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At sundown on October 20, 2001 at Essex Fells Country Club, a dedication of a memorial stone was held for John and two other members of the Essex Fells Golf Club. It was a beautiful and very moving ceremony. A bagpiper played Amazing Grace. Father John of St. Aloysius Church spoke, a poem was read by a club member and a dedication speech was given by a club representative. Finally there was a golfer's salute. Nine club members simultaneously hit golf balls which were then retrieved. The balls were to be mounted and presented to the nine children of the deceased members at a future date. Later members and families went into the club for refreshments. |
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John was posthumously inducted into the Oglethorpe University Sports Hall of Fame at its annual banquet on May 19, 2002 at the Emerson Student Center. John was presented by his soccer coach, Bucky Reynolds, who called John "the best soccer player I ever coached." John was remembered as being a founder and leader of the "Poor Boys," a social club made up of Oglethorpe soccer players. He excelled at all intramural sports and was the cornerstone of numerous extracurricular social activities. For many alumni, no reminiscence of one's days at Oglethorpe between the years of '82-'86 is complete without a story about John. He will always be remembered as one of Oglethorpe's most competitive players and is among its most loved. |
| The dedication ceremony of the John P. Salamone Memorial Soccer Field took place at Oglethorpe University on October 19, 2002. After a welcome by University President Dr. Larry D. Large, remembrances were given by Dean DeCencio, '87, Mrs. MaryEllen Salamone, Thomas Salamone, "Poor Boys," friends, family, other members of the Oglethorpe University community and Bud Salamone who presented Dr. Large and Dr. Victoria Weiss with a check from the John P. Salamone Memorial Foundation establishing an endowed scholarship in his name. Finally the sign, generously donated by Rich Hans, '87, was unveiled officially naming the field the John P. Salamone Memorial Soccer Field. |
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On October 18, 2003 the Inaugural Alumni Soccer Tournament played on May 5, 2003 was renamed the John P. Salamone Annual Alumni Tournament to honor John. Over 30 alumni competed in the tournament which is a 7-aside format consisting of 4 alumni; 2 current men's players and 2 current women's players. The 2003 tournament was designed to create a sense of family between the eras of Oglethorpe soccer. It also fosters relationships between former and current players which will benefit current players in the professional world. The tournament also serves as a fundraiser for the current OU soccer teams. Alumni who compete receive a jersey with John's number 18 on it, enjoy the post tournament entertainment and have the opportunity (for a year) to retain the beautiful John P. Salamone trophy. |
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Essex Fells Country Club was again the site of the second golf outing on September 8, 2003. Approximately 100 golfers enjoyed a beautiful, warm sunny day of golf, food, camaraderie and reminiscences of the past. As in the previous year, the day began with a moment of silence at the memorial stone honoring John and the two other members of the club who died on 9-11. After the cocktail hour and dinner, letters were read from the first two scholarship recipients. Following the auctions presided over by a professional auctioneer, many of John's friends and relatives retired to the bar where numerous stories about John could be heard late into the evening. |
Third Annual Golf Outing |
On September 20, 2004, 104 golfers and 40 dinner guests participated in the third annual John P. Salamone Golf Outing hosted by Green Brook Country Club in North Caldwell, NJ. It was another beautiful, sunny day for John's family, friends and supporters of the Foundation to enjoy a spectacular day of golf, great food, drinks, fun and most of all, time to share those great stories about John. |
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On September 14, 2002 the greatest gathering of sailboats ever in the history of New York Harbor paid tribute to those who lost their lives on 9-11. Over 1000 boats displayed a personalized memorial flag for every victim of the attacks. John's banner was flown on the Falcon sailing out of the Liberty State Park Marina in Jersey City and captained by Monica and Jay Zaslower and Maureen and Greg Corrado. Trustees of the Foundation were invited to an outdoor breakfast at the marina. Later Barbara and John Dey, cousins of Michael Fortenbaugh, commodore of the Manhattan Yacht Club and chairman of the event, invited the trustees to view the parade of boats up the harbor at the command post at the Ritz-Carlton. Following the event, each of the red and blue bordered pennants were delivered to the families of the victims. |
