Lifelong Love of Sports Inspires Gift to Establish Flag Football at Russell Sage College 

Between 1963 and 1965, Sam Greco regularly appeared in the sports pages as a standout basketball player at Junior College of Albany (now Russell Sage College). Articles called the 5’8” guard the “Little Giant” and described him as a “backcourt whiz” who was especially effective at rebounding, setting a school record with 17 in a single game. He was also known for his sharp shooting at the foul line: During the 1962-63 season, he made 87 of 100 free throws, another school record.

Greco graduated from Sage with an associate degree in 1965. A multi-sport athlete, he then had notable brushes with professional baseball — including an offer from the San Francisco Giants and a tryout with the New York Yankees — before he founded Greco Construction and MMC Millwork in 1977. In 2011, he returned to Sage to complete his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. And he was inducted into the RSC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.

Today, Greco shares his passion for sports with his children and grandchildren, and this family tradition was one of the things that inspired his leadership gift to help establish Russell Sage’s new women’s flag football team.

In the following Q&A, Greco reflects on a lifetime of sports experiences — from impressing basketball coaching legend Bob Knight to cheering on his grandchildren — and explains why supporting Sage athletics is so meaningful to him.

Do you have a favorite memory from playing basketball at Sage?

My favorite memory was our game at West Point Academy, playing against a player by the name of Mike Silliman, who went on to be named an All-American and who led West Point to three NIT finals.

The story goes that Sam scored 23 points, had 13 rebounds, and took the ball away from Silliman three times, and was given a standing ovation from the crowd. 

After the game was over, the coaches met, and the West Point coach asked, “What is the kid’s name from Sage?” The coach was none other than Bob Knight, who went on to be one of the greatest college coaches.

You also had some exciting experiences in baseball!

Baseball was another love of mine, and I was selected by the scout for the San Francisco Giants as their No. 1 pick for catchers in the Northeast. They were ready to sign me, but I still had some basketball in me, and I went down to Virginia and played at James Madison College after Sage. 

My tryout with the Yankees at the old Yankee Stadium was something I will always remember. Being in the same place and locker room used by Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, all the great ballplayers for the Yankees, was unbelievable. I made the final cut of 20 players out of 200 who tried out. 

In 1989, I played at the Metro Dome in Minnesota for the Senior Men’s World Series. In 1997, I attended an adult camp for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and was selected to receive the Best Catcher in Camp award by the wife of Hall of Famer Roy Campella. I was 52 at that time, and twice the age of many of the ballplayers!

I understand sports continue to play a central role in your family. Was this family tradition part of what inspired you to support flag football at Russell Sage?

As of this writing, I have six granddaughters and four grandsons who all love and play baseball, football, track, volleyball, and softball. I try to attend as many games as I can, and during the summer, spend all my time at the ballpark with my wife, Cathy, watching the children.

My high school, Ichabod Crane, did not have football back in the day, so I never played, but watching my grandchildren is a treat. Flag football at Sage will be a sensational program for the college.

My three children were also very involved in sports.

Megan, my oldest, was on the Columbia High School varsity softball team that was New York State champion, and she played field hockey.  Mandi was an excellent field hockey and basketball player, and Sam was a three-sport athlete, who in 2001, was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. Sports were a way of life in the Greco family, and they still are today. Getting involved with Sage flag football will be great!

You spoke about your children and grandchildren. How about your parents? What lessons from your early years influenced your decision to attend Sage, and your ongoing support for the college?

I grew up in a small town in Columbia County called Newton Hook. Our house was very close to the railroad and not far from the Hudson River. My Dad, Sam, Sr., worked at the brickyard in Newton Hook until it closed

and then went to work at the American Locomotive in Schenectady, driving about 100 miles a day, 4 p.m. to  midnight, never missing work to my knowledge. By working nights, he never had the opportunity to see me play any sports — heartbreaking to this day.

My Mom, Evelyn, stayed at home taking care of the house, me, and my sister Patty, who was very smart and a great student. Mom and Dad never had the opportunity to finish high school and Pat wasn’t able to go to college as we could not afford to send her. 

Mom kept our house neat, clean, and organized. We had no heat in our upstairs bedrooms, no bathrooms until I was about 14, and we carried drinking water from a well about 250 yards from our house. But life was good. We made the best of it. 

Pat got married, I finished high school and my Dad got me in the labor union, working on the first building for SUNY. I froze my butt off one winter day, and drove by Junior College of Albany, and said to myself, “Maybe I should try college.” 

I went in and saw that they had a basketball team and said, “This is the place for me!” I had some money saved up and I was able to pay for my schooling the first year and I was fortunate they gave me some money for my second year. 

I will hold Sage close to my heart for the opportunity to change the course of my life, to see that there was a bigger picture out there somewhere for me. This was the humble but happy beginning of my journey.    

You’ve previously spoken about how much Sage basketball coach and business professor Al Van Derzee meant to you. Do any memories stand out about him, or about the way he influenced you as a student, athlete, or leader?

Al Van Derzee was a wonderful man, coach, and mentor. While I was at Sage, he and his wife were role models for me and many other students who had the good fortune to know him. His personality was always positive and uplifting. He was always ready to help when needed. His friendship was a gift and something I will always remember.

What would you say to other alumni considering a meaningful gift to Russell Sage?

I encourage all who have attended Sage to stay connected to the college. We are seeing a tremendous amount of renewed interest and enthusiastic support for the college. Sage has implemented many new academic programs along with their increase in athletic programs. Many thanks goes out to the administration, teaching staff, and coaches who make Sage an outstanding institution. 

While many institutions across the country are downsizing, Russell Sage is growing. It has added new programs, including some that would have been lost after Saint Rose closed. It’s also working on a strategic merger with Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to create the top destination for programs in healthcare. It is doing this without adding more financial burden that students need to carry. Sage’s focus remains on creating opportunities that lead to real careers for students, and meeting the needs of our community.

As I watch Sage grow and become a household name in our community and watch their athletic programs develop, I could not be more proud of its achievements, academically and scholastically, and to be able to support them in this new flag football team.

Please tell us about Greco Construction and MMC Millwork. 

Greco Construction and MMC Millwork have been in operation for almost 50 years. We have been fortunate to have excellent professional employees who are happy to come through our doors every day. We maintain a workforce between 80 and 100 on a year-round basis.

We provide general contracting, construction management, design-build, and architectural woodworking. Our companies are a one-stop shop like no other in the Northeast. We provide our clients with a full-service operation while cutting costs, giving them peace of mind, and being on time and on budget.

If there’s a part of your Sage story that shaped who you are, there’s a way to pay it forward. Contact Senior Major Gifts Officer Ryan Venter at  venter@sage.edu or 518-244-2351 to explore how your gift can support opportunities that matter most to you and to today’s students.