The gymnasium at Catholic Memorial carries his title, however the legacy of Ronald S. Perry extends far past the constructing.
An iconic determine on the native highschool and faculty athletics scene for the higher a part of a half century, Perry handed away final Friday on the age of 92.
“It’s tough to place in phrases the influence he had on my life and plenty of different younger males who performed for him,” mentioned former Catholic Memorial basketball star Ron Teixeira. “He’s greater than only a coach, he was a mentor to me my whole life and I’d not be the place I’m at this time with out him.”
Perry attended Somerville Excessive Faculty, the place he earned renown as an excellent two-sport athlete. The primary 1,000-point scorer in class historical past (his 1,154 profession factors continues to be a report for boys), Perry led the Highlanders to the Class A and New England titles in 1949. Perry was simply as dominant on the baseball diamond, main his group to an Jap Mass. championship in 1950.
“You simply didn’t get athletes like that, somebody who was an all-scholastic in each basketball and baseball,” mentioned Jerry Knight, who later served as hoop coach and athletic director at Somerville. “I bear in mind the primary time I noticed him play was after I was eight. He was an excellent participant however he was additionally a consummate pupil, a member of the Nationwide Honor Society and sophistication president.”
Added present Somerville basketball coach Mark Antonelli: “He was at all times very gracious to me on the telephone, asking about my household and in regards to the group. He even introduced up figuring out my grandfather and nice uncles. As a child that grew up on the folklore of Somerville basketball, I bear in mind being in awe that I spent half-hour of the telephone with ‘the Ronnie Perry.’ ”
Perry went on to play each sports activities at Holy Cross and was a part of the glory period of athletics there. He was a part of a Crusader group which gained a Faculty World Collection title in 1952. A 3-year starter in basketball, Perry averaged greater than 11 factors and was a starter on the 1954 squad which gained the NIT title.
“One of the best ways to explain Ronnie was that he was a winner,” mentioned Don Prohovich, who was a teammate of Perry on the NIT championship squad. “He was a legend, somebody who simply did the whole lot properly. After I was freshman, I needed to guard him in follow and he was simply terrific. He was an excellent shooter however sacrificed as a result of we had Togo Palazzi, Tommy Heinsohn and Joe Liebler.”
Perry was drafted by the Boston Celtics within the fourth spherical of the 1954 NBA Draft (thirty second general decide), however opted to signal with the Milwaukee Braves. A 3-year stint within the Marines lower his professional sports activities profession brief and he went to work at Catholic Memorial as a trainer in addition to athletic director and baseball and basketball coach. In 13 years because the basketball coach, Perry amassed a report of 292-34, gained 10 Catholic Convention titles, eight New England Catholic championships and three state crowns.
“First time I noticed Catholic Memorial play was in Newport they usually went up towards Energy Memorial and Lew Alcindor,” BABC founder/coach Leo Papile mentioned. “He was the primary man to place Boston basketball on the map, he gave us some legitimacy. He had a regular of excellence and he was at all times a gentleman’s gentleman.”
Perry had many excellent gamers who competed in faculty, certainly one of them being Invoice Raynor. An All-American at Catholic Memorial, Raynor went on to star at Dartmouth and later was named to the varsity’s Corridor of Fame.
“I describe him as a coach, mentor and a buddy – somebody who performed a big function in my life,” Raynor mentioned. “I first met him after I was 15 and we maintained a relationship that continued from that time till the day he handed.”
Perry returned to Holy Cross in 1972 and served because the athletic director from 1972-98. His presence was instantly felt as the varsity elevated its applications from 10 to 25 and lots of the sports activities flourished underneath his watchful eye.
Perry wasn’t teaching however he nonetheless had an influence on many lives, certainly one of them being Peter Colombo. A standout quarterback at Brockton Excessive, Colombo arrived at Holy Cross and have become a embellished two-sport athlete (soccer and baseball), finally touchdown within the faculty’s Corridor of Fame in 1996.
“I simply love the person,” mentioned Colombo, who performed second baseman alongside Mr. Perry’s son, Ronnie. “He was a superb household man, an excellent coach and administrator and like my father (Armond, the legendary soccer coach at Brockton), he helped 1000’s of fellows like me.”
In his later years, Perry was famend for his devotion to his spouse of 59 years, Pat. She suffered a stroke and required fixed look after the previous few years of her life earlier than her passing in 2015. Perry returned to the West Roxbury space and was a continuing fixture on the campus. Catholic Memorial president Dr. Peter F. Folan arrived 11 years in the past and nonetheless fondly remembers the primary time he met Perry.
“He got here into my workplace and we had a dialog in regards to the worth of athletics and the way athletics form and construct character within the pupil,” Folan mentioned. “We talked in regards to the energy of the coach as a task mannequin and the way essential it was that they cared in regards to the people on the group.
“When his spouse handed, he would come to the varsity daily. He’d are available, sit on the bench in entrance of the varsity, speak to the scholars and academics, then say a prayer within the faculty chapel on his means out the door.
“He was a consummate man of religion and excessive character. He was a part of the best technology and a task mannequin that we must always all aspire to be.”
Trending Merchandise
