We’re proud to announce that two from Suffolk County will be inducted to the NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame this year.
Riverhead native and former pro football player Ed Danowski, as well as longtime Northport girls basketball coach, Rich Castellano, will be honored at a ceremony in July.
Longtime Nassau County athletic director Pat Pizzarelli will also be inducted.
From NYSPHSAA …
RICHARD CASTELLANO, Coach: Richard Castellano, who graduated from Deer Park Schools (Section VIII) in 1969, was one of the most successful girls basketball coaches in New York State history. After graduation he earned his Bachelors at St. Johns University and began his career at Northport High School coaching girls varsity basketball in 1979. Over four decades, Castellano racked up 613 wins (top five in NYS), 21 League titles, 10 County Championships, five Long Island Championships, and made the NYSPHSAA State Semifinals three times. Richard had the honor of being a part of the National Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) in 2011-2012 and a member of the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) since 1990. He was inducted into the BCANY Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame the same year. Additionally, Castellano was named Newsday’s “Coach of the Year” four times, NY Daily News “Coach of the Year” twice, and was honored as “BCANY Section Coach of the Year”. In 1991, Castellano coached the freshman baseball team, then in 2001, he began coaching freshman boys volleyball, and from 2002-2004 he coached girls JV volleyball. Community service also played a huge role in Castellano’s career. He created the Suffolk County Coaches vs. Cancer/Score for a Cure Fundraiser, a program that 95% of all schools in Suffolk County currently participate in. He also has led the program to raise tens of thousands of dollars since its inception. During Richards’s 22-years as President of SCWBCA, he awarded over $250,000 to basketball players for camps and college scholarships. He has proven a dedication and support of student-athletes during his long career and continues to coach girls basketball and freshman baseball at Northport High School today.
ED DANOWSKI, Athlete: Ed Danowski, a graduate of Riverhead High School (Section XI) and Fordham University, was one of the most successful three-sport athletes in Long Island high school sports history. From 1927-30 he earned All-County honors while competing in football, basketball and baseball at Riverhead—a rare honor during that era. He continued a football career at Fordham University where he was team captain his senior year in 1933 and selected as an NCAA All-American in 1932 and 1933. After graduation, Danowski was drafted by the New York Giants football team as a quarterback and halfback with his career in the NFL lasting seven seasons. In fact, he was the first New York Giants quarterback to win two NFL championships and from 1935-38, he was in the top five in nearly all NFL passing categories for four straight seasons. He led the NFL in passing yards, passing touchdowns and total offense in 1935. After retirement from the NFL, Danowski enlisted in the US Navy, eventually becoming Lieutenant Commander. Following his service, he returned to his alma mater as the head football coach at Fordham for nine seasons. Danowski garnered numerous honors to recognize his outstanding athletic career. He was inducted into the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame, Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the inaugural class of the Long Island Sports Hall of Fame in 1984. In 2007, Ed was selected as Newsday’s “Elite 11” which recognizes the best football players in Long Island history, and in 2011, he was recognized by The Suffolk Times as the greatest athlete in Suffolk County history.
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