Ken Perrone is 73 years old and hasn't lost one iota of his enthusiasm.
The former Salem High football coach was criticized on the editorial page of this newspaper recently by a reader who felt Perrone favored his beloved Witches over arch rival Beverly on the Thanksgiving Game broadcast carried over the Salem State College radio station, WMWM (91.7 FM).
"I got ripped for cheering for Salem?" Perrone, who coached the Witches for 22 seasons, asked. "I was unaware of it. I try to be very fair to both sides ... "
His voice then trailed off, and he came forward with the truth.
Perrone pled guilty.
"I always cheer for Salem," he admitted. " I was especially happy for (current head coach) Scott Connolly. He hadn't won on Thanksgiving — he was 0-for-4 — and I wanted him to feel the great thing it is to win a game of that magnitude. I was thrilled to see the great smile on his face and his players' afterwards. Scott played for me, and I couldn't be more proud of him.
"If you've spent that many years coaching at a school, you develop a built-in dedication and rooting interest for it. You'd have to experience it to understand what I'm talking about. It's imbedded in you."
Ken Perrone is smiling more than ever these days. He's just been named to the Maine State Hall of Fame.
"No question, definitely the best award I've ever received," the Hamden, Conn. native said. "I'm very grateful. This Maine recognition is not for just one sport; it encompasses people from all sports at all levels, high school, college and pro.
"I'm in with some great company; one of the honorees is Jack Butterfield, who was my baseball coach for four years at UMaine."
Perrone, a member of the Mass. State Football Coaches Hall of Fame, said his father died when he was a sophomore at Maine, and Butterfield, the Black Bears varsity coach, became a second father to him. Perrone was a four-year regular at second base and twice was named all-conference.
"Jack had a big influence on my life. He looked after me; was always around for advice. He was one of the finest gentlemen I could have had as a coach," Perrone said.
Dick Magee, the ex-Colby College athletic director and football coach, was likewise a key person in Perrone's career.
"I would say Dick is the reason I'm a football coach," he said. "I had broken my neck in high school, a football thing, and heavy contact sports were ruled out for me. So I did baseball in college. Magee gave me my first job at Lawrence High in Fairfield, as the freshman coach, and my first opportunity to coach football. I had planned on going baseball and basketball as a coach and he turned me on to football. He taught me a lot.
"I told him I had never coached football — I was still a senior in college — and Magee said, 'All I want you to do is keep 30 freshmen happy.'"
Perrone turned two football programs around in Maine in Dixfield High (5-3) and John Bapst (47-6-0) before moving on to the Brewer Witches (1967-73), compiling a 45-12-3 record. His 1970 Brewer edition was ranked No. 1 in the East, No. 1 in New England and No.1 in the nation.
His baseball record in Maine was 121-23.
Pretty soon he was recruited for the Salem Witches and equalled the immortal Bill Broderick's win total in football. Perrone was 151-62-8 during his 22 years there.
He's also had grand slam success as the Salem State baseball coach for 27 years (593-325-4).
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The one-time St. Mary's of Lynn, Lynn Classical, North Shore Spirit and Princeton baseball assistant, Jim Tgettis, may or may not be a candidate for the vacant Salem High position. But Peabody's Steve Lomasney is not, despite rumors that he filed an application.
"I just heard it was open a few days ago," the retired Red Sox minor leaguer said. "I have a lot going on in my life right now and I'm trying to establish myself. I'm home for good, attending Salem State full time and doing a baseball clinic.
"I have no idea when Salem's deadline is. I might be interested if I knew more about it."
If Salem High principal Dave Angeramo wants a role model type with a ton of baseball experience, then Lomasney is someone worth considering.
That is, if he applies.
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Bill Kipouras is a staff writer at the Salem News. He can be reached at 978-338-2615 or by e-mail: bkipouras@salemnews.com.
