Mon, Nov 23 2009
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This Mr. Ed was a thoroughbred Pizzuto’s speed made him one very dangerous Geneva KARL PEARSONStar Beacon Now, Pizzuto is hooked up with Craine as they are inducted into the Ashtabula County Football Hall of Fame on Monday at the 39th annual Ashtabula County Touchdown Club Awards Banquet.
The 53-year-old has been connected to people with Hall of Fame stature throughout his life. He also played high school baseball for three years and basketball for two years with Ashtabula County Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Koval, then not only played for Lee Tressel, but Bob Fisher, B-W’s legendary baseball coach, who is still at the helm of the Yellow Jackets after more than 40 years of service. To find himself in such company is quite amazing to Pizzuto. He was pleased to be informed of his induction by Herpy’s widow, Sue. “I think I asked Sue if she was sure she’d called the right house,” he said. “I had to sit down when I was telling my wife, Cindy, about the call. I am truly amazed and truly honored. “I’m in awe of this. To even be considered in the same class as the guys that are in there is unbelievable to me.” Apparently, Pizzuto was an inspirational figure for a lot of younger Geneva athletes. Herpy made sure of that. “What meant the most to me was always trying to help the team,” he said. “My younger brother, Greg, told me when he played something that was one of the greatest compliments ever given to me. “Greg said Coach Herpy was having one of his locker room talks and he referenced me as the kind of player he hoped all of them might be. That really meant a lot to me.” Connections Like so many boys of his age, Pizzuto joined in football, basketball or baseball games in the side yard of the Craine home near the intersection of Routes 84 and 534 that is still inhabited by Kathy Craine, the only female child in her family. Ed Pizzuto also has a sister, Margie, who worked for some time at the Geneva Free Press, one of the sister papers of the Star Beacon. “Dan and I used to play ball in his yard,” the son of Gabe Pizzuto, who still resides in Geneva, and his late wife, Isabel, said. “We used to play a lot with guys like Ernie Pasqualone, Louie DeJesus and Jeff Mohrmann. Don and my younger brothers also played.” Pizzuto and Craine played for future Geneva athletic director Dick Hunt in junior high. As freshmen, they played for Dick Pierce, who is an assistant now for Tony Hassett. “We were 6-0-1 when we were freshmen,” Pizzuto said. “I played quarterback and safety. We tied Harbor, 6-6.” The arrival of Pizzuto and Craine with the Geneva varsity team in their sophomore seasons coincided with Herpy’s first as the Eagles’ head coach. Herpy had been a very fine back at Geneva during his playing days. Those players soaked up what Herpy had to say. 
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