Born May 18, 1960, Gorvet is a 1978 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School where he earned letters in baseball and track and field, also earning two letters in golf where he was named team “MVP” as a senior.
He loved sports and participating but was cut from the Redmen baseball team his junior year and that is what propelled him to his coaching career and a resume of which most other coaches are envious. He convinced his older brother, Bob, to answer an advertisement that appeared in The Vindicator seeking a Babe Ruth coach because he was not old enough to do so.
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Along with his brother and friend, Steve Yankle, they assembled the Steve’s Amoco team from the lower Southside that practiced at Stambaugh Field, a team that he remained with from 1977-84.
During that time he helped coach the Babe Ruth 13 year-old state championship squads, first in 1979 with his good friend and mentor, Terry Landis, then in 1980 was a member of the staff that consisted of his brother and Yankle. In 1984, he became president of the Babe Ruth League, that coming after being coaxed into the position by Paul Crowley.
He moved over to coach the Sam Camens Center team on the City’s Westside after Rocky Siciliano asked him to take over his squad and a program that he oversaw, developed and coached for over 30 years.The team went 24-0 that first year and he remained with them until 1991, winning six league titles in the process.
While managing the Babe Ruth Sam Camens entry, he was approached by his former coach, Jack Kaminsky, requesting him to come over to the Class “B” League and help with his squad. From 1986-91 he was running both baseball squads, along with Landis and brother, Bob.
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In 1990, they also had the Babe Ruth all-star team so while the Class B team was in the Connie Mack Regional Tournament in Oxford, OH, their Babe Ruth all-star team was playing in the state tournament in Zanesville.
He credited both coaches for their help at such a critical time and the overall success that they enjoyed. After winning the state in Zanesville, he guided the team to a regional championship in Appleton, Wisconsin and then an appearance in the World Series, held in Houma, Louisiana.
After winning the World Series, the team was invited to the White House as guests of former President George H.W. Bush and First Lady, Barbara Bush, sharing the stage in the Rose Garden with the 1990 World Champion Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball.
After that he stayed in the Class B League, managing Sam Camens Center, Brandywine Apartments and Rondinelli Tuxedo, winning Championships in 1990, 2009 and 2010.
He guided his team to the Connie Mack state title in 2009, also winning and making numerous NABF (National Amateur Baseball Federation) and CABA (Continental Amateur Baseball Association) World Series appearances.
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When local baseball icon, Bob Cene, Sr., passed away in 1999, it was Gorvet who was chosen as President of the Class B League, serving in that capacity from 2000-10. He also returned to take a Babe Ruth all-star team back to the World Series in 2004 with the Kelso-Longview-Washington unit, finishing third overall.
He has over 1,000 wins as a coach, guiding his teams to multiple championships over the years. He is still involved with the Creekside Fitness Franchise of the Class B League, along with the help of Ken Quinn, who runs the daily operations and sponsorship by the Reese Family.
“I have been very fortunate over the years to be able to meet a lot of great people through baseball, making many friends along the way,” Gorvet stated. “I have had many talented players over the years and we all know you cannot win without talent, no matter who you are Players win games, coaches lose them.”
One former player, Ed Reese, currently serves as head baseball coach at Cardinal Mooney High School and this year’s inductee is a member of his staff. Also, he coached the Cardinal Mooney girls’ volleyball team from 2010-19, leading them to 160-plus victories.
In 2014, he guided CMHS to the first District championship in program history and for his efforts was named Division III Volleyball “Coach of the Year.” He was also named Youngstown Class B League “Man of the Year” in 2001, earning NABF national “Man of the Year” plaudits in 2008.
He is the father of two children, a son, Dr. Marc Gorvet and daughter, Marissa, who will soon become a doctor when she graduates from Medical School this May. He currently serves as a pavement analyst manager with the Mahoning County Engineers and along with his wife, Pamela, reside in Youngstown.
