In both athletics and the arts, Armond Magnarelli was a talented performer on several stages. In the early 1940’s at North High, Magnarelli received his education and was introduced to sports.

Magnarelli was a three-sport star in football, basketball and baseball. On the gridiron, he played center and tight end for his two-time city champion Northmen. In basketball, he starred for three years, including North’s undefeated season that included 25 straight wins. He made first team All-City in 1941 and 1942. He also served as player-coach for the five final games of the 1942 season. In his baseball career, he batted over .350 and earned All-City honors when North won the City title in 1941 and 1942.

World War II kept Magnarelli from accepting a scholarship to Columbia University and he joined the Coast Guard. During his military career, he played basketball for the Atlantic City Radio School team, which won the New Jersey State championship after defeating the Philadelphia Spas, a professional team.

Following the war, Magnarelli signed a pro baseball contract and played a season of minor league ball before enrolling at Oswego State where he played baseball, basketball and soccer. He hit over .350 and played catcher, first and third base. His first college at-bat resulted in a home run.

In basketball, he started every game for four years at Oswego and led the team in scoring each year. In the first-ever televised game, he scored 30 points against LeMoyne College at the NYS Fairgrounds Coliseum, a record for a visiting player at the time.

Magnarelli maintained his love of sports throughout his life by coaching several high school basketball, football and six-man football teams. He was also one of the areas most active basketball referees for our local IAABO Board # 38. He won two parochial league championships coaching at St. Lucy's in 1950 and 1951.

In addition to sports, he was active in the theater and starred in numerous productions as a member of the Pompeian Players. He was also active in politics as a member of the Syracuse Board of Education, a Common Councilor, and held the second highest-ranking office in Syracuse – President of the Common Council. He served on the New York State Council of the Arts and was Regional Director of the New York State Department of Parks and Recreation. He was a member of the Syracuse Chiefs Board of Directors and a past president of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame.