St. Michael's High School (Union City, New Jersey) Explained

St. Michael's High School was a Catholic high school in Union City, New Jersey, that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.

The school closed at the end of the 1985-86 school year in the face of a drop in enrollment and rising debt.^[1]

Athletics

The boys track team won the outdoor non-public state championship in 1941, 1942, 1944 and 1945.^[2]

The boys basketball team came into the tournament with a record of 6-14 and went on to win the NJSIAA Non-Public B state championship in 1965, defeating St. Mary's High School by a score of 62-52 in the finals.^{[3] [4]}

Notable alumni

• Gordon Chiesa (born 1949/50), basketball coach at the collegiate and NBA level, who served as the assistant coach for the Utah Jazz for 16 seasons^[5]
• Lou Cordileone (born 1937), former American football offensive lineman, who played six seasons in the National Football League^[6]
• Tom Heinsohn (1934–2020), professional basketball player who was associated with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association for six decades as a player, coach and broadcaster^[7]
• Robert C. Janiszewski (born 1945), politician who served as county executive of Hudson County^[8]
• Nick Piantanida (1932–1966), amateur parachute jumper who reached with his Strato Jump II balloon on February 2, 1966^[9]
• Robert Ranieri (born 1929), politician who represented the 33rd legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly.^[10]
• Paul Tagliabue (born 1940), lawyer who was the commissioner of the National Football League from 1989 to 2006^[11]

Notable faculty

• Rose Marie Battaglia (1929–2020), basketball coach at the high school and college levels, who was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame^[12]

Notes and References

1. Grzella, Paul. "Catholic schools facing financial squeezes", Courier-News, February 8, 1986. Accessed December 20, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Last week, the Archdiocese of Newark announced that two of its regional high schools, St. Cecilia's in Englewood and St. Michael's Girls High School, Union City, will close in 1986 because of declining enrollment and increasing debt."
2. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021-08/21-history.pdf Boys Spring Track Group Championship History
3. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-11/2020-basketball-history_0.pdf Boys Basketball Championship History 1919-2023
4. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-register-njsiaa-boys-basketbal/137158837/ "Colts Reach Crest of Cage Climb Hold Initial State Title"
5. https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/11/sports/manhattan-names-chiesa-as-head-basketball-coach.html "Manhattan Names Chiesa As Head Basketball Coach"
6. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bayonne-times-lou-cordileone-of-st/137126857/ "Rosie's Round-Up"
7. https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-legend-tom-heinsohn "Legends profile: Tom Heinsohn"
8. Canal, Alberto. "Janiszewski compiled mixed record as exec", The Jersey Journal, September 7, 2001. Accessed December 20, 2023. "Raised on Newark Avenue in Jersey City Janiszewski graduated from St Joseph’s Grammar School in Jersey City and the old St Michael’s High School in Union City."
9. Cranwell, Fred. "Union City Sky Diver Finds Cars Dangerous", The Jersey Journal, March 26, 1964. Accessed December 20, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Nick's career in adventure began when he played football for St Michael's High School"
10. https://books.google.com/books?id=D36HAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Assemblyman+Ranieri+was+born+in+Hoboken%22 Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, Volume 201, Part 2
11. Rowan, Mike. "NFL commissioner was Hudson athlete in high school days", The Jersey Journal, October 27, 1989. Accessed December 20, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Raised in the Heights section of Jersey City Tagliabue was an outstanding basketball player for St Michael’s High School in Union City which has since closed its doors and Georgetown University."
12. Rowe, John. "Women's Basketball Hall of Fame to induct North Jersey's Rose Marie Battaglia", The Record, February 13, 2018. Accessed December 20, 2023. "Battaglia, 89, later coached St. Michael’s of Union City and Benedict Academy in Elizabeth before retiring from coaching in 1989."