I am very excited today after watching the Saint Joseph's College Hawks of Philadelphia win their 22nd straight game. I coached one of their star players, Tyrone Barley in grammar school and it is very exciting to see someone you are close to attain fame and glory.
Read this week's Sports Illustrated for an inside look.
I was never much of an athlete myself and was particularly poor in basketball, but always loved the game since my dad took me to a Seton Hall game in 1955. I understand that St. Rose used to have very good teams and there were also basketball leagues at the old PAL. The best player in the old neighborhood was a boy named Thomas Walsh. I think he went on to be a big star for Our Lady of the Valley. Anyway, does anyone have any old basketball stories to share.
John, Mr. Crowly only coached us in tackle football, which he played with us even in his 40's, and baseball,
so we never did much of basketball. But I think Joe Freed was involved with kids and teams. Please send me your address, so I can send in dues .
Thomas Walsh may have been a younger brother. There was also a guy who played at the Sussex Avenue Playgound named "Pops". His real name was Gene Smiley. After he graduated Newark Tech in around 62 he went to Winston Salem University and played with a guy named Monroe. Did you know in later years Ira Bowman graduated from St. Rose of Lima. He made all state at Seton Hall Prep in 1991..
He played at Providence and Penn. and played a year or two in the NBA for Philadelphia. Saw him on tv trying to cover Michael Jordan.
Thomas Walsh was our younger brother. He started at Our Lady Valley for three years. He was a co-captain in his senior year in 1964. Thomas received a scholarship to Mansfield State College, Pa.
Marty my older brother started on the OLV team for two years and was co-captain of his team in 1954. Mary was awarded a scholarship to Rider College and started for three years and was co-captain in his senior year.
I started with St. James for two years and was co-captain in 1955.
We were actually in St. Antoninus parish up until 1951 when we moved to No. 6th Street, and I finished my last 6 months at St. Rose where I met my late wife Mary Halpin.
My two younger sisters graduated from St. Rose also Margaret attended St. James and Mary OLV.
I had a summerleague team for about 10 years in the Ironbound tournament that had among others these players from St. Rose parish Father Paul Wickens, Timmy McGovern, Jimmy Wickens, Joe McDermott, Bobby Cunningham, Billy Ritter and Eddie McDermott.
When I was a sophomore in High School I played with the PAL team sponsored by Zemans Department Store. Donnie McPhee, Ray Preslumpski, John Cavan, Bill Butler, Bobby Cunningham among others played on the team that one the State Championship for our age group. We played in the finals of Four tournaments in two days, winning two and losing two. Our coach was a poice officer Jerry O'Connor.
Marty and I played with a AAU team the Newark Iron Dukes for several years. The team was made up of mostly Dominican Friar players from St. Antoninus (8th Street playground) and players from the Down Neck section of Newark. I spent most of my time on the bench. The Dukes were one of the best AAU teams in the state for years.
I also played CYO Basketball for St. Rose. This was when you could play Varsity High School and still play CYO. That rule was changed sometime in the sixties. We one a county champion ship one year in the early sixties.
JOHN SURE I KNEW YOUR WIFE MARY BUT MEMBERS ARE MUCH YOUNGER. MY BROTHERS IN LAWS WERE RAY BUTERLY FROM BARRINGER AND BIG JACK MCDONNELL FROM THE IORN DUKES FROM FAIRMONT AVE.
