March 28, 2008

Washington, D.C. - Former Georgetown Baseball Coach Larry Geracioti has been selected for induction into the American Baseball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame. One of the nation's winningest managers, Geracioti enjoyed a long and successful career as an administrator and educator.

"I think I'm most pleased at the end of a long career with my former players telling me that they came to me as boys and left as men," Geracioti said. "It has been a great privilege to teach young people as they progressed toward maturity. I treasure the time I have spent coaching."

While on the Hilltop, Geracioti amassed 110 wins from 1986-93, fourth-most all-time. In his first year, he helped guide the Hoyas to their second consecutive BIG EAST Championships appearance by going 12-6 in the conference. He also managed the last GU team to finish a season above .500 as the 1986 team ended the year at 23-22.

"Coach Geracioti was more than just a baseball coach, he was a mentor and father figure to many of those who played for him," said Jack Elliott (CAS '93). "Coach was just as interested, if not more interested, in A's and B's as he was in W's and L's. While his record of achievement as a baseball coach is remarkable, his real legacy at Georgetown is the opportunity and guidance that he provided to his players."

Prior to Georgetown, Geracioti (USAF Captain, ret.), a decorated World War II veteran of both European and Pacific theatres of operation (Air Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters), accumulated a 245-45 record over 10 seasons at New York University, including a third-place finish at the 1969 College World Series and NCAA District II Coach of the Year honors. While at NYU he was extensively involved with international competition (Germany 1960, World Tournament in Italy, 1973) in addition to his committee work as the chairman of the Television Committee for the College World Series.

After graduating from Missouri State in 1950, Geracioti was recalled to military service for the Korean War. He began his coaching career at New Mexico in 1952, where he served as an assistant football coach and basketball coach, as well as the head of the physical training department and an instructor in the health and physical education department. From 1953-58, he held similar positions at Boston University, where he earned his Masters in Education. During the 1958-59 academic year, he served as a professor in the physical education department and as the intramural director at Columbia University.

Geracioti moved to New York University in 1959 and remained there until 1974. While at NYU he served as assistant director of athletics, chairman of the physical education department, head football coach, and assistant basketball coach while establishing himself as one of the nation's finest collegiate baseball coaches.

In 1974, Geracioti left NYU to become the Athletic Director and chairman of the physical education department at Wagner College. He remained there until 1978 when he became Director of Athletics at the University of Detroit. In 1981, he became the Director of Administration at Spour, Behrins, Campbell and Young, Inc., specializing in corporate business activities and personal financial planning for sports personalities.

Geracioti's career coaching baseball was not limited to college and international play as he also coached the USA Deaf National Team and the USA Native American Team.

After retiring from Georgetown, Geracioti continued to teach, creating a certificate program in sports management and was most recently the Director of Community Relations and Youth Sports Programs for the International Bowl.

"Playing and learning under Coach Geracioti has had more influence on my life and my career than any coach I have played for or worked under," University of New Orleans Baseball Coach Tom Walter said. "He taught me how to respect the game of baseball, he taught me how to treat people and he impressed upon me the value of conducting every aspect of your program with class. There is no doubt he is a hall-of-fame coach, but most importantly he is a hall-of-fame human being."