Hall of Fame
Joe Grady has been more than just a high school sports official in baseball, soccer, wrestling, and football. He has been a leader, mentor and teacher to many athletes, coaches, administrators, and associations.
Since 1974 Joe has been a baseball umpire. He was voted the top rated official in Section IX five times from 1998-2004 and was named New York State Umpire of the Year in 2001. He has officiated in the NYSPHSAA State Tournament several times and in various Long Island Championships. Grady served as vice president of Western Suffolk Baseball Umpires Association and acquired the duties of President for 14 years. Today, Joe currently remains the vice president of New York State Baseball Umpires Association (NYSBUA) and has been a baseball rules interpreter for over 25 years.
Joe has also done an exceptional job officiating football for 38 years. Since 1974, he served the Suffolk County Football Officials Association on various committees, executive boards and as a rules interpreter. Joe was granted the honor of refereeing 13 times at the Section XI Football Championships and eight times at the Long Island Football Championship games. For two years, Joe served as President of Suffolk County Football Officials Association.
From 1994 through 1998, Grady served as Vice-president of the Suffolk County Wrestling Officials Association. He was a well-known wrestling official for 34 years which included the last 12 years as the chief negotiator.
Joe’s most recent challenge was officiating soccer. He began officiating soccer in 2000 and joined New York State Soccer Officials Association and Suffolk County Soccer Officials Association where he is still active today.
Grady is a graduate of Bay Shore High School on Long Island. He also graduated from Programming Systems Institute where he earned a degree in computer operations.