Sonny Vaccaro display case
In honor of one of Trafford’s sons being featured in a new major motion picture, (Matt Damon portraying Sonny Vaccaro in the movie ‘Air: Courting a Legend’), the Trafford Historical Society has created a display inside the Trafford Borough Building. This is a small homage to Sonny Vaccaro’s Trafford roots. Did you know that Sonny was a top high school football player in Western Pennsylvania? From Trafford High, he was counted among one of the Top 33 players in the WPIAL by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 1956. Did you know he was also a Trafford coach and teacher? Maybe you played on his team and your photo is inside our display. Tell the grandkids, hey, let’s go down to the Trafford Library and look at the photo of me standing next to Matt Damon :)
Remember the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic? A bit of history that a generation of students may never have even known was started by Sonny Vaccaro and legendary concert promoter Pat DiCesare.
Special thanks to the following people who helped contribute to making the display possible: John Jones, Steve Perovich, Andrew Capets, Tom Kelly, Barry Vaccaro, Jay Vaccaro, Jimmy Mastroianni, James Mastroianni, Kevin Bandy, Matt Mastroianni from Mastro Signs and Printing, Craig Toocheck from Quality Lock of Greater Monroeville, Pa, and the Penn-Trafford School District.
Front row (L-R) Mr. Erwin, J. Barsic, S. Plecko, J. Capets, #41 J. Vaccaro, J. Drakulic, W. Lawson,
K. Matulia, J. Minnicucci, A. Washko, Mr. Karanovich.
Middle row (L-R) A. Ritchey, J. McHugh, J. Tomkowicz, R. Wengrzyn, B. Jenkins, J. Kopylcheck, D. Geary, R. Frydrych, M. Gotch.
Back row (L-R) J. Culliver, V. Giacomin, M. Brletic, L. Corl, R. Faulk, N. Kljucaric, D. Green, R. Hydak,
J. Johnston, W. Mikach.
June 1959 (L-R) Sonny's brother James "Chunce" Vaccaro, cousins James J Mastroianni Jr, Robert Mastroianni, James T Mastroianni, Sonny's mother Margaret Vaccaro (1915-2007), and Sonny's Aunt Jennie Mastroianni (1928-1981).
1967 Trafford High Physical Education Department Mr. John Vaccaro and Mrs. Audrey Davis.
