Year Inducted: 1990 (p)
Nominated By: Art Antonio
Sports Competed In: Softball
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete
High School:
Attended Pleasant View.
Achievements:
Baseball:
● Earned a professional contract in 1942 and played 2nd Base for the St. Louis Cardinals.
● A baseball tournament held annually every June at Runyon Field in his honor.
Softball:
● Competed in fast-pitch and played 2nd Base for VFW Post 61 in 1948.
● At 5'7" and 180 lbs, was named All American VFW in 1949 and 1951.
● Batted third on a team that lost 1-0 in the ninth inning of the National Tournament Finals in 1949.
Quotes:
"I never saw a man his size hit a ball so far, he helped put Pueblo on the map."... A great player and a great Man! Bob Pobst, shortstop: "Tony was one heck of a ball player, but excelled in everything he did. Tony was the best thing that ever happened to me as far as sports goes. He was a special person, the kind of a person who comes along just once in a while." Jim Ranson, 1st base: "I was one of the younger guys on the team and Tony was the guy I looked up to. He was a good family man and a lot of fun." George Luiz, reserve catcher: "If it hadn't been for the War, Tony would've made it with the Cardinals. Tony was the best hitter I ever saw. He hit it farther and more often than anybody." Sam "Rabbit" Ferraro, Catcher and cleanup hitter: "Pitchers'd see he wasn't very tall and or real big and they'd challenge him. Well, they didn't challenge him too long." Rev. Fred Johnson, played semi-pro with Tony: "He was rolly polly looking, but Tony was as fast as greased lightning and at the same time he was the longest hitter I ever played with."
--Bobby Pechek, center fielder
"My prayer is that some day you grow to emulate Tony Andenucio as a ballplayer and as a man."
--Dave Socier, sports writer for The Pueblo Chieftain.
Honors:
● Drafted by the U.S. Army in 1942, and was discharged 1945.
● Member of the 65th Armored Field Artillery during World War II.
● Served in Tunisia, Normandy France, and Belgium.
Occupation:
Worked at Tony's Cigar Store - 322 North Union, “the Meeting Place for Real Men”. A barber chair in the corner, shoe shine stand, spittoons, bench chairs and 12 pool tables. Then there was the back room where the poker tables were kept. He sold all kinds of tobacco products but never smoked, but chewed a White Owl Cigar.
Personal:
Lived in Pueblo... Passed away on March 3, 1977... Married to Carrie Cordo.
