Induction Class Of 1999

Dianne (Leitao) Pina is a 1975 graduate of New Bedford High School. She is the first female athlete in the school's history to receive a collegiate Division I scholarship.

Dianne was a two-year varsity starter for the Whalers. Coached by Jeanne Bonneau, she led the high school to an 11-1 record during the 1974-75 school year. Teamed alongside a superb cast consisting of the Gomes sisters (Regina and Helen), Rose Lopes and her own sister Susan, she led the team in scoring while playing the center position. Her performance on the court earned her a full scholarship to Providence College.

Dianne went on to play another four years for the Friars. As a freshman, she quickly demonstrated her skills on the court and won a starting position as a forward. She embarked on a collegiate career that saw her team compete against both collegiate and international competition. The 1970's were a very politically charged decade on the international level and the Providence College women's basketball team played games against both the Russian and Chinese National Teams during Dianne's career.

Today, Dianne resides in Easton with her husband Manuel and their two children, Austin (age nine) and Nolan (age eight). Her brother, David, is known to many in the Greater New Bedford area as a former outstanding player at Holy Family and current associate coach at the University of Connecticut.

Eddie Rodrigues is a 1971 graduate of New Bedford High School. He is best known as an outstanding basketball player and coach, but those who remember this "kid from the South End" will recall an outstanding all-around athlete who excelled on the soccer and baseball fields as well as on the basketball court.

Most people don't know this but Eddie was an All-American soccer player while playing goalie at New Bedford High School. Nicknamed "Eddie Zero", Rodrigues allowed only 4 goals all year during the 1970 (his senior) season. That season saw the Bob Parker coached-soccer team record a 19-1-1 record and finish as state runners-up. Playing for fellow Hall of Famer, John Pacheco, Eddie was a hard-hitting left fielder for the Whalers.

It is on the basketball court where Eddie has developed his athletic identity. He teamed with a friend, and current UMass-Dartmouth coach Brian Baptiste to form an outstanding backcourt for the Sal Lombardo coached Whaler's in the early 1970's. He was a two year basketball captain who received the King Cager Award as senior which was an award that recognized the premier player in the Greater New Bedford area. He possessed, and still does, an incredible shooting range that lead him to prep school (North Yarmouth Academy) and ultimately to Assumption College.

Ed was a three-year starter for Assumption. The Greyhounds under the direction of Coach Joe O'Brien (now director of the Basketball Hall of Fame) played in the NCAA Final Four (Division Il) in three of the four years that he was a member of their varsity. As a senior, Ed was named All-New England (1st Team) and played in the New England College All-Star Game.

Eddie Rodrigues has been the head basketball coach at New Bedford High School for the past nineteen years. During this time, his 1993 and 1994 teams captured state championships. He has amassed over 300 wins during these 19 years while playing one of the toughest schedules in the northeast. Whaler basketball teams have competed in tournaments as far away as Florida and Alaska. The Whaler's are perennial state contenders.

Eddie is married to Connie who is his high school sweetheart, and they have three children: Rebecca, Gretchen, and Ryan.

Dr. Andy Ponichtera, a graduate of the class of 1970 from New Bedford High School, is a name synonymously known for toughness in tennis not only on the local scene but also throughout New England.

Andy played three years of varsity tennis at the number one position without a loss in league play. He was captain his junior and senior years when he led the Ralph Perry coached teams to back-to-back state titles in 1969 and 1970. In his senior year, he led the 1970 team to an undefeated, unscored upon season by winning every league match by a score of 5-0. In addition, Andy was a three-time league all-star and player of the month twice. He was ranked number two in New England in the eighteen and under singles as well as doubles (with his partner Roger Canto).

After graduating from high school with high honors, Andy went on to play tennis at Holy Cross where he earned his bachelor's degree. He earned his doctorate in dentistry from Tufts University. He has taught at the University of Connecticut and lectured both nationally and internationally.

Today, Andy and his wife Pamela have three children: Jessica, Johnathan, and Jason. He lives and practices dentistry in West Hartford, Connecticut.

This 1961 graduate's name is forever linked with the Tech Tourney. As a senior, Frank led the Whaler's to the tourney championship as he dominated the opposition. Playing for Hall of Fame member Stan Grabiec, Frank scored 44 points in an earlier tournament game against Somerville. The final game was against long-time rival Durfee and Frank's 25 points led New Bedford to a 61-47 victory. In the process, Frank set the Boston Garden Tech Tournament individual scoring record of 110 points.

Upon graduation, Frank enrolled at The University of Rhode Island and played under Ernie Calverly. The 6'7" Nightingale had an outstanding career for the Rams as he led the team in rebounding as a sophomore and was second in the country for field goal percentage as a junior. He earned the role of captain as a senior due to his leadership and performances on the hardwood.

Basketball was not over for Frank when he left Rhode Island. He played professionally in Spain, Italy, and Belgium. Ironically, while playing in Spain, Frank set an individual single game scoring record of what else? but 44 points. He was the first American to play for Club Futbol Barcelona. He was named to the Italian International Hall of Fame in 1967.

In 1985, he was appointed the head boys' basketball coach at Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River. It's a position that he held for five years.

Today, Frank resides in New York City and is involved in the business of document  imaging/litigation support. He and his wife Jane have three children: Elizabeth, James, and Benjamin. His mother, Elizabeth, is still his biggest fan and is still enjoying life at the age of ninety-five.

John Pacheco is a 1959 graduate of New Bedford High School. How many athletes can say that they starred in three sports both on the high school and collegiate levels and then return upon graduation to coach two varsity sports at both institutions? John Pacheco can make that claim. He was a versatile athlete and a coach who molded and literally saved lives.

He was a two-year captain of the soccer team (1957 & 1958) and captain of the basketball team. He was all-county in soccer and basketball.

Upon graduation, John's athletic talents were still being utilized in the New Bedford area as he continued to compete and excel in all three sports for New Bedford Tech.

As a coach, John coached the New Bedford High baseball team to the 1970 Eastern Massachusetts championship. Ten years later, in 1980, he led the Whaler's to the Eastern Massachusetts basketball title. His career basketball record was 90-16 and his career record as the New Bedford baseball coach was a sparkling 237-60. John also coached the same two sports for SMU (now UMass-Dartmouth and formerly New Bedford Tech). He was selected as Boston Globe coach of the year on two occasions and also was selected as Bo Sox baseball coach of the year. John was also nominated as National Coach of the Year in 1980.

The part about saving lives as a coach? Once, at a baseball game between New Bedford and Bishop Feehan, John rushed to the aid of the Feehan catcher (a boy by the name of Don LaFratta) who had been hit on the head. He administered mouth to mouth as the young man had gone into convulsions. What could have been a tragic situation turned into a heartwarming story.

Today, John is a member of the New Bedford High School faculty. He has a son John who is an engineer with Proctor & Gamble, a daughter Susan who is employed by the New Bedford School Department and a daughter Karen who is a teacher in the Dartmouth School System. John has five grandsons and one granddaughter.

Burt Pina is the first name spoken when boys' gymnastics is the topic. This 1959 graduate set a standard in this highly demanding individual sport that is unequaled.

He started in the sport as a thirteen-year-old because one of his friends was competing in gymnastics. This introduction at the local YMCA, under the direction of Y coach Al Sylvia, was the beginning of an extraordinary career. Arriving at New Bedford High School for 6:00 a.m. practice sessions under the tutelage of Hall of Fame member Al Boucher, Burt established himself as the premiere competitor in the entire state. In the 1959 State Championships, this senior team captain captured three individual titles. He won the still rings, side horse, and the parallel bars. He won three because he was, by State rules, only allowed to enter three events! Perfection! Later, that same year, Burt went on to capture the New England AAU all-around novice championship.

Upon graduation, Burt earned his B.S. degree in zoology and chemistry from Howard University. He would go on to earn his M.D. from Howard as well. Burt did his specialty training in radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital after which he joined the staff at Mass General which included appointment to the Harvard Medical School faculty. Since then, Dr. Pina has owned his own private practice in Connecticut, been affiliated with Tobey Hospital and ironically his professional life has come full circle as he is currently affiliated with Mass General and Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Pina currently resides in Marion. He has two children; Burt Jr. who is a dentist in Washington D.C., and Desiree Lynn who was formerly a professional dancer with the Philadelphia Dance Company and today is a television reporter.

Joe Camacho is a member of the class of 1946. He left his mark athletically as an outstanding basketball and baseball player where he was coached by Hall of Fame member Win Dodge.

On the hardwood, he was a three-year starting forward who rebounded, scored and defended. His senior year was one of the best in the school's storied basketball history as the high school captured the 1946 MIT Tourney (which was the forerunner to the Tech Tourney).

His baseball skills were honed as a youngster on the sandlots of New Bedford. It was the beginning of a long and illustrious career in the national pastime. It was a career that would ultimately take him to every American League ballpark as a member of Ted Williams' Washington Senators (later Texas Rangers) coaching staff.

Playing for the Crimson, Joe was a three-year varsity starter. He played in the outfield, shortstop and pitched. He punctuated his New Bedford High School career by firing a no-hitter in his final game. His accomplishments during high school landed Joe a contract with the St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles) organization. This was the start of a ten-year professional career that would find Joe playing for the Browns and Cleveland Indians organizations.

Joe returned to New Bedford upon the completion of his professional playing career. He eventually would climb the educational professional ladder to the position of principal on the elementary level. He continued in this role until that fateful day in 1969 when his longtime friend Ted Williams called and offered him the opportunity to join his staff. The

"kid" from New Bedford was going to the "big show".

Today, Joe resides in Fairhaven. He has two sons, James and Michael.

Al Palmieri is a New Bedford High School athletic legend. He was a three sport (football, basketball, and baseball) star who graduated in 1941.

Al was an outstanding defensive end and punter on the gridiron. He was an all-star outfielder, first baseman and pitcher on the New Bedford baseball team. It was on the basketball court where Palmieri is best remembered. He was called by coach Win Dodge "the greatest center that I have ever coached". He was part of the fabulous five (Stan Grabiec, Fred Sowa, Ed Wojick, Arthur Sylvaira and Palmieri) that captured the MIT Tourney (forerunner to the Tech Tourney) in 1940.

This championship in 1940 avenged a defeat in the finals the previous year. Al was named all first team for his performance in the 1940 tournament. Al couldn't compete in the 1841 tournament (the high school lost in the semi's) as he graduated at the mid-year. Upon graduation, he was hailed by the Standard-Times as having "completed one of the most colorful basketball careers in local high school history".

During the war years, Al served his country proudly. One of his duties during the war was to serve as one of General Patton's personal bodyguards. At the conclusion of World War 11, Al spent a year at Kent Hill Prep School.

Al went to school and played basketball on the nationally ranked Rhode Island State (now URI) fives that were coached by the legendary Frank Keaney. The Rams played a national schedule and many remember their march in 1947 to the NIT championship game. This was at the time when the NIT was more prestigious than the NCAA.

Professionally, Al taught, coached and served on the administrative level in the New Bedford, Dartmouth, Wareham and Bristol-Plymouth school systems. He is a member of the Massachusetts State Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, the Dartmouth High School Hall of Fame, the New Bedford Gridiron Club Hall of Fame and the University of Rhode Island Hall of Fame. His induction today makes this the fifth hall of fame that includes Al Palmieri as one of its few.

Today, Al resides with his wife Gertrude in New Bedford. He has two children, James and Leslie Ann and six grandchildren.