Salisbury to be inducted into WPIAL Hall of Fame
Frazier graduate Chad Salisbury is shown during his Arena League playing days. Salisbury will be inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame on May 27.
Submitted photo
Chad Salisbury during his playing days with the Grand Rapids Rampage.
The past 12 months have been a whirlwind for Chad Salisbury.
The former Frazier standout was inducted into the 12th Fayette County 缅北禁地 Hall of Fame Class in June, 2021, and learned a couple weeks ago he will be part of the newest WPIAL Hall of Fame class to be inducted in May.
The WPIAL Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Friday, May 27, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Green Tree.
鈥淏oth of them were surprising and obviously very exciting,鈥� Salisbury said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 see either one of them coming and when I got the call for both of them it was great.
鈥淚t was a shock. I had no idea the school had nominated me. It was shocking actually. I was I was out recruiting and was getting ready to walk into Bishop McDevitt out in Harrisburg and Vince Sortino called me. It was really shocking. I had to compose myself a little bit before I walked into the school.鈥�
Salisbury is part of a class that includes 16 individuals and teams. The class will be the 15th in the hall of fame鈥檚 history, and the new inductees will join 232 members and teams previously honored at the Senator John Heinz History Center.
The new class includes athletes Dion Bentley, Penn Hills track and field; Mallory Dietrich, Oakland Catholic swimming; Bob Gorinski, Mount Pleasant baseball and football; Micah Mason, Highlands basketball; Jason Nolf, Kittanning wrestling; Brianne O鈥橰ourke, Oakland Catholic basketball; Salisbury, Frazier football, baseball and basketball; and Brian Simmons, Peters Twp. baseball.
Coaches Robert Kalp, Hempfield Area softball, and Chuck Tursky, Kiski Area wrestling, as well as official Ron Tyburski and contributor Ruth Ann Burke are in the class.
Connellsville quarterback Johnny Lujack was enshrined as a heritage nominee. Norwin girls soccer player Sydney Willig is be honored with the Courage Award.
Additionally, the 1990 Aliquippa girls basketball team and the 2011 Mars girls soccer team are part of the 2022 class.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if it has sunk in totally,鈥� explained Salisbury. 鈥淚 will say when I looked at the list of people who were in both halls of fame and then the WPIAL, it is mind blowing to me. It鈥檚 an honor, it鈥檚 humbling. Johnny Lujack is going to be part of the WPIAL class. Talk about a Fayette County legend. It鈥檚 just very humbling to look at the list of people who are in both hall of fames.
鈥淚 consider myself a historian and I鈥檝e studied the athletics around here and, obviously, the national scene. I recruited Connellsville High School and actually saw the Heisman Trophy replica in Athletic Director鈥檚 office a few years back. Just seeing that trophy and knowing the history that goes into it and a guy from our area accomplished that, it was pretty cool.鈥�
Salisbury鈥檚 athletic credentials are impeccable. He was a 6-foot-6, 230-pound, youngster who was a tackle in junior high and then played tackle and tight end at Frazier until his junior year when he was moved to quarterback.
鈥淚t really worked out,鈥� Salisbury recalled. 鈥淚t was a long time ago. My dad Tom, who was the head coach, was actually in the hospital when that move was made. The coaches took us to Cal U鈥檚 run-and-shoot football camp, and Cal U鈥檚 coach at the time, Kevin Donley, recommended that they try me at quarterback because we had moved to the run-and-shoot offense.
鈥淲e had really good slots and really good outside receivers. Instead of trying to pound it at everybody, we were going to throw the ball around. I could take three steps and throw it pretty hard. I had good receivers and a great offensive line. It was a great thing for our team. We won a lot of games and it ended up really working well for me, as well.鈥�
Working well is an understatement. Salisbury completed 154-for-293 pass attempts in his junior season for 2,346 yards and 26 touchdown passes. The Commodores posted a record of 8-3 and fell to powerful Aliquippa, 35-0, in the WPIAL playoffs.
Frazier was hit hard by graduation losses in Salisbury鈥檚 senior season in 1994. The Commodores finished 5-5, but Salisbury threw 20 touchdown passes and had 2,095 passing yards.
He was named All-Conference as a junior and a senior, and was named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette鈥檚 Fabulous 22 as a senior.
Salisbury was a three-sport star at Frazier, also excelling at basketball and baseball.
Playing hoops for coach Joe Lafko Sr., Salisbury helped the Commodores to three straight WPIAL playoff appearances. They were 15-5 in 1992-93, losing to Serra Catholic in the playoffs, 66-63. Frazier went 18-7 in 1993-94 and lost to Shadyside Academy in the playoffs, 60-54. The Commodores were 15-10 in Salisbury鈥檚 senior season and fell to Aliquippa in the WPIAL playoffs, 81-52.
Salisbury had some tremendous numbers on the hardwood, finishing with 1,534 career points and grabbing over 1,500 rebounds.
Salisbury was a pitcher and a first baseman on some very good Frazier squads.
Salisbury opened his college career at New Mexico State. He was on the squad in 1995 when they went 4-7, completing one pass for 39 yards. The Aggies finished 1-10 with Salisbury starting at quarterback, but he threw for 2,291 yards and 11 touchdowns. Coach Jim Hess was replaced by Tony Samuel after Salisbury鈥檚 sophomore season, so he looked to transfer.
鈥淚 explored transferring and I went to the University of Buffalo, who was at the time Division I-AA. It was a good move because of the offense they were running.鈥� Salisbury said.
The Bulls were 2-9 in 1997 and 4-7 in 1998. Salisbury passed for 4,947 yards and 31 touchdowns in his two seasons for the Bulls. He had twelve 200-plus yard passing games in his career with the Bulls.
鈥淚 worked out for some NFL teams and there were some phone calls on draft day about being a free agent,鈥� explained Salisbury. 鈥淚t just didn鈥檛 work out. I was pretty sure football was over for me. Then I got a phone call and worked out for the Arena League team in Hartford and that鈥檚 where my career went.鈥�
Salisbury played for five teams, but spent time with six total. He first joined the AFL with the New England Sea Wolves and moved with the team to Toronto when they became the Phantoms. He then played two seasons with the Chicago Rush. He played one season with the Columbus Destroyers, and was on the Georgia Force鈥檚 practice squad before he finished his career by playing two seasons with the Grand Rapids Rampage.
He posted some outstanding AFL numbers, passing for 12,104 yards with 217 touchdown passes. His career quarterback rating was 101.42.
Salisbury retired after sustaining a concussion on Aug. 25, 2007. He continued in football as a coach and athletic director at Byron Center High School. In August 2008, Salisburgy joined the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Avengers as the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach.
Salisbury has been the offensive coordinator at California University of Pa. for the past five seasons after serving as the quarterbacks coach for eight seasons.
Salisbury is savoring the upcoming honor from the WPIAL.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really neat to get calls from former coaches.鈥� said Salisbury. 鈥淢y daughters are both in school and athletics at Frazier, so their athletic director called me and the boys basketball coach. Just people that we鈥檝e come to know being in the district.
鈥淚 got some really great phone calls from some of the coaches I鈥檝e had in the past. It was great just to talk to them and catch up with them.鈥�