Dominic Grillo is everything that is wonderful about pickleball. A 90-year-old Floridian, he spent 12 years post-retirement as a renowned Phillies Spring Training hot dog maker. Originally from Easton, Pa, after serving in the Korean War as a Navy Petty Officer III on the USS Columbus, he worked for 40 years in a textile mill. Grillo is a National Seniors medal winner who has recovered from hip replacement surgery and appreciates pickle for its friendships and community spirit.
Grillo always had the persistence needed for pickleball; it first emerged with running. In 1984 he was 210 pounds and was watching the New York marathon on television with his daughter.
“I said, I will do that. I couldn’t run a quarter mile at my weight, but I began jogging and lost a lot of weight.” Grillo never stopped working. He was competing in the New York marathon two years later. “When I finished that marathon, it was a great feeling.”
Grillo went on to compete in 20 marathons and didn’t stop until age 70 when his hip deteriorated. He just missed qualifying for the Boston Marathon, and attempted to get medical clearance sending a letter arguing his case. Tenacity. When he could no longer run, he walked, and when he fully recovered from hip replacement surgery, he once again told someone, “I will do that.” This time it was in reference to pickleball, a sport he discovered at age 80.
“Ten years ago at the Long Center (recreational center in Clearwater, Florida), AL Palumbo, also my age, approached me and encouraged me to join him in the Good Life Games (Senior Games) to play pickleball. This was the qualifier for the National Senior Games,” Grillo said.
The two men became fast friends and had no problem improving their game. They found proof of their improvement by succeeding in the tournaments they played. Grillo relied on his hands and strong running legs. Palumbo was an accomplished table tennis player who had medaled many times as a Senior. They clicked on the court and played tournaments beyond the Good Life Games. They began to travel regularly for tournaments.
“We entered tournaments…Tampa, Sun City, Naples, Clearwater. We played in the over-80 brackets. We always medaled because there were never more than three teams in our age bracket.”
People were able to spot them a mile away after Grillo found a customized look for the two. His grandson discovered Grillo Pickles online, and his daughter bought him a Grillo Pickles t-shirt. It was a perfect choice with Dominic’s love of pickleball and the company having the same name as him.
Soon Dominic corresponded with the company, and they sent him hats and t-shirts in appreciation for his letter, which discussed making their jars a little easier to open. He and Al soon donned the shirts and hats when they played. The company was happy to lend its logo to Dominic for the design, which he had customized into a paddle.
He and Al soon found many people sharing and supporting them through Facebook and as they traveled, the two brought smiles to many faces. They also began a pact with one another.
“Al started the tradition of giving me a bottle of wine for my birthday with the stipulation that I can’t drink it. I had to return it to him for his birthday. We would continue to exchange every year. Our birthdays were only three days apart, so Al would only keep the wine three days a year, and I kept it the remaining days. The plan worked well until Al’s 89th birthday in January. Al got sick and said we would get together later. He passed away. I still have the bottle. I don’t know when I’ll drink it,” Grillo said.
A bottle that he can treasure as a tribute to his friend and a reminder of just how wonderful the people part of pickleball makes you feel.
