Hall of Fame
Joseph Tesori ’71 – Class of 1990
Acumen…
Keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination; especially in practical matters.
Millions are inclined to traipse hill and dale, swatting a white orb (with what they hope is some degree of consistency) toward a hole in the ground.
Some take this challenge seriously. A smattering become obsessed. A select few become true golfers.
The difference lies not in the length of a player’s drives, nor in steady hands on a putter. This is a sport that demands one understands the real foe. The true golfer knows, the name of the adversary is not on the leaderboard, but far closer to home.
The foe lurks in oneself, in doubt, in fear of failure that lurks in a wink of the mind’s eye from consciousness, waiting to undermine countless hours of solitary rehearsal…
This understanding defines a golfer’s acumen. It traces the line between clubbing a ball and hitting a shot, between tapping a putt and easing a ball into the hole, between play and sport.
Joe Tesori exemplifies golf acumen. Le Moyne’s first golfer to win national acclaim, he was named one of the nation’s outstanding college athletes and eventually participated in the Professional Golfers Association tour.
He also has another sort of acumen. Dolphin golfers are not pampered. In matters from meals to transportation, they must often fend for themselves. Individual and team success hinges on self discipline.
From his earliest days at Le Moyne, Joe Tesori was the leader who provided the example of conduct, the maturity of judgment, the willingness to attend to detail that allowed Dolphin teams to effectively compete. This NCAA tournament-caliber star was not above the assignment of scheduling practices, driving the van himself, and making sure all his colleagues arrived back on The Heights.
His team leadership manifested a keenness and depth of perception in highly practical matters- business acumen- that allowed Joe to build a career from his love of sport.
An acknowledged leader in the Upstate New York professional ranks, he is head pro at Drumlins Golf Club and a varsity referee in the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials.
In a sport that is most people’s recreation, Joe Tesori has found a vocation.
The challenge of competitive athletics has helped to forge a strong family as wife Lynne, daughter Jaclyn and son Joe have shared in that vocation.
This man has welded acumen in sport to acumen in business, and his leadership on the links and in his career provide reason for the induction of Joseph F. Tesori ’71 to the Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame.
April 20, 1990
