Gary V. Mazzie Memorial Golf Tournament produces another strong showing

By Pete Fontaine
Posted 6/22/17

“Gary has blessed us!” Lee Mazzie exclaimed Monday after watching golfers tee off in the 7th Annual Gary V. Mazzie Memorial Golf Tournament at sun-covered Glocester Country Club. “This is yet …

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Gary V. Mazzie Memorial Golf Tournament produces another strong showing

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“Gary has blessed us!” Lee Mazzie exclaimed Monday after watching golfers tee off in the 7th Annual Gary V. Mazzie Memorial Golf Tournament at sun-covered Glocester Country Club. “This is yet another great day for our tournament.”

Soon thereafter, Alan McGillvray – a retired Johnston High School teacher – offered: “We’ve never had bad weather or a cancellation since we started this event.”

The event, you see, was first named the Johnston High School Athletic Hall of Fame Golf Tournament and was held to fund the annual induction ceremony and dinner.

However, back on Oct. 1, 2015, cancer suddenly took the life of Gary V. Mazzie, who had been part of the JHS fabric for 40 years as a teacher, coach and athletic director. So, the Hall of Fame committee decided to change the name seeing as how the well-liked Mazzie founded the non-profit back in 2011.

Monday’s event, which was yet another overwhelming success, has also been a labor of love for James “Jim” Hopkins, the late Mazzie’s best friend and former colleague who vowed that Gary’s name will never – ever – be forgotten in Johnston.

Hopkins, in fact, was somewhat emotional Monday as he also announced that “we’ve lost another Hall of Famer – Billy Jeremiah – may we have a moment of silence in his memory.”

The former teacher-coach also offered: “The course was in great shape, the (post-golf) food was delicious and it was great to see so many past Hall of Famers continuing to support their alma mater.”

One such JHS grad was Matt DiIorio, Class of 1999, who will receive the first annual Gary V. Mazzie Memorial Achievement Award when he’s inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Sunday, Oct. 22 at Cranston Country Club.

Hopkins also emphasized: “The 1963 state championship baseball team has been incredibly supportive since we started this tournament,” Hopkins said after welcoming Dan Pisaturo, Mel Steppo, Scott Moore and Ed Skovron, who helped lead the Panthers to their school’s first-ever state title that year. “This is a great day for all Panthers and the Mazzie Scholarship Fund, too.”

Monday’s player field also included Mike Ricciotti and Mike Tacelli, both members of the Class of 2004, who said “it seems like our graduation was many years ago.”

JHS Hall of Famers Dennis Quaranta and Malcolm Melidossian were also in attendance, as was Dan Mazzulla, the town’s long-time parks and recreation director, who also starred in basketball in his undergraduate days on Cherry Hill.

Even Hall of Fame committee member Janet Zucchi showed up with her foursome that included Kris Damon, Pam Sheehan and Ann Sullivan.

Two of the late Mazzie’s daughters – Becky and Samantha – were also on hand and helped Hopkins’ wife Lois with the pre-tee off festivities, scoring and whatever else needed setting up like the post-dinner raffle prizes.

Each golfer received a spiffy shirt and enjoyed two types of pizza, soft drinks and snacks before teeing off in a fun-filled event that Hopkins and his committee hope will be a complete sellout in 2018.

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