Sapienza Family, Friends and Students Celebrate $2.7 Million Memorial Track and Field Renewal

Mayor James J. Fiorentini, School Committee member Toni Sapienza-Donais and Joy Sapienza participated in the rededication of the Anthony B. Sapienza Memorial Track and Athletic Field at Haverhill High School in 2021. (WHAV News photograph.)

New sign near the entrance. (WHAV News photograph.)

The formal rededication of the $2.7 million Anthony B. Sapienza Memorial Track and Athletic Field at Haverhill High School served as a reunion Wednesday of family, friends and students of the late math teacher and cross country coach.

His daughter, School Committee member Toni Sapienza-Donais, who served as mistress of ceremonies, told WHAV she was moved by the gathering.

“It was emotional because I could just see my father smiling down on us to see, not only his children here, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren all remembering him over 30 years later. It’s just a wonderful experience to see it refurbished in his name and to see such a turnout after come all these years, that he hasn’t been forgotten,” she said.

Sapienza-Donais, who graduated with the Haverhill High School class of 1975, was also joined by her sister, Joy Sapienza Kessler, who graduated in 1981.

Originally dedicated in 1987, the recent reconstruction took place over two phases—completion of a turf softball and multi-purpose field and running track reconstruction and improvements. Mayor James J. Fiorentini thanked his brother-in-law John Savinelli for suggesting the memorial track to the School Committee 25 years ago and longtime coach John Ottaviani for recommending the track be moved from the stadium to the high school.

Gom Derderian is author of the books “Boston Marathon: The First Century of the World’s Premier Running Event” and “Boston Marathon: 100 Years of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers: 1897-1996.” (WHAV News photograph.)

Guest speaker Tom Derderian related that Sapienza taught him lessons many years ago: “don’t provoke old men and training pays off.” Derderian said he was an 18-year-old UMass student and participating in a 10-mile race in Town of Ware. He said he made the mistake of challenging a graying Sapienza by shouting “gun lap.”

“Tony Sapienza said, ‘You calling it?’ He took off. He was sprinting with five miles to go—not one lap to go, five miles to go. He’s sprinting along. What was I going to do?” He asked.

Derderian is a world class runner in his own right and author of the books “Boston Marathon: The First Century of the World’s Premier Running Event” and “Boston Marathon: 100 Years of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers: 1897-1996.”

During part of the ceremony, the Sapienza children, grandchildren and great grandchildren participated in a baton handoff with Haverhill High School Track Team seniors.

School Committee members Richard J. Rosa, Maura Ryan-Ciardiello and Paul A. Magliocchetti were among those in the audience. Magliocchetti told WHAV the improvements will pay for themselves.

“It is going to be a lasting memory in many ways, but it is also going to be a financial gain for the City of Haverhill and the school department because this incredible facility is going to be very attractive to other cities and towns and organizations that might want to rent it,” he explained.

Sapienza left behind a long list of accomplishments, including his fourth-place finish in the 1958 Boston Marathon, placing in the top 20 six times in that marathon, placing sixth in the 1964 Olympic trials and winning the Penn Relays Masters Mile in Philadelphia in 1970 with a time of 4:38.

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