THOMAS J. REZZUTI HUNTINGTON FIELD - KENT FIELD - NORTHEASTERN FIELD - PARSONS FIELD - CHOOSE YOUR NAME - THEY ALL EQUAL 4 ACRES OF LAND IN BROOKLINE - IT HAS BEEN THE OUTDOOR HOME OF THE HUSKIES FOR 6 DECADES - HOME TO THOUSANDS OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS - HOME TO HUNDREDS OF BASEBALL PLAYERS - OF THE THOUSANDS OF FOOTBALERS, ONLY 7 HAVE EARNED ALL AMERICA HONORS - OF THE HUNDREDS OF BASEBALLERS, ONLY 2 HAVE EARNED ALL AMERICA HONORS - ~ A TOTAL OF 9 - YET THAT TRANSLATES INTO ONLY 8 - BECAUSE ONE MAN IS COUNTED ON BOTH MAGIC MARQUEES - THAT MAN IS THOMAS REZZUTI - A THREE SPORT STAR AT NEWTON SOUTH HE [CAPTAINEDTHE FOOTBALL- HOCKEY- AND BASEBALL TEAMS - YET HE WENT UNCOURTED -UNWANTED BY EASTERN POWERS -HE STOOD ONLY 5'8- HE WEIGHED ONLY 140 POUNDS - BUT NORTHEASTERN HALL OF PAMER NEIL McPHEE - COACH OF BASEBALL AT NEWTON SOUTH - TALKED TO HALL OF PAMER TINKER CONNELLY - COACH OF BASEBALL AT NORTHEASTERN - HE ALSO TALKED TO HALL OF PAMER JOE ZABILSKI - COACH OF FOOTBALL AT NORTHEASTERN - THE DIMINUTIVE REZZUTI BECAME A HUSKY - AND THE DIMINUTIVE REZZUTI BECAME THE HUSKIEST OF ALL HUSKIES - AS A DEFENSIVE BACK ONLY THE BRINKS GANG WAS MORE RENOWNED FOR THEFT - AS A JUNIOR HE PILLAGED BOTH HOLY CROssf AND AIC WITH FOUR INTERCEPTIONS - THAT SEASON HE LED THE NATION WITH 14 INTERCEPTIONS - HIS CAREER TOTAL WAS 2 7 - ALL THOSE FIGURES ARE STILL NORTHEASTERN AND NEW ENGLAND RECORDS - HIS LARCENOUS WAYS WERE NOT LIMITED TO FOOTBALL - IN THE SPRING AS AN OUTFIELDER HE ROBBED OPPONENTS OF BASE HITS - AS A CAREER 350 HITTE~N SET NORTHEASTERN RECORDS FOR STOLEN BASES - CRIME DID PAY FOR REZZUTI - HE WAS VOTED TO THE SMALL COLLEGE FOOTBALL ALL AMERICA TEAM BOTH AS A JUNIOR AND SENIOR - HE WAS VOTED TO THE MAJOR COLLEGE ALL AMERICA BASEBALL TEAM BOTH AS A JUNIOR/ AND SENIOR - HE WAS A FOUR TIME ALL AMERICA - PRESDIENT RYDER MAY I PRESENT FOR ~ ~ \-\vs 1f,~-t6S A-\l H u:s.ck-1~ INDUCTION INTO THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY HALL OF FAME - THOMAS J . REZZUTI ~~DJ. B~~A THE FATHER DID NOT READ ENGLISH - HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND FOOTBALL - YET HE SEARCHED THE SUNDAY PAPERS - HE LOOKED FOR THE JERSEY NUMBER IN THE PHOTOGRAPH - HE LOOKED FOR THE FAMILAR NAME IN THE STORY - THE NUMBER WAS 12 - THE NAME WAS BALERNA - THE FATHER WAS FROM THE OLD COUNTRY - HE KNEW THE AMERICAN DREAM - IT DID NOT INCLUDE FOOTBALL - THE SON WAS FROM THE NEW COUNTRY - THE DREAM ICLUDED FOOTBALL - THE FATHER OBJECTED BUT DID NOT CONDEMN - HE WOULD NOT WATCH THE GAMES - BUT HE TOOK PRIDE IN THE NUMBER AND THE NAME IN THE PAPER - THE SON TOOK PRIDE TOO - PRIDE IN DOING THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE - HE WORKED HARD AT FOOTBALL - HE WORKED HARD AT HIS STUDIES - HE WORKED HARD AT WORK - HE WAS BOTH AN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE HALFBACK - HE ' ~~~ STARRED ON AN ~ UNDEFEATED FRESHMAN TEAM - AS A SENIOR HE AVERAGED NEARLY 100 YAR;~ PER GAME - AS A SENIOR HE LED THE TEAM IN PASS RECEPTIONS - AS A SENIOR HE SHARED THE SCORING HONORS - AS A SENIOR HIS HUSKIES WENT UNDEFEATED - THE OLD COUNTRY WAYS WERE NOT LOST ON HIM EITHER - HE WORKED AS HARD AS HE PLAYED - HE HELD AS MANY AS THREE JOBS AT ONCE - HE STUDIED ~ AS HARD AS HE WORKED - HE GRADUATED A DEANS LIST ACCOUNTING MAJOR - HE ATTACKED THE BUSINESS WORLD WITH THE SAME FERVOR HE ATTACKED THE FOOTBALL FIELD - HE CONTINUED TO MAKE FIRST DOWNS - HE IS NOW PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL DISTILLERS - HIS PATHS ARE LEADING HIM FORWARD BUT HE NEVER FORGETS TO LOOK BACK - HE REMEMBERS FAMILY - HE REMEMBERS NORTHEASTERN - THERE ARE TITLES HONORING HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS - THERE ARE ROOMS DEDICATED TO HIS GENEROSITY - AL BALERNA - YOU ARE A LIVING SYMBOL OF THE AMERICAN DREAM - OF SACRIFICE - OF DISCIPLINE - OF DEDICATION - OF ACHIEVEMENT - OF GRATITUDE - AND OF CHARITY - PRESIDENT RYDER MAY I PRESENT FOR INDUCTION INTO THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY HALL OF FAME -ALFRED J . BALERNA LEO F. DUPERE I LOVE TO FANTASIZE THAT OUR DEAR ARENA IS MORE THAN APALESTRAOF GRIT AND GRACE- I LOVE TO f",-,"1'\\ \ ~ FANTASIZE THAT IT ALSO SERVES AS A HALL OF JUSTICE - WHERE RIGHT I TRIUMPHS OVER WRONG - WHERE THE GUYS FROM COMMONWEALTH AVE ALWAYS LEAVE IN DEFEAT - TONIGHT - AT THIS MOMENT - THE FANTASY HAS BECOME A REALITY - MATTHEWS ARENA HAS BECOME A HALL OF JUSTICE - ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER \n 4 ~ 1963 NORTHEASTERN SENIOR HOCKEY CAPTAIN LEO DUPERE WAS CHECKED BY HARVARD ' S GENE KINASEWICH BEHIND THE SOUTH NET - AS HE COLLIDED WITH THE BOARDS A SHOULDER GAVE WAY AND SEPARATED - ) MORE THAN A SHOULDER WAS SEPARATED HOWEVER - LEO WAS SPEARATED FROM ~TEAM FOR HALF A SEASON - DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS WERE SHATTERED ALONG WITH BONE AND TISSUE - IN HIS JUNIOR YEAR LEO HAD PROVED HIS GREATNESS - HE SET A NBW NORTHEASTERN SCORING RECORD WITH 33 GOALS AND 34 ASSISTS FOR 67 POINTS - HE WAS TEAM MVP - ALL NEW ENGLAND - ALL EAST - THE NEXT YEAR - HIS SENIOR YEAR - WAS TO BE THE END ALL - IT WAS PREDICTED - IT WAS PRESCRIBED - LEO DUPERE WAS TO BE ALL AMERICA - HE OPENED AGAINST YALE THAT SENIOR SEASON WITH 2 GOALS AND 3 ASSISTS AND A 7-3 VICTORY - HE WAS READY - THEN CAME HARVARD - THEN CAME ANGUISH - THERE WENT ALL AMERICA - ..=-,-st\ \ LEO RETURNED A MONTH LATER- AND WHILE STRAPPED IN A HARNESS ! SCORED 12 GOALS AND 18 ASSISTS ~AMES TO LEAD HIS HUSKIES TO A 14-10 SEASON - HE WAS TEAM MVP AGAIN - HE WAS ALL NEW \hat- ENGLAND AGAIN - BUT ALL AMERICA WAS NOT TO BE - ~ DIGNITY DIED HERE ON DECEMBER 4, 1963 - TONIGHT HOWEVER LEO IN THIS SITE OF BOTH YOUR BRIGHEST AND DARKEST MOMENTS - THE GUYS IN THE WHITE HATS ARE GOING TO TRIUMPH - JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED - WE ARE GOING TO ELEVATE YOU TO A K~< .....,.._HALL FAR HIGHER THAN ALL AMERICA - PRESIDENT MAY I PRESENT FOR INDUCTION INTO THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY HALL OF Fk~ - LEO F. DUPERE ~ BILL CORSETTI JJ,\\,~~ ~~Co'\s~\\, IN THE SPRING WHEN YOUNG GIRLS FANCIES TURN TO LOVE - TRACK COACHES FANCIES TURN TO SCOUTING SCHOOLBOYS - IT USUA~SULTS IN ~ A SALARIED -SUNTAN - HOWEVER IN 1961 THE SUNSHINE TURNED TO GOLD - GOLD MEDALS THAT IS - COACHES IRWIN COHEN AND JOE DONAHUE WHILE PASSING THE AFTERNOON AT WHITE STADIUM UNEARTHED A DISCUS THROWER FORM BOSTON TECH - BILL CORSETTI BY NAME - THE SEEDLING STAR WAS TRANSPLANTED TO HUNTINGTON AVE WHERE HE WOULD BE NUTURED AS A HAMMER THROWER- AND WOULD BLOSSOM INTO ONE OF THE HUSKIES FINEST ~~~ - HAMMER THROWER CORSETTI AND~ SHOT PUTTER CARL WALLIN WOULD GIVE THE HUSKIES THE STRONGEST ONE-TWO PUNCH IN THE NATION'S FIELD EVENTS -THEY WOULD SHARE THE DISTINCTION OF BECOMING NORTHEASTERN'S FIRST TRACK ALL AMERICA'S -BILL'S RISE TO STARDOM WAS SUDDEN -AS SUDDEN AND SWIFT AS THE VELOCITY AND POWER HE GENERATED AS HE QUICKLY UNCOILED AND THEN EXPLODED FROM THE CIRCLE WITH HIS 16 POUND HAMMER- HE WAS NORTHEASTERN'S TRACKMAN OF THE YEAR AS A SOPHOMORE - ALL AMERICA AS A JUNIOR AND SENIOR- HIS HAMMER THROWS EARNED HIM 2ND AND 3RD PLACES IN THE NCAA'S ~ 1ST IN l~l THE PENN RELAYS AND THE IC4A'S - IN THE WEIGHT AND HAMMER HE WAS VICTORIOUS IN 26 CONSECUTIVE DUAL MEETS WH ILE SETTING 19 RECORDS - HE COLLECTED MORE SILVERWARE THAN SHREVE'S - YET BILL WAS A DICHOTOMY - HE WAS BOTH POWERFUL AND GRACEFUL - BOTH COMPETITIVE AND CONTEMPLATIVE - HE WOULD COACH TRACK AND BE A MUSEUM ~UEATOR - HE WOULD SQUAT WEIGHTS AND TEACH PHOTOGRAPHY - HE WOULD W"h~Y\ \A.h.\ \ tct~ MATCH BRAWN WITH THE NATIONS BRUTES - AND FALL THROUGH THE ICE PHOTOGRAPHING A FLOWER - ~ SHAKESPEAR SAID " HIS LIFE WAS GENTLE AND THE ELEMENTS SO MIXED IN HI M THAT NATURE MIGHT STAND UP AND SAY TO ALL THE WORLD - THIS WAS A MAN - HE WAS THINKING OF BILL CORSETTI - PRESIDENT RYDER MAY I PRESENT FOR INDUCTION INTO THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY HALL OF FAME - WILLIAM J . CORSETTI L~" A'<''"tv\'\- C~\ ~vo._,o I LOVb PRESEASON BASKETBALL SCRIMMAGES - NO PRESSURE - PURE FUN - NO SURPRISES - OR HARDLY ANY SURPRISES - IN 1978 THIS SPECTATOR \vAS WATCHING BILLY LOCKNANE MOVE IT DOWN THE FLOOR THEN PASS TO PETE HARRIS -POP FROM THE CORNER - GOOD - THEN PERRY MOSS MOVED IT DO\VN - PASS. IT TO A GIRL IN THE CORNER- POP- hOOD- A GIRL IN THE CORNER- HELL THAT'S LYNN ARTURI I ' EXCLAIMED AND SHE LOOKS GREAT - THE NEXT ~10RNING I COULDN'T WAIT TO ASK JIM CALHOUN THE OBVIOUS QUESTION - JIM COULD LYNN ARTURI MAKE THE SQUAD - NO QUESTION ABOUT IT HE SNAPPED - LYNN ARTURI STOOD OUT THAT EVENING IN CABOT GY}1 - SHE WAS THE ONLY FE!1ALE AMONGST 20 MALES - BUT BEING A STANDOUT WAS NOTHING NEW TO LYNN - SHE HAD ALWAYS BEEN ONE - SHE WOULD ALWAYS BE ONE - SHE HAD BEEN THE MVP AT MARIA REGINA HIGH SCHOOL IN HARTSDALE, NEH YORK - SHE HAD G:, o.c.~ .:::..& 'b C3--::r e..a -1\ Qo w\ 'l: '(\ ~ BEEN A ONE MAN GANG FOR SOME FINE NORTHEASTERN BASKETBALL TEAMS - SHE HAS THE CAPTAIN - THE t\~f\::::.&so~o \ '<\fs \Y\ oY\~ ~"'('()~ MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - BUT V.JHAT ~vAS LYNN DOING IN CABOT THAT EVENING OF 1978 - SHE HAD GRADUATED A YEAR BEFORE - WASN'T IT OVER- THIS PLAYING THING - NOT FOR LYNN ARTURI - SHE WAS POLISHING HER GAME- A WOMEN'S PRO BASKETBALL LEAGUE WAS STARTING- LYNN MEANT TO BE PART OF IT- AND SHE WAS - FROM START TO FINISH - SHE HAS A NEW YORK STAR - A NEW JERSEY GEM - A PHILADELPHIA FOX- A NEW ENGLAND GULL - AND IF THE LEAGUE HERE STILL PLAYING - I'M SURE LYNN WOULD STILL 1oO BE PLAYING - BUT SHE HAS MOVED HER GAME TO THE US MILITARY ACADEMY - 1VHERE SHE IS THE ASSISTANT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH- AND MOST RECENTLY THE BRIDE OF THE CADETS.