On Wednesday eventing, September 21, Roger Caruso of the Belleville High School Class of 1960 was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame for his achievements in football. Joe Cervasio had the honor of introducing Roger's candidacy that night, and what follows is a portion of his induction talk.
ROGER CARUSO HALL OF FAME BIOGRAPHY/INTRODUCTION
Thank you. Thank you all very much.
Let me first congratulate Richard P. Yanuzzi and his faithful and hard-working Belleville Athletic Advisory Council for once again producing this Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Dinner. Rich, Uncle Petee Spera would be proud of you and your team.
My purpose tonight is to formally present Roger Caruso for induction into the Belleville Athletic Hall of Fame for his achievements in the great American game of Football. And I must say, it is an honor for me to be standing before you doing this on behalf of my friend and hero.
You see, I knew of Roger Caruso before he ever picked up one yard rushing as a running back for Belleville High. How, you ask? Well, every morning at our kitchen table in Belleville, my WWII veteran father, Rocky Cervasio, a former football star himself, … he would recite to me the list of the greatest football players of all time. He was a little prejudice, … being a Barringer graduate, an Italian American Jersey guy from the North Ward of Newark, a seasoned Marine… but none the less, my father knew football:
Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard of Army, Mr. Inside, Mr. Outside, Heisman Trophy winners; Angelo Bertelli, Johnny Lujack, Frank Tribucka, and Johnny Latner, all of Notre Dame; Nyle Kinnick of Iowa, Heisman Trophy winner, killed early in WWII, … all great collegiate immortals.
But then he would rattle off the names of the high school phenoms, … Bennie Babula, Garfield; Fred Wesphal, Barringer; Eddie Berlinsk Bloomfield—… but the greatest??? Freddie Caruso, BarringerHigh during the Depression years. Even my mother would chime in from the stove, … "oh yes, MR. CARUSO, he was the best, and the most handsome, … Daddy’s right."
umm, … good DNA, you say?
My dad would see Mr. Caruso from time to time in the years following the war, … social clubs, diners, restaurants throughout Newark and Belleville. And soon my Dad was telling me and my mom, that Mr. Caruso’s first son was going to run in his footsteps. And once again, my father was correct on predicting talent.
But Roger would not to be the “light fantastic, mercury-like sprinter” his father was. Rather, a “raging bull” had arrived in Belleville in the Fall of 1956, and his teammates and we little guys in the stands would never forget him, … to this day.
Initially slated as a lineman by some unknowing teacher-coach who didn’t know the difference between a football and a meatball, Roger eventually met Belleville assistant coach, Tommy Testa. But more importantly, Coach Testa met Roger’s mom, Marie. This beautiful, soft-spoken, proper woman of Irish,English, and Scottish roots, with deep family ties in the Confederate South, charmed the old assistant Belleville ball coach, … so her son, soon left the line to become a running back, just like his dad and the love of her life. Freddy Caruso, the old Barringer legend, had nothing to do with this move.
And so, Belleville High had a raging bull in the backfield… maybe not as fast as his mythical dad, but with thunder in his thighs, and lightning in his legs that would eventually make Roger Caruso a football hero of his own to those of us cheering for him at the Bog.
A member of the historical Mud Bowl team of 1957 as a sophomore with All State Gene Barra, Gene Pinadella, and the versatile Frankie D’Angelo in the backfield, Roger waited his turn. And that year he gain the first yard of his 1800 yard varsity career.
Playing with some of the finest athletes Belleville has ever placed on the football field, Roger became devastating on off-tackle slants, and his speed to the outside reminded many of his father from his Barringer days. But it was in his senior year on a great 6-3 team that might have gone undefeatedhad injuries not set in, slowing Roger for two games, when Mr. Caruso’s son made his indelible mark on Belleville football.
Perhaps his greatest game was in a losing cause at The Bog against Irvington. The Camptowners came in with All County running backs Ron Adams and Augie Arnesto. But the best back on the field that day was Roger Caruso. His Kickoff Return for a touchdown, still has many of us younger guys talking to this day. Just how long did it take the Bellboys to help Roger from the endzone to the sidelines, … he was so tired!!
But in the end, Roger Caruso became a 1960 graduate of Belleville High School, having excelled in football and track. His 1800 yards rushing rank him as one of Belleville’s outstanding running backs. In his senior year Roger earned All County selection, as well as honorable mention Al Metropolitan.
Great Belleville running backs of the fifties: Jimmy Apple, Bobby Paganelli, Gene Barra, Frankie D’Angelo, Roger Caruso. Those who followed: Richie Luzzi, Frank Fazzini, Roger’s own little brother Ricky, a Hall of Famer himself, and many more—it would be an honor for any one of us to be compared to Roger Caruso.
Roger earned a full scholarship to Youngstown University, beginning a legendary entourage of Belleville grads to that Ohio football power. He completed his collegiate football career at Upsala, where in 1964 he led the Atlantic Conference in rushing.
After graduation, Roger devoted time to coaching little league football, as well as being on the staffs of Paul VI High School and St. Mary’s of Rutherford High School. He also began a successful career in law enforcement, and today is a much sought-after private investigator, in addition to his work as a licensed New Jersey real estate broker. (If you want to contact the Pope, give Roger about 15 minutes.)
Roger Caruso has always had a heart for Belleville. In addition to his influence in starting and playing in the Belleville-Nutley Alumni Football Game series, today he still makes sure his former classmates know they can call on him for anything. His commitment to others can be seen not only in his tutelage of his younger brother Rick, who would take a bullet for him, but he and Hilda were blessed with two children who have followed in his athletic footsteps. His daughter Gianna and son Freddie are both St. Mary’s of Rutherford All Staters, she in softball and he in football. The head of his successful athletic family, Roger has made sure the legacy of his father, Freddy Caruso, Sr., one of Barringer High’s greatest running backs and track stars, lives on.
May I also share that Roger is fluent in both Spanish and Italian. It’s the English he has a little trouble with, but that fuels my introductions of him to strangers. It always goes a little like this: “This is my hero Roger Caruso. Roger Caruso was Robert DeNiro before Robert DeNiro was Robert DeNiro, … and Robert DeNiro wants to become Roger Caruso… the true “Raging Bull” of Belleville football.
In closing, if you or a friend need a joke or funny story to mend a broken heart, or to bring a smile to someone who hasn’t smiled in a while; … if a compliment is needed to encourage the less fortunate, or even, … the unloveable, … always will Roger Caruso be there to help. Let’s face it, … he’s an Angel, sometimes with a dirty face, … but in the end, we love him because he is dedicated to his friends, his children, … and anyone who just may need a helping hand. Roger is the best of what makes Belleville different… love of fellow man, love of his roots, … no agenda whatsoever.
Yes, … just like all of us, he’s had some disappointments, but not enough to stop this loving Belleville Raging Bull from helping whosoever needs it at any time of the day or night.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in welcoming into the Belleville Athletic Hall of Fame, for his accomplishments in the great American game of Football, from the class of 1960, … ROGER CARUSO.
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