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Stamford native and Pro Football Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli died Tuesday at the age of 85 at Stamford Hospital. Robustelli played for the New York Giants from 1956 to 1964. He began his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams in 1951.
"His family was everything to him,'' said author Jack Cavanaugh, a Stamford native and Wilton resident. His book, Giants Among Men, documented how Robustelli helped the 1950s Giants become one of the nation's most popular teams and lead the NFL into prominence. "He was a very humble man. He wouldn't criticize anybody. He was very private."
"He was a man's man,'' said Bobby Valentine, the former professional baseball player and manager who currently works at ESPN. "He reached the pinnacle of success on and off the field. He was friend to all who wanted to be his friend."
Robustelli played basketball and baseball but did not play football until his senior year at Stamford High School at the encouragement of Tony Pia, a friend from Stamford's West Side. After a stint in the Navy, Robustelli went to Arnold College, now the University of Bridgeport. He was selected by the Rams in the 19th round of the 1951 draft.
Robustelli, a defensive end, played four years with the Rams and was an All-Pro in 1953 and '55. He was traded to the Giants in 1956 and played on six conference championship teams and one league champion team. He received the league's Bert Bell Award as its top player in 1962.
For all of his football success, however, his commitment to his family and his business were as much a part of Robustelli's identity. He was the founder of Robustelli Corporate Services, whose primary focus was travel. It also evolved into speaking engagements and a variety of marketing services. "He started with a sports goods store in Old Greenwich, and he became a very good businessman,'' Cavanaugh said.
Besides his business interests, Robustelli's focus was his family. Robustelli and his wife, Jeanne, who died April 1, were married for 53 years. They raised nine children and were frequent visitors to their games and those of their 29 grandchildren.
"He stayed low key,'' Cavanaugh said. "He didn't want to draw attention to himself. He'd always go to the dinner for the Stamford Old Timers, and they asked him to speak. He'd speak for about 30 seconds. He didn't think he deserved the attention. Of course, he did, but he was just very humble."
Cavanaugh worked extensively with Robustelli on his book about the Giants, one chapter of which is devoted to Robustelli. It is titled "The Grocery Boy from the West Side." "A lot of people said there was so much about Andy in the book,'' Cavanaugh said. "I was a hometown guy, and he opened up to me in his own way. He was just a terrific man. There's nothing negative you could say about Andy Robustelli."
Valentine grew up in Stamford during an era when Robustelli was in his athletic heyday. "To the Italian community, he was to Stamford what Joe DiMaggio was to the rest of America,'' Valentine said.
For all of his success, however, Robustelli remained rooted in the community and treated everybody the same. "He and my dad grew up in similar neighborhoods,'' Valentine said. "My dad was the little old carpenter, and he was an NFL legend. He treated my dad as a peer. In my mind, he was number one. He wasn't number 81."
Lacerenza Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Details are still being finalized.
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