In Memoriam

Nicholas “Nicky” “Big Nick” “Coach” Lambros 
1937-2025

ONEONTA—We honor the life of a true legend, Nick Lambros, whose roles spanned athlete, coach, friend, husband, father, brother, uncle and, most cherished of all, devoted “Papou” (Greek for grandfather).

Nick understood that relationships were the true victory, and he used the platform of athletics to connect with everyone he met. His profound legacy is etched not just in his achievements, but in the deep, lasting bonds he forged.

Nobody could tell a story better than Nick. And while we honor his life today, it’s impossible to tell Nick’s story without him—without the powerful voice and distinct memories only he possessed.

Born in Oneonta to Harry G. and Mary N. Lambros (Zaharis), who emigrated from the villages outside of Sparta, Greece, Nick’s story began on Main Street. His father opened Diana Restaurant there in 1921. “I grew up on Main Street. As they say, the entire village brought me up,” Nick often recalled. “There is no place where I would have rather grown up.”

In the 1940s and 50s, Nick’s athletic education was forged in city parks, not formal leagues. Beyond the city-sponsored Kiwanis League, his youth was dominated by pick-up games—baseball, basketball, tennis, swimming, and stickball. As he put it, “No umpires, no parents, just kids playing by their own rules.”

At 10 years old, basketball became his obsession, learned by watching teams from Oneonta High School, Hartwick College, and Oneonta State. He and his friends became dedicated to the game, no matter the obstacles. “We would sneak into local church gyms, junior high school gyms, and college gyms. We shoveled snow off the city courts, driveways where our friends had hoops; we played a lot, practiced on our own, and got better,” Nick said in his Capital District Basketball Hall of Fame induction essay.

It was in junior high, playing with clocks and referees, that Nick got truly hooked. He’d even go to Hartwick College to ask coaches for tips. These courts and fields were the places where friendships formed, shaping his character and sowing the seeds of lifelong mentorship. Excelling in everything from baseball to golf, he was inspired by local legends such as Bud Pirone, Tom Greene, Tony Drago, Mr. Belden, Bud Getchell, and Sam Nader.

Nick attended Bugbee Elementary and graduated from Oneonta High School. After four years playing for OHS, he earned a basketball scholarship to Hartwick College, graduating in 1961. At Hartwick, his versatility shone as a four-year starter in both basketball and baseball.

His talent even earned him a tryout with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961. “It was such a great opportunity for me,” Nick recalled of his shot at pro-ball. “I was a free-agent with no contract, but just the fact that I was there with over 350 players from all over the country, ready to compete for a place on a Dodger minor league team, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Realizing his playing career had run its course, he focused on the future. “Now it was time to figure out the rest of my life. I decided on teaching and coaching.”

In 1964, Oneonta High School became his new home. The opportunity came when local legend Tony Drago approached him. “I had never coached a minute, but with his guidance, he hired me as a JV coach in 1965,” Nick said. “It was the best move of my life. Basketball consumed me for the next 34 years.” After three successful seasons as the JV coach, he was appointed Varsity coach in 1968, where his success continued. In his final year, the 1970–71 team clinched the Class B State Championship.

Just as he was reaching the pinnacle of high-school coaching, Nick was approached by Hartwick College Head Coach Roy Chipman with an offer to be his first assistant and the head baseball coach. “I loved high school coaching, however, jumping up to the college level while staying in my hometown was an easy decision to make.” He spent six years as Coach Chipman’s assistant, a successful run during which the team posted a combined 137-40 record and made five NCAA Division II playoff runs.

In 1967, Nick also took on a role as the general manager of the Oneonta Yankees—the Class A farm team of the New York Yankees. The hiring itself is a classic Oneonta story:

Nick was running an errand for his family’s restaurant, Diana’s. He recalls: “I bump into Sam Nader, who is chatting with [minor league owner] Joe Buzas. Buzas turns to Nader and asks, ‘Who the heck is this guy? He looks like an athlete. He could be your general manager.’”

Nick’s response to the offer captured his spirit: “What the hell are you talking about being the GM? I don’t know anything about that but OK, I’ll try. Then, I loved it.”

His dedication was immediate, with duties including selling ads, managing the concession stand and even pitching batting practice every night. The job was a wild introduction to professional baseball, as he quickly learned: “My first week, three boxes arrived from Yankee Stadium and they are the New York Yankees’ hand-me-down uniforms. Open them up—No. 7, Mickey Mantle!”

When he stepped down in 1977, the game never left him. He reflected in his New York State Baseball Hall of Fame essay: “Baseball, what a game.” Attending home games remained special, as it always sparked a personal reflection: “It made me reflect on my desire to play professionally, and I still felt I was good enough.”

Nick Lambros forged a dynasty at Hartwick College, serving as head coach from 1977 to 1998. With an impressive 353-191 record, he retired as the program’s all-time winningest coach. His leadership propelled Hartwick to national prominence, featuring seven NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a memorable trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1988.

His excellence was recognized across the nation, earning him NCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 1979 and NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1988. Over his tenure, his teams tallied seven 20-win seasons and numerous ECAC Tournament appearances. Beyond basketball, his unwavering commitment to the college extended to coaching both baseball and golf.

Nick’s profound impact and extraordinary dedication earned him a host of lasting honors. He was the first inductee into the Hartwick Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 and was later inducted into the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004. The college recognized his loyalty with the President’s Medal for Extraordinary and Exemplary Loyalty, and in 2009, the gymnasium was named Lambros Arena in his honor. His spirit is further remembered through the annual Classic Nick Lambros Golf Tournament.

Even with his coaching success, Nick remained a multifaceted athlete throughout his life. Beyond the court and the diamond, he captured three consecutive City Tennis Championships and won an Oneonta Country Club golf title, where he also held the distinction of being the club’s longest-standing member.

Nick’s Greek heritage was a source of deep, lifelong pride. He cared profoundly for his Greek roots and maintained close ties with friends and coaches in Greece. He helped bring young Greek players to Hartwick and Syracuse basketball camps, strengthening bonds between Greece and the American basketball community.

Nick is lovingly remembered by his wife of 53 years, Sharon Lambros; his daughters, Maria Wanes and Jacey Lambros Carrino; sons-in-law Robert Wanes and Anthony Carrino; and his beloved grandchildren, Jaelyn Wanes, Nicholas Wanes, and Leni Carrino. He was predeceased by his siblings, George Lambros, Helen Stam and Angie Bertuzzi.

Affectionately known as “Uncle Nicky,” his pride in staying connected reached across many families—the Lambros, Stam, Steege, Curran, Bertuzzi, Foti, Pavlostathis, and Poling clans—including countless nieces, nephews, and their children. Truly, his family extended far beyond blood, “Coach” encompassing countless former players, friends, and community members across America and beyond. 

Nick passed away from complications of pneumonia, leaving behind a legacy that transcends sports. As Bob Spadaccia said at his Lambros Arena dedication ceremony, “Nick was truly a child of Oneonta and a son of Hartwick.” He was more than a coach or athlete—he was a mentor, a Spartan, and above all, a man who lived life fully and inspired others to do the same.

We invite all who knew him to celebrate Nick’s life at the very place he helped shape, in the arena which stands as a lasting tribute to his values: Sunday, October 12, 2025, at 1 p.m., Lambros Arena in the Binder Physical Education Center, Hartwick College Campus. Shuttles will be available from the college parking lots.

For those wishing to attend remotely, the service will be livestreamed. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to support Hartwick College, continuing Nick’s passion for fostering future generations. All information—including the livestream access and how to donate—is available at: hartwick.edu/nick-lambros-celebration-of-life/

Expressions of sympathy may also be made at www.lhpfuneralhome.com; Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Family Funeral Home, 51 Dietz Street, Oneonta.