Gene Fisch

[orange79]

His name was Hooper

You get a like for resurrecting an Orangeyes thread. RIP, Dan.

 

[Toga]

Bump

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

As a kid growing up in the Parochial league I was just as fanatic about basketball as I am now. In grammar school and high school I was lucky enough to witness some of the greatest games, players and coaches to grace Central New York's gymnasium's.

At one point, a few years ago I was even going to write a book on the league. I knew my best resources were near the end of the their lives and I would have to interview them while they were still here and of sound mind. I wasn't going to do this for any monetary gain, goodness knows this project would probably lose money. No, I would do this as a service to the community, a way of saying thank you to an era that was truly glorious and unique. To preserve the memories of several generations and maybe put together a shrine to the people who made so many happy moments for so many people growing up in and around it.

If you are too young to remember the Parochial League or if you have never heard of it you were one of my intended audiences. The book would serve as a reference and guide to an era of tiny gyms, and David versus Goliath encounters that were staged at the War Memorial between the Champions of the Parochial League and the City League. The Parochial League was always David and many times they overcame their big city brothers.

Most of the makeup of the Parochial league teams were of neighborhood kids of similar ethnic backgrounds. Sacred Heart was mostly the "Polocks", St. Pat's the "Irishmen" and Assumption the "Italian's".

Some schools like mine, St. John The Evangelist, were comprised of hybrids, as kids like me who had no nearby Catholic Church, migrated downtown. We also were the destination for most of the Eastwood kids who graduated from Blessed Sacrament some six miles away.

Gene Fisch was perhaps the greatest player to have played in the Parochial league. I remember seeing him up close and noticing that the skin on his face didn't look normal in spots. I learned that he had been in a prisoner of war camp in Poland during the German takeover and was scalded with hot water by his captors. Whether or not that story was true I have no way of knowing but everyone knew that story and we all believed it.

Edit: It was true, the Germans were using Polish prisoners as guinea pigs to do skin graphs in practice for when they had to treat their soldiers who had burns.

I never did do the book, as I was told by the Onondaga Historical Society that someone was already in the process of doing that history. A few years later I checked back to see if and when the book was going to be published. I tracked the author to Chicago. To my dismay I learned that his book was going to cover the Bishop Ludden era forward. That era came sometime after the Parochial League's demise.

Bob Felasco, coach at St. John the Evangelist and a former Orangeman basketball player as well as Greater Syracuse HOF inductee who passed away last year

There is still a book to be written but some of the main resources have since died. Below is the Hall of Fame bio of Gene Fisch, Geno as we called him. Regrettably, it doesn't even scratch the surface of his greatness as seen through the eyes of the child that I was. "Geno" will be inducted into the Greater Syracuse Hall of Fame tomorrow right along with Syracuse greats, Chris Gedney, John Cherundolo and Bernie Fine. I just thought I should let you know a little bit more about him and that bygone era that holds so many sweet memories for those of us who lived it.

Congratulations Gene and and thanks for the memories of a lifetime.

Gene Fisch Hall of Fame Bio
　
　
Was he the greatest basketball player in Parochial League history? That question can be debated but never answered to the satisfaction of all. But, Gene Fisch's ball-handling wizardry was legendary. In 1959, and only a sophomore, Fisch, along with senior Dick Pospiech, led Adam Markowski's Sacred Heart team to its first Parochial League championship and an unblemished 21-0 record. The next two seasons Fisch led the Hearts to two regular season titles and one playoff crown. He was the league's leading scorer despite not even measuring six foot tall. He was rated the best player, pound for pound, during his time in the Parochial League. Fisch went on to play collegiately at New York University.

I will need to ask my dad about this. He played for St. Anthony’s.

 

[capeorange]

I will need to ask my dad about this. He played for St. Anthony’s.

Please let us know what he says.

 

[CA Monk]

Charmingly nostalgic discussion. FWIW, a young Tony Galeazzi was my gym teacher at Huntington Elementary in the late 60s and he was later the AD at Henninger. Great guy.

 

[Toga]

Charmingly nostalgic discussion. FWIW, a young Tony Galeazzi was my gym teacher at Huntington Elementary in the late 60s and he was later the AD at Henninger. Great guy.

While he didn't play in the Parochial League (think he played for Central Tech) former Syracuse player Manny Breland was my Science teacher in junior high. A good guy and a really good teacher.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Thank you all. I printed these posts and took them to my father (St. Anthony’s) for him to take a stroll down memory lane. My mother (SJ the Baptist) will undoubtedly remember some names as well.

 

[PeteCalvin]

I will need to ask my dad about this. He played for St. Anthony’s.

As did mine. Played in the late 50’s. I played middle school and many of the schools were still around. We played Anthony’s, St. Pat’s, Lourdes, Pompeii (which used to be St. John the Evangelist??, I think) St. Charles, St. Matt’s, St. Margaret’s, St. Rose, Blessed Sacrament, Immaculate Conception, Sacred Heart, and St. Daniel’s.

 

[Toga]

Might have been 9th grade but I remember going to some Catholic school for a game. The court was less than 2/3 of normal size and the ceiling was so low one couldn't shoot a high arcing shot.

 

[Cheriehoop]

There were many more elementary parochial schools than parochial high schools. It was actually the high schools that made up the parochial league, all located in the city of Syracuse. The parochial league consisted of 10 high schools - St John the Evangelist, St John the Baptist, Assumption, St Anthony’s, Cathedral, Most Holy Rosary, St Patrick’s, Sacred Heart, St Vincent’s and St Lucy’s. All the rest were elementary Catholic schools in both the suburbs and city which back then were the main feeder schools for the old parochial league schools.

 

[baggerbob]

There were many more elementary parochial schools than parochial high schools. It was actually the high schools that made up the parochial league, all located in the city of Syracuse. The parochial league consisted of 10 high schools - St John the Evangelist, St John the Baptist, Assumption, St Anthony’s, Cathedral, Most Holy Rosary, St Patrick’s, Sacred Heart, St Vincent’s and St Lucy’s. All the rest were elementary Catholic schools in both the suburbs and city which back then were the main feeder schools for the old parochial league schools.

And there was a lot of high school coverage back then in the papers. Looking back which I had kept some of those papers.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Might have been 9th grade but I remember going to some Catholic school for a game. The court was less than 2/3 of normal size and the ceiling was so low one couldn't shoot a high arcing shot.

St. Vincent’s. We played there in HS for CYO. One side of the court had a lower ceiling beam which prevented you from shooting with an arc beyond the FT line. Of course, that’s the side of the court the visitors had for the second half. I remember one of our players hitting the beam twice on the FT line.

 

[PeteCalvin]

There were many more elementary parochial schools than parochial high schools. It was actually the high schools that made up the parochial league, all located in the city of Syracuse. The parochial league consisted of 10 high schools - St John the Evangelist, St John the Baptist, Assumption, St Anthony’s, Cathedral, Most Holy Rosary, St Patrick’s, Sacred Heart, St Vincent’s and St Lucy’s. All the rest were elementary Catholic schools in both the suburbs and city which back then were the main feeder schools for the old parochial league schools.

I forgot about Rosary. We played them too. By the time I was in middle school, all of the parochial schools had been reduced to K-8. Grimes and Ludden were the High Schools, and Bishop Cunningham was the HS in Oswego. My grandparents went to St. Anthony’s High School as did all their children.

It’s sad to see all of the old grammar schools consumed into the local charter school conglomerate. And now to see Grimes close is even more depressing.

 

[Toga]

St. Vincent’s. We played there in HS for CYO. One side of the court had a lower ceiling beam which prevented you from shooting with an arc beyond the FT line. Of course, that’s the side of the court the visitors had for the second half. I remember one of our players hitting the beam twice on the FT line.

That has to be right as that would have been within walking distance for this Henninger HS and Lincoln Jr. high grad.

 

[sutomcat]

St. Vincent’s. We played there in HS for CYO. One side of the court had a lower ceiling beam which prevented you from shooting with an arc beyond the FT line. Of course, that’s the side of the court the visitors had for the second half. I remember one of our players hitting the beam twice on the FT line.

I went to St Vincents up to grade 8. Believe they closed the HS when I was in grade 7.

The ceiling in the gym was ridiculously low. When we took shots during gym, or played pickup there, people hit the ceiling all the time. The weirdest part about it was that the building was old and almost all of it featured high ceilings. Except the gym and the cafeteria a level below. Outside shooting was really not an option there.

There was also almost no room behind the baskets. One one side, there was an un padded wall. On the other, there was a stage, so if you came in hard on a layup, you had to jump up 4 or 5 feet to the stage floor to avoid breaking some bones.

I can’t even imagine how some high level D1 basketball players were able to play there.

I think Assumption might have had a tile floor. Like you would see in a kitchen. Lots of lots of little squares. I think that was because their gym was also their cafeteria.

Maybe someone can confirm that. I think I was only at their gym once and maybe I imagined it. I am guessing there were some idiosyncrasies at some of the other parochial league gyms as well.

 

[Cheriehoop]

That has to be right as that would have been within walking distance for this Henninger HS and Lincoln Jr. high grad.

St Pat’s had a short court with a raised stage on one end behind the basketball and doors leading to stairs after the other basket, players would jump up on the stage for layups sometimes jumping down quickly and on the other end, players would fly through the doors and run back into the gym through the doors. St John the Baptist also had a stage in their gym. Many of the schools back then had cafegymatoriums to save money on facilities. A cafeteria, a gym and and auditorium all in one. Assumption’s gym was located up a long set of stairs too. St Anthony’s had a balcony if I recall above the gym floor, the only way there was room for spectators. Rosary didn’t have a gym from 1947 when a fire destroyed the old gym till 1960 or 1961 playing in opponents or local elementary school gyms until they built a new gym.

Yes Tom, Assumption had a tile floor but the long high skinny scary stairwell to get up to the gym is what I remember the most.

 

[Toga]

I went to St Vincents up to grade 8. Believe they closed the HS when I was in grade 7.

The ceiling in the gym was ridiculously low. When we took shots during gym, or played pickup there, people hit the ceiling all the time. The weirdest part about it was that the building was old and almost all of it featured high ceilings. Except the gym and the cafeteria a level below. Outside shooting was really not an option there.

There was also almost no room behind the baskets. One one side, there was an un padded wall. On the other, there was a stage, so if you came in hard on a layup, you had to jump up 4 or 5 feet to the stage floor to avoid breaking some bones.

I can’t even imagine how some high level D1 basketball players were able to play there.

I think Assumption might have had a tile floor. Like you would see in a kitchen. Lots of lots of little squares. I think that was because their gym was also their cafeteria.

Maybe someone can confirm that. I think I was only at their gym once and maybe I imagined it. I am guessing there were some idiosyncrasies at some of the other parochial league gyms as well.

St. Vincents had an outside court. My buddy and I would approach that court from different directions in the middle of winter. Carrying shovels, we would clear half the court of snow and have a shoot around

 

[JarHeadJim]

St Pat’s had a short court with a raised stage on one end behind the basketball and doors leading to stairs after the other basket, players would jump up on the stage for layups sometimes jumping down quickly and on the other end, players would fly through the doors and run back into the gym through the doors. St John the Baptist also had a stage in their gym. Many of the schools back then had cafegymatoriums to save money on facilities. A cafeteria, a gym and and auditorium all in one. Assumption’s gym was located up a long set of stairs too. St Anthony’s had a balcony if I recall above the gym floor, the only way there was room for spectators. Rosary didn’t have a gym from 1947 when a fire destroyed the old gym till 1960 or 1961 playing in opponents or local elementary school gyms until they built a new gym.

Yes Tom, Assumption had a tile floor but the long high skinny scary stairwell to get up to the gym is what I remember the most.

Sounds like most of the Catholic school in the Rochester area. I loved playing CYO sports.

 

[IthacaMatt]

cheri--lucys was a free standing gym across the street from the church it was street level--some of the coaches you mention are still around and i bet have a wealth of historical information. many of them played in the parochial league as well before coaching. i played for bobby hayes at pats---what a great guy. epitomized tipp hill.

St. Lucy's would have summer camp type activities for kids. That was my parish when I lived on Kellogg St. I played a lot in that gym as a kid.

I also later played at the CYO on North Salina near the corner of Butternut when my folks divorced and we moved to the North Side for a couple years before she remarried.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The Big O - lol. Yes definitely - anyone remember the guy with white hair who wore a white suit who must have been the manager or something there? He always greeted me as I entered.

Anyone remember Freddie Pratts? Of course, Poorhouse West where your feet always stuck to the floor as you walked in. The Barge Inn, the Scene, the Office? Misspent youth

The Poor House West was completely insane.
I played a lot of foosball there.

One time, we got so drunk, I got up on some guy's shoulders, and bent over backwards while he held my legs in front of his chest. Hanging upside down, we stumbled over next to some girl with her back to us, while I bit her on the butt. Not hard, just for a laugh.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Rich was a nice guy. I'm pretty sure he was my year ('69) and Hearts didn't win it that year. Pat's won the regular season by a game having split with MHR then MHR won the playoffs (think they were held at Lemoyne back then) to play against Ludden, the city champs. Maybe it was his junior year at Hearts? I can't recall who won in '68 but it could have been Hearts or Evangelist/Cathedral - whatever team Pete Ganley played on.

Yeah, the Parochial League playoffs were the opener for LeMoyne games. I went there a couple times for games as a kid, probably years that Lucys were in the playoffs.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yes... Definitely Danzers after games ... sat in the back room. What was that "special"drink that they had ... it came in a big glass... I think it was beer and somethng else. Also Southern Comfort and beer and the Big O. those I remember well. Yes, the old Rustic Inn is now Dominick's.

Danzers in the 70s was our go-to place before heading out to the movies, or putt putt golf on Erie Blvd with my HS gang.
Turkey sandwich on dark rye, Hoffbrau Dark on tap. The Reubens were great, too.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Danzers in the 70s was our go-to place before heading out to the movies, or putt putt golf on Erie Blvd with my HS gang.
Turkey sandwich on dark rye, Hoffbrau Dark on tap. The Reubens were great, too.

We used to go to Danzers mostly but also Tino’s, and occasionally the old Rustic Inn or pickup a pizza at the original Twin Trees on Milton after games. After high school though it was Coleman’s, Fisher’s, the Big O mainly while in college.

 

[Cheriehoop]

St. Lucy's would have summer camp type activities for kids. That was my parish when I lived on Kellogg St. I played a lot in that gym as a kid.

I also later played at the CYO on North Salina near the corner of Butternut when my folks divorced and we moved to the North Side for a couple years before she remarried.

I worked at the Northside CYO on Salina near Butternut in high school. They had a gym upstairs and I used to play bb with some of the Northside kids - low ceiling so you had to adjust the arc of your shots there. I know where Kellogg St is - went to Delaware for kindergarten before Rosary - they didn’t have a kindergarten then. Lived on Putnam-Dudley St till I was almost 8.

 

[PeteCalvin]

I went to St Vincents up to grade 8. Believe they closed the HS when I was in grade 7.

The ceiling in the gym was ridiculously low. When we took shots during gym, or played pickup there, people hit the ceiling all the time. The weirdest part about it was that the building was old and almost all of it featured high ceilings. Except the gym and the cafeteria a level below. Outside shooting was really not an option there.

There was also almost no room behind the baskets. One one side, there was an un padded wall. On the other, there was a stage, so if you came in hard on a layup, you had to jump up 4 or 5 feet to the stage floor to avoid breaking some bones.

I can’t even imagine how some high level D1 basketball players were able to play there.

I think Assumption might have had a tile floor. Like you would see in a kitchen. Lots of lots of little squares. I think that was because their gym was also their cafeteria.

Maybe someone can confirm that. I think I was only at their gym once and maybe I imagined it. I am guessing there were some idiosyncrasies at some of the other parochial league gyms as well.

Blessed Sacrament also had tile floors. You could never get any traction. One of my son’s AAU teams would sometimes practice at St. Ann’s (?) over next to Westhill. That also had tile floors. I played in one of the old gyms that was the original church for the parish. People had to watch the games from the old balcony or the stage. It was nuts.