CLARK, NJ — Nearly a quarter of a century ago at this time, we were gearing for a New York Giants vs. Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl in early 2001, the only one that the Giants lost, which featured this behemoth of a defensive lineman.
He hailed from Kenilworth. He played his high school ball at David Brearley Regional High School.
He was No. 98, the Goose, Tony Siragusa.
Siragusa, who died in June 2022 at the age of 55, will be honored posthumously at the 88th annual Hot Stove awards dinner, scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 2, beginning at 1 p.m. at The Gran Centurions in Clark. This is the Sunday before Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs will kick off in New Orleans on Sunday, Feb. 9.
The five Union County Baseball Hall of Fame inductees by the Union County Baseball Association include Mike Liloia of Union High School, Mike Chalenski of Kenilworth’s Brearley Regional and Westfield High School grads Phil Orsini, Clint Factor and Brian Ciemnicki. Orsini passed away in 2024.
Siragusa, who was also the NJSIAA Tournament heavyweight wrestling state champion his senior year in 1985, starred collegiately at the University of Pittsburgh. Siragusa played for the Indianapolis Colts from 1990 to 1996 and then for the Baltimore Ravens from 1997 to 2001, helping lead the 2000 wild card team to the Super Bowl XXXV championship against the New York Giants, 34-7.
In addition, the 1983 Elizabeth High School baseball team, coached by Ray Korn, and the 1984 Union Catholic High School baseball team, coached by Jim Revel, will be honored for winning state championships. Elizabeth beat Middletown North High School in the 1983 Group 4 final and Union Catholic downed Holy Spirit High School in the 1984 Non-Public A final.
Factor, Chalenski and Ciemnicki all won Union County Tournament championship baseball games. Factor won his junior and senior seasons of 1986 and 1987, Chalenski the next year as a senior in 1988 and Ciemniecki as a senior in 1996.
Factor is one of only four pitchers to have won at least two UCT championship games and was the second after Union’s Al Santorini did so in 1964 and 1965 to win back-to-back.
Cranford High School’s Tom Polito won three straight UCT title games in 1999, 2000 and 2001, which were Cranford’s first three UCT crowns.
Cranford’s Ryan Williamson did not win consecutive UCT finals, but was the winning pitcher his freshman season in 2010 and his senior year in 2013.
The dinner will begin with this year’s featured guest speaker, former Major League Baseball player, Steve Balboni. In 1985, in his second year with the Kansas City Royals, after being traded from the New York Yankees, Balboni slugged a then-team record 36 home runs en route to Kansas City winning the World Series that year for the first time.
Balboni also was an assistant coach at Governor Livingston High School when his son played there for head coach Chris Roof.
Other awards being given out at this year’s dinner include:
Joseph R. Lombardi Memorial Award for Outstanding Female Athlete of Union County
Chris Zusi Memorial Award for Outstanding Male Athlete of Union County
Union County Baseball Association Academic Scholarship
John Langan Memorial Award
They have not been announced yet.
Sponsored by the Union County Baseball Association, in cooperation with the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Union County Board of Commissioners, the Hot Stove League awards dinner is the primary annual fund-raising effort for the Union County Youth Baseball Leagues. The summer and fall leagues have given more than 50,000 boys and girls an opportunity to participate in an organized baseball program for the past 80 years.
For more information, visit www.UCBA-NJ.org; write to the Union County Baseball Association, PO Box 176, Fanwood, New Jersey 07023; email: [email protected] or call Jim Iozzi, UCBA president, at 908-917-2523.