Doug Stafinski, the “Voice of the Bulldogs,” has been selected to enter the Vicksburg Athletic Hall of Fame. He has been announcing games for 23 years for both high school boys’ and girls’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ soccer. He decided to help out when he heard there was a need and said to himself, “I could probably do that because I go to a lot of games and enjoys sports.”
Stafinski said he was “humbled and honored to be selected to the Hall” because his dad, Frank, was inducted the second year of its existence in 1988. Frank earned 17 varsity letters during his years at Vicksburg High School. “He was a truly great athlete in the four sports he participated in. The extra letter came in tennis when someone said they needed one more guy to round out the team for a short while, even though he was participating in football, basketball and baseball.”
The younger Stafinski graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1964, got his degree in four years from Michigan State University and served in Vietnam. He was the postmaster in Vicksburg for 14 years and has been a Lions Club president for two different tours. For the last 19 years he has been the chairperson of the Lions Club Summer Festival, commonly known as the B&B which is the club’s main fundraiser. At the ripe young age of 73, he is still engaged in a variety of athletic activity. He walks, he bikes, plays tennis and pickleball at a high level, often beating much younger opponents. His passion for sports and commitment to family and community make him a great candidate for this honor, one of his nominating letters stated.
Here is a list of his accomplishments as an athlete and person of distinction in the community:
Earned six Varsity Letters – basketball – football – baseball – cross country
Selected Most Valuable Player in basketball 1964
Wolverine All Conference in basketball 1964
Honorable Mention All State in basketball
Basketball Team captain 1964
Earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree -Michigan State graduate 1968
Vietnam War veteran – United States Army
Coached MISLE Soccer and Little League Softball
Named Melvin Jones Fellow Award – Highest Lions Club honor given
Served as Coordinator of the Vicksburg Lions Club Festival
Served VHS Athletic Department as public address announcer 25 years
Volunteer service to the community of Vicksburg for over 30 years