Year Inducted: 2020
Nominated By: Randy Heaton (Friend)
Sports Competed In: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Track
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach, Contributor
Tony Taibi
High School:
Attended Roncalli H.S. from 1968-71... Four-sport star earning 12 letterwinners playing for the Shamrocks in football and basketball (four years), baseball (three years) and track (one year).
Achievements:
High School (Football):
● During freshman year playing both ways (RB/LB), team went undefeated (6-0).
● Scored 11 TD's and had 200+yds in two different games.
● Season Offensive points 138 / Defense gave up 8 points.
● Team posted a 8-1-1 mark in second season, missed being the conference’s leading rusher by 15 yards.
● Led conference in yds/rush (6.3).
● Notable games: vs. La Junta, 13 carries, 157 yards in first half; vs. Aurora Hinkley, 6 carries, 105 yards.
● Became first sophomore to be named All-Conference and All-City.
● Named preseason best running back in Colorado his junior season by The Denver Post.
● Frontrunner for conference rushing title until breaking leg during season.
● Earned all-Conference and All-City, All-Denver Post.
● Started at RB in All-State game, played in Pueblo in 1971.
● First Pueblo athlete to be named to All-City Football Team for three years.
Achievements:
High School (Baseball):
● Named All-Conference (two years) as well as All-City
● Member of the 1970 & 1971 Conference Champions and 1971 State Champions baseball team which posted a 20-1 record.
● Winning pitcher in 4-3 state championship game, giving up five hits vs. Thomas Jefferson.
● Recorded a 7-1 season record with 0.43 ERA.
● Member of the American Legion State Champions 1970.
● Pitched and won in Regional Tournament (Helena, MT).
Achievements:
High School (Basketball):
● Helped Roncalli freshman team to a 12-4 record.
● Second leading scorer in the team.
● Planning on starting his senior year, but suffered broken leg during football season.
Achievements:
High School (Track):
Ran sprints, 440 yd dash & long jump as a freshman.
Honors:
High School:
● Member of Freshman Letterman Club.
● Recipient of John Powers 1971 Student Athlete Award.
● Student Body Vice-President.
● National Honor Society.
College:
● Attended the University of Colorado in Boulder (1971-74) ... Earned a full-ride athletic football scholarship.
Achievements:
College:
● Played slot/wing back during freshman season as the team went 4-0.
● Second on team receiving catches/yards.
● Offered a pitching spot on the Buffaloes baseball team, but declined.
● During sophomore season, moved to LB and suffered a season-ending injury during the 1972 season.
Related Activities:
● Joined the Pueblo Crusaders (1987-88). Averaged 7.0 yds/rush as a RB...Member of the 1988 National Championship team.
● Coached numerous youth teams - Bantam football, Runyon youth, City youth basketball...Won numerous league titles. Teams participated in many out of town & state tournaments.
● Played in Pueblo Flag Football league for 10+ years… State runner up… City champions.
● Played Pueblo Softball League for 10+ years. Won various league and tournament championships in Pueblo and Colorado.
Contributions:
CSU-Pueblo Assistant Athletic Director:
Assisted w/Building of Rawlings Field (Baseball Stadium) …Member of team that built Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl football stadium.
CSU-Pueblo Athletic Director:
Tournament Director, 1997 NCAA II National Wrestling Championships hosted by CSU-Pueblo… CSU-Pueblo Baseball team to NCAA D11 National Baseball Finals Tournament.
Friends of Football:
Founding Member; Treasurer, Board of Directors; 2007 – Present.
Professional Affiliations:
● Friends of Football.
● Volunteer Umpire/Scorekeeper/Announcer for Annual Jim DiOrio Youth Baseball Tournament (Runyon Field).
● Runyon Field Board of Commissioners (former Treasurer), 2-3 years.
Personal:
Life-long Pueblo resident (67 years) … Married to Shari Taibi… Joins brother, Carl Taibi, who passed away on 8/22/2021, in the GPSA Hall of Fame.
