Record turnout for JHS Athletic Hall of Fame’s Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund Golf Tournament

There were local legends of all ages at Glocester Country Club Monday afternoon.

First and foremost, “Mr. Johnston High School Athletics” – a.k.a. former teacher, coach and administrator Ed DiSimone – tested his mettle on the picturesque nine-hole public course.

Then there were one-time powerful Panthers like Scott Moore, who was the ace of the pitching staff when he hurled the blue and white to the school’s first-ever state baseball championship back in 1963.

Then there was Dan Mazzulla, who distinguished himself on the basketball court at Johnston High and later Bryant College, whose 1976 Panthers stunned longtime power Central High’s Knights to win the prestigious Rhode Island Bicentennial Tournament played at the former Our Lady of Providence Prep.

The legends list was much, much lengthier, and demonstrated just how much support – and respect – Johnston High’s relatively young Athletic Hall of Fame has built up since its inception four years ago.

“This was without question a super special salute to one of our greatest Panthers ever, and a celebration, if you will, of [Robert] Smith’s legacy,” said Hall of Fame founder and one-time teacher, coach and administrator Gary Mazzie.

Smitty, for those not familiar with Johnston athletics, is the late and legendary Robert “Bob” Smith, who people claim bled blue and white during his highly successful career as a basketball and baseball coach and athletic director.

Monday’s second annual Robert Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund Golf Tournament was an overwhelming success.

“We had a total of 15 foursomes,” said Mazzie, who chaired the event with Hall of Famer and Panther legend Jim Hopkins. “This was the most golfers we’ve had and we made the most money we’ve ever made, too.”

Although no official dollar amount was given, Mazzie is confident “we surpassed last year’s profit, and this will certainly go a long way in perpetuating the scholarship in Smitty’s name.”

The Robert A. Smith Memorial Scholarship is presented every year to a graduating Johnston High senior who epitomizes excellence in athletics and academics and is recognized for his or her hard work.

From the time people checked in with Janet Zucchi and Lee Mazzie, Monday’s second annual golf go-round was exceptional.

“This is going to be a great day,” Moore said as he tuned up for the day’s 18-hole round on the putting green located near the club’s pro shop. “We need more and more people to support this tourney. Coach Smith was a great man and helped a lot of us during our days as Panthers.”

Statements like that were commonplace Monday from alumni like Roy Desmarais ’89, who was a catcher for then coach Jim Hopkins’ baseball team and now works with the 99 Restaurant chain. He brought along three co-workers to support the scholarship fund.

The foursome headed by Johnston Police Officer Mario Mennella – which included Vin LaFazia, Steve Placella and his son Mario Mennella Jr. – took home first-place honors with a score of 58, which was 12 under par and one stroke better than the foursome of Bob Bigelli, Erik Skovron, Dave O’Connell and Craig Woodacre.

Pam Sheehan won closest-to-the-pin honors among women, while Skovron won the men’s honor. The longest putt belonged to Ken Hopkins, a Johnston High alumnus and legendary head baseball coach at CCRI.