1445 Wampanoag Trail, Suite 203, East Providence, RI 02915-1019 | (401) 433-0044 | info@riheritagehalloffame.com
George Pulliam, 1923-1956, is regarded by some as Rhode Island’s greatest all-around schoolboy athlete. At Cranston High, he won All-State honors twice in football and hockey and once in baseball, where he played at every position but catcher. For his extraordinary efforts he was nicknamed “The Cranston Crusher.” He was the fullback and star of
Lois Testa Lynchis one of the pioneers of women’s athletics in Rhode Island. She was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on December 16, 1935. She attended Pawtucket East High School, where she competed in swimming, basketball, and badminton. She became involved in the sport of track and field when Barrington’s Janet Moreau Stone, a gold medal winner in the
Louis A. Lamoriello is the president and general manager of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). After attending LaSalle Academy, Lamoriello graduated from Providence College in 1963. He earned varsity letters in baseball and hockey and served each team as captain during his senior year. Following graduation, he taught math at
Ralph A. Warburton was the first hockey player from RI to play in the Olympics. He was a member of the US hockey team that competed at the 1948 Winter Olympics and went on to play professional hockey. Born in Cranston on January 7, 1924, he was one of eight children of the late William
Michael Pappas was an Executive Vice President for the Pawtucket Boys & Girls Club, for which he served in various capacities for more than forty years. He was also a sportscaster for several RI radio stations, a prominent public relations advocate for many area sports events, and a public address announcer for professional hockey and
Louis A. Cimini, a former resident of North Providence, legendary La Salle Academy coach and teacher, he also served as a football and baseball official as well as the Director of Recreation for North Providence. Cimini was an outstanding athlete in his own right and was inducted into six Halls of Fame and received a
Bill Belisle, of Manville, RI, had a distinguished career as Head Coach of the eminently successful Mt. St. Charles Academy hockey program resulting in 418 victories and 13 consecutive State Championships. His teams have been voted as national schoolboy champions. He has been the recipient of countless awards, citations, and recognition to include the U.S.
The late ZELLIO TOPPAZZINI, of North Providence, regarded as the greatest hockey player in Rhode Island history. Known to all as “Topper,” he is a member of the Rhode Island Reds Hall of Fame and was voted Reds Player of the Century. During his 18 year career, Topper not only played for the Reds, he
Thomas Eccleston was a famed Rhode Island educational administrator, teacher, and coach, whose Burrillville teams won several state titles in baseball, football, and hockey. He continued on as a hockey coach, becoming what was believed to be the oldest high school coach in the United States. A former Principal and Superintendent in Burrillville, he was
Robert O. Tiernan was an attorney, member of the Rhode Island General Assembly, member of the United States House of Representatives and a high-ranking federal government official during his career of public service. Born in Providence on February 24, 1929 to Joseph and Mary (nee McConnell), Tiernan attended LaSalle Academy where he achieved All State
Brother Adelard Beaudet, 1884-1990, was “The father of Schoolboy Hockey in Rhode Island”, and became the first coach of the sport at Mt. St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket in 1930. As a teacher and coach, his MSC teams won ten state championships and two national titles in thirty years. Adelard Arena in Woonsocket is named
Katie King-Crowley was a member of the gold medal winning women’s ice hockey team at the 1998 Nagano, Japan Games, and silver medalist as a member of the United States women’s hockey team in 2002 at Salt Lake City. Although a New Hampshire resident, Katie competed for Brown University (Class of 1997) and is the
Dr. Vincent Turco was a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon and specialist in clubfoot. The son of Italian immigrants, he was born in Newark, New Jersey, on Sep. 10, 1916. The family moved to Westerly, Rhode Island when he was six, and he attended public schools in the area. In 1937, he graduated from the University of
Harvey A. Bennett–a man whose name is synonymous with hockey in Rhode Island–was born on July 23, 1925 in Regina, Saskatchewan and began playing hockey as soon as he was old enough to tie his skates. After completing the eighth grade, Bennett left home to be a goaltender for the Oshawa Generals. By age nineteen,
John McLaughlin has been widely recognized for his civic service and contributions to many causes, including disadvantaged youth, and assisting underprivileged children. He was named R.I. “Big Brother of the Year” in 1982 and a recipient of the R.I. March of Dimes Award. A prominent businessman, he retired from McLaughlin & Moran, the highly successful
George M. Sage, 1931-2006, was one of the most beloved Rhode Islanders of his generation. A gifted businessman, Mr. Sage had an even more substantial impact for his philanthropic endeavors, planning and executing a legacy of giving that will benefit Rhode Islanders for years to come. George was born in Rochester, New York in 1931,
Dick Ernst, a Cranston native, has served more backhands and slap shots, than the number of cars that ply route 95 on any given day. His rise to prominence (and dominance) began in his hometown high school tennis courts and hockey rink in the mid-1950’s where he became an all-state high school selection in both
Sara DeCosta (Hayes): gold medalist in women’s hockey at the 1998 Nagano, Japan Games and silver medalist as goalie for the United States women’s hockey team in 2002 at Salt Lake City. Sara was an all-state goalie on the boy’s varsity team at Toll Gate High School in 1996. She played intermittently for Providence College,
Bradford P. Boss, whose career at A.T. Cross was primarily in sales and marketing, served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Costa Inc (Formerly Known As A.T. Cross Company) from 1960 until April 1993. He continued to serve as Chairman of the Board until November 14,1999, then becoming Chairman Emeritus. He
“Jack” Cronin played on New England’s first National Football League Championship team and coached football, baseball, and hockey at LaSalle Academy for nearly half a century. He was born in Hingham, Massachusetts on May 3, 1903. Cronin starred at Boston College, where he was a “triple-threat,” excelling in passing, running, and punting. His 60-yard-per-kick punting
Aloysius Patrick Begley (1905-1978) was born July 19, 1905, one of four brothers and two sisters, to Thomas J. and Bernadette (Murphy) Begley of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. After his primary education, he entered the Lindsay Collegiate Institute in Lindsay, Ontario, and then was transferred to Providence College in 1927 as a pre-ecclesiastic student, before his
Louis Pieri was an astute, daring, and successful businessman who, with energy, ambition, and hard work, achieved financial and sports eminence. One of the best-known sports promoters of the twentieth century, Pieri was the owner of the Rhode Island Auditorium, the Providence Reds hockey team, and part-owner of the Boston Celtics basketball team. During his
Bill Beck was a member of the 1952 Winter Olympic Team. He placed fifth in the Alpine skiing event held in Oslo, Sweden—the best Olympic downhill result for an American man until Bill Johnson’s victory in 1984. Beck was prominent in the international ski circuit in the 1950s and is regarded as Rhode Island’s greatest
Bob Gaudreau was a member of the U.S. Hockey team at the 1968 Olympics held at the Palais des Sports, Grenoble, France. The Soviet Union won their third Olympic gold medal. Czechoslovakia won the silver medal, followed by Canada, which won the bronze medal. The United States finished in sixth place behind Sweden and Finland. A two-time college
Gerry Kilmartin won the silver medal at the 1952 Olympic Games as a United States Hockey team member. In addition to playing at the 1952 Olympics, he was on the U.S. National team, which competed at the 1947 and 1949 World Championships. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on July 7, 1926. He grew