View source for Ralph Sazio

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Short description|Canadian football player, coach, and executive (1922–2008)}}
{{Infobox gridiron football person
| name = Ralph Sazio
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1922|07|22}}
| birth_place = [[Avellino]], Italy
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|09|25|1922|07|22}}
| death_place = [[Burlington, Ontario]], Canada
| team = 
| number = 
| status = 
| position1 = [[Offensive tackle]]
| height_ft = 
| height_in = 
| weight_lb = 
| college = [[William & Mary Tribe football|College of William and Mary]]
| high_school = [[Columbia High School (New Jersey)|Columbia High School]]
| NFLDraftedYear = 1947
| NFLDraftedRound = 28
| NFLDraftedPick = 258<BR>(By the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]])
| NFLDraftedTeam = 
| administrating_years1 = [[1968 CFL season|1968]]–[[1975 CFL season|1975]], [[1980 CFL season|1980]]
| administrating_team1 = [[Hamilton Tiger-Cats]] (GM)
| administrating_years2 = [[1972 CFL season|1972]]–[[1977 CFL season|1977]]
| administrating_team2 = Hamilton Tiger-Cats (President)
| administrating_years3 = [[1978 CFL season|1978]]–[[1980 CFL season|1980]]
| administrating_team3 = Hamilton Tiger-Cats (VP)
| administrating_years4 = [[1981 CFL season|1981]]–[[1990 CFL season|1990]]
| administrating_team4 = [[Toronto Argonauts]] (President)
| coaching_years1 = 1950–1962
| coaching_team1 = Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Asst.)
| coaching_years2 = [[1963 CFL season|1963]]–[[1967 CFL season|1967]]
| coaching_team2 = Hamilton Tiger-Cats
| playing_years1 = 1948
| playing_team1 = [[Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC)]]
| playing_years2 = [[1950 in Canadian football|1950]]–[[1953 in Canadian football|1953]]
| playing_team2 = [[Hamilton Tiger-Cats]]
| career_highlights = 
* Second-team All-[[SoCon]] ([[1946 All-Southern Conference football team|1946]])
| awards = [[Annis Stukus Trophy]] ([[1964 CFL season|1964]])
| DatabaseFootball = SAZIORAL01
| CFHOF = ralph-sazio
| CFHOFYear = 1998
}}
'''Ralph Joseph Sazio''' (July 22, 1922 – September 25, 2008) was a Canadian football player, coach, and executive. He is a member of the [[Canadian Football Hall of Fame]] (1998) as a builder.

Sazio was born in [[Avellino, Italy]] and played [[high school football]] at [[Columbia High School (New Jersey)|Columbia High School]] in [[Maplewood, New Jersey]].<ref>Richardson, William D. "COLLEAGUES HONOR STANFORD MENTOR; Shaughnessy Named 'Coach of the Year' in Poll Taken by the World-Telegram", ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 20, 1940.</ref> He played college football at the [[College of William and Mary]] and played for the [[All-America Football Conference|AAFC]]'s [[Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC)|Brooklyn Dodgers]] in 1948.

==Career==
Ralph Sazio was a mainstay of the [[Canadian Football League]]'s Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a player, assistant coach, head coach, general manager and team president.

His major contribution was as the Tiger-cats' head coach from 1963 to 1967, winning three [[Grey Cup]] championships during that span. He retired from coaching in 1967 as the most successful Tiger-Cat head coach to date in terms of championships (3) and winning percentage.

He later served as [[Toronto Argonauts]] team president from 1981 to 1990.

He was elected to the [[Canadian Football Hall of Fame]] in 1998 in the builder category. He died in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl-legend-ralph-sazio-dies-1.753608|title=CFL legend Ralph Sazio dies|date=September 26, 2008|publisher=CBCSports.ca|access-date=September 26, 2008}}</ref>

==Coaching record==
* Overall: 60–24–1 (.712)
* Regular Season: 49–20–1 (.707)
* Playoffs: 11–4 (.733)
* 1 Grey Cup defeat (1964)
* 3 Grey Cups (1963, 1965, 1967)

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Portal|Biography}}

{{Hamilton Tiger-Cats coach navbox}}
{{Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager navbox}}
{{Hamilton Tiger-Cats team president navbox}}
{{Toronto Argonauts team president navbox}}
{{Toronto Argonauts general manager navbox}}
{{45th Grey Cup}}
{{51st Grey Cup}}
{{53rd Grey Cup}}
{{55th Grey Cup}}
{{Annis Stukus Trophy}}
{{Canadian Football Hall of Fame members}}
{{Steelers1947DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sazio, Ralph}}
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:American football offensive linemen]]
[[Category:Canadian football offensive linemen]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC) players]]
[[Category:Columbia High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
[[Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats players]]
[[Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats coaches]]
[[Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats team presidents]]
[[Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats general managers]]
[[Category:Toronto Argonauts general managers]]
[[Category:Toronto Argonauts team presidents]]
[[Category:William & Mary Tribe football players]]
[[Category:Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Maplewood, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Italian players of American football]]
[[Category:Italian players of Canadian football]]
[[Category:Italian emigrants to Canada]]