Gridiron Club inducts 3 Sgro Brothers

The three Sgro brothers – Vinny (WHHS Class of 1968), Peter (Class of 1970) and Tommy (Class of 1979) – will be inducted into the 2019 New Haven Gridiron Club Hall of Fame on Thursday, Sept. 12 at the cascades Banquet Facility, 480 Sherman Ave., Hamden. The cost is $45 for members, $50 for non-members.

All three played football for the Blue Devils for four years, wearing the number 81, and all attended the University of Pennsylvania, where they also excelled for the Quakers.

As to the eldest, Vinny played both ways as a tight end and linebacker for the Blue Devils. He was a tri-captain and selected to the All-District, All-State and All-American teams. He received the outstanding lineman award, the West Haven Scholar-Athlete Award and John “Whitey” Piurek Award. He was selected a National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete, and received the Montesanto Scholarship, Ray Colletta Scholar-Athlete Award, and the Savitt Outstanding Sportsmanship Award.

At Pennsylvania, he played four years, was twice selected as the Penn Defensive Player of the Week and ECAC Defensive Player of the Week. His senior year, he was defensive captain and named to the All-East Football Team, and second team All-Ivy.

After graduation, he moved to New York City, where he entered the entertainment industry, and did a variety of work including a writer for a local TV morning show. He continues to write, doing free-lance movie scripts. He lives in Sandwich, MA with his wife, Kathryn.

Middle brother Peter was also a four-year player for West Haven, starting both ways as tight end and linebacker his junior and senior years. For 1968’s undefeated state championship team he was one of three players who worked both sides of the ball.

He was named All-District, a tri-captain his senior year, and captain of the Nutmeg Bowl team. He also received the Colletta Award. He went to Penn, where he played all four years, starting his senior year at middle linebacker and was honorable mention All-Ivy. His senior year he was honored with the Edgar Church Award, which since 1890 was presented to the Penn player voted by the team as the most inspirational player for the season.

Sgro went on to a 31-year career in Human Resources and Labor Relations with the United States Postal Service, 18 of which were in an executive capacity. In 1980 he was elected to the Board of Education in 1980 and was the Democratic candidate for mayor in 1983. He now lives in Austin, TX with his wife, Nancy.

The last of the Sgro boys was a safety and quarterback for the 1977 and 1978 Blue Devils, and was tri-captain his senior year. He was selected All-District his junior and senior years. He followed his brothers to Penn, and also starred for the Quakers.

He has worked most of his adult life as a broadcast technician, floor director and cameraman for WTNH-8. He is also a free-lance author, and a member of the West Haven Football Alumni Association. He has two children, Alexandra and William, and still resides in the city.

Interestingly, Vin and Peter will be the first men from their respective classes inducted into the Gridiron Club Hall of Fame, and this is the first time three brothers have been inducted. Their father, the popular Lawrence “Laff” Sgro was inducted in 19994 as a member from Commercial High School.