CINCINNATI — It was the year of all years for members of the Purcell Marian football team. In 1986, as the world enjoyed sports movies like Hoosiers and Wildcats, the Cavaliers were knocking on the door of a state championship.
The memories of that championship run remain with so many, including current Purcell Marian principal and CEO Andy Farfsing — a young kid on the sidelines as the team played in Norwood.
“When I’m watching No. 52 out here on the field, made such an impact, I chose 52 when I came to play here,” he said.
The No. 52 jersey belonged to Guy Barattieri.
“He was a legend before he became a legend — at least in the eyes of so many of us in and around the Pleasant Ridge community and Purcell Marian as well,” Farfsing said.
Nicknamed "Bear" for his size and even more so for his kindness, Farfsing said people around him felt safe.
After high school, Barattieri went off to the West Point Academy and began a career in the U.S. Army.
Tom Bolen, Barattieri's roommate at West Point, said he was a "true optimist" who pushed the limit on standards in a great way.
“Those days where you’re not feeling so good about yourself Guy would lift you up and he did that for everybody like I said big personality, person who lifted everybody around him," Bolen said.
Thomas Payne was a platoon leader with Barattieri in Germany.
“We were both young lieutenants trying to learn how to be Army officers how to lead soldiers," Payne said.
He said Barattieri was a huge character who was a natural leader.
“West Point you can train people to be leaders and they do a magnificent job of it, but Guy was a great leader from the day he was born. He was just one of those people whenever Guy came into a group that was the guy you were listening to," he said.
After years of service that also included a stint as a police officer in Seattle, Barattieri was killed during a security convoy near Baghdad when a roadside bomb exploded.
“So many of us were touched by not only the individual he was but the legend that was created of this hero named Guy Barattieri,” Farfsing added.
Now as his alma mater's principal, Farfsing is recording history and paying respect to Barattieri by naming their brand new turf field after the alum.
“Somebody said, 'I want to name the field, but I don’t know what to name it and I don’t want it after me or my company. Let’s brainstorm,'” Farfsing said. “The name Guy Barattieri came up and I thought, 'Oh my gosh that’s as perfect as it can be.' So from my perspective, it was a hard yes when his name came up.”
White turf was stitched into the field and now reads, "The Guy 'Bear' Barattieri 88 Field."
Barattieri's family, members of his West Point class and the Greater Cincinnati West Point Society were at the Cavaliers homecoming game for the field dedication.
“It’s just such an honor. It’s been a long time and we're constantly reminded of him everywhere, and then having this come up and the school means so much to our family, to him," said Nicole Barattieri-Zembrodt, Barattieri's sister.
All of Barattieri's sisters and his mother received plaques marking the occasion. Nicole sported Barattieri's high school practice jersey he used to wear when he was a player.
“I’m channeling his energy and his spirit," said Barattieri-Zembrodt.
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