Frank Stephen Pagano

Year Inducted: 1988
Nominated By: Jim Pagano (brother)
Sports Competed In: Football
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete

Brian D. Macartney

High School:
Attended Pueblo Central H.S., graduating in 1948.

Achievements:
High School:
● Pagano earned 11 letters playing three sports for the Wildcats (football and track: four letters; and wrestling: three letters).
● As a halfback on the football team, Pagano played on two state championship teams (1944 when Central beat Fort Collins, 12-7 and the 1947 team which was victorious over Denver South, 7-6).
● Two-time, All-South Central League selection in 1945-46.
● Scored a career total of 162 points which ranks in the top 10 in Pueblo.
● During his career, he rushed for 1,963 yards and 27 touchdowns.
● Played with the "Who's Who of Central Football": Running backs Carl Hannah, Dale Drummond, Bob Trevithick, Ron Ivan, Bill Heath, Pete Pomelo; Quarterback Vern Cochran; Ends - George Pulver and Dudley Schmidt; Linemen - Orville Morris, George Gurovich, and Clarence Stanko..

College:
Went to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado...Played briefly for the Bears football team before a knee injury ended his career.

Shared Memories:
On Oct. 25, 1946, Central lost to eventual State Champions Centennial, 26-21. A 62-yard touchdown run that he made that was called back. Pagano still insists, “a good two inches from that chalk line,” at the old Centennial Field. “The trouble was, there were people all over the place for that game,” Frank recalls of the crowd sprawl. "They brought in flat bed trucks and parked them along the sideline in some places so people would have somewhere to sit. All those people messed up the chalk along the out-of-bounds lines, spread it out.” And so when Pagano, a shifty junior halfback, cut to the side lines and then up field the referee mistook chalk dust flying as an out of bounds signal, ruling the ball dead at the 38.

Quotes:
“Centennial had a good team, they went on to win the state championship that year,’ the old Wildcat recalled correctly, “But I still say I scored that touchdown, and so will all those people on those flatbeds.”
-- Dave Socier, The Pueblo Chieftain

Occupation:
Owner of the Pass Key Restaurant.

Personal:
Lived in Pueblo... Passed away on June 7, 2008 at age 79.

GPSA "P" By The Numbers

LEGEND: p = awarded posthumously; ^= attended first meeting; * = deceased;+ = charter member (placed after year inducted)

1
Athlete/Contributor
Walter Lee "Walt" Pickard (1988*)

Attended Pueblo Centennial H.S.
Myron Eugene "Gene" Poston (2018*p)

Attended Vineland/Pueblo County H.S.
Pete Karl Pisciotta (1991*)

Attended Roncalli/Pueblo Central H.S.
Wayne Gerard Pechek (1997)

Attended Pueblo County H.S.
Joe Thomas "Joe" Pannunzio II (2009)

Bowling
David R. "Perk" Perkins (2017)

Coach/Contributor
Rev. John Powers (1982*)

Contributor
Ethelyn Thatcher [Jones] Potestio (2001*)

Cross Country
Larry Tommie Pickering (1976*)

Gymnastics
Elieen Krasovec-Perez (2017)

Swimming
BrianJeffrey Pearson (2020)

Racing
Walter Lee "Walt" Pickard (1988*)

Water Ski
Jerry Lisle "Too Much" Pike (2003*)

 

2
Athlete/Coach/Official
Dr. Elliott R. Plese (2008*p)
Dr. Paul John "Jack" Parsons (1982*)

Attended Pueblo Catholic H.S.
Joseph Lee "Joe" Puleo III (2009*)
Fred A. Pechek, Jr. (2000*)

Golf
Rick Pobst (1995*p)
Robert William "Bob" Pobst (1982*)

Wrestling
Charles A. "Chuck" Puga III (2004)
Ray Psuedu (1991*)

 

4
Attended H.S. Outside Colorado
Joseph C. "Joe" Prater (2006*p)
University H.S., Fayetteville, AR
Rev. John Powers (1982*)
H.S., in Ireland
Larry Tommie Pickering (1976*)
Trego County H.S., WaKeeney, KS
Edward V. "Ed" Posa (1975)
Brooklyn Boy's H.S., Brooklyn, NY

Boxing
Frank A. "Inky" Pechek (2011*p)
Donald Eugene "Don" Perko (2000*)
Q.B. Pryor (1982*)
Frank E. Perko, Jr. (1981*)

 

5
Coach
Fred A. Pechek, Jr. (2000*)
Pete Karl Pisciotta (1991*)
Ray Psuedu (1991*)
Sam Pagano (1987)
Larry Tommie Pickering (1976*)

Softball
David R. "Perk" Perkins (2017)
Fred A. "Coogan" Pechek (1988*)
Robert William "Bob" Pobst (1982*)
Phillip L. "Hank" Pechek (1981*p)

7
Athlete/Coach
Brian Jeffrey Pearson (2020)
Frances P. "Fran" Price (2010)
Joe Thomas "Joe" Pannunzio II (2009)
Joseph C. "Joe" Prater (2006*p)
Charles A. "Chuck" Puga III (2004)
Richard Ryan "Rich" Purcell (1987)
Edward V. "Ed" Posa (1975)

Attended Pueblo Centennial H.S.
Myron Eugene "Gene" Poston (2018*p)
Jerry Lisle "Too Much" Pike (2003*)
Ethelyn Thatcher [Jones] Potestio (2001*)
Richard Ryan "Rich" Purcell (1987)
David C. "Dave" Parlapiano (1982*)
Dr. Paul John "Jack" Parsons (1982*)
David Packard (1975*)

Honorees Awarded Posthumously
Myron Eugene "Gene" Poston (2018*p)
Frank A. "Inky" Pechek (2011*p)
Dr. Elliott R. Plese (2008*p)
Joseph C. "Joe" Prater (2006*p)
Rick Pobst (1995*p)
Phillip L. "Hank" Pechek (1981*p)
Frank Richard "Pap" Papish (1978*p)

Track
Myron Eugene "Gene" Poston (2018*p)
David R. "Perk" Perkins (2017)
Charles A. "Chuck" Puga III (2004)
Peter C. "Pete Pomeleo (1988*)
Dr. Albert D. Potestio (1985*)
Larry Tommie Pickering (1976*)
David Packard (1975*)

Baseball
Joseph Lee "Joe" Puleo III (2009*)
Joseph C. "Joe" Prater (2006*p)
Jerry Lisle "Too Much" Pike (2003*)
Wayne Gerard Pechek (1997)
Pete Karl Pisciotta (1991*)
Fred A. "Coogan" Pechek (1988*)
Frank E. Perko, Jr. (1981*)

 

8
Basketball
Myron Eugene "Gene" Poston (2018*p)
David R. "Perk" Perkins (2017)
Frank A. "Inky" Pechek (2011*p)
Frances P. "Fran" Price (2010)
Joseph C. "Joe" Prater (2006*p)
Richard Ryan "Rich" Purcell (1987)
Dr. Paul John "Jack" Parsons (1982*)
David Packard (1975*)

16
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Brian Jeffrey Pearson (2020)
Eileen Krasovec-Perez (2017)
David R. "Perk" Perkins (2017)
Frank A. "Inky" Pechek (2011*p)
Dr. Elliott R. Plese (2008*p)
Charles A. "Chuck" Puga III (2004)
Donald Eugene "Don" Perko (2000)
Ray Psuedu (1991)
Frank Stephen Pagano (1988*)
Walter Lee "Walt" Pickard (1988*)
Sam Pagano (1987)
Dr. Albert D. Potestio (1985*)
Robert William "Bob" Pobst (1982*)
Q.B. Pryor (1982*)
Frank E. Perko, Jr. (1981*)
Frank Richard "Pap" Papish (1978*p)

Football
Myron Eugene "Gene" Poston (2018*p)
David R. "Perk" Perkins (2017)
Joe Thomas "Joe" Pannunzio II (2009)
Joseph C. "Joe" Prater (2006*p)
Charles A. "Chuck" Puga III (2004)
Pete Karl Pisciotta (1991*)
Ray Psuedu (1991*)
Frank Stephen Pagano (1988*)
Peter C. "Pete Pomeleo (1988*)
Sam Pagano (1987)
Dr. Albert D. Potestio (1985*)
David C. "Dave" Parlapiano (1982*)
Dr. Paul John "Jack" Parsons (1982*)
Frank Richard "Pap" Papish (1978*p)
David Packard (1975*)
Edward V. "Ed" Posa (1975)

Athletes
Myron Eugene "Gene" Poston (2018*p)
Eileen Krasovec-Perez (2017)
David R. "Perk" Perkins (2017)
Frank A. "Inky" Pechek (2011*p)
Joseph Lee "Joe" Puleo III (2009*)
Dr. Elliott R. Plese (2008*p)
Jerry Lisle "Too Much" Pike (2003*)
Donald Eugene "Don" Perko (2000*)
Wayne Gerard Pechek (1997)
Rick Pobst (1995*p)
Robert "Bobby" Pechek (1989*)
Frank Stephen Pagano (1988*)
Fred A. "Coogan" Pechek (1988*)
Peter C. "Pete" Pomeleo (1988*)
Dr. Albert D. Potestio (1985*)
David C. "Dave" Parlapiano (1982*)
Robert William "Bob" Pobst (1982*)
Q.B. Pryor (1982*)
Phillip L. "Hank" Pechek (1981*p)
Frank E. Perko, Jr. (1981*)
Frank Richard "Pap" Papish (1978*p)
David Packard (1975*)

 

25
Honorees Deceased
Ray Psuedu (1991*)
Myron Eugene "Gene" Poston (2018*p)
Frank A. "Inky" Pechek (2011*p)
Joseph Lee "Joe" Puleo III (2009*)
Joseph C. "Joe" Prater (2006*p)
Jerry Lisle "Too Much" Pike (2003*)
Ethelyn Thatcher [Jones] Potestio (2001*)
Fred A. Pechek, Jr. (2000*)
Donald Eugene "Don" Perko (2000*)
Rick Pobst (1995*p)
Pete Karl Pisciotta (1991*)
Frank Stephen Pagano (1988*)
Fred A. "Coogan" Pechek (1988*)
Walter Lee "Walt" Pickard (1988*)
Peter C. "Pete Pomeleo (1988*)
Dr. Albert D. Potestio (1985*)
David C. "Dave" Parlapiano (1982*)
Robert William "Bob" Pobst (1982*)
Rev. John Powers (1982*)
Q.B. Pryor (1982*)
Phillip L. "Hank" Pechek (1981*p)
Frank E. Perko, Jr. (1981*)
Frank Richard "Pap" Papish (1978*p)
Larry Tommie Pickering (1976*)
David Packard (1975*)

 

37
Honorees in "P" Section

 

 

 

Remembering Our Fallen GPSA Inductees

The Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) has announced a list of honorees that have passed since the 2022 induction ceremony on Nov. 16.

 

Dennis TrujilloDennis
Trujillo
11/28/2022
Class of 2007

Knafelc obitGary L.
Knafelc
12/19/2022
Class of 1973

Don StuttersDr. Donald
Stutters
01/20/2023
Class of 1993