The South Philadelphia High School’s Alumni Association is pleased to announce the names of the 2021 inductees to the
Cultural and Athletic Halls of Fame.
Athletic Hall of Fame
- Scott Nash Class of 1977
- Michael Scanzano Class of 1968
- Terrell Carla Ford Robinson Class of 1985
Cultural Hall of Fame:
- George Badey Class of 1975
- David Dubinsky Class of 1964
- John Tenaglia Class of 1981
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
Scott Nash: Class of 1977
Scott Nash is a proud member of South Philadelphia High School’s class of 1977. He was a starter on Southern’s varsity baseball team for three years and was selected as an All-Public first baseman. As a sophomore during the 1975 city playoffs, he achieved a batting average of .667 and helped lead the team to victory in the title game, where he went 3 for 3 at the plate. Scott was selected as Captain of the baseball team his senior year and he also played on the Football, Soccer and Bowling teams. Scott had many academic successes at Southern as well. He was a member of the National Honor Society and made the honor roll every semester. He maintained a 4.0 grade point average his senior year and graduated eighth in his class. Recognized as a Scholar-Athlete, he attributes many of the successes he has had n life to lessons learned both on and off the field at Southern. After High School, Scott began what would become a long and accomplished career in the financial services industry. He became a Financial Advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in 1984 and is currently an Executive Vice President and Assistant Branch Manager in the organization. Scott is a graduate of the Wealth Management Advisory Program offered through the Wharton School at the university of Pennsylvania and the College of Financial Planning. He has been recognized in the past as a Premier Advisory by the National Association of Board-Certified Advisory Practices (NABCAP) and was selected as Janney’s Financial Advisory of the Year in 2010. In his time away from the office, Scott is an avid runner and weightlifter and he has completed several 10-mile races as well as a half marathon. He resides in Marlton, NJ with his wife Debbie. They have two grown children, Jillian and Scott and grandchildren Salvatore and Rosalie.
Michael Scanzano: Class of 1968
Mike was aa transfer student to Southern. He believes it was the best decision he made as a student athlete. Mike is recognized by his friends and family as a man of tremendous character. Mike attributes this recognition to the support and guidance of his teachers and coaches at South Philadelphia High School. Playing sports was a large part of his character development. He was considered a true leader by his teammates. Till this day he remains a great friend with many of his high school teammates. Mike was an all-public football player in 1968, playing every minute of every game. He was selected co-captain along with his life-long friend and Southern Hall of Famer, Ron Funaro. Mike was also named to the All-Public Baseball team as a third baseman in 1968. Mike’s team played for the City Championship in his senior year at Connie Mack Stadium, only to lose a heartbreaker in the 11th inning in a bases loaded walk. Many people, to this day, say that game was the best city championship ever played. Mike works for the Government at the Philadelphia Naval Yard and has been there for over 30 years. He has four great children and six beautiful grandchildren.
Terrell Carla Ford Robinson: Class of 1985
Terrell was an all-around participant in South Philadelphia’s Track and Field team from 1982 – 1985. She was a sprinter, hurdler, long-jumper and shot-putter. She ran cross country in the Fall season and indoor track in the Winter. She was also a member of the JV Basketball team. In 1985 she was awarded All Public Honors in the long jump and was Southern’s Track and Field MVP. For her athletics, she remains one of the foremost hurdlers in the school’s history. In addition to track and field, Terrell was a member of and MVP of Southern’s dance team. In addition, in 1985, Terrell athletic abilities were called upon at the last minute to fill in for an injured player and joined the softball team, where she participated in the public league championship game She continued her athletic career at Penn State University where she played basketball for one year and track and field for a year until she was sidelined by injuries. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and then went on to receive a Master of Science degree in Health Education. After Penn State she continued to share her time and athletic talents with the community as a volunteer track coach, youth basketball coach and sports camp coach for both girls and boys. Terrell joined and trained in the Penn State Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and the 341st Medical Reserve Unit. She was an active member of the Army Veterans Medical Service Corps serving the United States Military. She is also a charter member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. She also sits on the Executive Board of the SPHS Alumni Association as the scholarship chairperson. Terrell believes that people should always pay it forward to help others reach their dreams and allow them to succeed.
CULTURAL HALL OF FAME
GEORGE BADEY CLASS OF 1975-LAWYER
George Badey was Valedictorian of SPHS Class of 1975. He received the Mayor’s and Board of Education Scholarships to the University of Pennsylvania where he double majored, and in 1979 received a bachelor’s degree in music and political science. He went on to Villanova Law School and passed the Bar Exam in1982. George has devoted his career to representing working people and taken on some of the largest and most powerful institutions, including Big Tobacco, pharmaceutical giants and the insurance industry. He has won dozens of jury trials, including many seven and eight figure recoveries, and argued precedent-setting cases in the appellate courts, including published decisions in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In the 2000 Presidential Election litigation, he was called upon to litigate the Palm Beach County Florida ‘Butterfly Ballot Case.’ George founded his four-attorney litigation-boutique firm in Center City and for 15 consecutive years has been selected as a “Super-Lawyer,” an honor reserved for less than 5% of lawyers. He has demonstrated extraordinary leadership skills and resilience in the face of difficult circumstances. For many years George has served and still serves as Chairman of the Radnor Democratic Committee which comprises the “Main Line” areas of Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Rosemont, St. Davids, and Wayne. Formerly a Republican stronghold for over 100 years, Radnor has become Democratic under George’s leadership. In 2012 George won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Congress in the-then 7th District (covering parts of five counties) Although unsuccessful in the General Election, he made a respectable showing, receiving almost 150,000 votes. He serves on Cabrini University’s Board of Trustees but has not forgotten his South Philadelphia roots. Since 1971, at the age of 13, George has been a Mummer, and is still a tenor saxophone player in the Fralinger String Band. In 2008, when the very existence of the Mummers Parade was threatened by City budget cuts, George founded “Save The Mummers,” an organization dedicated to preserve the tradition. He became and is still its chairman. Over a six-day period shortly before the 2009 Mummers Parade, George and his organization raised over $200,000 to save the Parade.
DAVID DUBINSKY CLASS OF 1964 – MUSICIAN
Dave Dubinsky was a featured soloist with the US Marine Corps’ “Commandant’s Own,” Washington, D.C., having performed for Presidents’ Johnson and Nixon, and many foreign heads of State. As a Marine musician, Dave also served as a Ceremonial Bugler at Arlington National Cemetery. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Dave was the Lead trumpet player with the renowned Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra and Lead trumpeter, soloist and co-producer with the Adagio Big Band. Recording credits include the USMC, Pop/Rock Group “Sunshine,” and three CD’s currently available on iTunes and CD Baby, with the New England Show Band, “Rico Barr and the Jump ‘n Jive Review.” In 2002, Dave was voted “Runner-Up,” in the Best Trumpeter category, for the National Swing Awards. Over his career, he has performed multiple engagements with Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Rita Moreno, Julie Budd, Frankie Fontaine, The Ink Spots, and several performances, within the Pit Orchestra, at the North Shore Music Theatre. In 2015, Dave appeared and performed in the Walt Disney film, “The Finest Hours,” starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, Jr. As an educator/arranger/clinician/author and adjudicator, Dave’s career included directing large concert, marching and jazz bands, as well as several prominent nationally known, competitive bands and drum and bugle corps. He served, as VP of Education and Community Outreach, on the Board of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s expansive volunteer organization. Dave has also written over 150 musical arrangements and has served as Director and Adjudicator, for thirty-three years, with “World Strides Onstage” and the “Bowl Games of America” companies and was a member of the National Judges Association and Drum Corps Associates adjudication panels. Dave was a contributing writer, within the “Jazz Education Chapter,” of the Holt, Reinhardt and Winston textbook, “Teaching Music In The Secondary Schools,” Tatarunis, et al. And, at this stage of his life, Dave takes great pride in knowing that some of his former students have gone on to become prominent jazz and orchestral musicians, and even Grammy Award winners.
JOHN TENAGLIA CLASS OF 1981-BARITONE
John Tenaglia earned a Master of Music degree in voice and opera from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts in 1986. For most of his career, John, specialized in Italian Verismo Operas. He recently performed with legendary Soprano Aprile Millo and Tenor John Horton Murray in a concert of verismo opera at the Kimmel Center. He has performed with numerous opera companies across the United States. Including: Opera Delaware, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Company of Phila., Florentine Opera, Opera Florham, New York City Opera. Chicago Symphony. Performing roles in Le Nozze di Figaro, Merry Widow, Mikado, Magic Flute, Pagliacci, Madame Butterfly, Rigoletto and Tosca, and in the world premiere of a Wrinkle in Time. In his younger years, he was a member of the “Tenaglia Trio “with his wife Joan and brother Frank and they headlined with Comedian Pat Cooper and entertainer Arturo Coppola at major Italian Festivals. John also has recorded with Violinist Nada Salerno Sonnenberg’s Christmas CD, and Voices For Children. In 2013 he retired as the Music Director and conductor of St. Peter Catholic Church, Adult Choir and Orchestra, in Merchantville, NJ. He was a member of the voice faculty with Stanton Hall Studios, Phila. Archdiocese, Glassboro State College (Rowan University), and the Phila. College of Performing Arts Conservatory. John was honored with the prestigious awards and scholarships from Mario Lanza Institute, Luciano Pavarotti Competition, Sergio Franchi scholarship, the Metropolitan Opera Eastern Regionals competition and was a 2 time first place winner of National Association of Teachers of Singers. Since 1977 he has been a part of the family owned John’s Custom Stairs and South Phila. Wine Cellar. John and his wife, Joan, reside in Philadelphia.
