Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Orangeyes, post: 43593, member: 34"] Cherie I had forgotten St. Lucy's in my original list, so there were nine teams not eight or are we forgetting someone else? Do you remember Bernie Lampe from St. Vincent's, he was 6-10, the tallest center I ever saw in the league. The bar The Parochial League was co-owned by Louie Snow and Mike Barrillo. I supplied on loan many of the articles that were on the walls. When the place closed down I got them all back. That 1960's team was recently inducted into the Greater Syracuse HOF Al Denti the local insurance man who is noted for his SU memorabilia collection was on that team. As a side note, Al is always happy to show off his collection. He's in the book and his business is located on Milton Avenue in Solvay. Anyone on this board who loves SU has to see his collection to believe it. Tell him Dan sent you.;) Before this bunch came along we used to have our practices at North High School. When this 1965-66 team came along North was closed so they relocated to Grant & Henninger. Here is their HOF write-up Our third honoree of this prestigious award is not just a team, but back in the elite days of the Syracuse Parochial League provided great basketball drama, intense rivalries, somewhat heated neighborhood debates with some of the local all-time high school coaching legends getting the most out of players who represented their schools with the deepest of loyalties. And, oh what great basketball this community witnessed in those days. One of those unforgettable collection of athletes and a legendary coach leading his group was the 1965 and 1966 St. John the Evangelist basketball squad led by coach Bobby Felasco. Molding a cohesive unit was no easy task as the Evangelist school had no gym. Felasco scheduled practices at Grant Junior High with league games at Henninger High School. A coach who loved his team to run, the Eagles played it to perfection along with a defense that shutdown some of the league's most potent offenses. Add in a radar like outside shooting touch and the '65 and '66 teams were tough to beat. The string began with nine consecutive victories in 1965. Following a buzzer beating loss they then won 28 straight games, including the Parochial League and much coveted City League titles. The 1965 team beat perennial powerhouse Nottingham while the 1966 squad did it to an overpowering Corcoran five that included Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Collins, Joe Reddick, Harold Broadwater, Bob Stroman and Howie Harlow. That '66 championship game has many calling it one of the greatest high school games ever played in our town. Among those who made it all happen on the court were a group whose names were known by all basketball officianados in Syracuse. They include, in no specific order: Tom Downey, who later starred for Tom Niland at LeMoyne College, made the Dolphins Gold Wave Hall of Fame and was named to the list of the top 200 players in the Parochial League. He currently practices law in San Francisco. Al Denti, who was three years all-league, went on to play for Creighton and kept his roots here in Syracuse. Dave Guinta was a two year all-league performer who was the only player to be on five consecutive Parochial League champions. Billy Jackson, Mr. Syracuse community organizer and leader of multiple sclerosis research in our city, was a three year all-league star. Joe Russo, another three year all-league standout, went on to LeMoyne College and starred for Coach Dick Rockwell on the baseball field. Joe, too, is a LeMoyne Gold Wave Hall of Famer and member of the school's Board of Regents. LeMoyne also had an outstanding basketball career from John Zych after being a four year all-star at Evangelist. Bob Barth and Dan Jones were two-year varsity members and went on the play at Dade Community College in Miami. Mark Adams was a co-captain of the '65 team. Also contributing to the team's success were Ed Aresenault and another co-captain - Jim Murphy. Juniors on the championship '66 team were Jim Benz and Mike Jarvis. It was a remarkable era in Syracuse high school sports and St. John the Evangelist, the small school without a gym, made an impact that will never be forgotten. [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?