Jackie Buttitta Cerone (Class of 2001) - Jackie is among the greatest players in the history of Glen Ridge Girls Basketball. She was a four-year starter who scored 1,212 total career points and earned four varsity letters. As captain of her team senior year, she led her team to the Colonial Hills Conference Championship in 2001 with a 24-3 record. Jackie was selected first-team All-Quad 1998-2001, All-Area in 1999 and 2000, and All-County and All-State for Group 1 schools in 2001. Jackie competed with heart and enthusiasm. She was a team leader who earned tremendous respect from her coaches and teammates. An excellent all-around athlete, Jackie was as dynamic on the tennis court. She earned four varsity letters and was a member of the All-Quad team in 1997 and 1998 and All-Colonial Hills Conference in 1999 and 2000. In addition to her incredible athletic achievements, Jackie was also outstanding academically. Upon graduation, Jackie attended Cornell University where she continued her basketball career. Jackie earned her masters degree in social studies from Columbia University. Jackie has returned to her roots of Glen Ridge High School, where she teaches Social Studies.
Larry Courter (Class of 1970) - The third and last Courter brother to quarterback their respective teams, Larry earned seven varsity letters at Glen Ridge High School, three in football and four in baseball. He started his Glen Ridge football career as a freshman. Inserted in the varsity's last game of an undefeated 1966 season, his first attempted pass resulted in a touchdown, the first of forty three in his career. The next year he became the only sophomore to start at quarterback for a Bill Horey-coached team. Over the next three years he guided the Ridgers to three Group 1 State-Championships and three North Jersey Conference titles. In his three-year varsity career, the football team compiled a 23-1 record, losing only to Mountain Lakes his sophomore year. For his efforts on the gridiron he was named 2nd-team All-State All-Groups and 1st-team All-County his senior year. His junior and senior years he was 1st-team All-Conference, All-State Group 1 and a N.Y. Daily News All-Essex County Selection. Larry was arguably the most prolific passer in the annals of Glen Ridge football. He totaled 43 career touchdown passes, 18 coming his senior year with five in one game. Competing on the baseball diamond, Courter's teams won the Group 1 Section 2 State Championship and Conference Championship his junior year. As a pitcher/infielder he tossed a no-hitter and two two-hitters while compiling a .337 and .409 batting average his junior and senior years, respectively. Larry was elected captain of both the football and baseball teams his senior year. After high school he served in the armed forces, graduated from Arizona State University and earned his Class 1 Certification as a Professional Golfer. Larry passed away unexpectedly in 2000 at the age of 48.
Robert Baumler (Class of 1945) - Bob Baumler was an outstanding three-sport star for Glen Ridge High School. Excelling even as a freshman, Baumler earned varsity letters as a ninth grader in football, basketball, and baseball. He went on to earn 11 total varsity letters in those sports. On the gridiron, Baumler was a major contributor on offense and defense and a team leader during a golden era of GRHS football in the early 1940's. On the hardwood, Baumler helped spark the team to the Suburban Conference Championship and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Group I Championship in 1944. It was on the baseball diamond that Baumler shined the brightest. A shortstop who hit with power, legend has it that one of his home runs landed well beyond the water fountain in centerfield at Hurrell Field, approximately 500-feet from home plate. Baumler went on to an Ivy League career at the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a degree from the Wharton School of Business while playing basketball and baseball. Out of college, he was signed by the Boston Red Sox and he played three years of minor league baseball with the organization.
Robert Gillespie (Class of 1981) - In 1980, Rob Gillespie had an excellent junior season as a Glen Ridge High pitcher with a 7-2 record and a 1.20 earned run average. He earned 2nd team All-Conference Honors and 2nd team All-Area in the Herald News. Those feats, however, paled in comparison to what he accomplished as a senior for the Ridgers. A 10-1 record with a 0.54 ERA in 1981 was highlighted by seven shutouts and 63 consecutive scoreless innings. He threw a no-hitter at Cedar Grove, a one-hitter at Palisades Park and posted a complete-game 1-0 victory over Livingston, which was ranked No. 1 in New Jersey. Gillespie also helped his team as a hitter with 24 runs batted in and a .320 batting average, as the Ridgers were finalists in the Greater Newark Tournament and captured the Group I State Championship. He was 1st team All-Conference, 1st team All-Essex County, 1st team All-Area in the New York Daily News and 3rd team All-Groups in the Newark Star-Ledger. With Gillespie as its No. 1 starting pitcher, Glen Ridge won 48 of 58 games in 1980 and 1981 en route to the Colonial Hills Conference Championship in both seasons. Gillespie also played wide receiver for the Glen Ridge football team, which won the 1980 Group I, Section 2 State Title. That season, Gillespie caught five touchdown passes, with three of them coming in the amazing, seesaw, last second victory against powerful Mendham. Teammates said Gillespie's pass receiving in that contest was instrumental in keeping the Ridgers in the game. In football, Gillespie was second team All-Conference. The Ridgers were 10-1 on the gridiron that season.
Stephen Claps (Class of 1990) - Stephen Claps earned ten varsity letters and was a starting player in soccer and baseball for four years at Glen Ridge High School. In total, he received All-State Group I recognition four times in his career and was named to the All-Essex County team five times in that span. As a soccer player, Claps was the first player in school history to be named 1st team All-Colonial Hills Conference, first team All-Essex County, and first team All-State Group I in the same year. He was also the first player to represent Glen Ridge High School in the North/South All-Star Soccer Game. As a junior, he was selected 1st team All-Colonial Hills Conference, 3rd team All-Essex County and 2nd team All-State Group I. He was named team MVP in his junior and senior years. Claps was a starting outfielder for three years for the baseball team (he was the designated hitter as a freshman) and helped spark the squad to a 93-11 record, three Colonial Hills Conference Championships, two Essex County Championships, and a Group I, Section 2 Championship during his career. He was voted 1st team All-Colonial Hills Conference, and 2nd team All-Essex County in each of his sophomore, junior, and senior years. Claps earned second team All-State Group I Honors as a junior and a senior. A versatile athlete, Claps also wrestled for two years and accumulated an 18-7 record during those seasons. Recruited by several Division 1 college soccer programs, Claps went on to play soccer at Boston College and started as a sophomore before knee injury curtailed his career.