Pat Abbruzzi
Encyclopedia
Pasquale "Pat" Abbruzzi (1931 – June 3, 1998) was an American
college
and professional Canadian football
running back
and high school football
coach
. Abbruzzi played collegiately for the University of Rhode Island
(Class of 1955), and professionally for the Canadian Football League
Montreal Alouettes
for four years (1955-1959
).
, and is the younger brother of former NFL player, Lou Abbruzzi
. Abbruzzi attended Warren High School
, and went on to the University of Rhode Island
following graduation.
From 1951 to 1954, Abbruzzi played collegiately
for the University of Rhode Island Rams football team, where he was an All-Star running back
. He rushed
562 times for a school record 3,389 yards (6 yard per carry average) and 25 touchdown
s. His greatest and record setting day was October 4, 1952 versus New Hampshire
(a 27-7 win), when Abbruzzi rushed for 306 yards, including a 99 yard run from scrimmage, both school records. He also scored 3 touchdowns during the game. He was named All-Yankee Conference
each of these years and named a New England All-Star from 1952 to 1954.
of the NFL in 1954
, the 13th pick in the 30th round (352 overall) Abbruzzi chose to play professionally for the Montreal Alouettes
of the Canadian Football League
, mostly because they offered him a $500 bonus (which he used for his honeymoon).
During his four years with the Alouettes, 1955 to 1958
, Abbruzzi played in 49 regular season games and 2 Grey Cup championship
matches (both losses against the Edmonton Eskimos
). He rushed 700 times for a total of 3,749 yards (5.4 yard average) with 25 rushing touchdowns and eleven 100 yard rushing games.
Arguably, Abbruzzi's greatest year was his first in the CFL, 1955, when he was part of a dynamic Als
team, that contended for the 1955 Grey Cup. Abbruzzi rushed 182 times and lead the CFL in rushing with 1,248 yards (6.9 yard average) and in touchdowns with 17 (his longest rush was 69 yards). Abbruzzi was named the second recipient of the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
, as well as a CFL All-Star, at the conclusion of the 1955 season. Abbruzzi continued as the Larks
top rusher in 1956 with 1,062 yards and 20 touchdowns and was named to a second consecutive CFL All-Star team in 1956. In 1957, Abbruzzi had 809 yards, but an injury plagued 1958 season
would turn out to be his last, when Abbruzzi finished the year with 630 yards. In July 1959 he was traded to the Calgary Stampeders
for Veryl Switzer
during training camp but was released before the start of the 1959 regular season.
teacher
and football coach
at his high school alma mater
, Warren High School
. Abbruzzi coached eight division champions over 26 years, and also coached baseball
in his spare time. During the 1970s
, his football team set an interscholastic league record of 31 victories in a row. Known to all as "Doc", Abbruzzi was a legendary figure Rhode Island high school football.
Abbruzzi was named to the University of Rhode Island Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972, and the Rhode Island Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1976. He was a charter member of the Warren Athletic Hall of Fame (1998) and in 2005, Abbruzzi was named to the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Hall of Fame. He was later elected to the Sons of Italy
Athletic Hall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and professional Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
. Abbruzzi played collegiately for the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
(Class of 1955), and professionally for the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
for four years (1955-1959
1959 CFL season
The 1959 CFL season was the sixth season in modern Canadian professional football, although officially it was the second season of the Canadian Football League.-Final regular season standings:...
).
Early life and college career
Abbruzzi was born and raised in Warren, Rhode IslandWarren, Rhode Island
Warren is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,611 at the 2010 census.-History:Warren was the site of the Indian village of Sowams on the peninsula called Pokanoket , and was first explored by Europeans in 1621, by Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins...
, and is the younger brother of former NFL player, Lou Abbruzzi
Lou Abbruzzi
Louis John "Duke" Abbruzzi was an American football player.He spent one season as a Boston Yanks special teams player and tailback. HE accounted for 229 all-purpose yards, 26 rushing yards from 6 carries, and 55 receiving yards of 2 receptions....
. Abbruzzi attended Warren High School
Warren High School
Warren High School is the name of several high schools:*Warren High School *Warren High School *Warren Township High School in Gurnee, Illinois*Warren High School...
, and went on to the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
following graduation.
From 1951 to 1954, Abbruzzi played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Rhode Island Rams football team, where he was an All-Star running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He rushed
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
562 times for a school record 3,389 yards (6 yard per carry average) and 25 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. His greatest and record setting day was October 4, 1952 versus New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
(a 27-7 win), when Abbruzzi rushed for 306 yards, including a 99 yard run from scrimmage, both school records. He also scored 3 touchdowns during the game. He was named All-Yankee Conference
Yankee Conference
The Yankee Conference was a collegiate sports conference in the eastern United States. It once sponsored competition in many sports, but eventually became a football-only league...
each of these years and named a New England All-Star from 1952 to 1954.
Professional football career
Drafted by the Baltimore ColtsHistory of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
of the NFL in 1954
1954 NFL Draft
The 1954 National Football League Draft was held on January 28, 1954.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
, the 13th pick in the 30th round (352 overall) Abbruzzi chose to play professionally for the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, mostly because they offered him a $500 bonus (which he used for his honeymoon).
During his four years with the Alouettes, 1955 to 1958
1958 CFL season
The 1958 CFL season was the fifth season in modern Canadian professional football, although officially it would become known as the inaugural season of the Canadian Football League .-CFL news in 1958:...
, Abbruzzi played in 49 regular season games and 2 Grey Cup championship
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
matches (both losses against the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
). He rushed 700 times for a total of 3,749 yards (5.4 yard average) with 25 rushing touchdowns and eleven 100 yard rushing games.
Arguably, Abbruzzi's greatest year was his first in the CFL, 1955, when he was part of a dynamic Als
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
team, that contended for the 1955 Grey Cup. Abbruzzi rushed 182 times and lead the CFL in rushing with 1,248 yards (6.9 yard average) and in touchdowns with 17 (his longest rush was 69 yards). Abbruzzi was named the second recipient of the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
, as well as a CFL All-Star, at the conclusion of the 1955 season. Abbruzzi continued as the Larks
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
top rusher in 1956 with 1,062 yards and 20 touchdowns and was named to a second consecutive CFL All-Star team in 1956. In 1957, Abbruzzi had 809 yards, but an injury plagued 1958 season
1958 CFL season
The 1958 CFL season was the fifth season in modern Canadian professional football, although officially it would become known as the inaugural season of the Canadian Football League .-CFL news in 1958:...
would turn out to be his last, when Abbruzzi finished the year with 630 yards. In July 1959 he was traded to the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
for Veryl Switzer
Veryl Switzer
Veryl Switzer is a former halfback in the National Football League who played 24 games for the Green Bay Packers. In 1954, the Green Bay Packers used the 4th pick in the 1st round of the 1954 NFL Draft to sign Switzer out of Kansas State University where he played from 1951 to 1953...
during training camp but was released before the start of the 1959 regular season.
Teaching and high school coaching career
After his professional football career ended, Abbruzzi returned to Rhode Island where he became a successful and much beloved Physical EducationPhysical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and football coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
at his high school alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Warren High School
Warren High School
Warren High School is the name of several high schools:*Warren High School *Warren High School *Warren Township High School in Gurnee, Illinois*Warren High School...
. Abbruzzi coached eight division champions over 26 years, and also coached 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...
in his spare time. During the 1970s
1970s in sports
-Major events:The 1970s will be forever associated in terms of sport with the great Pittsburgh Steelers teams of that decade.The 1970s was known for three renegade sports leagues that challenged older, established organizations in need of an energy boost and fresh perspective on their respective...
, his football team set an interscholastic league record of 31 victories in a row. Known to all as "Doc", Abbruzzi was a legendary figure Rhode Island high school football.
Abbruzzi was named to the University of Rhode Island Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972, and the Rhode Island Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1976. He was a charter member of the Warren Athletic Hall of Fame (1998) and in 2005, Abbruzzi was named to the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Hall of Fame. He was later elected to the Sons of Italy
Order Sons of Italy in America
The Order Sons of Italy in America is the largest and oldest Italian American fraternal organization in the United States. A similar organization also exists in Canada.-History:...
Athletic Hall of Fame.