Canale drew praise in variety of sports

Talk to anyone who followed Watertown High School in the late 1930s and chances are halfback Leo Canale's name will come up in the conversation. But Canale didn't limit his athletic endeavors to just football. He was an outstanding all-around athlete at WHS, playing several sports and excelling in all of them.

Upon graduation, Canale went to Syracuse University where he was an outstanding football player. He is a veteran of World War II and served as coach and athletic director at Gouverneur Central School for many years beginning in 1946.

While in high school and playing football for legendary coach William Graf's Cyclones, Canale made two trips to Florida with the football team where he starred against the Clearwater football team.

In the 1937 game at Cleawater, Erie coach Lowell Drake, whose team defeated Watertown on Thanksgiving Day that year, was among the spectators.

He told the late Jack Case, the Times sports editor, "I never saw a kid run any better than Canale."

University of Florida coach Josh Cody observed, "I have seen a lot of good high school backs but none of them have any more than Canale."

In basketball, Canale played forward and for two seasons was the team's top scorer. In 1938, Canale was a member of the team that won the Section 3 title.

Canale, who resides in Chaumont, played on the SU freshman football team and then played on the varsity for three seasons. As a sophomore at Syracuse, Canale scored the touchdown that defeated Colgate University.

He played freshman and varsity basketball and tennis at Syracuse. For two seasons, Canale was the top player on the tennis team.

Canale was the local city tennis champion for several years. He was the Northern New York's Men's Singles champion for two years. At one time, Canale was also the Northern New York breaststroke swimming champion.

Canale, a cousin of Rocco Canale, may have joined him as a professional football player with Philadelphia, but World War II took that out of his future.

A sergeant in the Army, Canale took part in fighting in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. While serving with a tank destroyer unit in France, Canale was wounded and was returned to a military hospital in England.

Besides his duties as director of health, physical education and athletics at Gouverneur, Canale also served as recreational director and playground supervisor during the summer months in the village.

To read about previous selections to the Times' list of The North Country's Greatest Athletes of All Time, log on to www.watertowndailytimes.com