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Basketball's Best - Before My Time
My previous Basketball's Best blogs have centered on the North Country basketball teams that I have seen play. I am aware of at least two great teams that drew the accolades of fans prior to the time that I was watching high school hoops.
Both great teams were at St. John's Academy, coached by John Flynn, who later became my coach at Our Lady of Victory Academy. The 1945-1946 Irish team won the North Country League title. Led by Jim Holcombe, they also had Dud Bullis, Gus Lapham, Larry Infante and Bob Pearl in their usual starting lineup. This team had height and speed, and the title in '45-'46 was the third in a row for St. John's.
A few years later in 1949-1950 the Irish kept on their winning ways with a 15-3 record and another NCL championship. The usual starting five featured Urgil Votraw, Tank Squires, Jack Noone, Gary O'Leary and Jim Sears.
Two weeks ago I attended two basketball games in the St. John's Academy gymnasium, 5th and 6th graders in the Adirondack Catholic Elementary Basketball League. The games were billed as the final basketball games in that school's gym, since St. John's will be closing at the end of the current school year. With the green-and-white banners still hanging on the walls, it brought back a lot of memories. So many great athletes played on that gym floor, so many exciting games in front of the packed bleachers and crowded stage. Fittingly, the final game included an Irish kid with the last name of Ryan.
Comments
Foxy:
I really enjoy reading about the sports teams and heros of the past. Your column discussing the last game at St John's gym struck a nerve with me.
Now living in Ct. I still manage to get back HOME now and then. I remember how I felt walking into the Mount Assumption gym after learning they were closing the school. I was a bit sad to think the history of the gym would be lost.
What a great place to grow up and experience the small hometown feeling of Plattsburgh. We grew up in the same era, as a matter of fact you were the scorekeeper when I played Little League at Platt St. field.
Our high school sports were the best. There was so much inter-city rivalry. With some excellent
talent and coaching. The Johnnies were coached by the Bear, OLVA had Shorty, the Hornets had George Kimball and no one can forget Al Pajonis and John Flynn from the Mounties.
As a kid, these games were exciting and played by our heroes, whom you could often get a glimpse of downtown or at the Strand.
Every game seemed to have the championship on the line and packed the houses. I remember going into the gym at Old PHS and both sides were jammed pack. If you couldn't make the game you could always listen to it on WIRY. Glued to the radio this was pre Mike Mannix. Not sure who was announcing for Wiry then but he was wonderful in keeping my attention. Then it was Harry Yelle, Jeff Burns, Marv Patnode, Stu Keye, Stetz and Rowlson X2. Later it was the infamous Tommy Herlihy, if they would have had the 3 pt shot then, Tommy would have scored a zillion pts. He was incredible to watch. How he could bring a team back with his 2 pt jumper was amazing.
The Johnnies that come to mind are Leahy, Kelly, Canning, Branon, Carpenter. As a Hornet I always remember how great it was to beat the Bear.
The Mounties names don't stand our much in this old
(but still sharp Memory). I think that is because many of them were boarders at that time. Although locals I remember from the Mount were the Ducattes, Wayne and Greg, and Mike Flynn, Randy Senecal, Tim O'Connell.
The Foxes had their own stars, who could forget Carl King, a standout in every sport he played. Mousseaus, Staves, and the Gagnons. Coached by a firey Irishman named Shorty.
Oh how lucky we were to have had the coaching, and the competition of these games. These coaches were masters of getting the respect of the kids, and keeping it. One thing I remember from my high school coach George Kimball, which i use on the youth teams I coach today, is the last words out if his mouth before you took the field or the court, " and remember BE HUMBLE." I hope at least one of my kids remembers that in years to come. What a phrase to be remembered by.
Foxy thanks for your walks down memory lane to a time when kids could be kids. When it was so nice walking safely to Bailey Ave to watch a Friday night game. The old grandstand was the best. Then to actually be a player, running through the goalpost to warm up before the game while the band was playing the school song was a feeling I can't describe.
Looking forward to more of your columns.
Thanks
Stan Scroggins Hornets 69
Posted by: Stan Scroggins | February 18, 2006 8:40 AM