Marino Parascenzo - RIP

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Long time Pittsburgh Post Gazette golf writer passed away this weekend at 95. Also had the misfortune of being my teacher at the University of Pittsburgh.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/2025/08/27/marino-parascenzo-golf-writer/stories/202508270075

 

[rtse11]

Thirty-some years ago I first met Marino at a high school football game in New Castle, Pa. Our paths crossed a few times after that and he was always just as gracious as that first time.

 

[Pickleballgolds]

During a U.S. Open at Oakmont many years ago I went out to dinner as part of a group of six or eight people, two of which were Marino and Bob Drum. How great was that?!
I first met Marino in the mid-80s; great guy with an endless supply of stories. Having sent a fair number of freelance stories his way, what I loved about reading his stuff was that he hated writing what 200 other writers in the same press box sent into their desks.
RIP, my friend.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

I took his class in 2001 and we stayed in contact for over 20 years, occasional calls but mostly emails. I don't think I ever deleted one of his emails because I knew it was something I was going to want to look back on one day. And he had one of the sharpest wits. One of the newspapermen in the region had the reputation of being a fantastic mooch (there were stories about him on the old board involving Steelers training camp and lobster tails). When it was announced that this person was retiring, the next time I spoke with Marino I asked, "did you hear so-and-so is retiring?"

Him, "from what?"

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

https://pittsburghquarterly.com/articles/the-lost-pulitzer/

 

[hondo]

Great guy. Had some good stories about working at the Beaver Falls, Pa., paper when Joe Namath was playing high school.

 

[outofplace]

I took his class in 2001 and we stayed in contact for over 20 years, occasional calls but mostly emails. I don't think I ever deleted one of his emails because I knew it was something I was going to want to look back on one day. And he had one of the sharpest wits. One of the newspapermen in the region had the reputation of being a fantastic mooch (there were stories about him on the old board involving Steelers training camp and lobster tails). When it was announced that this person was retiring, the next time I spoke with Marino I asked, "did you hear so-and-so is retiring?"

Him, "from what?"

For a school without a journalism program, they had some amazing people teaching journalism classes. Oddly enough, I never met Parascenzo. I heard so many great stories about him, but he wasn't teaching it the semester I wanted to take the sports writing class. I wouldn't change a thing because I got Pohla Smith instead and she was also fantastic. I was fortunate enough to work with her after that and she had a big influence on me.

I don't often visit this part of the board, so I'm just now seeing this news. I know many people who thought the world of him. RIP.