Jesse Pittore was a three-sport star at Napa High School who went on to a successful college athletic career at the University of California, Berkeley. After a season as a reserve guard on the 1956-57 Indian cage team, Pittore finished his high school basketball career with an outstanding senior year. He was elected captain of the 1957-58 team, selected to the Drake All-Tournament Team, Second Team All-NBL, won the team Free Throw Award and was selected as team Most Valuable Player. Pittore was a two-year starter in center field for the Napa High baseball team, hitting over .300 each year to help Napa to a 1957 NBL championship and a 1958 NBL co-championship. In football, Pittore was the starting tailback, punter and signal caller for the 1956 Napa Indians. He made Honorable Mention on the All-NBL team that year, and was Second Team All-NBL in 1957, when he starred as halfback, receiver and punter for Napa’s NBL co-champs. Pittore’s 1957 football season earned him a football scholarship to U.C. Berkeley, where he was a starter on the 1958 freshman team, and a three-year performer in the Bear varsity backfield. Pittore was Cal’s number one punter in 1961. He also played Rugby at Cal and was the only sophomore on the 1960 undefeated team. Pittore was named Napa High’s Most Athletic Senior in 1958 and his 3.95 high school grade point average earned him two scholarship offers at graduation and honors at entrance at U.C. Berkeley. He owns and operates a successful Bay Area-based business.
