Honoree-
Salvatore J. Scalfani

Salvatore Sclafani attended the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University on a baseball scholarship. The athlete, who stood six feet tall and weighed 165 lbs, made solid contributions to his team as a great defensive catcher and an outstanding batter. During the four years that he played for the Blackbirds, they had an impressive record of 48 wins, 24 losses and one tie. In his senior year, he was made team captain. Batting .333, he led his team to a 15, 5 and 1 season.

Young Salvatore was an all star both on the field and in the classroom. He graduated cum laude in 1953 with a B.S. in general science. His passion for athletics and his good grades led him to a highly successful career in orthopedic surgery that has spanned more than four decades. He earned his M.D. from SUNY-Health Science Center, Brooklyn College of Medicine in 1957. Upon graduation, he completed residencies in orthopedic and general surgery at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Brooklyn, in addition to spending a transitional year in Flexible OR at Philadelphia General Hospital.

From 1980-1988, Dr. Sclafani served on the New York State Board of Regents, overseeing the licenses for doctors and other medical professionals. He played a critical role in guiding the boards for licensing on tightening regulations for physicians, especially those trained in foreign medical schools.

Currently, Dr. Sclafani is chief of orthopedics at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn. He also teaches courses through SUNY-Downstate Medical Center. His private practice, Sclafani-Vitale, is located in Brooklyn as well. A sought-after specialist, he is listed in the Expert Witness Directory for the National Association of State Jury Verdict Publishers. He resides with his wife, Karen, in Staten Island.

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