Heidelberg Athletics Hall of Fame
A never -lose attitude and a passion for his sport describe Heidelberg football letter winner Anthony M. "Tony" Munafo Sr.
Anthony spent one year at Heidelberg before being drafted into the Korean War, serving with the United States Army for four years. His time in the Army provided a wake-up call, and upon his return from serving his country, he headed back to Heidelberg to earn a degree.
He played two years of football, earning a letter each year. In his final campaign, Anthony earned a spot on the Ohio Athletic Conference First Team and became the eighth All-American in the history of the football program following a nod on the Williamson All-American Second Team. He also served as a co-captain, all of which were accomplished from his offensive guard spot.
Over the course of his two years on the gridiron, Anthony helped lead Heidelberg to an overall record of 17-1, 10-1 mark against league foes. He was a member of the undefeated team (9-0) in 1955 and in 2005 joined his fellow teammates in the hall of fame for their success. In 1956, Heidelberg claimed its fifth OAC Championship.
Since graduation from Heidelberg in 1957, Anthony has found his calling on the sidelines. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Sandusky High School in 1958 before moving to an assistant position at Massillon High School. In 1966, he made the move to the head coaching ranks at Huron High School and did not disappoint. From 1966-1988 Anthony amassed a record of 153-64-7 and won nine conference championships and had four runner-up finishes. Along the way, he posted undefeated seasons in 1969, 1970 and 1976.
Following his time at Huron, Anthony assisted at Sandusky High once again and also spent time assisting the St. Louis Stampede and the Cleveland Thunderbolts arena football teams. For his efforts in coaching, Anthony was inducted into the Huron High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1994.
Anthony originally hails from Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from Holy Name High School. He married the former Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Weller and they have four children, Guy, Tony Jr., Marjorie and Marc. They are also the proud grandparents of eight grandsons and two granddaughters. Anthony joins his son, 1995 inductee Tony Jr., in the Heidelberg Athletic Hall.
(This profile appeared in the 2009 Hall of Fame Banquet program. Mr. Munafo passed away in 2019.)
