Daddario to enter WNY Baseball HOF

Injuries are the main reason many potential baseball players, and players in other sports, don't reach the majors of their chosen sport.

Such is the case of Paul Daddario, who will be inducted into the Western New York Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at Fontana's Banquet Center, 2440 Clinton St., West Seneca.

As a shortstop at Williamsville East, Daddario was named to the All-ECIC Division II and All-ECIC teams.

A powerful, right hand hitting infielder, Daddario matriculated at Miami-Dade Junior College in Florida where he played second base and batted .300. He shifted to the the University at Buffalo where he led UB in hitting with a .446 average and 25 RBIs in 1983. He was named to the ECAC First Team and All-Star team.

Defensively, he played shortstop for the Bulls during a two-year career but was noted for his hitting. He batted .402 and only struck out 24 times.

Daddario played four years of professional baseball, starting with Pulaski, Va. in the Appalachian League and part of the season with Bradenton, Fla. of the Gulf Coast League. In 1984 he was named to the New York-Penn All-Star team while with Batavia and in 1985 was voted Player of the Year with Waterloo, Iowa of the Midwest League.

In 1986, he suffered a serious knee injury while with Waterbury, Conn. in the Eastern League. He came back the next season with Sarasota, Fla., but played briefly.

Daddario and workhouse pitcher Steve Biancofiore, who lives in Florida, were mainstays of Amherst teams which won five straight Suburban League all-around playoff championships for six in seven years. The players included Mark Clifford, Rich Fink, Scott Yudess, Jeff Brummer, Mike Groh, Charley Weber, and Jim Militello.

"I played about 11 years for several Amherst teams but Biancofiore totaled an amazing 15 years with teams sponsored by the Rooties, Letterbox, and City Mattress," said Daddario.

"We played the equal caliber of MUNY AAA teams in the Erie-Niagara League. It included two Lockport teams, Clarence, Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, and Alden. Jerry Gasz managed five years, then Clifford and Groh managed the other years."

Paul was the son of George Daddario, former Bison assistant general manager to the late GM Don Labbruzzo.