammates who played with me in high school and college, and thank you to all of my athletes who played for me. All of them contributed in a major way to any and all of the success that I enjoyed as a player and a coach and I’m very grateful to each of them. I’m also very proud of the accomplishments of my former players throughout their lives.”
Frank Keenan, former Superintendent of Easton Schools, says, “Coach Spurling was always a player’s coach, he was tough but he cared deeply about all of his players and only wanted the best for them. Anyone who ever played for him respected and admired him and he still impacts their lives. You always knew you could count on him when you needed him – that is the true character of Coach Terry Spurling.”
In retirement Terry enjoys being with his wife, Jane who gave him 50 years of support that made it possible for him to spend the countless hours carrying out his coaching duties. They have lots of fun watching their grandchildren grow and participate in sports with the same passion and enthusiasm that Terry had.
He and his wife live in Houlton where he has enjoyed playing tennis, racquet ball and being a member of the Elks Club for 46 years, along with watching sports on TV and in person. They have one daughter and two sons along with three grandchildren.
Sue Lougee compiled the biographical information. Next week the two posthumous inductees into the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Fame will be profiled. Tickets to the Oct. 9 induction ceremony at the Alfond Boys and Girls Club in Waterville are available by calling Paul McClay of Maine Sports Legends in Augusta at 622-1539.
