On Saturday, September 30, Homecoming Day, members of Thornton's Board of Trustees, Alumni Board, alumni and friends gathered in the Atrium adjacent to Garland Auditorium as members of the inaugural class of honorees were inducted into the Thornton Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Thornton Academy Athletic Hall of Fame was established to honor and recognize athletes, coaches, teams, and others affiliated with the school that have excelled at or contributed greatly to athletics at Thornton Academy. This year's honorees were Henry L. LaVallee, Class of 1925, Charles Mistos, Class of 1937, Lloyd M. Anderson, Class of 1939, Gordon R. Pendleton, Class of 1948, the 1913-14 Girls Basketball Team, and the 1920-21 Boys Basketball Team.

Henry L. LaVallee, Class of 1925
Known affectionately as both "Kid" and "Hank," Henry LaVallee was honored as both a player and a coach. He played quarterback on two championship football teams in 1923 and 1924. In the final game against Lewiston for the state title, one reporter described the action: "LaVallee paved the way to a TA victory when he caught a Portland punt on his own 10-yard line and by the most brilliant broken field running carried the ball a total of 51 yards." As a baseball player, LaVallee was named to the second team of the Portland Telegram League All-Maine Team. LaVallee returned to Thornton to coach baseball, as well, and his 1937 team earned the Telegram League championship. LaVallee also is fondly remembered as Thornton Academy's long-time alumni secretary.

Charles Mistos, Class of 1937
Charles "Charlie" Mistos played all three sports-football, basketball and baseball-during all four of his years at Thornton Academy. As captain of the football team his senior year, he was named to both the All-State Team and the southwestern Maine All-Star Team. As a baseball star, he was batting champion in the Telegram League in 1936, and ace pitcher on the 1937 Telegram League Team. After leaving Thornton, Mistos played for the Atlanta Georgia Crackers and Biddeford-Saco's Twilight League. He later spent many devoted years working with Saco youth in recreation programs because, as he said many times, "someone needs to be there for them."

Lloyd M. Anderson, Class of 1939
Nicknamed "Swede," Lloyd Anderson played fullback on the football team. He was named to the All-Conference team as both a junior and a senior, and as a senior made the All-State team. As captain his senior year, he made 15 touchdowns, and ranks high on the list of Thornton's top all-time scorers. Anderson also ran on the track team all four years at Thornton, and later served on the Board of Trustees.

Gordon R. Pendleton, Class of 1948
Gordon Pendleton played football, basketball and baseball for all four of his years at Thornton Academy. Nicknamed "Abie," he was the first Maine high school player named to the All-American football squad in his senior year and also was named to the All-Maine first team. As co-captain his senior year, he was known as a "powerhouse fullback." Sports writer Ted Dyer described Pendleton: "He makes more yardage than the average high school back, but his really big gains are set up by good team play. Somehow the lads seem to steam up hotter for Abie's runs." Pendleton also was the first president of the Thornton Academy Alumni Association following its reinstatement in 1989.

1913-14 Girls Basketball Team
After finishing second in the league in 1912 and 1913, the Thornton Academy girls basketball team claimed the crown in 1914 with an unparalleled 9-1 record. The team of sharp shooters and scrappy defenders included mostly seniors from the Class of 1914: Isabelle Alexander, Helene Buker, Florence Grace, Helen Lawrence, and team captain Meribah Keefe, along with Marion Lowell and Magdalena Walker. Thornton scored an average of 19 points each game while opponents only managed six. The only team to beat Thornton during the regular season was Portland in a close 10-7 game.

1920-21 Boys Basketball Team
With a final victory over Wilton Academy, the boys team won the state championship, laying claim to Thornton's first and still only boys basketball state title. The team included Justin Seavey, Lawrence Graves, Albert Hanson, Edgar Roger, Leo Joncas, Wesley Seavey, Frederick Shields, Hilary Mahaney, Kenneth Lord, Donald Skillings and Harry Mapes. Mapes led the scoring throughout the season, and returned the following year to coach the 1921-22 team to a York County title.