To many Pitt and Penn Statefootball fans, Ray Tarasi is probably best remembered as the Penn State kicker whose last-minute field goal gave the Nittany Lions a victory over the Panthers back in 1989.

Folks around here, though, know that before his highly successful career at Penn State, he was a three-sport star at Fox Chapel High School.

Tarasi lettered in tennis four times and soccer and football twice each.

His 51-yard field goal in the Holiday Bowl is a record that still stands and he was also part of Joe Paterno's 1986 national championship team.

He held the team's single season record for field goal accuracy until recently.

He was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Bears and kicked a 41-yard field goal and an extra point in the Hall of Fame preseason game.

"I thought I had a good chance to make the team, but near the end of camp they brought in a kicker from the World Football League who they had sent to Europe in the spring. He ended up being their kicker," said Tarasi.

His favorite sport of the three was soccer.

"But my last two years, I just concentrated on football. I still play tennis and I was playing in an over-30 soccer league for awhile, too."

He still is involved with the football program at Penn State.

"I go up there in the summer and try to help out the placekickers."

His fondest memory of his college days is the field goal against Pitt.

"It was a great feeling to kick the game-winner in my hometown. I had a lot of family and friends there."

Tarasi still remembers his experiences with the Fox Chapel football team.

"The whole concept of joining up for football was unfamiliar to me, but the summer camp was a great experience. Being together for a whole week with the coaches and the whole team developed such a sense of camaraderie."

Tarasi still lives in this area. He and his wife, Cari have two sons who are 7 and 4.

For information on the June 1 Hall of Fame banquet, contact Jim Perry at 724 274-9355. For information on the golf outing on May 31, contact Harry Jenkins at 412 767-5380.