Tony Sardisco, president of the S.M. McNaughton Chapter of the National Football Foundation and former Tulane All-America, died at his home last Sunday in Shreveport, La. He was 73 years old.
A native of Shreveport, Sardisco played college ball at Tulane University, accepting their scholarship offer over ones from Louisiana State and Notre Dame. Sardisco played both offensive guard and linebacker during his four years at Tulane, averaging more than 56 minutes of playing time per game his sophomore, junior and senior years. An All-SEC guard in 1954 and 1955, Sardisco played in the Blue-Gray Game, Senior Bowl and College All-Star game following his senior season in 1955. That same year, Sardisco captured First Team Look All-America honors, at a time when the Football Writers Association of America selected the now-defunct magazine’s All-America team. That team also included college gridiron legends such as Howard Cassady, Paul Hornung and Sam Huff.
Following his college career, Sardisco played for one year in the NFL, splitting time with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins, before serving a two-year stint in the United States Air Force. He returned to the pro game in 1960 with the AFL’s Boston Patriots, earning All-Pro recognition in 1961. After his final season in 1963, Sardisco joined the assistant coaching ranks, moving from Jesuit High School in Shreveport to the Buffalo Bills and Temple University before returning to Jesuit in 1970 as their head coach. He became athletics director and psychology teacher at Loyola College Prep (his alma mater) in 1973, but stayed on as the head man at Jesuit for another two seasons. In 1975, Sardisco ventured into the business world, starting a company, Sardisco Insurance Planning Inc., where he remained active up until his death last Sunday.
As the five-year president and 20-year member of the S.M. McNaughton Chapter (Shreveport) of The National Football Foundation, Sardisco discovered an outlet to give back to the game he started playing in 1947. His work with the chapter earned him a trip to New York City this past December to the NFF’s Annual Awards Dinner to be recognized with a national chapter leadership award.
“Football taught me a lot and provided me many opportunities when I was growing up” Sardisco said last December about his opportunity to continue being part of the game through his work with the Foundation. “I use that as motivation to give back as much as I can to these young people playing the game.”
The chapter today boasts a membership roster of over 100 local community members and awards $3,500 in scholarship money to seven football players every year chosen from 51-area high schools. Sardisco took great pride in assisting these young men with their academic and athletic pursuits.
“When I send these checks out to the universities and receive thank you letters from the kids and the parents noting how much it helps, that makes it all worthwhile,” he said in December.
In addition to his duties with the chapter, Sardisco belonged to numerous civic and local organizations in Shreveport, including the Knights of Columbus, Tulane T-Club, the Shreveport Tulane Alumni Chapter, and the Shreveport Parks and Recreation Advisory Council. He is survived by his wife, Julie, and four grown daughters.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
