Along with brother, Bob, the Leonard’s are two of five football players who will honored tonight in this year’s Trumbull County Sports Hall of Fame class.
Born January 30, 1942, he is a 1960 graduate of Niles McKinley High School where he starred for the Red Dragons in both football and basketball, later returning to his alma mater as an assistant football coach then as its director of athletics, finishing his career in education as the school’s business manager.
An outstanding quarterback, he played first under Joe Bassett (1957) as a sophomore then under the late great OHSAA Hall of Fame coach, Tony Mason (1958-59) his final two varsity seasons, serving as co-captain during the 1959 campaign.
He helped the team to a 4-2-1 mark in 1957, a 5-2-1 ledger in Mason’s first season at the helm in 1958 and as a senior signal-caller, the team went 6-1-2, going unbeaten over their final eight games (6-0-2) to kick-start what would become an amazing 48-game unbeaten streak with two state titles (1961 and 1963), all under the direction of Mason.
For his play, he was selected to participate in the Trumbull County vs. Mercer (PA) County All-Star game at Warren Harding’s Mollenkopf Stadium.
Under head coach Dan Modak, the Trumbull County all-stars raced to a 16-12 victory with Leonard bring named “Most Valuable Back” in the contest.
During the 1959-60 basketball season, his final scholastic campaign, he also served as co-captain of the team, which was coached by Bassett, helping the Red Dragons to their biggest win of the season, a 48-43 victory at Canton McKinley.
Their biggest tournament win came at the expense of Warren G. Harding High School, 58-52, that coming in the District championship at Youngstown’s South High Field House.
For his efforts on the hardwood, he was selected to the Northeast Ohio All-Star team that played against the Western Pennsylvania All-Stars. Coached by Dick Boyd, the Ohio all-stars lost both games – one was played at Farrell High and the other at Warren G. Harding High – but both contests were extremely competitive.
Upon graduation he earned a scholarship to Indiana State College of Pennsylvania where played quarterback and was selected as co-captain of the 1963 squad.
His first two seasons with the Crimson Hawks under head coach Sam Smith, the team posted 2-4-2 and 2-7-0 marks – they were 1-7-2 in the PSAC West – but during his junior (5-2-1, 4-1-1: PSAC West) and senior campaigns (7-1-1, 5-1: PSAC West), under head coach Chuck Mills, he led the squad under center and was 12-3-2 overall with a 9-2-1 record in the PSAC West.
In 1963, the team won the State College championship and was selected to play New Jersey’s state college team, Montclair State, at the Atlantic Convention Center.
An indoor football game back then was almost unheard of with sod being brought in for the game, but the tilt never materialized because that day, November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and all college games that Saturday were cancelled.
For his efforts, Mills chose him as ISC’s “Most Valuable Player.”
Upon graduating from college, he was hired by the Niles School System with head football coach Glenn Stennett tabbing him to coach his quarterbacks and defensive backs.
In addition to Stennett, he also coached with Bob Shaw, Fred Conti and Tony Napolet, taking over the reins of the Red Dragons’ grid fortunes for two seasons (1984-85).
In 1966, he coached brother Bob during their memorable 10-0 undefeated campaign under Shaw and in addition to coaching many great athletes, he had the good fortune of coaching his brother-in-law, Rick Gales, then watched his grandson, Zack Leonard, bark signals under center earlier in the decade.
When his coaching career concluded, he served 10 years as Niles McKinley’s director of athletics then finished his career as business manager, retiring in 2001 after 37 years of service.
He is married to his high school sweetheart, the former Mary Ann Gales – her brothers, Bill and Rick were also outstanding Red Dragon athletes who went on to play collegiately – and they are the proud parents of four children, Laure, Rick, Bill and Jennifer.
They have seven grandchildren, Molly, Lexi, Zack, Kira, Andrew, Aly and Alex, and reside in Niles.
