Garofola, Quagliano earn highest honors
Two veteran Daily Herald sports writers became high school hall of famers this year.
Mike Garofola, who has been covering prep sports at the Daily Herald for 27 years, went into the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Hall on April 16 at a ceremony at the Holiday Inn in Countryside.
"To become just the second reporter ever honored among so many wrestling greats of the 2023 Hall of Fame class who have achieved so much in this great sport was quite humbling," Garofola said.
Among those Garofola thanked for giving him a better understanding of the sport in his early years covering were Jim Cartwright, Dale Eggert, Gary McMorrow, Bob Tipsword and Mick Torres.
"I thank all of them for their help and friendship," Garofola said.
Garofola, who in addition to wrestling covers boys and girls soccer and boys tennis in the fall and spring for the Daily Herald, graduated from Hersey High School in 1971 and then Harper Junior College.
Dick Quagliano also has been honored for his nearly 50 years being involved in high school sports.
Quagliano will be inducted into the Illinois High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Saturday night at Redbird Arena in Normal.
"It was a huge thrill and kind of acknowledged all the work I've done," Quagliano said of being part of a HOF class that includes Naperville Central graduate Candace Parker, who he lists as one of the best players he covered along with names like Isiah Thomas and Kevin Garnett.
Quagliano, who will attend the ceremony with his wife Debi and was nominated for the honor by St. Patrick coach Mike Bailey, got started taking basketball box scores at his high school, Lake Forest Academy, in 1973. He would then call those into City News for $2 a game.
Quagliano became the sports editor and editor-in-chief of his college paper at Northeastern Illinois. Then after a brief stint as investigative reporter at Channel 2 News, he started freelancing high school sports for Bob Frisk at the Daily Herald and then Taylor Bell at the Chicago Sun-Times in the early 1980s.
Quagliano stayed at the Sun-Times for 31 years covering football, basketball and baseball before Marty Maciaszek brought him on board at the Daily Herald. Quagliano has been a fixture at games for the Herald in the Northwest suburbs ever since.
"I tell people all the time I have the best part-time job in the world," Quagliano said. "I've got the best seat in the house and all I have to do is write a story?
"I've had the opportunity to meet so many terrific people - not just the guys who went on to NBA fame or the NFL, but just tell stories about kids. That's the fun part."