Jon Petke scored two of the longest touchdowns in the history of the annual Thanksgiving Day Battle for the Bell in the Lancers’ 1964 victory over the Rams. He remains the only athlete to have two runs of over 75 yards in the same game in the annual battle between the city rivals. At Bristol Eastern, Jon Petke competed in football and track and captained both teams in his senior year where he credits Coach Johnie Floyd (a BSHOF Inductee) and his Dad as his most inspirational mentors. He was a delegate to the American Boys State where he became the first Bristol student to win the Outstanding Boy of the Year Award in 1964.
He went on to play four years of football at Williams College where Jon was elected Captain of the 3rd undefeated team in the 135 year history of Williams Football, after leading the Ephmen to the Little Three Championship by beating Amherst in 1967. He was also a goalie on the Freshman Hockey Team, played Lacrosse and rowed on the re-established Crew Team. At Williams he was named the first recipient of the Hyman Ptaschnick Scholarship given to a worthy student athlete.
Jon earned a Commission in the Marine Corps at graduation, flew helicopters, rose to the rank of Captain during the Vietnam War, and has been proud to coach and support 3 sons and 5 grandchildren in Mission Viejo, California.
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