George Waldbauer

Induction Year: 2000

Category: Community Sports

Location: Patchogue

George Waldbauer was born on February 2, 1941 and is a lifelong resident of Suffolk County. After graduating from Patchogue High School and Suffolk Community College, he joined the Suffolk County Police Department.

In November of 1981, he became the Executive Director of Suffolk County Police Athletic League. It is the 3^rd largest PAL in the country, providing over 50 programs, countywide, for boys and girls with over 350,000. Many PAL kids have gone on to make it in professional sports, including Boomer Esiason & the Tice brothers (football), Buddy McGirt (boxing) and the Ferraro twins (hockey). He was instrumental in developing a 36 acre, state of the art, sports complex with a 1,200 seat baseball stadium in Suffolk County. He is a retired Suffolk County Police Sergeant and one of the Founding Fathers of the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame.

George is also very active in many community organizations including Long Island Charities and Goodfellows. He also played a role in founding the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame including taking the position as treasurer. Waldbauer’s many awards and recognitions are as follows:

• Distribution Education Club of America
• International Association of Approved Basketball Officials
• Suffolk County Restaurant Association “Man of the Year”
• National Juvenile Crime Prevention Specialist of the Year Award
• Suffolk County Police Professionalization Award
• Exceptional Police Service Award
• National Association of Countless Good Neighbor Award
• New York State Athletic Administration Association