Ansonia started the Valley trend by establishing a Football Hall of Fame in 1986. Seymour followed suit with a Seymour High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
Now it’s time for Derby residents to step up their game.
Mike Cannici, a 1995 graduate of Derby High School and former athlete, wants to start a Derby High School Athletic Hall of Fame to recognize outstanding players for their accomplishments.
Cannici said the idea is to memorialize the city’s rich athletic tradition.
“I want to keep tradition and memories alive. By doing this once every year and honoring outstanding athletes, we can give them their proper recognition,” he said.
Athletes such as John Pagliaro should be remembered, Cannici said.
Pagliaro was a former runner back for the Derby High School football team and eventually went on to play for Yale.
Ansonia assistant coach John Sponheimer called him one of the greatest running backs to come out of the Naugatuck Valley.
“Most (young) people have probably never heard of John Pagliaro,” Cannici said.
The criteria for selection to the hall of fame states the athletes must have graduated from Derby High School and be out of high school for at least 15 years.
According to the Electronic Valley, the full criterion for selection includes:
1. Athletes: The athlete performed with excellence and lettered in a varsity sport. The athlete must be a graduate of Derby High and out of school for at least 15 years. The nominee must be or have been a credit to his/her school, family, city and country. The nominee may be either living or deceased.
2. Coaches: A nominee for coach will be judged on the time spent coaching at Derby High who demonstrated exceptional leadership, character and athletic achievement during his/her stay in Derby. The nominee may be either living or deceased.
3. Lifetime Achievement: A person who has been a loyal and devoted support of Derby athletics for a minimum of 10 years. The inductee may be either living or deceased.
Click here to nominate a player.
Cannici and a small group of volunteers have been working on the project for a few months.
They’ve received 25 nominees — but the project is still very much in the planning stages.
Cannici said he doesn’t have a location as to where the actual hall of fame would reside.
Cannici set up a Facebook group where there has been a spirited discussion as to who should be in the first ballot.
Some of the familiar names include Derby wrestling coach Walter “Buster” Jadach, who is already a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Connecticut chapter.
Other names being bandied about:
- Tony Passander, who was a starting quarterback for the Citadel and then played professional football in Canada.
- Jim Keefe, who ran track for the U.S. track and field team.
- Ed Coss, “Buddy” Amendola and Dennis O’Connell — who were all captains of the UConn football team.
- Diane Potkay, a 90s-era track star
- Lou DeFilippo and Charlie DiCenso, legendary local football coaches.
Though nothing is concrete, Cannici said he hopes to have a first induction later this year.
“We’re hoping the class of 2015 will be the first to experience everything,” said Cannici.
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