Bob Fabrizio spent a lot more time in the hospital than he would have liked in 2025 until he died on July 24 at age 72.
He had to miss the ceremony at St. Laurence dedicating its baseball field in his honor in early May because he fell ill the day before.
And while the Vikings were making their magical run to the school’s first IHSA Class 3A baseball championship in June, he was in a hospital bed but his thoughts were with the team.
After the Vikings beat Benet 8-5 on June 14 in Joliet to win the state title, the former coach and athletic director at St. Laurence and Stagg was proud.
“He sent a picture of himself with his St. Laurence baseball hat on and he said he was able to watch the games online while he was in the hospital and was happy for us and the school,” Vikings coach Pete Lotus said. “That was special.”
Like legendary Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg, who died on July 28, it is hard to find anyone close to Fabrizio who didn’t love the man.
“He was a hard-nosed coach that got a lot out of his players and they loved him for it,” Lotus said. “I got to know him a lot over the past several years and he would come out to games and talk to our guys. He was certainly a wealth of information.
“The biggest thing that stands out is the number of people who loved him as a coach.”
Matt O’Neill, who retired at Stagg’ baseball coach this year, grew up around Fabrizio. O’Neill’s father, Mike, coached the Vikings football team from 1978-1985 and Fabrizio took over the next three seasons when Mike left to coach at Andrew.
“He was an intense guy, but he was so personable with everyone whether you were a coach or a teacher at the school or whether you were a parent,” Matt O’Neill said of Fabrizio.
“I think he always made people feel like they were the most important person in that conversation. I try to emulate that. I know it’s not an easy thing. But that’s something I always took from him.”
Fabrizio had a 128-63 baseball record with the Vikings from 1977-1983, and that included two Class AA regional titles.
Former longtime Andrew athletic director Rich Piatchek posted a tribute to Fabrizio on the Sheehy and Sons Funeral Home website. The two took many baseball trips in he summer.
“I can’t begin to tell you how great a person Bob Fabrizio was,” Piatchek wrote. “He was a special friend and colleague who always gave more than he got.
“Whenever he won something or caught a foul ball or a giveaway, he would find someone to give it to — usually a young person. He always paid it forward.”
Matt O’Neill had many memories of Fabrizio as a boss at Stagg, but the biggest kick he got was when the athletic director sent out a simple four-word message,
“You get an email that would simply say, ‘Come and see me,’’’ O’Neil said. “You kind of never knew if he just wanted to talk or if we did something stupid and wanted to chew us out.”
Fabrizio had a variety of jobs over his long career. Aside from coaching baseball and football at St. Laurence, he coached baseball at St. Xavier and Elmhurst, and football at Stagg. He also served as the Chargers’ athletic director.
Fabrizio is survived by his wife, Maureen Fabrizio, and children Thomas (Krista) Fabrizio, Jenna Fabrizio and Robert Fabrizio Jr.
The funeral was held July 30 at St. Michael Church in Orland Park.