Editor’s note: Today’s Norwich Sports Hall of Fame article was researched and written by Pete Smith, a 1963 Norwich High School graduate. This is the second of eight weekly articles profiling the 2011 induction class. The ceremony for these athletes is Saturday, June 18 at Canasawacta Country Club. For more information about the banquet, contact the Norwich High School Athletics office.

Imagine a survey done among ten people who have known Salvatore Mirabito for most of his life. They would be asked to share two memories of Toots.

One would remember that he has an older brother, Frank, who is known as King Kong and has thirteen children. One would recall that Toots had a long successful career as a school administrator at Floral Park Memorial High School on Long Island. Another one could have an interesting story about how his dad, also named Salvatore, would salvage hoses discarded from O&W freight cars to repair the shoes for Toots and his siblings. The fact that Toots’s younger brother, Fred, was a popular mayor of Norwich would be mentioned by one.