Larry Calabrese earned his way into the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame on the strength of four· record-setting years at Utica College. 1958 to 1962.

To borrow a phrase. Calabrese was the "little big man" on the basketball court. He was frequently referred to as a versatile athlete at Utica College putting his skills to the test in varsity bowling. plus intramural football, ping-pong and softball for Delta Phi Sigma.

Calabrese, born in Utica in 1940, averaged 15 points per game in two varsity seasons as guard at T.R. Proctor High School. He also set a school record for career assists.

Oddly enough, his game really blossomed at Utica College in the face of Superior competition. The Pioneers won a combined 12 games in his first two seasons of Division III ball.

In his junior year in 1961. the 6-foot, ISS-pound guard set the Pioneers' single season record of 407 points in 20 games, 17 points better than the previous mark, although UC finished with a. 3-17 season. Calabrese scored double figures in every game, except one in which he was injured.

He tallied 368 points as a senior, capping off his second year as team captain. At the end of his four-year reign in 1962, Calabrese grabbed additional school records for career points (1,195) held previously by Nonnie Pensaro, and single-game scoring (45 points) against Rochester Tech (now RIT). The latter record still stands. His accuracy at the free throw line, as well as his outside jumpshots were the keys to his records.

After graduation, Calabrese played 10 years of semi-pro basketball for Pecorello's Market.

He was a Section III scholastic basketball official for 30 years. becoming one of the highest-rated officials in the area. He is past president of Board 51 of basketball officials.

Calabrese earned a degree in accounting from UC. He is now senior vice-president of marketing for Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Utica Watertown.

Among Calabrese's teammates at Utica College was Jim Klein, also a 1995 Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame inductee.