Good sports from the start

One could argue that the past few years have been the best ever at BC in terms of sports. Multiple winning seasons, NCAA tournament appearances, and national and conference championships in football, basketball, and hockey. (Let alone growth in Olympic sports and the development of women’s sports, which is a completely different topic we’ll address in another context.)

But things certainly weren’t bad in our day, even as freshmen. Remember our first football game as freshmen, when we operated as a card section for the first and, as far as I can remember, only time? BC played Syracuse, then considered perhaps the strongest team in the East and one of the best in the country. With 12 seconds to go and the score tied (a moral victory already), Larry Marzetti threw a wobbly pass to Captain Bill Cronin. He caught it on the 25 yardline between two Syracuse defenders, who collided and fell down. Cronin staggered into the endzone (or is that exaggerated memory) to win the game for the Eagles.

BC then lost its next two games, against Army and Tennessee, but won five of the next six to finish the season 6-3. Notice only nine games, three to four games fewer in a season than the modern Eagles play. The schedule that year also included Miami (the other loss), Cincinnati, Air Force, Villanova, Detroit, and, of course, Holy Cross. It is also interesting to note that our classmates played that season on a freshman team, as freshman were not eligible, and that some on the varsity played both offense and defense.

Basketball went 22-7 in 1964-65, Bob Cousy’s second season as coach. Sub Turri of 1965 called it BC’s best team ever. John Austin, then a junior, averaged 26.9 points a game, gaining all-America honors (third team) and setting BC’s career scoring record after only two seasons. In more than half their games (15 of 29), the Eagles scored more than 90 points, including nine games with more than 100 points. Twice they scored 120 points. Remember, this is without a shot clock and without three-point baskets! Run and gun! BC finished the season in the NIT (only 23 teams, mostly conference champions, went to the NCAA tournament then), losing to St. John's.

Hockey finished #2 in the country freshman year, losing to Michigan Tech in the NCAA final. They opened with 19 wins in their first 22 games, including a 5-4 win over BU for the Beanpot, and finished 24-7 (no ties!). Funny to note now that the Eagles got to the NCAA final with a 4-3 win over … North Dakota. Even then! Jerry York, current BC coach, was a sophomore on the team, finishing seventh in scoring. Scoring leader was the great John Cunniff, with 31 goals and 36 assists in 31 games.