Hall of Fame
Wendell Handley, a Nemaha, Neb., native, participated in football, basketball, and track while at Peru State with his greatest success coming on the football field where he was a four-year letter winner. At the end of his athletic career, Handley was named as the Bert E. Swenson Award winner.
Handley was a member of the 1940 Bobcat football team which went 7-0-2 and was just the third team selected for the Peru State Hall of Fame. Later, legendary and Hall of Fame Coach Al G. Wheeler chose him as the left half-back for his 17-year all-star team.
After serving in the Navy, Handley began a distinguished teaching, coaching, and administrative career in South Dakota. After spending five years in Hot Springs, Handley moved to Lead and spent the rest of his career in the Lead-Deadwood school system until retiring in 1984. He coached many teams in both schools to conference championships in football, basketball, and track. He was inducted into South Dakota Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1984.
Handley served four years as mayor of Lead during which time the YMCA which now bears his name was built.
