Joe Berenato (1998) - Hall of Fame

Joe Berenato

Induction:
1998
Class:
1950

Joe Berenato was the 1949 NCAA champion on the side horse. He also worked the rope climb and parallel bars and played an important role as Temple captured its first NCAA team championship. In his three varsity seasons at Temple (1948-49-50), he earned three medals at the NCAA Championships. He worked the All-Around for Hall of Fame coach Max Younger and was the high scorer on the side horse in every meet for three years. Temple was the Eastern Collegiate Gymnastics League Champion in 1949 and he was runnerup on the side horse. Stricken with infantile paralysis at the age of 13 months, he overcame his handicap to star in gymnastics and table tennis at Northeast High School before moving on to Temple. He helped Northeast High win the Public League Championship. He was awarded the Northeast High Senate Award for character and individual achievement. After graduating from Temple, he worked for the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Spar Engineering and General Electric Company. He was at GE for 33 years, retiring in 1988.