Jerry Rizzo

Jerome S. Rizzo


Born:
March 12, 1918
Astoria, NY

Died:
August 27, 2011
Las Vegas, NV


Career
1936-37 Newtown High School - Queens, NY (High School)
1937-38 Newtown High School - Queens, NY (High School)
1938-39 Fordham University (College) - freshman
1939-40 Fordham University (College)
1940-41 Cohoes Mastadons (NYSL)
1941-42 Kingston (NYSL) 
1942-43 Fort Upton (Military)
1943-44 Mitchell Field (Military)

1943-44 New York Clippers (Independent)
1945-46 Patterson Crescents (ABL)
1946-47 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)
1947-48 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)
1948-49 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)
1948-49 Saratoga Indians (NYSL)
1948-49 Schenectady Packers (NYSL)
1949-50 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)
1950-51 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL) - Player / coach
1951-52 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)
1952-53 Middletown Guards (ABL) - Player / coach



After leading his school to the City Championship game in 1938, Rizzo was off to Fordham, where he played as a freshman and a sophomore before leaving school. He served in the military during World War 2, before multiple seasons of professional basketball, including a stint with Syracuse of the NBL. Rizzo was suspended in February of 1949 for hitting a referee.

After his playing days, he moved out to Las Vegas, and owned and operated a sporting good store. He died in 2011.

Sprecial thanks to Syracuse basketball historian Jay LaFountaine for connecting some dots, including his birth and death date, which he got from a family member of Jerry's.
http://www.tributes.com/show/Jerome-Rizzo-92256854


Source:
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, October 6, 1938
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, December 12, 1942
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, February 5, 1949
Troy Times Record, February 13, 1941
Corning Evening Leader, January 5, 1951


Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/r/rizzoje01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=rizzoje01