43
Narduzzis united
Father and son coaches among 12 new inductees into Curbstone Coaches Association Hall of Fame
By Curtis Pulliam
Boardman
When Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini was a kid, he always knew he wanted to leave Youngstown.
But having been all over the world, he has returned to where it all began.
“I love this town and this is where my heart has always been,” Mancini said. “I want to die in this town.”
Mancini, who moved back this winter, was the guest speaker at Sunday’s 48th annual Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame recognition banquet at Mr. Anthony’s.
“They asked me to be the guest speaker, who would have thunk it,” Mancini said.
Among the inductees were Pat Narduzzi, the new head football coach of the University of Pittsburgh. The Ursuline graduate said he “would have not been able to make it” without the support of his mom and dad. His father, Bill, who passed away in 1988, also was inducted Sunday.
His award accepted by Pat’s brother Will, who said that his father always wanted to write a book about his life’s experiences.
When Will asked him what the title would be, he said the response was “the four F’s.
“Faith, family, friendship and football,” Will Narduzzi said. “Football was his passion.”
In attendance was Youngstown State president Jim Tressel who is a regular at the event.
“There is not many communities that have something like this,” Tressel said. “Obviously for the inductees and their families and we [want to] let them know we all think they are important.”
Tressel was happy to see the Narduzzi family at the event.
“Pat has great genes, he has tremendous opportunities with Coach [Terry Hoeppner] and Coach [Mark] Dantonio,” Tressel said. “This is his moment, this is his time. He’ll do well.”
He also feels that Pat will have no problems come fall.
“The experience he had developing both the Cincinnati program and Michigan State will help him go in and start one of his own,” Tressel said. “He’ll do it his way but he has a lot of good things to build on.”
Other inductees were John Linden, Larry Davis, Tim Graham, Sherrie Skelton, Earnie Shavers, Phil Adams, Bob Patton, Ken Smith, Pat Gaia and Vindicator corespondent Greg Gulas.
Mancini covered many ideas in his keynote speech including for everyone to “dream big.
“Success is 3-D,” Mancini said. “Desire, drive and dedication.”
The former world boxing lightweight NABF and WBA champion said he believes you have to go out and reach for the stars.
“Greatness doesn’t come to you, you have to go take it,” Mancini said.
Mancini also feels fear of failure is a good thing.
“The fear of failure is a [heck] of a motivator,” Mancini said.
Smith graduated from Youngs-town East High School in 1976 came up from Memphis to attend the event.
He was selected third overall in 1976 Major League Baseball draft and played for two Hall of Fame managers in Atlanta’s Bobby Cox and Joe Torre.
“It is a true honor,” Smith said. “Growing up in Youngstown and reaching the pinnacle of playing Major League Baseball and all the help of the people in this community who love sports, it’s quite a honor.”
Pat Narduzzi was thrilled.
“It means everything in the world as far as an honor goes,” he said. “My dad grew up a speaker at these Curbstone Coaches and now for him going to be inducted into it is I guess long overdue. Put it that way. He should have gone in way before I did.”