Steven Brucato

Steven Brucato

Steve Brucato was a star performer in three sports while at Bennett. He competed three years in baseball, playing centerfield, first base and pitching, three years of football as a quarterback and kicker, along with four years of ice hockey.

Arguably, Steve may be the most prolific scorer in ice hockey to ever come out of the Buffalo Public Schools. Steve scored an incredible 70 goals in 21 games during his senior year. Steve also scored the winning goal in overtime in the league championship game. That was Steve’s 5th goal of the game, with one assist, in a 6 to 5 victory.

Steve was on the league All-Star team all four years of high school, and league MVP his junior year, and Bennett MVP his junior and senior season. Steve is still active in hockey and baseball, In 2011 Steve led his team to the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey championship, and can be found on the baseball diamond several nights a week.

Steve still resides in Buffalo, and is the manager of Gabel’s on Hertel Avenue. He also is a regular at Bennett sporting events.

Edward Finnerty

Edward Finnerty

Ed was a three sport athlete while at Bennett. His main contribution was as a distance runner. Ed lettered in Cross Country in 1957, ‘58 and ‘59, achieving first team All-High in 1959. The Bennett teams of 1957 and ‘58 won the Columbia Cup, as city champions. Ed’s distance running prowess carried over to track where he ran the 880 yard run, lettering for three years. Ed finished second in the 880 in 1958, ‘59 and ‘60. His leadership qualities led to his being named Captain of both the Cross Country and Track squads. Ed also played on the Yale Cup Champion basketball team of 1959.

Today Ed and his wife of 53 years, Fran, also a Bennett grad, live in Sanborn, NY. Ed always kept up his sports participation, competing in softball until age 67. Ed also played JFK touch football on his company team, and is still active in bowling and golf. Ed now enjoys his retirement by watching his four Grandchildren play hockey, soccer and baseball.

Edwin Johnson

Edwin Johnson

Edwin Carpenter Johnson (Ed) was born on June 15, 1955 in South Bend, Indiana. The family relocated to Buffalo and Ed began his education in the Buffalo Public Schools. He played football at Bennett High School from 1971-1973, and basketball from 1971-1973, co-captain 73, MVP 73, where he led the team in scoring, averaging 25 points per game. He graduated from Bennett High School in 1973 and went to SUNY at Albany. Ed later transferred to SUNY at Buffalo, where he also played Varsity basketball. He earned his degree in Bachelor of Arts in 1978 and then pursued a short career playing international basketball in France. Ed suddenly died on November 7, 2001.

Ed is survived by his 3 children: Jewel Askew (Terence, Sr. of Buffalo), Kellyn Johnson of Dallas, TX, and Christopher Edwin Johnson of Murfreesboro, TN: one grandson Terence Askew, Jr. who carries on his grandfather’s legacy through football and basketball.

H. David Jay

H. David Jay

David Jay, affectionately known as “Duke” or “Uncle Dave”, has had a life long connection with sports. Like Earle Hannel himself, Dave played varsity baseball at Bennett, helping the Tigers win three consecutive Cornell Cups in 1955, ‘56 and ‘57. Both men also stayed loyal to Bennett forever, and never missed a chance to boost the city or our sports teams.

From Bennett, Dave attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he played varsity baseball and basketball, and coached the bowling team at Pratt. Dave graduated with a degree in Architecture. During and after Dave’s time in the U.S. Service, Dave continued his lifetime connection with sports, playing service baseball,refereeing soccer. Dave then spent 18 years as a youth baseball coach in the Virginia area, becoming Virginia State Asst. Commissioner of the Babe Ruth Leagues from 2004 to 2013.

Uncle Dave, now 75 years old, still works today, and can be found any Sunday there is a Bills game on TV at Grevey’s Restaurant in Falls Creek, VA. Dave always makes Bills and sabre games along with “Buffalo Night” a major event in the D.C. area.

Today, Dave ( a widower for 13 years ) resides in Ashburn, VA and enjoys spending time with his 3 children, 2 step daughters and 2 Grandchildren.

Sam Miloro

Sam Miloro

Sam, a versatile athlete at Bennett, played baseball, basketball and ran cross country. Not only did he receive All High honors in baseball{short stop} in 1961, Sam was named Most Outstanding Athlete that same year. He was also the captain of the ‘61 baseball and basketball teams his senior year.

After pitching a no-hitter in July, 1961, Sam entered Brockport State where he received All-State honors and the MVP award in 1964. He led the nation in stolen bases that same year and thereafter, declined a contract with the Detroit Tigers.

Sam is a retired teacher and administrator for the Buffalo Public School System. He has been married to his wife Nancy for 47 years and they are the proud parents of a son Scott, a lawyer in New York City, and daughter Aimee, a counselor at Erie Community College.