Salesianum News · Salesianum School Salesianum Dedicates Kenney Baseball Diamond in Honor of Fr. Robert D. Kenney, OSFS ’42

On Saturday, May 17, 2025, the Salesianum community gathered at Fusco Fields to celebrate the life and legacy of Rev. Robert D. Kenney, OSFS ’42, with the official dedication of the Kenney Baseball Diamond. The event paid tribute to one of Salesianum’s most influential figures—its first president and longtime baseball coach.

Fr. Kenney’s impact on Salesianum spans decades. He served as a teacher, principal, athletic director, and president for over 25 years, but his legacy took root on the baseball diamond for generations of student-athletes. As Delaware’s winningest high school baseball coach, Fr. Kenney led the team from 1957 to 1991 and was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

The dedication ceremony reunited alumni, former players, families, and coaches, many of whom were coached or mentored by Fr. Kenney. Highlights included the unveiling of “Kenney’s Lineup Card,” a dugout mural featuring the signatures of every Salesianum state champion baseball player since 1976.

Salesianum President Dr. Tom Kardish remarked, “Fusco Fields and the Kenney Diamond are two incredible facilities that honor two remarkable men. There’s no better way to tell the story of their collective grit, hard work, and tenacity than in a facility like Fusco Fields, where athletes learn those lessons daily.”

The event served as both a celebration and a homecoming, honoring Fr. Kenney’s enduring legacy and the role of athletics in forming Salesian Gentlemen.