Phil Scarpellino

Baseball
First Base
(1963-66)

Inducted 1984

Phil Scarpellino was with the first varsity baseball team at New Haven College, and was the right type of player and person to build a program with.  Coach Frank Vieira used Scarpellino as his #3 hitter, and along with #4 John Anquillare, the two quickly became a powerful force at the plate.  The New Haven native wound up a four-year career as a starter with some impressive figures, including a.351 batting slate, 44 home runs, and 130 runs-batting-in.  Scarpellino still ranked in the top ten in eight categories when he was inducted into the Hall in 1984.  At that time, he was first in triples (12), and third in career batting averages.  After his Charger career came to an end in 1966, Scarpellino was offered a professional baseball contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but turned it down.  He later was named the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of New Haven.  As the baseball program developed at the University of New Haven over the years, Frank Vieira would point to Phil Scarpellino as one of the players who exemplified intensity and performance under pressure in the early times.