Bill Text: IL HR0556 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Declares October 25, 2023 as Gene "Coach Ping" Pingatore Day in the State of Illinois. Remembers the legacy Gene Pingatore created and the many lives he touched during his lifetime.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-20 - Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Cyril Nichols [HR0556 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HR0556-Introduced.html

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HR0556 LRB103 35140 LAW 65104 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives wish to recognize and celebrate the birthdate
of the late Gene "Coach Ping" Pingatore on October 25, 2023;
and
WHEREAS, Gene Pingatore was born on October 25, 1936 and
passed away on June 26, 2019; he was raised in Cicero; he
graduated from St. Mel's High School in 1954; he earned his
Bachelor of Arts in History from Loyola University of Los
Angeles, known today as Loyola Marymount University, in 1958;
and
WHEREAS, Following his college graduation, Gene Pingatore
returned home and began working as a freshman boys basketball
coach at St. Joseph High School in Westchester in 1960, the
school's first academic year; he became the head varsity coach
of the St. Joseph High School boys basketball team, the
Chargers, in 1969; he served as head coach for 51 years and was
the most successful basketball coach in Illinois High School
Association (IHSA) history; he further served the school in a
number of roles, including as a social studies teacher, the
director of recruitment, the assistant principal, the dean of
students, the director of development, the acting principal,
the director of building and grounds, the special events

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coordinator, and the alumni director; and
WHEREAS, Under Gene Pingatore's guidance, the St. Joseph
High School boys basketball team was one of the best in the
State, winning 34 regional championships and 13 sectionals,
advancing to the state finals six times, and winning two state
championships, Class 2A in 1999 and Class 3A in 2015; he
possessed a record of 1,035-383, becoming the only coach in
Illinois to accomplish 1,000 wins, making him one of only 15
coaches in the nation; and
WHEREAS, Gene Pingatore received many accolades for his
work, including being named Educator of the Year by the
Illinois State Crime Commission/Police Athletic League of
Illinois in 2008, Coach of the West for the McDonald
All-American Game in Chicago in 2011, Coach of the Year by the
Central Officials Association in 2016, and Coach of the Year
by Pioneer Press and Suburban Life in 1978, 1979, and 1999, and
again by Suburban Life in 1981, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1999,
and 2004; he also received the Ellie Hasan Award from the
Central Officials Association in 2005, the De La Salle Award
for Service and Leadership in the Community from Lewis
University in 2010, and the 2018 Morgan Wootten Award for
Lifetime Achievement in Coaching High School Basketball from
the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; and

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WHEREAS, Gene Pingatore was affectionately known as "Coach
Ping", and he became nationally known for his starring role in
the critically acclaimed 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams; his
leadership and guidance positively impacted an immeasurable
number of students; and
WHEREAS, Gene Pingatore coached many talented student
athletes who played professionally in the U.S. and abroad,
including Indiana All-American and NBA's Isiah Thomas, Indiana
All-American Daryl Thomas who played in Europe, Kansas State
All-American and CBA's Deryl Cunningham who played in Europe,
Clifford Scales who played in Finland, Carl Hayes who played
in Europe, Marty Clark who played in South America, NBA's Amal
McCaskill, Gerald Eaker who played in Europe and Mexico,
Marlon London who played in Europe and Latin America, Brandon
Watkins who played in Europe, and 2010 College Player of the
Year and NBA's Evan Turner, as well as Dallas Cowboys and
Chicago Bears offensive lineman Andy Fredrick and Chicago
Bears wide receiver Cameron Meredith; and
WHEREAS, Gene Pingatore also coached several players who
led rich collegiate careers, including Robert Morris' Kenny
Williams, Marquette's Tony Reeder, University of Illinois at
Chicago's Tony Freeman, Northern Illinois' Brian Molis,
Marquette's William Gates, Dayton's Rodney Horton, Bowling
Green's Jabari Mattox, Iowa and Southern Illinois' Tony

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Freeman Jr., Notre Dame's Jonathan Peoples, Illinois' Demetri
McCamey, Nebraska's Glynn Watson, Northwestern's Jordan Ash,
and University of Southern California's Nick Rakocevic; and
WHEREAS, Gene Pingatore was the son of the late Frank and
Annette Pingatore; the brother of the late Sandra Pingatore;
the father of Lisa; the grandfather of Erin, Kelli, and Jack;
the fiance of Jill Oakley; the uncle of Frank, Nick, and the
late Robert; and the great-uncle, godfather, cousin, and
friend of many; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we declare October 25, 2023 as Gene "Coach Ping" Pingatore Day
in the State of Illinois; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we remember the legacy Gene Pingatore
created and the many lives he touched during his lifetime; and
be it further