Jim Ferraro played baseball for Youngstown State University in one of the most dominating eras of Penguin baseball. A four-year letter winner, Ferraro was one of the most potent power hitters to don a YSU baseball uniform.
Ferraro is still tied for the school mark for home runs in a game with two. He ranks 14th on the school's single-season list with four home runs in a season and is 11th overall with eight career round trippers.
Throughout his career, Ferraro batted in 52 runs and was one of the best clutch hitters during that era. In 1966, Ferraro completed one of his finest seasons as a Penguins, batting a career-high .282 with two doubles, four home runs, 15 runs batted in, 20 runs scored and nine stolen bases.
In 1968, Ferraro helped the Penguins tie the longest winning streak in school history with 19 consecutive wins. YSU finished the campaign with a record of 19-5, which tied the school mark for most wins in a season.
Ferraro completed one of his finest seasons in 1966, hitting a career-high .282 with two doubles, four home runs, 15 runs batted in, 20 runs scored and nine stolen bases. Also that same year, Ferraro belted two home runs and drove in three runs against Baldwin-Wallace to lead YSU to a 6-3 victory. Against Mount Union, Ferraro went 4-for-5 with four runs batted in and set a school-record with four runs scored in a single-game.
In 1965, Ferraro was a member of the squad, which went 16-6, that gave Rosselli his 100th career baseball victory.
An industrial merchandising major, Ferraro earned his bachelor's degree in 1968 and is currently the Executive Director of the Western Reserve Transit Authority.
A graduate of Rayen High School, Ferraro was selected to the 1963 All-City Football team.
After his playing days at Youngstown College were complete, Ferraro remained active playing fast-pitch softball. At the age of 24, he was selected to the All-Ohio Fastpitch Softball Team.
In 1996, Ferraro was named the Ohio Transit Person of the Year.
He and his wife, Donna, have five children and two grandchilÂdren.
