Newark Catholic celebrates Cannizzaro's life, career with plaque
NEWARK — John Cannizzaro was the face of Newark Catholic baseball, and nobody will step into the Green Wave’s dugout without feeling his presence.
NC’s late legendary coach, who died in January, has been immortalized by the school. The school unveiled a plaque to hang on that third-base dugout to celebrate Cannizzaro’s life and career during Wednesday’s Meet the Team event.
“The English language is limited in times like this,” Rick Cannizzaro told the crowd Wednesday, acknowledging the outpouring of support his family has received this year. He remained on the coaching staff last spring as Ron Graves was promoted to head coach.
“Thank you doesn’t say enough,” Rick Cannizzaro added.
The NC gymnasium also has been renamed the Coach John P. Cannizzaro Jr. Memorial Gymnasium for the 2024-25 school year. Cannizzaro, a 1970 graduate, was a fixture during the offseason, sitting in a seat in the corner of the gym, supporting the Green Wave volleyball and basketball programs.
Cannizzaro won nearly 600 games and seven state championships, an Ohio High School Athletic Association record, during two stints as head coach of the NC baseball program. He has been inducted into the Ohio State Baseball Coaches Association, Newark Catholic High School and Licking County League halls of fame.
“He inspired greatness,” read NC principal Tom Pickering from the plaque. “He loved all of his players and loved telling stories about them. His love of the game brought him recognition statewide.”
Jody Mummey started in the NC program as a bat boy and eventually played for the Green Wave on Cannizzaro’s last two state champions in 2015 and ‘16. He fondly recalls a story from early in his following Walsh University baseball career when Cannizzaro unexpectedly attended a fall scrimmage.
“After the game, I wanted to go find him, but he had already left,” Mummey told those in attendance Wednesday in powerful few minutes. “He drove two hours to watch me play in a meaningless scrimmage, and I remember texting him. I thanked him and said how grateful I was he showed up. All he replied was, ‘I am very proud of you, Jody.’ For someone who grew up around him, that meant the absolute world to me.”
Mummey noted anywhere he goes wearing an NC hat, a stranger has a Cannizzaro story.
That has struck Rick Cannizzaro in the time since his brother’s passing. His memory will never fade at the diamond.
“Just locally, the outpouring (of support) has been great, but we went to some games on the road this year where they took a moment of silence before the game,” Rick Cannizzaro said. “West Jefferson was unbelievable. We have only played them maybe six or eight years, and that went on for a couple minutes. It’s been great, and it’s made things easier.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark Catholic celebrates baseball coach John Cannizzaro's life
