Leonard Matarazzo will be remembered at New Castle High's Home opener

By Kayleen Cubbal

New Castle News

New Castle fans knew his face and his lumbering, 6-foot-4 gait, but not all knew his name.

Leonard Matarazzo liked it that way. He preferred to fly under the radar at New Castle High yet, for so many years, he was a centerpiece of Red Hurricane football and basketball.

Matarazzo will not be present for the home opener at Taggart Stadium for the first time in many years Friday night when the 'Canes host Montour. He died June 19 at the age of 86.

He will be remembered with a tribute on the public address system, along with a moment of silence.

Though he had a gruff voice and usually held a cigarette in his hand, Matarazzo was a kindly man with a heart of gold.

If the New Castle football or basketball teams needed something, he got it. If they needed something done, he did it. For nearly 20 years, he was a member of the "chain gang" at Red Hurricane home games. He often served as a backup manager for road games, carrying equipment, joining the boosters in handing out hoagies and drinks to players as they got on the team bus, even using his incredible artistic and calligraphy skills to make signs.

"Leonard was our jack of all trades, he was always lending a hand, but never wanted any recognition for what he did," New Castle High athletic director Sam Flora said. "He was just a good man, that's all there was to it."

Flora said he met Matarazzo at New Castle football camp when he took over as athletic director 17 years ago.

"Someone pointed him out to me and said 'that's Lindy's friend,' " Flora said. "I had no idea what an impact he was going to have. He used to do everything when we went away to camp and he never wanted anybody to help. He would get up before dawn to make sure the cooks were getting breakfast going and he personally made sure the kids had milk and juice on the table, then refilled it as they ate. And then he did all the clean-up himself. I now take care of what he used to do and I have three or four guys helping me do what Leonard was able to do on his own.

"But what I remember most about him," Flora added, "was that he was loyal to Lindy until the end."

Matarazzo rarely left Lauro's side in the weeks prior to the former coach's 2012 death at the age of 90. The two had grown up together in Mahoningtown, but Matarazzo had moved to New York and the two lost touch. When Matarazzo's son, John, was going into high school, the family returned to New Castle so that John could play for Lauro.

"After my dad passed (at the Greer House), Leonard would not leave him. He stayed right next to him, holding his hand, until he was taken away," Lauro's daughter said. "It was like he was standing guard over him and keeping him safe.

"We had known for a few days that my father was near the end, but he just didn't want to let go," she added. "We called Leonard and said, 'you have to tell him it's OK to go.' So Leonard went and sat beside him and told him in Italian, 'Lindy, it's time, you have to take the walk now, we're all going to be OK and we'll see you again.' It was like a scene from a movie. My dad seemed to gain acceptance from that and the next day, he passed.' "

Lindy and his namesake daughter shared the same birthday — June 3 — and Matarazzo always sent her a special birthday card. On the first June 3 following her dad's death, the younger Lindy received a delivery of a dozen roses with no card.

"I knew right away they were from Leonard," she said. "He knew what a tough day that was going to be for me and he let me know that someone was thinking of me.

"My father always said that you pick your friends like you would pick people you would want to go to war with. Leonard was that friend to him. It was a remarkable friendship. When Leonard died, it was like one of the last pieces of my dad died with him.'

And just like Matarazzo never wanted any recognition for all the help he gave to New Castle High, he also underplayed the fact that he briefly played major league baseball.

He even has an entry on Wikipedia that says, "On September 6, 1952, the right-handed pitcher appeared in the Major Leagues for the only time. Pitching for the Philadelphia Athletics, he worked one scoreless inning in relief against the Boston Red Sox. But he was not given another opportunity to pitch that year, and spent the final two seasons of his six-year pro career in the minor leagues. Matarazzo was a 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m), 195 lb (88 kg) native of New Castle, Pennsylvania. In his fourth pro season, as a member of the 1952 Fayetteville A's, he led the Class B Carolina League with a 22–8 win-loss record and was named the league's Most Valuable Player."

Matarazzo turned down several attempts to induct him into the Lawrence County Historical Society Sports Hall of Fame, even though he served on the hall's board of directors for many years.

When the WPIAL announced its inaugural hall of fame class in 2007, Matarazzo was miffed that Lauro was not selected. When Lauro was passed over each of the next five years, Matarazzo single-handedly mounted a campaign that resulted in Lauro's induction in 2013.

"Leonard wrote a letter to the WPIAL and listed all the details of Lindy's career," Flora said. "A year later, he was inducted."

Matarazzo enjoyed watching his grandson, Johnny, as he put up record numbers as a quarterback for New Castle High from 2009-11. Johnny is now at tight end at Mercyhurst University in Erie.

Matarazzo gave up his chain gang duties in 2012, but he stayed on as "honorary captain."

"He truly was one of a kind," Flora said. "We miss him immensely."

(kcubbal@ncnewsonline.com)