Connecticut Sports Legend John Fontana Dies At 84

SOUTHINGTON, CT — John Fontana, a member of one of the most highly-regarded families in Connecticut sports history and one of the country's all-time winningest baseball coaches, died Monday night after being felled by a stroke Sunday at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. He was 84.

Fontana took over as baseball coach at Southington High School in 1962, replacing his uncle, Joe Fontana, who had skippered the Blue Knights since 1932. In 41 years at the helm, his teams compiled an .810 winning percentage, captured Class LL state championships in 1994 and 1999, and won 669 games, good for second in state history at the time of his retirement in 2002.

Nearly 200 Blue Knights received college scholarships during Fontana's tenure, and 17 signed professional contracts. Among his four proteges who reached the major leagues were 1990 National League Championship Series MVP and World Series champion Rob Dibble, and 2003 World Series champion Carl Pavano.

Among the dozens of accolades Fontana received during his career were:

• Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, 1987
• Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance, 1989
• National High School Coaches Association National Coach of the Year, 1993
• National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, 1999
• American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, 2000
• Southington High School baseball field named John J. Fontana Field, 2003
• Athletic Hall of Fame at American International College, 2011
• Southington Sports Hall of Fame, 2011

He may have retired from the dugout, but certainly not from a prominent position on the Connecticut sports landscape. A year after his induction into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, he took over as the CHSCA's executive director, and remained in that position for more than 30 years until his passing. He was the organizer and contact person for numerous annual sports awards banquets held at the Aqua Turf Club in the Plantsville section of Southington.

On Facebook, Aqua Turf general manager Bobby Thompson simply wrote, "A great loss." As of early Wednesday morning, more than four dozen comments about Fontana had been posted in the Facebook group Southington High School Alumni/Faculty Connect! A sampling of reactions includes:

• "Very sad news indeed. He was my Guidance Counselor in school and then I worked for him when he and Dick Galiette started Jr. Pro Basketball. My deepest sympathy to his family. R.I.P." - Elaine DeSorbo Chandler
• "Truly a legend in so many ways to SHS and the student body. RIP." - Paul Chaplinsky
• "Indeed he was one of a kind. I played in the band at his wedding and in true character, the song requested for the presentation of the bridal party was "Take Me Out To The Ball Game."" - Brian Toth
• "Such a loss for our community. A gem of a man who conducted himself with dignity and treated others with respect. John: you will be missed, my friend. Big Blue forever." - Dawn Miceli

Bob Bromage, who coached baseball at Enfield and East Granby high schools for 54 years and knew Fontana for a half-century, said, "He was a great person, a tremendous baseball coach and a superb basketball official. He did so much for the Coaches Association, gave it all sorts of direction and gave everything he could."

Funeral arrangements for Fontana are not yet completed.

John Fontana at his induction into the American International College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. (AIC)