“Rick Cassata” Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
www.buffalosportshallfame.com/2002/rick_cassata.html
www.buffalosportshallfame.com/2002/rick_cassata.html
![Rick Cassata.](images/cassata2.jpg)
A product of Buffalo's West Side, Cassata first served notice of future greatness at Tonawanda High School. A strong-armed quarterback, Rick attained All-Niagara Frontier League honors as a junior in 1962, and added All-Western New York and All- American citations in 1963. Rick paced the Red Warriors to a share of the NFL title in 1962, and to an undefeated championship season in 1963.
Basketball and baseball provided additional showcases for Cassata's talents. Rick led his roundball teammates to an AAA Sectional championship in 1962, and a year later achieved All-NFL status as a forward. Rick's basketball contributions were recognized with selection to the NFL All-Decade team for the 1960s. Rick was no less a terror on the diamond; the hard-hitting, hard–throwing shortstop/pitcher won an NFL batting title in 1963 and All-NFL and All-Western New York honors in 1964.
![Rick Cassata.](images/cassata_rick.jpg)
Rick also captained the Syracuse nine senior year, and faced another fork in the road after graduation, as scouts from the New York Yankees and Washington Senators crowded pro football scouts on his doorstep. Rick opted for the Canadian Football League. Cassata flourished as a quarterback in the wide-open CFL, and his stellar nine-year career north of the border included a Grey Cup win with the Ottawa Roughriders in 1973.
Cassata is proud of his Western New York roots, which he still maintains, and the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame is equally proud to call him a member.