Spartan Olympians: Gene Grazia

GENE GRAZIA, Member, U.S. Olympic ice hockey team, 1960 Winter Games, Squaw Valley, CA, Gold Medal

            Eugene Grazia, ’60, is a native of West Springfield, MA, the home town of Amo Bessone, MSU ice hockey coach from 1952-1979.

            In fact, Grazia played on the same team as Amo’s brother.  So it was no surprise when he chose to play college hockey at MSU.

            An all-around athlete, he starred in both baseball and hockey in three years of varsity competition at MSU.

            “In those years freshmen were not allowed to play,” recalls Grazia, who now lives in Pompano Beach, FL.  “I loved it at MSU. I really had a great time.  The guys I met were great guys.”

            He also relishes his experience at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, where he teamed up with fellow Spartan icer Weldon Olson to win the gold medal, beating the Soviet Union in the original “Miracle on Ice.”

            “The Olympics were great,” says Grazia.  “It was the total experience.”

            After MSU, Grazia returned to his hometown and taught and coached for 25 years.  Today he spends much of his time playing golf and following a variety of sports, including horse racing, baseball and football.  “It’s real covenient,” he notes.  “Everything is near by.”

            Grazia also tries to follow the Spartans, and was very impressed with last year’s run in the NCAA ice hockey championship. 

            “That little goalie (Jeff Lerg) played great,” recalls Grazia, who came to MSU in 2001 for the “Cold War” at Spartan Stadium, which set a world record for hockey attendance with 74,544. “(Ryan) Miller was in goal for MSU,” he remembers.  “Now he’s with Buffalo. I played with his uncle, Butch Miller.”