On Saturday, the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame will induct its Class of 2025, including two Bishop Ward Cyclones — ten-time state championship coach Dennis Hurla and major league pitcher Neil Allen.

Dennis Hurla

Bishop Ward’s ten state championships with Hurla at the helm included six in a row from 2003 to 2008. During that time, the Cyclones won a state record 45 consecutive games.

Over a 20-year career, Hurla won 352 games, nine league titles and made 17 state appearances. The Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches named him 4A coach of the year in 2005 and 2007, and he was the American Baseball Coaches Association regional coach of the year in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Hurla retired from Bishop Ward in 2017, and he is currently an assistant baseball coach at Kansas Christian College, where his son Tony is the head coach.

Neil Allen

Neil Allen, a KCK native, graduated from Bishop Ward in 1976, where his strong throwing arm made him a standout quarterback as well as pitcher. Catching the eye of major league scouts in his senior year, the New York Mets drafted the young right-hander in the eleventh round of the 1976 MLB draft. Allen made his debut with the Mets in 1979. He became their closer and saved 67 games over the next four years.

St. Louis traded Keith Hernandez to the Mets for Allen in 1983. The Cardinals moved him to a starting role that season and he went 10-6 with a 3.70 earned run average. Allen returned to the Cards’ bullpen in 1984 before shipping to the Yankees in midseason.

Following the 1985 season, Allen was traded to the Chicago White Sox. He made the switch back to a starter and compiled a 7-2 record with a 3.82 ERA. In 1987, he returned to the Yankees and finished his major league career with Cleveland in 1989. In 11 major league seasons, Allen won 58 games and saved 75 with an ERA of 3.88 and 611 strikeouts.

The pair of standout Cyclones, along with six other inductees, will receive their honors at a reception and banquet in Wichita on Feb. 1 at noon. The Hall of Fame’s website provides more information about the event at https://ksbaseballhof.com/.