A tribute to the life and legacy of Ronald S. Perry – Boston Herald

Catholic Memorial Middle School is named after him, but Ronald S. Perry’s legacy extends far beyond the building.

Perry, an iconic figure on the local high school and college sports scene for the better part of half a century, died last Friday at the age of 92. As soon as people learned of the news, tributes began pouring in from far and wide to talk about the man many called “Mr. Perry”.

“It’s hard to put into words the impact he had on my life and the many other young men who played for him,” said former Catholic Memorial basketball star Ron Teixeira, whose No. 52 was retired by the school in 2018. “He is more than just just a coach, he was a mentor to me throughout my life and without him I wouldn’t be where I am today. We always had our weekly phone calls at the same time every Saturday, which I looked forward to.”

Perry attended Somerville High School, where he gained fame as an outstanding two-sport athlete. The first 1,000-point scorer in school history (his 1,154 career points are still a record for boys), Perry led the Highlanders to the 1949 Class A and New England titles. Perry was equally dominant in baseball, leading his team to the 1950 Eastern Mass championship.

Perry was a hero to many young men in the community, one of them was Jerry Knight, who became a star on the Somerville basketball team before going to Northeastern. From 1972 to 1985, he served as the school’s basketball coach and for the next 18 years as athletic director.

“You just don’t get athletes like that, someone who was an all-around student in both basketball and baseball,” Knight said. “I remember the first time I saw him play when I was eight. He was a great player, but was always an honor student, a member of the National Honor Society and class president.

Added current Somerville basketball coach Mark Antonelli: “He was always very gracious to me on the phone, asking about my family and the team. He even grew up knowing my grandfather and great-grandparents. As a kid who grew up on the Somerville basketball folklore, I remember being very impressed when I spent 30 minutes on the phone with “Ronnie Perry.”

Perry began playing both sports at Holy Cross and was part of the glory era of track and field there. He was a member of the Crusader team that won the College World Series title in 1952, winning two of six games in the double-elimination tournament. A three-year starter in basketball, Perry averaged over 11 points per game and was a starter on the 1954 team that won the NIT title, and winning the NIT had as much, if not more, impact than the NCAA Championship.

“The best way to describe Ronnie was to say he was a winner,” said Don Prohovich, who was Perry’s teammate on the NIT championship team. “He was a legend, someone who just did everything right. When I was a rookie, I had to guard him in training and he was just great.

“He was a great goalscorer, but he sacrificed a bit because we had Togo Palazzi, Tommy Heinsohn and Joe Liebler. When he was in Somerville, the old Boston Garden was home to a college coaches clinic where Somerville high school students came. (former Kentucky coaching legend) Adolph Rupp came out and showed everyone how to shoot two-handed from a set spot.

“He called Ronnie onto the field and then made 15 shots in a row. Rupp approached him and asked if he would like to see Kentucky bluegrass.

After graduating from Holy Cross with a degree in economics, Perry was selected by the Boston Celtics in the fourth round of the 1954 NBA draft (32nd overall) but chose to sign with the Milwaukee Braves. A three-year stint in the Marine Corps interrupted his athletic career and he began working at Catholic Memorial as a teacher, athletic director and baseball and basketball coach.

In his 13 years as a basketball coach, Perry compiled an overall record of 292-34, won 10 Catholic Conference titles, eight New England Catholic championships and three state crowns. Longtime BABC coach/founder Leo Papile says Perry was as responsible as anyone for Boston’s rise to national power.

“The first time I saw Catholic Memorial play was in Newport, where they faced Power Memorial and Lew Alcindor,” Papile said. “He was the first guy to put local basketball on the map, he gave us some legitimacy. He had a standard of excellence and was always a gentleman.”

Perry had many outstanding players who went on to compete in college, one of them was Bill Raynor. Raynor, an American actor from Catholic Memorial, went on to star at Dartmouth and was later inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. Raynor, interim athletic director at Oklahoma City University, has the highest respect for Perry.

“I describe him as a coach, a mentor and a friend – someone who has played a significant role in my life,” Raynor said. “I first met him when I was 15 and we kept in touch from then until the day he died. One of the lessons he taught me that I have carried over into all aspects of my life is to maintain balance at all times, to be composed under pressure, and to maintain that balance no matter what happens.

Perry returned to Holy Cross in 1972 and served as athletic director from 1972-1998. His presence was felt immediately as the school increased its programs from 10 to 25 and many sports flourished under his watchful eye. Perry, the longest-serving AD in Holy Cross history, has overseen tremendous improvements to the College’s athletic program and athletic facilities.

Perry was not a coach, but he still influenced the lives of many people, one of them was Peter Colombo. A standout quarterback at Brockton High, Colombo came to Holy Cross and became a decorated two-sport athlete (football and baseball), ultimately making the school’s Hall of Fame in 1996.

“I just love the man,” said Colombo, who played second baseman alongside Mr. Perry’s son, Ronnie. “He was a good family man, a great coach and administrator, and like my father (Armond, the legendary Brockton football coach), he helped thousands of guys like me.”

In his later years, Perry was respected for his devotion to his wife of 59 years, Pat. She suffered a stroke and required constant care for the last few years of her life before passing away in 2015. Perry returned to the West Roxbury area and was a regular on campus.

“His mind was razor sharp,” said current Catholic Memorial basketball coach Denis Tobin. “We talked about basketball and I told them how I used to come to CM games as a kid to watch Ronnie (Perry’s son) play. Then, when he was going to Holy Cross, I watched the matches at Ch. 27 with Bob Fouracre. He loved talking about the old days and all the great players he had the opportunity to coach, such as Ron Teixeira, King Gaskins and Billy Raynor.

Catholic Memorial President Dr. Peter F. Folan arrived 11 years ago and still vividly remembers his first encounter with Perry.

“He came to my office and we had a conversation about the value of athletics and how athletics shapes and builds a student’s character,” Folan said. “We talked about the power of a coach as a role model and how important it was for him to take care of individual team members, which I completely agreed with.

“When his wife died, he came to school every day for the last 8-9 years. I drank coffee with him three times a week, he would come, sit on a bench in front of the school, talk to students and teachers, and when he left the house, he would say a prayer in the school chapel.

“He was a man of excellent faith and high character. He was part of the greatest generation and a role model we should all aspire to be like.”

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS: Visiting hours will be Friday, November 1, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Gormley Funeral Home, 2055 Center St., WEST ROXBURY. Funeral from the Gormley Funeral Home, Saturday, November 2, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Teresa of Avila, 2078 Center St., West Roxbury, at 11 a.m. Burial in the cemetery of St. Józefa. To livestream the Funeral Mass, please visit www.sttheresaparishboston.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ron’s memory to Catholic Memorial High School, 235 Baker Street, West Roxbury, MA 01232.