Mario Patrizi - Camden Catholic
Catcher - 2007

Mario is a 1966 Camden Catholic High School graduate where he was a three-year starting catcher being named All Conference and All South Jersey.

In 1965, Camden Catholic won the City Series championship (Camden, Woodrow Wilson, Camden Catholic and Saint Joseph's). Patrizi's three year high school batting average was just under .450 with 30 home runs and 88 RBIs. He had 72 extra base hits.

Mario made 1st Team, All Parochial Conference honors in 1964 and 1965.While playing in 1966 in the Penn Del League for Mitchell A.A., Vince DiBennedito, a scout for the Cincinnati Reds' organization, signed Patrizi to a professional contract for $5000.

A 1966 Cincinnati Reds' draft pick, He played in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota single A' Northern League. Patrizi, in 1967 appeared to be on the road to the big leagues as a back up to Johnny Bench when he suffered a career-ending spring training injury. In 1968, he was invited back to the Reds, but by then he was a firefighter, married and expecting a child.

He passed up on his dream" for the security of staying with the Camden Fire Department. Mario lives in Pennsauken, NJ.

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