Pat Nappi played a significant role in U.S. amateur boxing for over 50 years. As the head of the U.S. Olympic boxing program in the 1970s and 1980s, Nappi coached a number of boxing standouts who went on to win world titles in professional ranks including Sugar Ray Leonard and Michael and Leon Spinks.

 

Nappi, the U.S. National boxing coach from 1974-1988, guided the U.S. Olympic team in the 1976 Montreal Olympics to five gold medals. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, his U.S. boxers won 51 out of 54 matches en route to nine gold medals. Nappi was also the head coach of the boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics. During his coaching career, Nappi’s Olympic boxers won 14 out of a possible 23 gold medals.

 

Nappi died in 1993 at the age of 75.
 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

 

1953: U.S. Army boxing coach

 

1963-1964: Director of Athletics for Syracuse Recreation Department

 

1970: First boxing coach to be chosen Coach of the Year

 

1974: Coach of the National AAU Boxing Team that participated in the World Games in Cuba

 

1974-1988: National Boxing Coach of the United States

 

1976: U.S. Olympic Boxing Coach, Montreal Games

 

1980: U.S. Olympic Boxing Coach, Moscow Games (boycotted)

 

1982: Coached Junior Olympic Team in World Championship in Munich, Germany

 

1984: U.S. Olympic Boxing Coach, Los Angeles Games

 

1985: Received the Blind Men and Criers annual “Lew Andreas Award” for service to the Syracuse community