USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holyoke > The story of Holyoke, Massachusetts in painting and in prose > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Then there was Jimmy Collopy a third-baseman, side-kick of Clark Griffith boss of the Senators, who started Jim "Skip" Dowd upon his meteoric pitching career that took him from Holy Cross to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati in the ten years from 1906-1916. Andy Lawrence played much professional baseball as did innkeeper Jim Barry. Mike Lynch also went to Pittsburgh after his brilliant record as a pitcher at Brown University; in fact, all the Lynch brothers including Judge Tom and Jack the schoolmaster from Williams College played better than average ball. Roy Clark and Bernie Grady joined major league clubs as did City Treasurer Joseph Lucey (Yankees and Red Sox), Bobby Munn a Giant catcher (today's head guard at the Worthington Pump), Jerry Conway (Washington Senators), Billy Gleason, Junior Proba- tion Officer (Browns), and Francie Healey (Cardinals and Giants). Ed "Moona" Moriarty, a Holy Cross captain and sensational rookie of the late-lamented Boston Braves was more recent. He and the current Joe Conway have coached a number of championship baseball teams at the Hol- yoke High School.
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Many more names have brought renown to the Paper City in the inter- vening years including the Malcolm brothers and the Shapiros. Nor should we forget Ed Hurley, an able umpire in the American League who officiated in the 1953 World Series. His son Ed has done well himself in local athletics. The very latest to make nationwide headlines is Frank Leja, Jr., the five-figure bonus baby bought by the World Champion Yankees, who finished his record- breaking career at the Holyoke High School in 1953.
The athletic prowess of the Paper City, however, was not bound up entirely with willow and horsehide. Fred Dawson was an extra good catcher to be sure, but he won greater renown in football as a Princeton quarterback who went West, Greeley-wise, to coach great teams at the University of Ne- braska. Many other Holyoke names must be included in a football roster. Jim Quill the battering ram went to Yale, Dave Hooks to one of Princeton's great lines, and Ted Lyman to the football squad of the University of Penn- sylvania. "Red" Walsh (H.H., 1916) and Billy Quigley were prominent figures on various gridirons hereabouts. "Moose" Bunyan and Archie Roberts won fame for themselves and their home town at New York Univer- sity. The latter has continued his athletic career with distinction as head coach of Holyoke High School. "Skinny" Gardner was an all-time back for Syracuse, while Edmund Wakelin won his D at Dartmouth as a first-class lineman. But the name of Conrad Hemond stands alone as a four-year cap- tain of Holyoke High School football teams who also won his letter in every branch of sport.
The excellent quality of Holyoke athletes is attested by the fact that Frank Boyden, unique Headmaster of Deerfield Academy, has provided scholarships for many local boys who have demonstrated more than average all-around ability. "Twit" Sheehan, now a headmaster himself (of Canter- bury School), is a good case in point; another more recently is Frankie Norris who starred in athletics and scholastic standing at Amherst College. Still another is a Holyoke Rhodes scholar, Howie Burnett of all-American soccer fame who occupied John Harvard's old room at Oxford, thanks to the fore- sight of Cecil John Rhodes and his own outstanding interests and abilities that must of necessity include outdoor sports.
When James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891 as a project in psychology at the Y.M.C.A. Training School in Springfield, he did not dream that the pastime eventually would pack Madison Square Garden to the rafters, or that professional gamblers one day would go to jail for bribing players to throw games like the Chicago Black Socks did in base-
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ball. But regardless of race, creed, or previous condition of servitude, Hol- yokers took to basketball without reservations. It was not too long before championship teams were developed and peach baskets dangled from many telephone poles throughout the city. Interest ran high and still does today in the Paper City whose teams continue to pile up enviable records.
Old-timers speak fondly of "Cappo" Marsh and the fifty-five baskets that he netted in one game at Dean Academy in the early nineteen hundreds; also of the other players on his great team, Frank Cox, Tom Davies, "Hod" Pfahler, Archie Lade, and George Reardon. But perhaps the greatest Holyoke basketball squad of them all consisted of Ray Snow, Earl Wylie, Billy Hard- man, "Pete" Whiting, Jim Connell, and Roger McCorkindale. Malcolm and Feldman subsequently dominated the fore courts for a number of years. "Kisky" Feldman continued active participation in basketball as an out- standing official for more than two decades after his playing days were over. Then the Merriams took over for a period, to be followed by the athletically great and numerous Shapiro family, especially Lou, number one boy, who started the family of basketballers rolling.
Today there is more competition than ever in basketball, both locally and nationally, yes even as far as Olympic stadiums. Through the years Holyoke has won a lion's share of the trophies and keeps right on under Archie Roberts' expert tutelage.
In any account of Field and Track games, a number of Holyoke's sons deserve mention. "Billy" Schick for example once held the world's record when he carried the crimson of Harvard in the hundred yard dash, and Frank Sears burned up the cinder paths at Ithaca in the longer sprints with his magnificent stride. John James was another old-time speed merchant who may have started his running as a butter-fingered clerk in Jimmie Allen's crockery store. Dr. Fred H. Allen and Fayette Read also were good men and fast on the track both at Holyoke High School and at Amherst. The good doctor still is running around today ringing Holyoke doorbells for sick and suffering youngsters.
One of the greatest of all-around athletes in the Holyoke area during the early nineteen hundreds was James J. Skinner, Sr., who excelled in football, baseball, basketball and even more in bowling. The latter sport became his vocation for a number of years. Today he is an ivory hunter for the resurrected Baltimore Orioles in western Pennsylvania.
The height of interest in soccer football was reached during the heyday of the Farr Alpaca when teams representing the company competed with
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much success in big-time competition. The Dearden brothers did much to spread the gospel of soccer among the local lads. Similarly, Principal Henry Fitzpatrick fathered ice hockey in the Holyoke High School. His son did well, but the standout on skates was Pierce "Gerry" Geran who made the U. S. Olympic squad in ice hockey.
Probably the first Holyoke woman to gain a national reputation by her achievements in sport was Joan Newton Cuneo who excelled in automobile racing toward the end of the 19th century. Mrs. Amelia Bloomer of New York had emancipated her athletic-minded sisters with her baggy modified trousers that so shocked the Victorian world. During the same period James "Soda " Sullivan, with his bride Rose Donohue, joined up with Forepaugh & Sells' Circus as acrobats. Three of the daughters of Holyoke's first young man who dared to fly on a high trapeze, Rose, Eileen and Edna, won national and international acclaim by their athletic exploits as the Flying Harolds with Ringling Brothers', Cole's and Beatty's circus shows among others. Bernice Maxfield became a record-breaker in the standing and running broad jumps at Mount Holyoke College. Likewise, Connie Mahoney, daughter of Surgeon Stephen A. Mahoney, was captain of the swimming team at Smith. The latter still puts in long hours coaching girl scout teams. Millie Snow caught the basketball fever from her brothers and Charlotte Chase won renown similarly before retiring to the Adirondacks to teach kindergartners. In point of fact, the participation of local girl athletes was limited for the most part to basketball and swimming. However, a major outlet for exuber- ance has been provided by cheerleading, drum majoring, including baton twirling and band work in general. Because of his unusually fine work in the last named specialty, director Edward Nowak should receive special mention. The musical excellence and expert marching manoeuvers of his pupils have won many awards in top-flight competition.
The recent coalescence should be noted of teams of the various Holyoke parishes into one Catholic High School team insofar as competitive sports are concerned. Don Herlihy of Cathedral and Holy Cross antecedents was chosen coach. He is functioning with increasing success year by year, and doubtless will win rewarding championships before long and add the names of winning athletes to Holyoke's impressive record book.
Daniel J. Fitzgerald, book-specialist, might be mentioned as a long- distance heel and toe artist (hiker to you!) and Dick Underdorfel as a cyclist of note who brought blue ribbons and fame to the Holyoke Turn Verein. The Turners always have excelled in gymnastic competition as well.
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As to coaching, the names of Holyoke mentors should be added to any list of candidates for immortality before finishing the story of local athletics. Without their valued services, our records would have lost not a little luster. One of the pioneer physical trainers was Larry Dowd, brother of Tom. But when Billy Peck's student dream came true, and the new gym for Holyoke High was dedicated in 1914 with his help and that of Horace, able Dan Kelly, graduate of Springfield Y.M.C.A. College, late Superintendent of Physical Education for the State of Massachusetts, was chosen to be the first full-time coach of our athletes.
"Dotty" Whalen was the next Springfield graduate to direct the des- tinies of local teams. He in turn was followed by Billy Sullivan who had starred at Dean Academy. Then the present successful incumbent, Archie Roberts, left his graduate duties as coach of New York University freshmen to return to his home town. As a result, Holyoke High School stand-outs have gone from his well-drilled squads to Yale, Harvard, Princeton and many other leading schools in the country.
"Dannie" Regan who died in 1953, was a faithful well-loved overseer of the general welfare of a long succession of Holyoke athletes. They owed much to Dan's guidance and care. His integrity and perfect sportsmanship were potent influences in shaping youthful character.
Finally apologies must go to many deserving persons who gave their all for Holyoke but, perforce, must be omitted from this limited history. Coincidentally but no less needfully, thanks must be rendered for help and advice to Jim Dowd, Conrad Hemond and many others who have helped this mis-cast left guard of the antediluvian 1902 class football team of the Holyoke High School to compile and substantiate the details of the story.
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