Leo Pinsky
Encyclopedia
Leo Pinsky is a member of the Connecticut High School Coaches Hall of Fame and was the first Connecticut
coach to win three state baseball
championships (1957, 1965, 1978). He won 411 games and 12 league titles in 31 seasons coaching the Farmington Indians, holding a losing record only once.
Pinsky coached Dick McAuliffe
, who played with the Detroit Tigers
.
Pinsky was named the outstanding coach for the year 1965 by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association after winning his second state title that year. In 1986, Pinsky was named to the Hall of Fame for Greater Hartford Jewish Athletes. In 1988 he received the Baseball Coach Gold Award from Scholastic Coach Magazine, and in 1989 he was inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association's Hall of Fame.
In 2003 he was unanimously voted to receive the Red O'Neill Award from the University of Connecticut
, citing his character, leadership, athletic ability and successful career. Also in 2003 he was inducted into the Hartford Public High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Pinsky was a three sport athlete at Hartford High School (C '44) and played both baseball and football
at the University of Connecticut
(C '50). In five years he never had a punt
blocked. Until recently Leo, along with his brothers Jules, David, and Albert held a national collegiate record for the most football letters by a single family (13 from 1933 to 1949).
Pinsky was drafted into the United States Marine Corps
in the fall of his freshman
year of college. He went through basic training at Parris Island
and also trained at Camp Lejeune under the legendary Marine officer Lewis "Chesty" Puller. Pinsky later served on the South Pacific island of Guam
where he played baseball and famously hit two grand slams in a 8-7 win over the Navy
.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
coach to win three state baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
championships (1957, 1965, 1978). He won 411 games and 12 league titles in 31 seasons coaching the Farmington Indians, holding a losing record only once.
Pinsky coached Dick McAuliffe
Dick McAuliffe
Richard John McAuliffe is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop and second baseman for the Detroit Tigers from to and for the Boston Red Sox from to . He was a part of the Tigers' 1968 World Series championship, and was known for his...
, who played with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
.
Pinsky was named the outstanding coach for the year 1965 by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association after winning his second state title that year. In 1986, Pinsky was named to the Hall of Fame for Greater Hartford Jewish Athletes. In 1988 he received the Baseball Coach Gold Award from Scholastic Coach Magazine, and in 1989 he was inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association's Hall of Fame.
In 2003 he was unanimously voted to receive the Red O'Neill Award from the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, citing his character, leadership, athletic ability and successful career. Also in 2003 he was inducted into the Hartford Public High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Pinsky was a three sport athlete at Hartford High School (C '44) and played both baseball and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
(C '50). In five years he never had a punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
blocked. Until recently Leo, along with his brothers Jules, David, and Albert held a national collegiate record for the most football letters by a single family (13 from 1933 to 1949).
Pinsky was drafted into the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
in the fall of his freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
year of college. He went through basic training at Parris Island
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island is an military installation located within Port Royal, South Carolina, approximately south of Beaufort, the community that is typically associated with the installation. MCRD Parris Island is used for the training of enlisted Marines...
and also trained at Camp Lejeune under the legendary Marine officer Lewis "Chesty" Puller. Pinsky later served on the South Pacific island of Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
where he played baseball and famously hit two grand slams in a 8-7 win over the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.