8 minute read
DOUBLE PLAY
"On Thursday, April 13, I decided to go to Sanford to watch the baseball game between Sanford and Tatnall. It would be my first time at that baseball field since I played there in May 1963. I traveled to Sanford and parked on the side of the road about 80 yards from the field. I started walking up the road to the game. About 20 yards from the field, I moved over to the grass. I felt somewhat fatigued and decided to pause and rest. The last thing I recall was dropping down on my knees. The next thing I knew, I was in an ambulance heading to Christiana Care Hospital, being treated by EMTs.
When I got to the emergency room, I was told that I had experienced a sudden cardiac arrest. As I learned later, Sanford's Assistant Baseball Coach, Matt Wilson, their Athletic Trainer, Taylor DiGiovine, and a Building and Grounds Team member, Andrew Fehnel, had come to assist me. Using CPR and an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), they were able to shock my heart back into a normal rhythm, thus saving my life. I was a very lucky guy and happened to be in the right place at the right time." John Crescenzi '63
Saving John Crescenzi's life was a significant event that started the Sanford community. After the incident, remnants of concern and relief clung to the spirit of the campus. Furthermore, an overwhelming sense s of wonder about John's life story and his relationship with Sanford pervaded the minds of the Warriors present that day.
"After helping John, my number one concern was figuring out who this guy was and making sure he was all right. I couldn't shake off the worry as I wondered what had happened to him, but I also wanted to know why he came to campus. Once we got word that he was okay, I wanted to learn more about his story and his time as a student. This encounter has changed not just John's life but mine as well." -Matt Wilson, Dean of Upper School Students and Varsity Baseball Coach.
Matt was determined to learn more. Fortunately, his Upper School colleague could provide a more meaningful answer.
For John Fritz, the preservation of Sanford’s Archives has been a labor of love for many years: “I got involved with the archives when I realized that we had a limited supply of remaining yearbooks, so I started digitizing them in case they could be useful for future student media projects. As I began compiling them, I noticed how much more of our rich history could be preserved and shared in this way. Since then, I’ve teamed with Ceil Baum, Sanford’s long-time Admissions Associate, Nedda Moqtaderi, a professional archivist and Sanford parent, and numerous alums, including Aaron White ’20. We have collected and documented tens of thousands of photos, publications, documents, and ephemera over the past 93 years. I’m proud to be able to contribute in this way to this place that I’ve known and loved for the last 20 years.” -John Fritz, Sanford Faculty Member.
Their combined efforts to restore Sanford’s historical archives unveiled a treasure trove of forgotten stories. Together, the downstairs rooms of Kidder Hall were cleaned and organized and became a hub of meticulous organization. While much work is needed, our student interns and alumni have made a diligent effort to label, scan, and preserve our history.
Among the memorabilia from the 1960s, a dusty copy of the 1963 yearbook revealed the remarkable accomplishments of John Crescenzi. Instead of being just known as a visiting alum, we could piece together John’s time at our school. From flipping through photos, we learned that John was an accomplished student who participated in many aspects of campus life. He had been a member of the National Honor Society, class president, and a standout athlete who earned a varsity letter in every sport on offer at the time. His leadership on and off the field shone through his roles as co-captain of the baseball and tennis teams and through his contributions to the football team.
Once Crescenzi was feeling better, the Sanford Development team invited him to return to campus for Alumni Day with classmate Allen Wolfe ’63:
“We very much enjoyed a tour of the campus and marveled how much things had changed since we graduated. One thing that had not changed very much was the dining hall. We even saw a photo hanging on the wall from the ’60s that included Allen and several of our classmates.” -John Crescenzi ’63
“It was wonderful to see alums of all ages return to Sanford for Alumni Day this spring. We have several exciting events in 2024 (page 47). We hope to see our Sanford Warriors back on campus soon!” -Lauren Evans, Alumni & Parent Engagement Coordinator
The baseball team had not forgotten about John and was keen to learn more about his recovery. They invited John to throw the first pitch for the senior game.
“Before the game, I thanked Taylor for saving my life and asked him if he had ever used the AED before. He said no - so I guess he is batting at 1.000%. After the team won the game, a few of the fans came up to me to say how glad they were that I had survived the incident. It seems that many of them were there when my emergency occurred... After the game, I had the opportunity to speak with the rest of the team… I congratulated them on the fine season… Like many other alumni, Sanford means a great deal to me, but I’m not sure how many other alumni can say that Sanford saved their life.” - John Crescenzi ’63
From this moment, the varsity baseball team continued their incredible winning streak, boasting a regular season record of 16-1, which culminated in a historic conference title for the first time since 1975. This spring, Matt Wilson received the Waterman Award for Coaching Excellence, and Head Coach Jamie Clark was named Delaware Baseball Coach of the Year. To read about our Athletic Awards, please turn to page 33.
“Last year was a great baseball season, winning the conference and getting a first-round bye in the state tournament. We knew we were a special team, and I was proud of the way we showed it on the field.” - Brady Fox ’24
As they prepare for the upcoming season, both our players and staff are excited to build on the team’s success. This fall, our Building and Grounds crew renovated the field, thanks to Coach Clark’s leadership and a successful fundraising campaign. With generous restricted gifts, we now have newly renovated playing surfaces for the team in the spring.
“Expectations are higher, and we are playing a tougher schedule this year. However, our goals remain the same. We focus and work hard in practice every day and play as a team on game day with the goal of winning each contest. We are also looking forward to playing on our newly refurbished field this spring ” - Jamie Clark, Head Coach
We invite each member of our community to reflect on our shared history and the many lives that have been touched by our school. One way to participate is by viewing the scanned Sanford yearbooks on our website: www.sanfordschool.org/alumni/digital-yearbooks
Sanford’s legacy is shaped by the commitment of many individuals who have left a lasting impression and those who support our school’s future. We sincerely appreciate everyone’s contributions to our ongoing journey. Your support guarantees Sanford’s legacy continues to thrive and endure for future Sanford Warriors.
After Attending Alumni Day in April, Allen Wolfe ’63 approached John with the idea of sharing his story to help Sanford prepare for future incidents like his own. At the time, six campus buildings needed new AED devices. With support from their classmates, over $6,800 was raised for these life-saving devices. Contact the Sanford Development Office at 302-235-6510 or development@sanfordschool.org to join this effort. Thank you to the following contributors:
Mr. John S. Crescenzi ’63
Mrs. Susan Fischer ’64 & Mr. Douglas Fischer
Mr. Bruce R. Pease ’63
Ms. Ellen J. Rende ’63
Mr. David Robertson ’63 AA
Mrs. Susan Shelley ’63
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Taylor
Mr. and Mrs. Allen L. Wolfe ’63
