WICKER PARK — Coach Richard J. Tomoleoni has added another accolade to his storied baseball managing career: having a ball field named in his honor.
Roberto Clemente Community Academy’s baseball field is now known as Tomoleoni Field, where “Tom” — as he was known to many — became the winningest baseball coach in Chicago Public Schools history.
As head coach from 1963-2000, Tomoleoni led the Clemente Wildcats to 716 wins, including eight city championships and eight state tournament finals appearances, according to a Illinois House resolution honoring the coach upon his retirement.
Tomoleoni is now the namesake of Clemente’s baseball field, which was overhauled in 2018 to include artificial turf and fencing. A ceremony renaming the field was held Saturday, where Tomoleoni was surprised with the announcement.
“The field looks a lot different now than when I was coaching,” Tomoleoni said in an interview.
The ceremony was held as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations at Clemente, 1147 N. Western Ave., named for the Puerto Rico-born Hall of Fame baseball player and humanitarian. Tomoleoni, 83, was a constant presence at Clemente for much of its history.
A graduate of Steinmetz High School on the Northwest Side, Tomoleoni began his career as a gym teacher and baseball coach in 1963 at Tuley High School.
Tuley was closed in 1974 due to over-crowding, and its students and faculty were moved to the newly opened Clemente high school, built across the street from Tuley, that same year.
Tuley won the baseball city championship in its last year in existence. It was the first major triumph of Tomoleoni’s career, but it was certainly not the last.
“Whenever I would drive past this field, I didn’t know why they hadn’t already named it after Tom,” said Joe Glorioso, a former assistant coach to Tomoleoni and now the head coach of Wicker Park’s Holy Trinity High School baseball team. “I worked tirelessly for the past year to make it happen, and now it’s here. Nobody deserves this more than Tom.”
Friends, colleagues and former players that were under Tomoleoni’s tutelage had high praise for him. They noted his exceptional dedication for the neighborhood as it underwent a demographic transition into a predominantly Puerto Rican community and the life lessons he instilled in his coaching style.
After the naming ceremony Saturday, food trucks arrived at the field and Clemente alumni were invited to come together and reconnect over food and drinks.
“We grew up in a place many considered ‘the hood,’” said Miriam Rodriguez Ruiz, who helped organize the event as a former “Wild Kitten,” a group of girls at Clemente that assisted the baseball team with strategic analysis. Rodriguez Ruiz and husband Tony Ruiz, a captain on one of Tomoleoni’s teams, helped coordinate the event.
“But if you look around, because of Tom as a role model, you will come to see so many people who have done quite well for themselves. So many kids were able to go onto college as a result of the team and do something with their lives.”
The last of Tomoleoni’s eight city titles came in 1997. He also coached his team to 15 conference championships and was also the runner-up to the city champs three times.
Tomoleoni was named Chicago Coach of the Year eight times and was a finalist for National Coach of the Year in 1990.
“He was a tough coach,” Glorioso said. “But fair and loving. There wasn’t a player that wasn’t kicked off the team at least twice per season. You had to come back on your own accord. He taught me just about everything I know about coaching. He was the best.”
In addition to coaching, Tomoleoni served as the charter president of the Chicago Public League Baseball Coaches and as a teachers union chair of extracurricular activities. He even worked with the Cincinnati Reds organization as a “recommending scout,” according to information provided by organizers of the event Saturday.
Tomoleoni and his wife Linda have six kids and nine grandchildren, with another grandchild on the way. He said he was overwhelmed by the ball field naming honor.
“The best part of my job was doing something that I loved every single day,” Tomoleoni said. “I made hundreds of friends for life. I’m speechless at this event.”
Conclusion:
The naming of Tomoleoni Field is a well-deserved recognition of Coach Tomoleoni’s exceptional dedication and achievements in baseball. The ceremony was a heartwarming celebration of his life and legacy, and we are grateful for his contributions to the sport and to the community.
FAQs:
Q: What is the significance of the Tomoleoni Field naming?
A: Tomoleoni Field is the newly renamed baseball field at Roberto Clemente Community Academy, in honor of Coach Richard J. Tomoleoni’s achievements and legacy in baseball.
Q: How long did Coach Tomoleoni coach at Clemente?
A: Coach Tomoleoni coached at Clemente from 1963-2000.
Q: How many city championships did Coach Tomoleoni win?
A: Coach Tomoleoni won eight city championships during his coaching career.
Q: What did Coach Tomoleoni achieve in his coaching career?
A: Coach Tomoleoni led the Clemente Wildcats to 716 wins, including eight city championships and eight state tournament finals appearances.
Q: What was Coach Tomoleoni’s coaching style like?
A: Coach Tomoleoni was known for being a tough but fair coach. He instilled life lessons in his players and helped them develop both on and off the field.
