Warren Athletic Hall of Fame Archive photos 1931 thru 1949

1931 Boxer Jim Abbruzzi (Old Timer Inductee 2017)

1931 Warren High School Football Captain Jim Salvatore

1931 Milt Johnson (2010 Old Timer Inductee), All State Baseball and Football

1932 Henry Pratte (Old Timer Inductee 2012) Rhode Island Golden Gloves Bantamweight Champion

1932 Herb Pratte (Old Timer Inductee 2012) Southern New England Golden Gloves Flyweight Champion

1932 How good a catcher was Leo Sevigny? Good enough to have a tryout with Boston Red Sox before this reported injury!

1932 Jim McGeough (Coach Inductee 2004), Warren High School coach 1931-1936. His football teams won two titles and his 1936 baseball squad finished second in the state to Cranston.

1930s Louis “Duke” Abbruzzi (Athlete Inductee 1998), R.I. State College (later URI)

1933 Anthony Cappuccilli Class B Football Champions medal.

1933 Warren Firemen’s Twilight Baseball League schedule

1934 Warren Firemen’s Twilight Baseball League schedule

1935 Warren High Undefeated Class C Football Champions Standing: Steve Wojtyto, Donat Brochu, Howard Johnson, Clint LaFlamme, Lester Burdge, Duke Abbruzzi, Jim Salvatore, and Art Moody. Kneeling: Pete Mogayzel, Oliver Lessard, Paul Sevigny, Bo Gempp, Walt Bogostaff, Fred Polak, and George Amadee. (Abbruzzi, Brochu, Burdge, Mogayzel, and Sevigny are individual members of the Hall of Fame.) (Old Time Team Inductee 2015)

1936 Lester Burdge (Athlete Inductee 2005) Warren High School catcher

1936 Warren High baseball team that finished second in Rhode Island.
Front Row: Silva, Tom McKale, Paul Sevigny, Pete Mogayzel and Unknown. Second Row: Ditty Drainville, Flash Greenwood, Everett Wilson, Donat Brochu and Leger Morrison. Back Row: Coach Jim McGeough, Walt Bogostaff, Duke Abbruzzi, Lester Burdge, Coco DeBlois. (Abbruzzi, Brochu, Burdge, Drainville, Greenwood, McGeough, McKale, Mogayzel, and Sevigny are individual members of the Hall of Fame.) (Old Time Team Inductee 2013).

1935-1936 Charlie Burdge (Athlete Inductee 1998) Providence Steamrollers tackle.

1937 Duke Abbruzzi, All State Basketball, and Coach Charlie Burdge were both inducted into the Hall of Fame in its initial year of 1998.

1937 Providence College Baseball.
Warren ballplayers: Front Row 2nd from left Donat Brochu-3B (Athlete Inductee 1998), Second Row 2nd from left Lester Burdge-C (Athlete Inductee 2005).

1937 Duke Abbruzzi (Athlete Inductee 1998), Providence Journal Frank Lanning cartoon. Louis “Duke” Abbruzzi earned All State recognition six times in baseball, basketball and football while at Warren High School. Duke signed a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers but decided to stay and play football for Coach Charlie Burdge. Nine years later, after a successful career at Rhode Island State College (URI) and service in the United States Army, he played professional football for the Boston Yanks of the National Football League.

1937 Ben Polak (Athlete Inductee 2001), Providence College, one of the youngest (18) football captains in NCAA history. At the age of fifteen, he scored the game’s only touchdown as Warren High captured the Class B Championship.

1938 Safety Patrol Baseball team

1938 Warren High School vs Barrington High School Football rosters

1938 Warren High School Football Schedule

Providence Journal Caricatures of Warren Sports Heroes June 29, 1939. Pictured stars include Ben Ferrazzano (Athlete Inductee 1999), Francis “Jigger” Higgins (Old Timer Inductee 2009), Charlie Burdge (Athlete Inductee 1998) and Monsignor Kerrigan (baseball star of the 1880s).

1939 Norman Urban Sr. (Athlete Inductee 2004) Providence College Baseball

1939 Donat Brochu Day: Baseball rosters.

1939 Rev. Robert Quinn, O.P. Providence College and Donat Brochu (Athlete Inductee 1998), Providence College star third baseman.

1939 Warren High School State Baseball Champions. (first Class C team to win any state title) Kneeling: Winky Correia, Omer Sevigny, Ditty Drainville, Not Identified, Flash Greenwood, Nick Cariglia, Jim Correia, John Abbruzzi. Standing: Lefty Vitullo, Ed Godek, Ben Ferrazzano, Coach Charlie Burdge, Beany Ryan, Leger Morrison, Coco DeBlois, Not Identified, Manager Vic Hunt. (Abbruzzi, Burdge, Cariglia, Winky Correia, Drainville, Ferrazzano, Greenwood, and Ryan are individual members of the Hall of Fame.) (Old Time Team Inductee 2000)

1939 Ditty Drainville (Athlete Inductee 2000), singles to center as Warren rallies and defeats Class A Mt. Pleasant, 6-4, during state playoffs

1939 Coco DeBlois slides safely home in the 10th inning in playoff win over Woonsocket

1939 Beany Ryan (Athlete Inductee 1999) All State First Baseman. Beany led the state in hitting in 1938 with an average of .585.

1939 Warren High School Baseball State Champions Team picture. Front Row: Leger Morrison, Wink Correia, Nick Cariglia, Dit Drainville, Omer Sevigny, Jimmy Correia and John Abbruzzi. Second Row: Manager Vic Hunt, Eddie Godek, Beany Ryan, Coach Charlie Burdge, Ben Ferrazzano, Flash Greenwood and Coco DeBlois. (Abbruzzi, Burdge, Cariglia, Winky Correia, Drainville, Ferrazzano, Greenwood, and Ryan are individual members of the Hall of Fame.) ( Old Time Team Inductee 2000)

Leo Sevigny (Old Timer Inductee 2000), Snipers Rifle Club 1939. Leo was an excellent shooter, but an even better baseball catcher.

1939 Warren High School Football team was coached by Charlie Burdge and managed by Edmund Barber. Players included John Abbruzzi, George Bettencourt, Alfred Bosworth, John Castro, Jim Correia, Sam Correia, Captain Winky Correia, Ben Ferrazzano, Vincent Ferrazzano, Vincent Hamel, Norman Huftalen, Morphis Jamiel, Joseph Krawczyk, Joseph Lopes, Bert Luther, Kenneth Maddox, Anthony Morra, Howard O’Brien, Edmund Pine, and Nicholas Rebecchi. (Abbruzzi, Burdge, Sam and Winky Correia, and Ben Ferrazzano are individual members of the Hall of Fame.)

1939 Off on a seventeen-yard run is Sid Cohen (24), star back on the Massachusetts State College eleven. He found his equal when he bumped into Duke Abbruzzi (26), Rhode Island State’s ace in Kingston, RI. Cohen scored twice for the visitors, while Abbruzzi tallied three times for the Rams. (Duke was inducted into the Hall of Fame as an Athlete in 1998.)

1939 Warren High School Basketball team coached by Charlie Burdge. Captain Jim Correia (kneeling next to Charlie Burdge), John Abbruzzi (kneeling far right), Ben Ferrazzano (standing, second from right), and team manager Ed Barber (standing, far right). Other team members included Russell Drainville, Edmund Pine, Alfred Bosworth, Joseph Krawzyck, Walter Beauregard. (Abbruzzi, Burdge, and Ferrazzano are individual members of the Hall of Fame.)

1940 Donat Brochu (Athlete Inductee 1998), Providence Journal Frank Lanning cartoon. Donat attended PC and appeared to be on his way to a major league baseball career when in 1939 a Boston College line drive broke through the webbing of his glove and hit him in the face, causing him to lose an eye. In 1940 he was named the team honorary captain, but he convinced the powers-that-be to allow him to play and won the starting left fielder’s job.

1940 Warren High School Football Team. Coach Charlie Burdge with team members Sam Correia, Anthony Morra, Vincent Ferrazzano, John Castro, Llewellyn Conklin, Joseph Tavares, Howard O’Brien, Michael Saviano, Walter Beauregard, John Abbruzzi, Robert Lescault, Edmund Pine, Alex Lombardo, John Primiano and Thomas Poviotta. (Abbruzzi, Burdge, Sam Correia and Tavares are individual members of the Hall of Fame.)

1940 Warren Football Wanderers Top Row: Winky Correia, Frank Avila, Leon Avila, Ray McMahon, John McMahon, Joe Wajda, Sam Correia, Tony Almeida, Ben Ferrazzano, Jim McSoley, Charlie Drew(?) Bottom Row: Ernie Socha, Baldy Frodyma, Nick Cariglia, Ted Nicpon, Unknown, Gabby Galinelli, Steve Wytyto, Hambone Jaworski, Water Boy Hank Correia. (Nick Cariglia, Sam and Winky Correia, and Ben Ferrazzano are individual members of the Hall of Fame.)

1940 Narragansett Athletic Club Football Schedule

1941 Warren High School Basketball team. Coach Charlie Burdge with team members John Abbruzzi (kneeling, far left), Franklin Whittum, Joseph Krawczyk, Walter Beauregard, Alfred Bosworth, Tony Nunes (standing, third from right), Del Daigneault (kneeling, third from right), Ernest Arsenault, James Sweet, John Primiano (standing, fifth from right), Kenneth Maddox, Lawrence Urban, Alex Lombardo (standing next to Charlie Burdge) and team manager Charles Besaw. (Abbruzzi, Burdge, Daigneault, and Nunes are individual members of the Hall of Fame.)

1941 Warren High School Baseball Team. Coach Charlie Burdge and team manager Vincent Hamel along with team players Captain Walter Beauregard, Norris Sampson, Edward Polak, Joe Bucko, Tony Nunes, Joe Krawczyk, Stanley Pycz, Lawrence Urban, James Sweet, Dickie Holmes and Kenneth Maddox. (Burdge, Nunes, and Polak are individual members of the Hall of Fame.)

1942 John Abbruzzi (Athlete Inductee 2000) All State Baseball, led the state in hitting with an average of .454.

1942 Coach Charlie Burdge and Warren High School pitcher Johnnie Abbruzzi before a game against North Providence. Warren won 11-1. (Both are individual members of the Hall of Fame.)

1942 Providence College Baseball Team program. Pictured in lower right is Warren’s Nick Cariglia, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame as an Athlete in 1998. (Nick coached the 1961 Warren High School basketball team to the Class C championship; the team was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018).

1943 Warren High School Baseball team. Front Row: Albert Sevigny, Joseph Silva, Tony Nunes, Carl Goff, Joseph Bucko, Anthony Mello, John Burns, Coach Norman Urban. Second Row: Manager Edward Nans, Henry Soares, Roger Higgins, Bruce Luther, John (Jay) Barry, Edward Krawczyk, Gregory Incollingo, William Monahan, John (Huck) Henneberry and Asst. Mgr. John Seymour. (Barry, Henneberry, Higgins, Nunes, and Urban are individual members of the Hall of Fame.)

1944 Warren High opens season. Ed Polak (3) and Harpo Tavares (1) both Hall of Famers, had the game’s only hits. Notice how many signed up for Hope baseball.

1944 and 1945 Roger Higgins (Athlete Inductee 1998) All State Pitcher. He and fellow Hall of Famer Ace Boulanger gave Warren High School the first team All State pitcher from 1944 to 1947.

1945 Warren High School State Championship Baseball team. Standing: Coach Charles McCanna, Leon Urban, Wesley Peck, John (Huck) Henneberry, Gerry Sampson, Roger Higgins, George Wakem, Ben Coccia, Ted Wyrostek, Jim Barry. Kneeling: Buzz Barry, Duck Muccino, Mendy Mendillo, Harpo Tavares, Joseph Silva, Ace Boulanger, Richard Vargas, Anthony Amaral. Not pictured: Pat Barba and Alfred Charette. (Barba, Buzz and Jim Barry, Boulanger, Coccia, Henneberry, Higgins, McCanna, Mendillo, Tavares and Urban are individual members of the Hall of Fame.) (Team Inductee 2002)

1945 Roger Higgins (Athlete Inductee 1998) cartoon tribute from Providence Journal’s illustrator Frank Lanning. Roger Higgins set the state strikeout record in 1944 and 1945. He was named All State pitcher in both years. He then moved quickly through the Boston Red Sox farm system until injuries brought his career to an end.

1945 Warren Athletic Hall of Famers Duke Abbruzzi and Leo Sevigny both suited up for the United States Army in Yugoslavia at the end of World War II.

1946 Warren High School Baseball Foursome. Front row kneeling: Pat Barba and Mendy Mendillo. Back row standing: Ace Boulanger and Buzzy Barry. (All are individual members of the Hall of Fame).

1946 Mendy Mendillo (Athlete Inductee 2010) of Warren is tagged out by East Providence catcher Bill Whitaker at home plate after a single by Jim Henneberry. This ninth inning play occurred in the first game of the state schoolboy playoffs. Warren won the game, 5-4.

1946 Leon Urban of Warren (Athlete Inductee 2022) is safe at third base in championship game between Warren and West Warwick. Warren won the game and the state championship, 6-3.

Harpo Tavares (Athlete Inductee 1998) of Warren High School slid home with final run of 1946 State Championship game. The game was played at Aldrich Field. Score Warren 6 West Warwick 3

1946 Warren High School State Baseball Champions. Sitting: Buzz Barry. Kneeling: Ted Wyrostek, Mendy Mendillo, Harpo Tavares, Lou Daigneault, Leon Urban, Billy Servant, Mascot Tom Silva. Standing: Jim Doherty, Dizzy Barry, Jim Barry, Pat Barba, Ducky Muccino, Gerry Sampson, Charlie Bartlett, Jake Lombardi, Jim Henneberry, Hank Poitras, Fred Mello. On top of the world: Ace Boulanger (Barba, Buzz, Diz and Jim Barry, Boulanger, Mendillo, Servant, Tavares and Urban are individual members of the Hall of Fame. (Current Era Team Inductee 2007).

1946 Warren High School State Champions Baseball team: (Current Era Team Inductee 2007). Front Row: Louis Denault, Duck Muccino, Mendy Mendillo, Jim Barry, Harpo Tavares, Leon Urban, Pat Barba, Ace Boulanger, Buzz Barry. Second Row: Coach Charlie Burdge, Jake Lombardi, Ronald Bartlett, James Doherty, Diz Barry, Teddy Wyrostek, Gerry Sampson, Fred Mello, James Henneberry, Bill Servant, Manager Thomas Silva. (Barba, Buzz , Diz and Jim Barry, Boulanger, Burdge, Mendillo, Servant, Tavares and Urban are individual members of the Hall of Fame.) ( Current Era Team Inductee 2007)

1946 Providence Journal’s account of deciding game of Warren/Bristol Little World Series. As usually happened, Warren won.

Ace Boulanger (Athlete Inductee 1998) All State pitcher 1946 and 1947 (A Warren High pitcher was named 1st Team All State pitcher four years in row, Roger Higgins in 1944 and 1945 and Ace in 1946 and 1947)

1946 Mendy Mendillo (Athlete Inductee 2010), Captain of Warren High Football team.

1946 Singer and Co-Owner of the NFL’s Boston Yanks Kate Smith in photo with Yanks’ Duke Abbruzzi (Athlete Inductee 1998) on left.

1946 George Goulet Mount St. Charles Hockey, Baseball and Basketball Star

1947 Ed Polak(Athlete Inductee 1999), Holy Cross catcher, tagging out a Boston College baserunner at home plate. While at Warren High, Ed was named All State catcher in 1943 and 1944.

1947 Coach Charlie Burdge and All State catcher Harpo Tavares. Both are individual members of the Hall of Fame.

1947 Warren High School Baseball. Kneeling: Gerry Sampson, Coach Charlie Burdge, Harpo Tavares. Standing: Ace Boulanger, Pat Barba, Unknown, Duck Muccino, Buzz Barry, Mendy Mendillo and Lou Alfano. (Barba, Barry, Boulanger, Burdge, Mendillo, and Tavares are individual members of the Hall of Fame.) (Current Era Team Inductee 2018)

1947 Ace Boulanger (Athlete Inductee 1998) Warren All State pitcher sporting his 1946 State Championship jacket.

1947 Warren High Baseball State Runners-up. Front row: Pat Abbruzzi, Ducky Muccino, Buzz Barry, Lou Alfano, Bill Servant, Mendy Mendillo, Diz Barry, and Manager Tom Silva. Back Row: Coach Charlie Burdge, Harpo Tavares, Ron Bartlett, Jim Doherty, Jim Henneberry, Gerry Sampson, Charlie Barrett, Pat Barba, Ace Boulanger, and Assistant Coach Donat Brochu. (Abbruzzi, Barba, Buzz and Diz Barry, Boulanger, Brochu, Burdge, Mendillo, Servant, and Tavares are individual members of the Hall of Fame.) (Current Era Team Inductee 2018).

1947 Warren vs Bristol Little World Series newspaper ad. Warren won the Series.

1947 Bill Servant (Athlete Inductee 2001) of Warren battles two Barrington football defenders at Guiteras Field. Game ended in a scoreless tie. (Yes, this game was played in Bristol.)

1948 Warren Standard Pharmacy: Pharmacy, winners of the Bristol YMCA Gold Medal tournament. Notables in picture include Standing, third from right, Roger Higgins; standing second from right, John “Jay” Barry; standing far right, manager Jack Ratier; kneeling far right, John Karcz; kneeling second from right, Nick Cariglia; and kneeling on far left, Joe Paterno, later Penn State football coach, but then attending Brown University. (Barry, Cariglia, Higgins, and Karcz are individual members of the Hall of Fame).

1948 Warren High School Football Captain Jim “Dykes” Doherty – All Class C

1948 Warren’s Louis “Duke” Abbruzzi and Art “Red” Kilroy starred for Frank Keaney’s Rhode Island State College Running Rams. Both Abbruzzi and Kilroy are individual members of the Hall of Fame.

1949 Pat Abbruzzi (Athlete Inductee 1998) Warren High catcher, foils attempted squeeze play in Class C Eastern Division playoff game against Bristol Colt Memorial. Colt won game 4-3, by scoring all of its runs in ninth inning.

1949 Warren Post American Legion Baseball Eastern U.S. Regional Champions. Batboys Ray Cordeiro and Bruce Martin, Kneeling- Bob Avila, Warren Seymour, Dick Krawczyk, Paul Vitullo, Ron Greenwood, Bill Servant, Joe Andrade, Henry Correia Jr. Standing- James Correia, Bill Smith, Charlie Barrett, Anthony Cembrola, Pat Abbruzzi, Lou Murgo, Herman Grabert, Richard Cordeiro and Iggy Delekta. Coach Henry Correia Sr. not in photograph. (Abbruzzi, Henry Correia, Sr., and Servant are individual members of the Hall of Fame, while the two Cordeiros, Grabert, and Murgo are individual members of the Bristol Athletic Hall of Fame.) (Team Inductee 2005).

1949 Bristol County All-Scholastics. Standing: Iggy Delekta (Warren), W. Mancieri (Bristol), R. Andreozzi (Barrington), J. Cardoza (Bristol), J. Larisa (Barrington), Charlie Brochu (Warren), Herm Grabert (Bristol). Kneeling: R.Pezzullo (Barrington), J. Nagle (Barrington), Pat Abbruzzi (Warren), Lou Murgo (Bristol). Bristol’s Herm Grabert and Lou Murgo later became Warren High’s Principal and Basketball Coach, respectively, and of course, Pat Abbruzzi (Athlete Inductee 1998) coached Warren High School to eight football titles.

1949 Warren High School All State back Pat Abbruzzi (Athlete Inductee 1998).

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