Bill Ruffo Sr.
Bill Ruffo Sr. is the 2024 posthumous inductee to the Mercer County Hall of Fame.
Bill was an outstanding football player for the Sharon High Tigers before his graduation in 1948 and a legitimate 4-year lettermen when few freshmen made the team.
He was the leading rusher for the Tigers his junior and senior seasons and was a two-time All-County selection. He was nicknamed Sharon’s “Biggest Little Man” at 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds.
He received college offers from as far away as LSU, but because of situations ended up in the Navy.
He was named to the New Castle News All-Opponent Team for three straight years.
He served as captain his senior year along with other Sharon greats Dick Bestwick and Wally Jones.
Bill played for two years on his Naval Base team and was the leading rusher and scorer.
He was a standout on independent softball and basketball teams as well during the 1950s.
He was a football referee inPA and Ohio for 12 years and coached midget football for 6 years, postingwinning teams every year. He was a founding father of the Shenango ValleyMidget Football League and promoted it on numerous sports talk radio shows (WFAR,WPIC). He coached the 1961 Sharon club to the first-ever championship.