The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
City man celebrates 80th birthday at hall of fame
TORRINGTON — Family and friends gathered to celebrate city native Bob Zuffelato’s 80th birthday Saturday. The party was held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
Zuffelato, a member of the Torrington High School Athletic Hall of Fame, said he was introduced to basketball on Maplewood Avenue, off of Highland Avenue, where a neighbor had a coat hanger attached to a garage and a tennis ball. His attachment to the game grew from there.
As a player, he said he went from playgrounds and the recreation leagues in Torrington to Torrington High School, where he overcame being cut his sophomore and junior years to earn a role on the team as a senior under coach Cornelius Donahue, and Central Connecticut State University.
He went on to coach at the high school, college, and professional level over decades in the game, including stints at Boston College, Marshall University, and with the Toronto Raptors, where he worked in a variety of roles, including as a scout, assistant coach, and assistant general manager, according to the team. He credited Bill Moore and Bill Detrick, coaches at CCSU, for inspiring him to take up the profession.
Over the years, he sought to teach his players to win with grace and let go of ill-will in defeat, be fair, be honest, and work hard, he said.
“That’s the only thing I knew. That’s the way I was able to get into this profession, and this is the way I was able to play in high school and in college (for) four years. Just by hard work,” said Zuffelato. “I didn’t have great skill, but I made a career of it, and then wanted to see if I could influence others to take the same approach.”
The game had been and allowed him to build a life, he said.
“I didn’t have great skill, but I made a career of it, and then wanted to see if I could influence others to take the same approach.”
Bob Zuffelato
“I’ve just been blessed,” said Bob Zuffelato. “The game’s been good to me.”
People from throughout Zuffelato’s life, both professional and personal, came out to celebrate him Saturday.
Donna, his wife of 59 years, said she had met Bob growing up in Torrington. She said the two began to date in the wake of the Flood of 1955, and have now been married for 59 years.
“He’s a good person, an honest person,” said Donna Zuffelato, who was Donna Beecher when they met. “He’s very kind, been a good father — all the qualities you’d like a human being to have, I think.”
Paul and Barbara Samele knew Bob Zuffelato from Torrington as well. Paul said the two were high school teammates — Zuffelato was a center, a good shooter, with a nice hook shot, he said — and had stayed friends over the years.
“He was a perfect gentleman at all times,” said Paul Samele. “He was always friendly.”
“Bobby was a well-liked person and a very nice guy,” said Barbara Samele. “Bob is someone — I wouldn’t want to miss this for anything.”
Howard Dickenman played for Bob Zuffelato at Central Connecticut State, where Zuffelato spent a year as an assistant coach. Dickenman said he always wanted to emulate Zuffelato, who was one of the main influences that led him to take up a career in coaching as well.
“I’m fortunate to call him a friend,” said Dickenman.
Brian Heaney, a former NBA player and coach of the Canadian Women’s National Basketball Team, said he knew Zuffelato for decades — they met in New York City, where he was coaching and Zuffelato was recruiting, along with then Boston College head coach Chuck Daly. Over the years, the two stayed in contact and became friends.
“He is a fantastic person, which is why I am here today,” said Heaney, who commuted from Halifax for the event Saturday. “I just wanted to be here to pay him some homage.”
Bereket Janat, a junior at Westerly High School in Westerly, R.I., said he has been working on his game with Zuffelato for about five years, he said. He said Zuffelato had encouraged him to be a good student and be outgoing in addition to helping him with basketball.
“He’s like another role model in my life,” said Janat.
Bob’s sons praised his impact on their lives Saturday during their respective remarks.
Scott Zuffelato, Vice President of Philanthropy at the Hall of Fame, noted that Bob was on the road regularly, traveling around as part of his duties as a college coach. But he said he never doubted that he would be a presence in his world.
“From day one, Dad was always there for us,” said Scott Zuffelato. “We always knew he would be a part of our (lives).”
“I’ve been blessed to have the best role model that there is,” said Glen Zuffelato.
“Dad, I can’t thank you enough for loving me unconditionally, loving my kids unconditionally, and being the most wonderful role model,” said Greg Zuffelato.
For Bob Zuffelato, the event — a surprise party — was a pleasure, he said. It impressed upon him the number of people that he had met, from Torrington to stops around the country and the world, who considered him a meaningful part of their lives.
“Euphoric. Euphoric — I’m still floating up here,” said Bob Zuffelato. “I was so nervous giving that talk. To just see family and friends, all these people who were in some way part of my life — and I didn’t realize, until I stepped in that room, how many people (think) ‘hey, he’s a pretty good guy.’”