In honor of Black History Month, the Times has been bringing you feature stories about some people of our past. All stories were compiled by Roberta Vincent. This is the final installment.

Ronald D. Pires

NFA Class of 1966

Although Ron was on the Norwich Free Academy varsity basketball team from his sophomore to his senior year, his playing time was limited. He was recruited by Joe Murphy to attend Eastern Connecticut State University, where his career improved immensely.

Ronald D. Pires enjoyed one of the finest basketball careers in program history. A four-year member of the program and a varsity starter on Hall of Fame coach Clyde Washburne’s first team in 1968-69, the 5-foot-11-Norwich native scored 1,342 points in 78 career games and keyed Eastern to two New England State College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) post-season divisional titles, three conference post-season appearances and to its winningest three-year period (58-17) to date.

A two-time captain and most valuable defensive player, Pires put together a brilliant junior season in 1969-70, averaging 25.1 points per game and helping Eastern to a program-record 21 wins against just four losses.

Pires was inducted into the Eastern CT State University Hall of Fame for basketball in 1988.

After a Hall of Fame career as a basketball player at both Norwich Free Academy and Eastern Connecticut State College, Pires brought his remarkable teaching ability and a steady hand to E.O. Smith in 1980. Over the next 35 years, Coach Pires guided the boys’ basketball team to 514 wins, including seven 20-win seasons and a 66-game home league winning streak from 1990 to 1995.  His teams qualified for 29 state tournaments, won 10 conference championships and six conference tournament titles, and reached two Class L state finals. 

Pires was named Connecticut High School Boys Basketball Coach of the Year in 2015.  He also enjoyed a long career as a beloved teacher at the Helen Baldwin School in Canterbury, retiring in 2016.

While head coach at E.O. Smith for 42 years, Pires interviewed for a coaching position at NFA; however, Duke Campbell was hired for the position.

Pires was inducted into the Norwich Sports Hall of Fame on May 21, 1995. He has not been inducted into the NFA Sports Hall of Fame.

In August 2021, Pires reportedly had just completed the E.O. Smith in Mansfield and the South Windsor week-long basketball camps, which he runs under his name.

Roberta J. Vincent lives in New London, where she is president of the St. Anthony Chapel Foundation. She is also a member of the Norwich Arts Center Board, NFA Alumni Board and Norwich Lions.