If you were lucky enough to have watched Fred Angerman Jr. play basketball, then you witnessed what is so pure about the sport: The delicate balance between a highly skilled player’s artistry and his unselfish and humble character that placed team success above personal ego.
If you were lucky enough to witness his dedication with a whistle, then you saw his deep love and knowledge of the game, his honesty and integrity and emotional control that hundreds of youth across the state have seen.
Frederick “Fred” Clarence Angerman Jr. was selected posthumously in February for induction into the Alaska High School Hall of Fame on April 26 at the Special Olympics Alaska building in Anchorage. His induction is for lifetime achievement.
“I feel proud and emotional seeing Fred recognized for his decades of dedication as both a basketball player and a referee,” his widow, Sumi Angerman, said. “It is not something he was ever seeking, but basketball was a big part of his life, and our family and close friends feel it is important to honor the quiet leadership and commitment he has shown for so many years.”
Fred Angerman started all four high school seasons for the Wrangell Wolves, from 1972 to 1975, and led the Wolves to the ’75 Southeast title when schools had no classifications based on enrollment and small-school champions were infrequent.
He scored 33 points and had 17 rebounds in the 75-70 title win over Sitka. The following week at state he scored 37 and 29, respectively, in two losses. He earned All-Region Southeast first-team honors as a junior and senior and All-State honors his senior year.
“You had to show up before halftime of the JV game if you were going to get a seat to watch the varsity and Fred play,” said Petersburg High School coach Rick Brock, a 1982 Wrangell graduate.
“He was the team leader, a relentless competitor who played much bigger than his size,” Brock said. “He played as hard as he could every game and did it with humbleness, even though he was usually the best player on the floor.”
As Brock got into coaching, Fred was already an established official on the basketball court. “He brought to the court the same qualities he exhibited as a player. I always felt that you were going to get his best each time, that he was there to make sure the game was played the right way.”
Angerman started his referee career in 1991. The first Southeast tournament he officiated was in 1995. He was selected as a state tournament official eight times.
“Fred loved refereeing and the camaraderie that came with it,” Sumi Angerman said. “He got his start because his lifelong friend Jeff Jabusch convinced him to give it a try. For nearly 30 years, they called hundreds of games together.”
Fred Angerman would volunteer with Wrangell’s Elks Hoop Shoot for more than 45 years and volunteered to officiate numerous youth and middle school basketball games for over 30 years.
In a letter of recommendation to the hall of fame, Jabusch said, “I grew up on the same playgrounds as Fred in Wrangell. … I know he was one of the best players in Southeast. I can verify his dominance as both a player and referee during his adult years.”
Other nominating letters speak volumes of his character:
“I moved to Metlakatla in 2012 to teach and coach,” said Metlakatla coach and teacher Tony Scott. “One of our first trips that year was to Wrangell. Fred was there with his truck to help with luggage and introduced himself to me. When we got everything unloaded, he found me and walked in and we talked basketball for about an hour. He talked about the glory days of when he played, the great teams from Wrangell and Metlakatla over the years, and then finished talking about his family.”
Former Wrangell coach Ray Stokes said, “The entire state benefitted from Fred making the decision to be a referee. He was one of those rare people that could keep a level head and make sound decisions regardless of the situation, others must have felt the same way because he kept getting nominated by the participating schools to officiate the tournaments.”
Former Wrangell teammate Keith Appleman played Wrangell basketball 1969 to 1972, then continued his time on the court at open gyms and tournaments in town. “I feel I have a good grasp of the top players from Wrangell over the past approximately 55 years. … there are many others that were great, but Fred was absolutely at the very pinnacle, the best of the best.”
Fellow referee and friend Keith Perkins noted that within his job as maintenance director for Wrangell schools, Angerman “had a unique way of being a good listener when needed for staff, teachers and students. … He was a source of inspiration and pride for them.”
Perkins added, “To that end, I believe his impact is worthy of a lifetime achievement consideration for the hall of fame.”
Angerman died unexpectedly on March 9, 2025, at the age of 68. At that time, the Wrangell Wolves, coached by his son Cody (Wrangell High School class of 2000), were about to begin the state tournament. The team honored him by wearing “Fast Freddy” shooting shirts.
Cody Angerman said he was overwhelmed with emotion when he learned his father was selected to the hall of fame.
“Dad did not really do well with celebrating himself,” he said. “He was always humble when talking about his playing days and maybe felt a little uncomfortable when it came to talking about himself. … But this whole hall of fame induction is a real honor.”
Son Brad Angerman (Wrangell class of 2002) was with his grandmother Mercedes when he heard the selection news.
“It is humbling that ASAA (Alaska School Activities Association) would recognize my dad, and it is also humbling that the people closest to us would take the time to nominate him,” Brad Angerman said.
“My brothers and I were raised in the house next door to where my dad grew up, right across the street from a playground, so basketball was always a part of our lives. It probably wasn’t until I was a teenager before I ever beat my dad at a game of HORSE, and it didn’t happen many more times after that either.”
Son Aaron Angerman (class of 1998) said, “My dad was my hero. As humble as he was, he’d probably dodge that praise and be slightly embarrassed by this hall of fame recognition. But between playing, refereeing, coaching, volunteering — he was unbelievably impactful on the lives of countless people who shared a gym with him.”
Sumi Angerman added, “Whenever we traveled to tournaments, people of all ages would sit and talk basketball with Fred, whether they were coaches, students or just people reminiscing about their high school days. He clearly impacted a lot of lives and made a lot of friends along the way.”