SUNY Cortland Athletics

* A native of Whitehall, N.Y., he earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cortland in 1950 and a master's degree in physical education from Cortland in 1961

* Competed at Cortland in varsity football as a sophomore and junior, varsity wrestling and men's lacrosse as both a junior and senior, and on the freshman football, men's lacrosse and men's track and field teams

* Served on Cortland's Men's Athletic Association (M.A.A.) Council as vice president in his junior year and president in his senior year

* Three-year member of Cortland's Newman Club (Catholic Student Club), including president as a junior, treasurer of Cortland's Lyceum Committee (campus musical organizers) as a junior, and member of Beta Phi Epsilon fraternity

* Joined the U.S. Navy after high school at age 17 and served on the destroyer ship USS William M. Wood during World War II; boxed at Madison Square Garden while in the Navy

* Athletic director and physical education instructor in the newly created Wantagh School District, on Long Island, from 1950-83

* Varsity baseball coach for 30 years at Wantagh, earning more than 350 wins, 23 league championships and four Nassau County championships; at the time of his retirement was the winningest baseball coach in New York State history; also coached football, wrestling and soccer at Wantagh

* Earned Excellence in Teaching Award in the mid-1960s

* After retirement from Wantagh, pursued a second career as an insurance agent and financial planner from 1983 until his second retirement in 2007 at age 80

* Worked with his son Chris Grady '79 at Grady & Father/MassMutual, receiving the designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), and Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT); the MDRT distinction recognized him as one of the top six percent of all life insurance agents in the industry

* Served as a church lecturer and eucharistic minister for 30 years

* Coached in youth all-star leagues for 20 years

* The main field at the Cortland Stadium Complex was named in his honor in 2023

* Inducted into Cortland's Baseball Legends Club as a special honoree in 2024

* Passed away on Feb. 28, 2021, at age 93