Ragusa was born on March 17, 1963, in Caracas, Venezuela.[1] He is one of only two Venezuelan-born National Football League (NFL) players, along with fellow placekickerAlan Pringle.[2] Ragusa's parents were immigrants from Sicily, and when he was age two, his family moved back.[3] He lived the next 10 years in the comune of Limina, with a population of 1,500.[3] He played soccer growing up, later saying that "I remember going from sunrise to sunset playing soccer in the street."[3]
Due to economic issues, Ragusa's father left for the United States, and five years later brought Ragusa and his brother to the U.S. as well.[3] He settled in New York but was unable to speak any English at the time; he said the first two words he learned were "hello" and "kick."[3] He played several sports with local youth teams and said that he "dominate[d] every sport where you had to kick a ball. Soccer, football, kickball – kids always picked me first for their teams."[3] While in New York, he learned of American football and watched games of the New York Jets.[3] He became interested in the position of placekicker and practiced by kicking balls over power lines.[3] Ragusa attended East Rockaway High School and tried out for the school's junior varsity team.[1][3] He performed well enough at his tryout that he was put on the varsity team.[3]
College career
After Ragusa graduated from East Rockaway, he enrolled at St. John's University in Queens in 1981.[4] He immediately won the starting job for the St. John's Redmen football team as a freshman.[3] In a game against Iona that year, he threw a five-yard touchdown pass to the holder after recovering a bobbled snap.[5] He helped the 1981 St. John's team compile a record of 8–2 while winning the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Conference championship.[6] He converted 12 of 20 extra point attempts during the 1981 season and then was a perfect 33 for 33 in 1982, helping St. John's repeat as conference champion with a 9–1 record, while Ragusa was selected to the league all-star team.[6][7][8]
Ragusa remained starter in 1983, setting the school record for consecutive extra points made with 50 before missing an attempt against Pace.[9] He was named all-conference at the end of the season and helped St. John's win their third-straight league title with a record of 9–2.[6][10] He was kicked off the team prior to the 1984 season, due to missing the team's mandatory off-season weightlifting program.[3] He later told the Asbury Park Press that "I'm a natural. I didn't believe in weights."[3]
While off the team in 1984, Ragusa played semi-professional football for the Brooklyn Mariners.[3] With the team, his longest field goal made was 49 yards.[11] He helped them reach the league championship, where they lost to the defending champion New Jersey Rams.[12] Ragusa returned to St. John's in 1985.[3][4] To fulfill the weightlifting requirements, Ragusa said "I worked it out. I would sign in at the weight room, do five push-ups and sign out."[3] The 1985 St. John's team compiled a record of 5–5.[13]
Professional career and later life
After going unselected in the 1986 NFL draft, Ragusa received a tryout from the New York Jets on the suggestion of Dennis Bligen, a Jets running back who had played with Ragusa at St. John's.[3] Although he did not earn a contract at his first tryout, he returned two months later and following a successful performance, was signed on July 18, 1986.[3][14] He appeared in preseason for the team, making each of his three extra point attempts, but was released on August 19, in favor of veteran Pat Leahy.[3][14][15]
Ragusa was signed again for the 1987 season and competed with Leahy for the Jets' kicking job.[14][15] Although he did not miss a kick in preseason, he was again released in favor of Leahy, on August 27, 1987.[14][15] After being released, Ragusa joined the semi-pro Connecticut Giants of the Continental Interstate Football League (CIFL).[16] During this time, he also worked as a gas station attendant.[17] On September 23, he was re-signed by the Jets during the 1987 NFL strike as a replacement player.[14][18] He made his NFL debut in the team's Week 4 game against the Dallas Cowboys, converting all three of his extra point attempts and his only field goal attempt in a 38–24 loss.[19] He appeared in two further games, missing both of his field goal attempts in a 6–0 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, and then making all four extra point attempts and his one field goal attempt in a 37–31 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 6.[19] He was released on October 19, at the end of the strike, in favor of the returning Leahy, ending his three-game stint with the team having made all seven extra point attempts and two of four field goal attempts, with a long of 34 yards.[1][14][20]
Ragusa re-joined the semi-professional Connecticut Giants following his stint with the Jets.[16] He joined the New York Knights of the Arena Football League (AFL) for the 1988 season, but suffered a groin pull prior to the season opener and was placed on injured reserve.[21] He was later waived by the Knights on June 23, 1988.[22] After Ragusa's football career ended, he worked for a time with East Rockaway High School as a special teams consultant.[23]
