Demarest / Hoboken Sports 50’s , 60’s, and early 70’s

“Memory fades, memory adjusts, memory conforms to what we think we remember “

Demarest / Hoboken Sports 50’s , 60’s, and early 70’s

By Dennis Sevano

A Brief Reminder of the Past

1. Brothers, Charlie, Bobby, Jimmy and John all wore the football jersey 37 at Demarest High in the 50’s, honoring Doak Walker (37), the Heisman Trophy Player of the year from Southern Methodist in 1947; the Lasting Lisa Legacy!
2. John “Honey” Romano was a Red Wing from Demarest High who played in an MLB World Series and was chosen to the American League All-Star baseball team in 1962 by his peers. Mr. Romano is a product of Demarest in the mid 50’s.
3. Tony Radovich scored 1,224 points in his basketball play at Demarest in the 50’s receiving a sports scholarship to the powerhouse, University of North Carolina under the legendary coach Frank McGuire in 1956-1959.
4. John Wendelken was a three time All-Hudson County star in baseball and basketball , scoring 1,456 points at Demarest, graduating as Valedictorian in 1961, then going on to Holy Cross on a full scholarship, where he graduated with a GPA of 3.9, Magna Cum Laude.
5. The Hoboken Pop Warner Football Team of ten to thirteen years olds, won the USA title in 1959, finishing second in 1960 with Anthony Amato and William Griego leading the way.
6. In 1960, Dennis O’Brien pitched Demarest to the County baseball trophy followed by back-to-back no hitters at FDU - featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine.
   
7. Again in 1961 Rafael Castillo and John Wendelken pitched Demarest High to the Hudson County Championship under coach Peter Vecchio.
8. In 1960, Bob Wendelken pitched the PAL to the Little League Championship on the new field on 25 5th street, with Ed Radigan as the catcher, beating The Lions.
9. In 1963, basketball player Ed Groomes, under the stellar coaching of Frank Chiocco, scored 40 points at the Hoboken High School new court against St. Joe’s and two weeks later scored 55 points at Union Hill High School. Groomes was awarded All-County Honors.
10. Frank Bartletta, Ed Stinson and Tony Giordano all played three varsity sports in the mid-60’s going forward to have successful coaching careers.
11. In 1965, on the new Hoboken High School field/stadium, Tony Curko hit the first home run against St. Joe’s of West New York while Bobby Wendelken pitched the first baseball win.
12. In the late 1960’s, Tommy O’Connell, under swimming coach John Ciriello, dominated the water lanes of Hudson County eventually going into the Navy for 20 years.
13. In 1962, Vinnie Ascolese was the youngest head football coach in New Jersey to be hired by Hoboken High School, where he led his team to a state Championship, before moving to North Bergen High with legendary football wins.
14. John Barone was named to the basketball Hudson County First team in 1965 and 1966, going to Monmouth College and setting a foul shot record of nearly 60 straight baskets that stood for years.
15. In 1967, the Hoboken High baseball team won the County baseball title led by Peter Costello, winning the Hudson County first team honors in 1966 and 1967 with Coach Joe Totaro as Coach of the County.
16. In 1969 Michael Pellechia and Andy Fernandez garnered first team Hudson Football accolades, echoing the mark that Steve and Bobby Pellechia had on Red Wing history.
17. Later in the decade, many major league baseball scouts flocked to FDU to watch Hoboken’s Mike Costello’s outstanding baseball surge as one of the nation’s best ball players.

Dennis Sevano was born and raised in Hoboken. He writes frequently about sports figures and notables in the Mile Square City. He currently resides in Teaneck.