Senate Resolution No. 467

BY: Senator GRIFFO

CONGRATULATING the 2016 inductees of the Rome
Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor those
individuals whose exceptional athletic prowess leaves an enduring legacy
in their communities; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
congratulate the 2016 inductees of the Rome Sports Hall of Fame and
Museum which was celebrated at its 40th Annual Induction and Awards
Dinner on Sunday, July 31, 2016, at the Beeches Inn and Conference
Center, Rome, New York; and

WHEREAS, The six distinguished 2016 inductees include: Joseph A.
Abone, Allison Coccia, Tony Franco, Jim Korpela, Robert D. Manfred and
Al Williams; and

WHEREAS, Joseph A. Abone is the third family member to be inducted
into the Hall of Fame, joining his father, Tony Sr., who was inducted in
2006, as well as his brother, Tony Jr., who was inducted in 2013; all of
whom made remarkable contributions to the sport of baseball; and

WHEREAS, After an outstanding playing career at Rome Free Academy
High School (RFA) and as a member of the Smith Post American Legion
team, Joseph A. Abone went on to star at Le Moyne College in Syracuse,
New York; the right-hander pitched the Dolphins to the NCAA Division II
World Series twice and still ranks among the school's all-time pitching
leaders in wins and strikeouts; he was also selected to represent the
United States in the 1978 Pan American Games; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Le Moyne, Joseph A. Abone signed a
pro baseball contract with the Montreal Expos after being drafted in the
eighth round; he worked his way up to the Triple A level in Memphis,
Tennessee, and was on track for the big leagues until a torn rotator
cuff early in the 1983 season ended his playing career; and

WHEREAS, For more than 30 years, Joseph A. Abone has lived and
worked in Memphis, and currently, he is the pitching coach at Christian
Brothers University where his son, Ryan, is a senior on the baseball
team; and

WHEREAS, Allison Coccia was a three-sport letter winner at Rome Free
Academy (RFA); she excelled in field hockey and basketball, yet
surpassed others in track and field; and

WHEREAS, Both as Captain of the basketball and track and field
teams, Allison Coccia was honored in 1984 as RFA's outstanding female
athlete in her senior year; she set the school record of 5 feet, 6
inches in the high jump which still stands today; she is a former school
record holder in the 100 meter and 400 meter hurdles events, and broke
the 100 hurdles mark set by her older sister, Mary Jo; and

WHEREAS, One of only a few select athletes from across New York
State chosen to compete in the International Sports Exchange in Cologne,
West Germany, Allison Coccia returned with a win in the high jump; and

WHEREAS, Tony Franco was a well-rounded athlete at Rome Free Academy
who excelled in track and field and football, although his best sport in
high school may have been wrestling; and

WHEREAS, At 5-feet-3-inches tall, Tony Franco was Captain for the
Black Knights wrestling team and won two sectional championships on the
wrestling mat; he also was a record-setting broad jumper and a two-way
football player; and

WHEREAS, After his 1959 high school graduation, Tony Franco was
drafted into the United States Army and later joined the Air Force where
he embarked on a long career as a computer programmer; and

WHEREAS, Tony Franco helped found and build the Rome Hawks PeeWee
wrestling program, and worked with special needs youngsters; and

WHEREAS, In the city of Rome, New York, Jim Korpela has made an
impact as a player, coach and organizer in recreation sports; and

WHEREAS, Born in Rome while his father was stationed at Griffiss Air
Force Base, Jim Korpela enjoyed a successful sports career at Rome Free
Academy as the leading scorer for the boys soccer team in his junior and
senior years, breaking Perry Nizzi's single-season scoring record with
23 goals; he also played hockey and baseball for the Black Knights; and

WHEREAS, In his adult years, Jim Korpela became a member of the
Professional Bowling Association and is a member of the Rome Bowling
Hall of Fame; he is also an accomplished golfer; and

WHEREAS, In team sports, Jim Korpela spent more than a dozen years
as a player and manager for the Copper City Chiefs hockey team, and also
found success in softball, playing on several state championship teams
and serving as president of the Rome Men's Softball Association; and

WHEREAS, Over the years, Jim Korpela served as a member of several
tournament committees, including softball and golf, and recently was
appointed Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Rome; and

WHEREAS, Robert D. Manfred is being inducted in the "contributor"
category of the Hall of Fame after being involved in youth sports for
more than 30 years where he coached thousands of youngsters in the Fran
Allison basketball and Little League baseball programs; and

WHEREAS, Born in Albany, New York, Robert D. Manfred's family moved
first to Massena, New York, and then to Potsdam, New York, where he
graduated from high school lettering in tennis, football and basketball;
he attended Clarkson University where he eventually became coach of the
tennis team in his senior year and earned a Bachelor of Science degree
in Chemical Engineering; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from college, Robert D. Manfred proudly
served as a member of the United States Army and was sent to Korea with
the Army Corps of Engineers; and

WHEREAS, Following his discharge in 1955, Robert D. Manfred married
Canastota native, Phyllis Aquino, and was hired by Revere Copper
Products, putting in motion what would be a long connection to Rome; he
soon became active in the Fran Allison and Little League programs; and

WHEREAS, Over the course of nearly 40 years, Robert D. Manfred was a
volunteer coach and served as the official scorekeeper for the Rome Free
Academy basketball program for many seasons; he also found continued
success in tennis as both an instructor and player, winning city
championships in singles and doubles; and

WHEREAS, For more than four decades as a player, coach and Board
Member, Al Williams has left his mark on the city of Rome through the
sport of hockey; and

WHEREAS, Al Williams' father, Al Williams Sr., was an all-around
athlete at Rome Free Academy (RFA) and played on the school's first
hockey team in the early 1940s; he taught his son how to skate at an
early age and helped instill in him a love for the sport of hockey; and

WHEREAS, Al Williams was a hockey standout at RFA before he
continued his playing days at New Hampton Prep and then the State
University of New York at Oswego; he returned to RFA and embarked on a
coaching career of more than 20 years; along with fellow Hall of Famer,
Dick Meiss, he led the Black Knights to two state championships and 10
sectional crowns; and

WHEREAS, Sports competition instills the values of teamwork, pride
and accomplishment, and the 2016 inductees of the Rome Sports Hall of
Fame have clearly made a contribution to the spirit of excellence which
is a tradition of the Rome community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate the 2016 inductees of the Rome Sports Hall of Fame and
Museum; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the aforementioned honorees.