Catholic Memorial’s gymnasium is named after him, but Ronald S. Perry’s legacy extends far beyond the building.

An iconic figure in the local high school and college sports scene for nearly half a century, Perry died last Friday at the age of 92.

“It’s difficult to put into words the impact he had on my life and the lives of many other young men who played for him,” said former Catholic Memorial basketball star Ron Teixeira. “He is more than just a coach, he has been a mentor to me my whole life and I would not be where I am today without him.”

Perry attended Somerville High School, where he rose to prominence as an outstanding two-sport athlete. The first 1,000-point scorer in school history (his 1,154 career points still stand as a boys record), Perry led the Highlanders to the Class A and New England titles in 1949. Perry was equally dominant on the baseball diamond, leading his team to an Eastern Mass. championship in 1950.

“You just haven’t had athletes like that, someone who was an expert in basketball and baseball,” said Jerry Knight, who later served as hoops coach and athletic director at Somerville . “I remember the first time I saw him play was when I was eight years old. He was a great player, but he was also an accomplished student, member of the National Honor Society and class president.

Mark Antonelli, current Somerville basketball coach, added, “He was always very friendly with me on the phone, asking me questions about my family and the team. He even grew up knowing my grandfather and great uncles. As a kid who grew up on Somerville basketball folklore, I remember being in awe of spending 30 minutes on the phone with “the Ronnie Perry.” »

Perry later played both sports at Holy Cross and was part of the glory era of athletics there. He was part of a Crusader team that won a College World Series title in 1952. A three-year starter in basketball, Perry averaged more than 11 points and was a starter on the 1954 team that won the NIT title.

“The best way to describe Ronnie was he was a winner,” said Don Prohovich, who was a teammate of Perry’s on the NIT championship team. “He was a legend, someone who did everything well. When I was a freshman, I had to guard him in practice and he was just awesome. He was a great shooter but he sacrificed himself because we had Togo Palazzi, Tommy Heinsohn and Joe Liebler.

Perry was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the fourth round of the 1954 NBA Draft (32nd overall pick), but chose to sign with the Milwaukee Braves. A three-year stint in the Marines interrupted his professional sports career and he went to work at Catholic Memorial as a teacher, athletic director and baseball and basketball coach. In 13 years as basketball coach, Perry accumulated a 292-34 record, won 10 Catholic Conference titles, eight New England Catholic championships and three state crowns.

“The first time I saw Catholic Memorial play was in Newport and they played Power Memorial and Lew Alcindor,” said BABC founder/coach Leo Papile. “He was the first to put Boston basketball on the map, he gave us some legitimacy. He had a standard of excellence and was always a gentleman.

Perry had many outstanding players who competed in college, one of them being Bill Raynor. An All-American at Catholic Memorial, Raynor went on to play at Dartmouth and was later named to the school’s Hall of Fame.

“I describe him as a coach, a mentor and a friend – someone who played an important role in my life,” Raynor said. “I first met him when I was 15 and we had a relationship that continued until the day he passed away.”

Perry returned to Holy Cross in 1972 and served as athletic director from 1972 to 1998. His presence was immediately felt as the school grew its programs from 10 to 25 and many sports flourished under his watchful eye.

Perry wasn’t a coach, but he still impacted many lives, including that of Peter Colombo. A standout quarterback at Brockton High, Colombo arrived at Holy Cross and became a decorated athlete in two sports (football and baseball), eventually landing in the school’s Hall of Fame in 1996.

“I love the man,” said Colombo, who played second base alongside Mr. Perry’s son, Ronnie. “He was a good family man, a great coach and administrator and like my father (Armond, the legendary Brockton football coach), he helped thousands of guys like me.”

In his later years, Perry was known for his devotion to his wife of 59 years, Pat. She suffered a stroke and required constant care in the last years of her life before her passing in 2015. Perry returned to the West Roxbury area and was a constant fixture on campus. Catholic Memorial President Dr. Peter F. Folan arrived 11 years ago and still fondly remembers the first time he met Perry.

“He came into my office and we had a conversation about the value of athletics and how athletics shapes and builds the character of the student,” Folan said. “We talked about the power of the coach as a role model and how important it is that he cares about the individuals on the team.

“When his wife died, he came to school every day. He would come in, sit on the bench outside the school, talk to the students and teachers, then say a prayer in the school chapel before leaving.

“He was an accomplished man of faith and high character. He was part of the Greatest Generation and a role model we should all aspire to.