By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
4/23/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
4/16/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
4/9/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
4/2/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
3/26/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
3/19/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
3/12/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
3/5/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
2/26/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
2/19/09

By Eddie Baker, Sports Editor
2/12/09

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
2/5/09
Please don’t forget, you Milton High parents and sports fans, the big fund-raiser for Milton High sports this Saturday evening, Feb. 7, beginning with a comedy show at the Milton Hoosic Club on Central Avenue at 7 p.m. There will be a show headlined by Mike Petit, a sports-bag raffle, and music for dancing. The price to attend is $40. There will be a cash bar and dress is casual.
You can purchase your ticket at the door on Saturday evening or in advance from well-known Milton sports star and the mother of all those Milton High-playing sports stars, Leslie Durgin, at (617) 696-1001. Please come and meet your neighbors, and please help save Milton High spring sports.
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Our congratulations to well-known Milton hockey enthusiast and rower Ozie Street for being inducted into the Syracuse University Hall of
Fame. This induction took place back in the fall. He was a member of the 1978 men’s varsity rowing team that won the national championship. The entire team was inducted.
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The Milton High boys’ hockey team traveled to Naperville, Ill., over the Martin Luther King weekend under the direction of Paul Noonan, varsity head coach, to play in the fourth annual Noonan Cup. Participating seniors were Jack Brown, Brendan Finn, J.P. Grant, Nick Hailer, Kevin Joyce, Sean Joyce, Rich Losi, Matt McDougall and James Walker. Juniors: Justin Barbera, Will Benway, Mike Bortolotti, Steven Cimildoro, Greg Corcoran, Mitch DeLuca, James Eckel, Will Gallagher, Joe Indelicato, Jon May, Matt Mullan, Mike Muse, Nolan Powers, Matt O’Neill and Brian O’Reagan. Sophomores: Nick Bligh, Jack Davis, Will England, Chris Glynn, Alan Lasoff, Kevin Lamere, Stephen O’Leary and Robbie O’Neil. Freshmen: Paul Curran, Mike Grant and Brian Higgins.
The team played in three games against the Naperville Wild and the Naperville Huskies A and B teams to bring home three wins and the Noonan Cup.
In addition to the hockey games, the students proudly represented MHS for a tour of DePaul University in Chicago. A great time was had by all,
courtesy of the seniors’ parents, who worked tirelessly to make it come true. Please see related story on page 23 of our Feb 5 edition.
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Did you see where Providence College is boosting its security at its home basketball games after a brother of one of its players walked onto the court to confront one of the officials?
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The Boston Herald, a favorite over the years of many Milton athletes, says that its circulation is off. Well, here in Milton, they seem to be getting the papers out a lot later than a few years ago.
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There were three of them there. The class of 1941 at Milton High held a reunion recently at the Wollaston Golf Club, and had former Marines and well-known Milton athletes Lou Sorgi, John MacVarish and Tom Gunning present.
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Former Northeastern University and St. Mary of the Hills star and longtime Milton Treasurer Joe Graziani, now living in assisted-living at Marina Bay, says that the Milton town treasurer should be elected by the people of Milton, not appointed by the Board of Selectmen.
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We thought that the TV work at the Australian Open was just great.
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We were sorry to hear of the death recently of well-known Stonehill star, and Milton and Canton walker, Alyce Hennessey Sullivan. Alyce, who was married to well-known Knicks star Eddie Sullivan (one of the sports-playing Sullivan brothers), had not been feeling so hot lately.
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We received an e-mail a little while back from former Milton High athlete of the ’60s, Brad Buck. Brad, who was a Milton firefighter after graduating from the high school, left the Milton Fire Department to go to the department in Bridgewater, where he lived. After retiring from that, he moved to South Carolina where he lives with his wife of 40 years, a native of Virginia.
Brad wants to tell us about a couple of good Milton athletes who grew up in his Clifton Road neighborhood: the 6-foot-7 Ryan twins, Fred and Fran, who went on to star for Northeastern University. Also from the same neighborhood was Jim Nelson, a really good football player in the ’60s at Milton High.
Brad really likes it in South Carolina because you can play outdoor sports like tennis and softball throughout the year. He does say, though, that
July and August are really hot. A fine Milton athlete, Brad Buck.
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Have you noticed that Milton Academy is back as a boys’ hockey power this year and is leading the Independent School League at this time?
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Popular Milton sports star Stan Dworkin, who plays Santa Claus for a lot of you Milton sports stars at Christmastime and does a lot of work for the Milton Animal League, went under surgery recently at Milton Hospital for a knee replacement.
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A lot of you know well-known jogger, and the longest-working bartender at the popular Erie Pub in Dorchester, Brian McLaughlin. Well, did you know that he likes to tell jokes and is good at it? If you see him, ask him to tell you about his new Irish joke. It is cute.
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I know that a lot of you Milton athletes are getting ready for the Boston Marathon and have to get in a lot of extra miles practicing for it. If you are running alone or in groups, in the early morning or the evening when it’s dark, remember to wear light-colored clothes and jog toward the oncoming traffic.
With the snow and ice on the sides of the roads, it forces you out more to the middle, and this is especially true if you are with other runners. The roads are for cars, so make it easy for them to see you and your friends by everyone wearing light-colored clothes, not blue or dark-colored ones, and reminding your friends to do the same.
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This has been a really good year for college basketball because in most leagues, on any given night, one team in the league can beat any of the others.
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You should read it. If you are a BC fan, or a fan of a rival of BC through the years like Holy Cross, you should read Milton star Reid Oslin’s book, “The BC Football Vault.” It is a very easy read, a big book with a lot of pictures, and is available at most bookstores.
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We stopped in at the new Irish restaurant, Townsend’s on Fairmont Avenue in Hyde Park (across from the firehouse), the other night. They were doing big business, with many Miltonians present. They have things on the menu like fish and chips, blood pudding, etc., which we were told were delicious. I was also told by the bartender and one customer that I didn’t write up soccer and rugby enough.
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Many Milton athletes and the Weymouth Club had a good year in the 2008 tennis season. Bart Panarese, from the well-known Panarese tennis family, finished first in boys’ doubles 12 and under, and third in boys’ singles 12 and under. Sophie Panarese finished seventh in girls’ 16 and under.
Also, in the USTA adult league, well-known Milton tennis star Beth Shea’s 4.5-level women’s team at the Weymouth Club advanced to the nationals after they won the sectionals.
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A nice place to walk on cold winter mornings: the Copeland Field House gym at Milton High. It’s open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 to 7 a.m.
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Sorry to hear of the recent death of longtime North Carolina State women’s basketball and Olympic coach Kay Yow, who died of cancer.
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Taking a toll on the racehorses: Seven horses have had to be euthanized at Santa Anita as of this writing, since the track opened for the season Dec. 26. The state horse racing board in California mandated the change from dirt to synthetic material two years ago and there have been many problems since.
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We thought that there was less interest in the Super Bowl around Milton this year than we have seen in many years.
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Alex Cora, always a gentleman, has left the Boston Red Sox and signed a contract with the New York Mets for about $1.5 million. He said the Sox were great and he enjoyed playing here, but the team really had no place for him to get much playing time this year. That’s why he signed with the Mets.
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If you like to run or jog on the Cape, they have a race weekend coming up Feb. 20-22 in Hyannis. On Friday evening, you can run a 5-mile race with Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter. Then on Sunday morning, Feb. 22, there is a marathon (last chance to qualify for Boston), a half-marathon, a 10K and a half-marathon relay, which are becoming very popular. Call (617) 625-2140 if you’re interested.
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We don’t think that Derek Lowe was worth $60 million over four years. However, we do expect him to do well. He has a good arm and can pitch either short or long. They say he has never been in better shape and has really quieted down a lot since he lived here, near the Milton line. Most importantly, he
is a great athlete. He played baseball, football and basketball in high school, and he played all three extremely well.
*****
As most of us who have driven by the Blue Hills know, the ski area seems to be doing well this year. The area is a great place to learn the sport of skiing.
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The Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League have recalled well-known Milton hockey player Mike Ryan from Albany of the American Hockey League.
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The Baltimore Sun has reported that Orioles general manager Andy MacPhail has obtained Milton’s Rich Hill from the Chicago Cubs. Orioles pitching coach Rich Krantz and bullpen coach Alan Dunn have coached Rich in the minors. The Sun also reported that the Seattle Mariners, who employ Milton’s Bill Kearns as a scout, were also interested in Hill.
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The Milton High boys’ basketball team clinched a spot in the tournament last week, beating Needham on the road. Their only remaining home game is against Natick on Feb. 12 at 6:45 p.m.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
1/29/09
Rev. John O’Donnell, the longtime priest who is parochial vicar at St. Gregory’s Parish, Dorchester, is retiring in the first part of February. He will spend his time at his home in New Hampshire, near St. Anselm College, and will be a weekend assistant at a parish. O’Donnell – called “the minstrel-show priest” by the late BC fan Monsignor Day – was a curate under John “Dillon” Day when they were at St. Mary of the Hills a few years back. O’Donnell was in charge of these minstrel shows, which many of Milton’s stars performed in.
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He’s calling it a day: We hear that after 10 years as an extremely active park commissioner, well-known former BC High and Stonehill College star Terry Driscoll will not seek re-election.
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In a nice gesture, former Milton High football and baseball star Steve Lambert took his mother out to dinner on her birthday. Steve was a member of that great Legion baseball team of three years ago. However, in not-so-good news, Steve’s baseball future at UMass Lowell could be in jeopardy after a recent accident he suffered while riding his bike. He
could be red-shirted for a season.
*****
Once again this winter is the always-popular Beanpot Hockey Tournament, played the first two Mondays of February at the TD Banknorth Garden. On Monday, Feb. 2, at 5 p.m., Harvard takes on Boston University. Following that game, at
8 p.m., will be Northeastern against Boston College. The following week, Monday, Feb. 9, the two losers from the previous week square off at 5 p.m. and the winners go at it at 8 p.m.
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Popular Milton athlete Paul Galvin is back for another year running the Zamboni for Boston College hockey.
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We received an e-mail from one of Milton’s biggest stars, who last year was honored by Northeastern University as one of its biggest hockey fans. We’re talking about Milton star of the 1960s Francis “Bucko” Finerty, who is busy working on the high school’s big 50th reunion celebration. Bucko is proud of his Huskies team and the way the fans have been showing up at the arena for them. He says this is the year the Huskies can take down last year’s national champions, the BC Eagles.
*****
Have you Milton stars stopped by Bent’s Cookie Factory yet? If you do, you’ll notice the new
owners have really done the place over. (See story on Page 2.)
*****
A large group of friends and readers last week gathered at the home of Hank Phillippi Ryan, the investigative reporter for Channel 7 News, who lives in Newton. They were there to celebrate the publishing of Milton star Hallie Ephron’s latest suspense novel, Never Tell a Lie. The novel, which is available in local bookstores, got a great review last week from the Boston Globe. Hallie is married to popular Curry College professor Jerry Touger. They are the parents of former Milton High stars Molly and Naomi Touger.
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Getting away from the cold snow of the Northeast this January were several well-known Milton High stars of the 1950s: from the class of 1950, Jack Collins, Gordon Smith and Dick Ryan; from the class of 1951, Ellie Cox Stein, Paul Buckley, Florence Green Buckley and Janet Costello Walsh; and from the class of 1953, Barbara Boynton Ryan.
They were all down in Naples, FL, enjoying the warm weather at an annual get-together.
*****
The annual operating budget for the Cape Cod Baseball League is between $1.5 million and $2 million. This is less than what your average major league backup player makes in a year. Yet, Major League Baseball has told the six Cape Cod teams who use major-league names they will have to buy all their equipment from major-league suppliers. If they don’t buy from the majors, they will lose their annual $100,000 grant.
In response, the Chatham Athletics have decided they will change their team name to the Anglers. The Orleans Cardinals are also in the process of deciding on a new name. But the Yarmouth-Dennis, Bourne, Harwich and Hyannis teams have not yet announced whether they will do the same.
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For you Milton stars who enjoy looking up at the stars at night, there is a new moon this week. Also if you’re in or around the woods, the great horned owls begin to nest about this time of year. Listen for their hooting.
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The Mass Audubon Society, where many of you Milton stars are members, is opposing a proposed casino in Middleborough. They say the town, with its enormous amount of wetlands areas like the Nemasket River, the BioCore habitat and critical supporting watershed and rare species habitats, is just fine the way it is.
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If you’re interested in volunteering to work at the Boston Marathon, now is the time to sign up. Call the Boston Athletic Association at 617-236-1652. Volunteers get a free jacket.
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Playing very steady basketball for Milton High this year, and hitting some key shots for his team, is Tim Potts, the youngest of the sports-playing Potts brothers. His brothers Chris, of the class of 2004, and Greg, of the class of 2007, are both former Wildcat standouts. Their father Rich has for years cooked hotdogs at Milton High sporting events. Try one, and let us know what you think.
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They buried big Al Barone two weeks ago with a funeral Mass at St. Gregory’s Church. Former St. Gregory’s Parish Monsignor Paul Ryan, now at St. Catherine’s in Norwood, celebrated the Mass.
Al, who passed away at 80, spent his final years in California, where he moved after his brother Joe closed his Central Avenue barbershop. He had also spent time out there earlier in life. But he wasn’t feeling well the last few years of his life.
Back in his heyday, Big Al was a huge man and extremely strong. He was the Southern California handball champion before hurting his shoulder. Both here and in California, Al made his living handicapping races and sporting events. Monsignor Ryan pointed out at his Mass that Al loved to take rides to New Hampshire and Rhode Island to check out times. If you watched a sporting event on TV with him, he knew all the players.
*****
Many of you know former Milton High star
athlete Dennis “Moose” Brogna, a star lineman
on the 1964 Milton High football team. That was the team that won the Bay State League championship under coach and former BC star Tom Brennan. You may also know that Dennis went on to become head trainer at Milton High (tending to all your sports injuries) and was even a professional trainer for the National Hockey League until just last year. Well, he’s retired now and living down in South Carolina, where he is once again a high school trainer. He also teaches down there.
*****
Former Milton High standout Kelly Madigan, now a freshman track star at Northeastern, recently finished third to her junior teammate in the 55-meter dash at the Reggie Lewis Center. Kelly finished at 7.66 seconds. The winner finished at 7.31 seconds. Next up for Kelly is the Dartmouth Relays.
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The Brockton Rox have named Chris Carminucci as their manager for the 2009 season. Carminucci, who takes over for Chris Miyake, will be taking on his
third managing job in the Can-Am League. He coached the Grays team in 2005 and the Capital City Surf in 2007, where he earned Manager of the Year honors. He has also coached for St. John’s University and for the Brewster White Caps of the Cape Cod League. He was once a scout in the majors for the Kansas City Royals.
The Rox kick off their 2009 campaign at home Thursday, May 28.
*****
The Chicago Tribune reports that Chicago Cubs players Felix Pie, Ronny Cedeno and Milton’s
Rich Hill are all out of minor-league options and
likely won’t play for the Cubs in 2009. If Chicago trades all these guys by spring training, they’ll be losing a lot of talent.
*****
Nine-time Grand Slam singles champion Monica Seles has been elected to the International Tennis
Hall of Fame. The ceremony for this former No. 1 women’s tennis player takes place Saturday, July 11,
as part of the Tennis Hall of Fame Tournament in Newport, RI.
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The New England Revolution open their home schedule Saturday, April 4, at Gillette Stadium.
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Members of the seventh-grade girls’ Metrowest Basketball team had the honor recently of playing during halftime of the BC vs. Virginia Tech game, which took place Sunday, Jan. 11. Milton athletes who got to play on the court were: Meggie Curtis, Grace Gardiner, Allison Grassa, Emma Greenawalt, Kelly Lawler, Samantha Lundrigan, Mollie McDonnell, Sarah Muse, Ashlee Okoye, Rebecca Olivieri and Claire Russell. The coaches were Alyse Olivieri and Keith Greenawalt.
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It seems like only yesterday that one of Milton’s best basketball players, and a member of both the Milton High and BC Hall of Fame, Kerry Curran, was playing on the court at Conte Forum.
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Congratulations to Kara O’Connell, the daughter of former Milton High and BC star Jeanne Byron, for making her second Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Team. She made it in the spring for lacrosse and now for soccer.
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In a nice gesture, well-known former Milton High football and baseball star Sen. Brian Joyce recently donated some of the money he is due to receive in his State House raise to the “Save Milton High” spring sports drive.
*****
The Milton High boys’ basketball team travels
to Needham Friday, Jan. 30. This should be a good
one. Needham, with what must be its best team
in years, won the recent Braintree tournament in
which Milton was also involved. The action kicks off at 6:45 p.m.
*****
As of this writing, Stonehill College is
ranked nationally in both men’s and women’s Division II basketball.
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A very important fund-raiser for Milton High spring sports takes place Saturday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m.
at the Hoosic Club. There will be a comedy show followed by music and dancing. The bar will be open
from 7 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 and will be sold at the door. You can purchase tickets in advance by sending a check to: Student Activity Fund, c/o Leslie Durgin, 30 Old Farm Road, Milton, MA 02186. E-mail Leslie at itsawrapdurgin@hotmail.com if you’d like more information.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
1/22/09
Two weeks ago we reported that on the next to last day of December, late in the afternoon as the sun was going down, an eagle was reported flying over Turners Pond. If anyone else has seen this bald eagle, let us know. If you are near Turners, be sure to keep your eyes open.
Also, if you are around Turners or some other wooded area, this is a great time to look for birds’ nests. With all the leaves gone, it is easier to find them. Keep a check of where they were and check them out in the spring to see if they are still being used.
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Last week we talked about a great basketball victory when unranked BC went down to North Carolina and beat the No. 1 team in the country at their gym. Well, just five days later – after the Eagles’ victory got them ranked 17th – unranked Harvard, with a lot of its taller players injured, upset BC. This was a tremendous victory for the Crimson, which played them at the Heights. It was the first time ever that Harvard has beaten a ranked team in basketball.
Harvard’s basketball team may lack height but they have a really good guard in Jeremy Lin, a junior from Palo Alto, CA.
*****
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, the governing board of high school sports in the state, speaks out. The board ruled that Mansfield High, which was undefeated in the Hockomock League, could not go to the Super Bowl because one of its substitute football players, who was seldom used, was ineligible, having used up his eligibility, and the two weak teams he played against were declared winners over Mansfield.
The Mansfield School Department took the MIAA to court, and got a court order to let them play in the Super Bowl tournament. Here they won a game before losing to Walpole in the final. But now the MIAA has ruled they must return the Super Bowl runner-up trophy, that North Attleboro is the league champion and that Mansfield must pay the MIAA lawyers’ fees for taking the case to court.
The MIAA has also been sending a lot of representatives to high school hockey games lately and recently talked to Needham, of the Bay State League, about unruly students.
*****
Well-known Milton runner Brian Devin has always been a really good runner all his life, whether he was winning the longer ones at Milton High or at the University of Connecticut.
Brian, quite a few years later, is still a runner, not a jogger. He loves running and was one of the main reasons that the Milton Road Race came to be. He was one of the founders of the annual June event over 30 years ago.
Now Brian is involved in the Michael A. Devin Memorial Fund, a fund set up when his brother Michael, a Milton police detective, was killed in a car crash a couple of years ago. The fund recently purchased a banner to be hung in the field house to help support Milton High sports. It also sponsors scholarships and has purchased educational materials. The fund also has contributed to local causes, including the “Night for Tony Pickens.”
Now the word has it that the memorial fund, under the direction of Brian, will conduct a road race called the M.A.D. Scramble, probably on July 3, the night before the Fourth of July. The distance has yet to be determined by Brian, who is thinking of about five miles.
*****
Pat Sherry, a Malden Catholic graduate who played a lot of basketball at Tufts, from which he graduated in 1992 with Milton’s Joe McMann, is now an assistant coach at Providence College. He came over to PC after three years as an assistant at Rhode Island, where in 2007 several college-hoops ranking systems named him one of the best assistant coaches in the nation. In 1996, Sherry was the head basketball coach at Curry College, where he spent two seasons. At Curry, he was the second-youngest head coach in the nation. In his second year coaching the Colonels, he led them to their best win-loss record in five years. He has also been an assistant coach at Stonehill, Northeastern, College of Charleston and William & Mary.
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Good news: Back about a month ago in this column and in the Animal League’s news bulletin, we said there were five cats at the pound that had been there for over a year and it would be nice if someone would give them a home for Christmas. Well, it worked. You Miltonians came through and adopted them. The rabbit is still there, though, and has been joined by a ferret.
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Well-known Milton star Paul Rogan says there’s a rumor the Baltimore Orioles will take over City of Palms Park, the Red Sox spring training facility, when the Sox move into their new, $50 million park in Fort Myers, FL.
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Well-known Sheraton Braintree swimmer and longtime Cunningham men’s league bowler Joe Murphy and his wife, Ann, are being kept busy these days with a new grandson.
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Well-known, highly successful Boston College women’s basketball coach Cathy Inglese is taking a year off from coaching. Her contract was not extended by BC, but she figures to get a big-time coaching job somewhere next year.
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A real nice place to coast over the years, and still popular with Milton and Quincy stars, is Presidents Golf Course on the Milton-Quincy line.
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As of this writing, the Stonehill College women’s basketball team is 13-1 and ranked the highest they’ve ever been by ESPN.
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A real good coach and credit to the National Football League, Tony Dungy, is stepping down as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Dungy won the Super Bowl two years ago with the Colts.
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Well-known Milton golfer Sachi Govindan, who was recently featured in this column for his hole-in-one, shot a personal-best 70 on New Year’s Day at Orangebrook Golf and Country Club in Hollywood, FL. This is quite an impressive feat, as Orangebrook is a par-72 course. He was cheered on by his biggest fan, well-known Milton star Fenwick MacMillian.
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Really enjoying the top-ranked Hockey East Boston University team this winter are well-known Milton sports stars Chris and Carter Lee. They have season tickets.
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As of this writing, well-known Milton High basketball star Marcus McDermott is leading all Herget Division scorers, averaging 18 points per game.
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Milton High girls’ hockey player Brianna Kelly is third in the state in scoring with 19 total points (11 goals and eight assists). Teammate Katie Higgins has 11 points (five goals and six assists).
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The Milton High boys’ hockey team is 4-1 as of this writing, led by goalie Nick Hailer, who is second in the league with a 1.13 goals against average.
*****
We received a note from former Milton High
star, now the CEO of the Flatley Co., John Roche. As you know, John works out every day at the
Weymouth Club with pal and fellow Milton star
Bob Falconi, the triathlon runner. John and Bob
ski many weekends at Waterville Valley. John sent us a note from the Waterville Valley Wig Wag newspaper. In it, he mentions some of Bob’s most impressive athletic feats of 2008, including his climb 20,000 feet up Mt. Everest. Last year, John writes, Bob also ran the Lake Placid Ironman – which includes a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run – and finished it in 12 hours and 10 minutes. If that wasn’t enough, this fine Milton star also ran an ultra-marathon (50 miles) through the Vermont hills in just over nine hours.
Bob’s plans for 2009 include the Miami Marathon this month and the Ironman in France in June, which runs some of the same hills as the Tour de France. He also plans to run the Boston Marathon. If you would like to do some running with him, feel free to give him a call.
*****
The New Jersey Nets have sent former Boston College basketball star Sean Williams to the NBA’s development league. Williams’ playing career at BC was cut short due to disciplinary problems. He didn’t have any disciplinary problems in New Jersey; he just wasn’t playing.
*****
If you see on the TV lineup that a college hockey game starts at 7:30 p.m., chances are it is a local station. Probably NESN.
*****
Congratulations to well-known Milton resident and St. Mary of the Hills star Norm Walsh, the long-time BC High baseball coach who many of you Milton athletes played for, for being elected to the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Norm is only one of 25 coaches in the state to win 400 games. His BC High team won the Division I state championship in 2001 and 2008.
*****
Following some tough losses, the Milton High boys’ basketball team has dropped out of the Patriot Ledger’s top ten teams on the South Shore. However, despite not having a true big man, they are still a real good team capable of beating anyone. If they make the playoffs, they could do well. However, many of our fellow high school basketball fans tell us Stoughton High is the best Division II team in the state this year and will be hard to beat.
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Remember, keep yourselves, your children and your pets off the ice at Turners Pond. It’s not safe.
*****
In a nice gesture, the town is honoring Carol A. Blute by naming a conference room at Town Hall in her honor. Carol, who worked for the town for many years, was the slugging outfielder on the St. Mary of the Hills softball team that won the New England championship back in the 1950s. She was also an avid golfer. The ceremony is Saturday, Feb. 7, at 10 a.m. at Town Hall, 525 Canton Ave.
*****
Playing key roles in Milton High’s 3-2 victory over Walpole last week were two stars whose family names should be familiar to Milton sports fans: Nick Bligh and Mike Muse. The MHS hockey team now sits atop the Herget Division in the Bay State League.
*****
Colin McIntosh, the 6-foot-8-inch former BC High center now at the University of Vermont, had another good week last week, scoring 25 points in a loss to Albany. He put up 17 points in a victory over Boston University at Agganis Arena. A lot of Colin’s Milton friends saw that one. (Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
1/15/09
The Boston Red Sox once again play Boston College and Northeastern in spring training this year in Fort Myers, FL. They play BC during the day on Feb. 25 and play Northeastern on Feb. 28.
*****
Several Milton High class of 1986 graduates were present at the basketball tournament held at the Copeland Field House – sponsored by state Rep. Walter Timilty – over Christmas vacation. Among them were former Milton High and St. Mary of the Hills star Scott Smith and three-sport athlete Jim Pierotti, the son of former Bent’s Cookie Factory owners Gene and Helen Pierotti. They were especially interested to see Boston Latin Academy girls’ basketball coach Bill Dever, also a three-sport athlete for the Milton High class of 1986. He played football, baseball and threw the shot-put for indoor track. Bill has been coaching both boys’ and girls’ teams at Boston Latin for a while now.
*****
Well-known former Milton Youth League and St. Sebastian’s hockey star Tim Corcoran and his UMass Lowell hockey team play Boston College Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Conti Forum. Tim is a freshman defenseman for the River Hawks.
*****
Speaking of Boston College, not too many BC basketball fans we have talked to expect the team to do well in the ACC this year. They have won all the non-league games they’ve been expected to win, but the ACC is a tough division. It isn’t far behind the Big East, which many consider the toughest division in college basketball.
However, the BC basketball program had perhaps its greatest victory of the last five years when they knocked off No. 1 seed North Carolina on the Tar Heels’ home court a week ago. North Carolina was undefeated going into the game and looking good in league play. BC had looked average at best before pulling off the upset.
*****
If you go to a Milton High boys’ basketball game, make sure to pick up a program book when you purchase tickets. The team did a great job on them as usual, with a lot of sponsorships. Remember, there are usually boys’ or girls’ game played Tuesday and Friday evenings at the beautiful Copeland Field House. The varsity games usually start around 6:45 p.m. If you need to buy anything, try checking out the sponsors.
*****
The School Committee makes its decision on spring sports next week. Let’s do what we can to save them. Send your donations to: Milton High Sports, Superintendent’s Office, Milton High School, 25 Gile Road, Milton, MA 02186. Remember what sports announcer Bump Hadley used to say back in the 1950s: Keep your boy in sports and out of the courts.
*****
We were very sorry to hear of the death recently of well-known Cunningham men’s league bowler Paul Douglas, a fine Milton gentleman and athlete. He had not been feeling well.
*****
The Globe South, at the beginning of the new year rated the Milton High girls’ hockey team fifth best on the South Shore. With a record of 3-0-1, the team was rated No. 1 among Division II teams by Boston Herald writer Dan Ventura. The Globe South rated the boys’ hockey team (with a record of 7-0-1) seventh on the South Shore.
*****
If you’re thinking of running in the Boston Marathon this year and want to train with other runners, the L Street Running Club has group runs every week. A lot of Milton runners are in this group. They leave the L Street Bathhouse on Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. There is no charge and you don’t have to join the club to run with them. Just show up.
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Quick trivia: Did you know that the University of Buffalo football team only won 10 games from 1999 to 2005? This year they won the Mid-American Conference and played Connecticut in the International Bowl in Toronto. But they lost 38-20.
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Former Xaverian lacrosse star Rob Mostertz is now a member of the pep band at Stonehill College. Robbie is the grandson of late Milton High and Hilltopper star George David Gallagher and well-known walker Ellen Gallagher, who now lives at Fuller Village.
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The Sagamore Inn will reopen in April with new ownership. The inn – on Route 6A a little way over the Sagamore Bridge – was popular with a lot of Milton stars.
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Sorry to hear that Galen Wifholm, a Milton star of a few years back, isn’t feeling well. Galen came up not too long ago from his home in Florida to celebrate his 50th reunion from Milton High.
*****
For those who swim the ocean on New Year’s Day, we should think that Rexhame Beach in Marshfield has the coldest water. It is on open ocean. Other beaches like Monument Beach in Bourne and Wessagussett Beach in Weymouth are in harbors.
*****
For you Milton High hockey fans who watched Chicago take on Detroit outdoors at Wrigley Field
on New Year’s Day, did it perhaps remind you of
sitting at Ulin Rink on a cold night watching your child play?
*****
It looks as though the bad economy may be starting to affect pro football. Tickets for two of the wildcard playoff games two weekends ago were still available 48 hours before kickoff.
*****
The heavy December snow got Blue Hills Ski Area off to a good start, and the new owners are grateful. You really have to have snow for good skiing and lessons for kids on vacation. And snow on the ground helped out tremendously during Christmas break.
*****
Former Milton High pitcher Rich Hill (now with the Chicago Cubs) will conduct a baseball clinic for Milton baseball players on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, Jan 19, at 1 p.m. at the Copeland Field
House. This will be Rich’s third clinic. The cost is $25. All ages are welcome. Proceeds will benefit Milton High baseball.
*****
I know there are a lot of “ifs” when it comes to sports, but if Mike Lowell can rebound from an injury-plagued season and get back to hitting the ball the way he did in 2007, the Red Sox should have no problem making it back to the playoffs this year. The same can be said for David Ortiz. Last year the Sox left too many runners on base.
*****
Glad to hear that the Steve Wilkie hockey game played two weeks ago at Ulin Rink was a success again this year. The game features the Milton High team against Milton High hockey stars of the past. This year, the current Wildcat team won.
*****
After seven seasons as top assistant football coach at UConn, Rob Ambrose is returning to his alma mater, Towson State, as head coach.
*****
You young Milton stars, when it snows, a really good, safe spot to sled is the hill next to the Milton Academy ice rink.
*****
Our congratulations to Milton High hockey star Matt O’Neill for scoring two goals recently in a game against Quincy.
*****
Milton athletes playing hockey for Milton Academy this winter are: senior defenseman John Haddad and sophomore forward George Pantazopoulos.
*****
If you can get up a little early these cold winter mornings, you can take advantage of some free indoor exercise. The Copeland Field House is open Monday and Friday mornings from 6 to 7 a.m. on school days. All you have to do is sign up when you get there. And for you walkers who are counting laps, it takes 11 trips around the track to walk a mile.
Just about every Milton star we have talked to agrees that the town’s biggest birder is former Milton High and St. Mary of the Hills star Patty O’Neill.
*****
The Milton High boys’ basketball team suffered
a tough, one-point loss to undefeated league powerhouse Newton North last week at the Copeland Field House. It was a seesaw match-up. The Wildcats had a one-point lead and the ball under their own basket with 1.2 seconds on the clock. They chose to throw a long inbounds pass to center court. The official called a foul on Milton as both teams went for the ball. Newton tied it at the free-throw line and won in overtime. It was a good game played between two really good teams.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
1/8/09
We received a note from a well-known older Milton star who wants to remain anonymous. He calls this note an appeal to the stars:
Do the stars really come out at night? Well, it is getting late for spring sports at Milton High, so it may be time to find out. Over the years, Ed Baker’s “Following the Stars” and “With the Athletes” columns have been read and enjoyed by all.
Now it is time for the “stars” to rise and shine for the athletes of tomorrow. Don’t let the opportunity to participate die. Join Tim Knightly and Bruce Bird. Let’s keep Milton High School spring sports a part of our young student/athletes’ dreams. Please send your donations to: Milton High Sports, Superintendent’s Office, Milton High School, 25 Gile Road, Milton, MA 02186.
*****
A lot of you Milton athletes like to take in some of the Cape Cod League games during the summer. Starting this year, the Cape Cod playoffs will expand from four teams to six. In addition to the division winners, there will be fifth- and sixth-seeded teams in the playoffs based on their win-loss records.
*****
Well-known former Notre Dame star John Stenson, the owner and proprietor of Erie Pub, says that at least for the time being you can still get a 10-ounce draft beer for a dollar. You can also get a hot dog for the same price. These two items are especially popular with older stars, but anyone can get them at that price.
*****
Congratulations to Milton Academy football star Ryan May – the great tackler out of Plymouth – for making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Team. Also making the team was teammate and star quarterback Chris Amrhein, who hails from Hingham.
Representing Milton High School on the Ledger team was star lineman Shad Sommers and
running back and track star Paul Connor. Sommers will play his college ball at Columbia while Connor is considering UMass, Northeastern and the University of Rhode Island.
*****
Well-known Vermont basketball standout Colin McIntosh – the 6-foot-8-inch senior out of BC High – was featured recently in a Burlington Free Press article. The article looks at how McIntosh has improved his game this year. It was written by well-known Vermont basketball writer John Fatino and is in the Dec. 21 issue of the Free Press.
Speaking of McIntosh, almost all of the New England college media directors agree that at the end of 2008 he was New England’s most improved college basketball player.
On Wednesday, Jan. 14, McIntosh and his University of Vermont teammates make their only trip to Boston when they take on Boston University at
the Agganis Arena at 7:30 p.m. The game will be
on NESN.
*****
Well-known Boston Herald writer Michael
Connelly has a new book out called “Rebound!” It chronicles the reemergence of the Boston Celtics. It is available in most bookstores. Connelly is a longtime Boston native.
*****
The Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament, always a favorite with local tennis fans, takes place again this year at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center in New Haven, CT. The event runs Aug. 21-29, the week before the U.S. Open. For more information, call 1-888-99-PILOT or visit www.pilotpentennis.com.
*****
Two of baseball’s hottest young pitchers – Boston Red Sox ace Jon Lester and New York Yankees stopper Joba Chamberlain – will take part in a “Hot Stove Conversation” at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children. Call 203-371-7846 for more information.
*****
Do any of you older Milton stars remember former Milton High three-sport athlete Joe Sidoti? Well, Joe lives in Minneapolis, right by the Mississippi River. He has a 20-foot pontoon boat and says if anyone from the Class of 1964 is ever out that way they can spend a few days with him.
*****
Well-known Milton athlete Rich Hill is back in town resting up and working to get ready for spring training with the Chicago Cubs.
*****
Well-known Milton star and Boston Globe writer Jim McCabe wrote a nice article recently about hockey enthusiast Steve Wilkie and his family. McCabe talks about how Steve, now 55, has been Milton High’s hockey manager for over 20 years and such an inspiration over the years with all his handicaps. Steve gets great support from his parents and from his uncle, Walter Sgroi, who started the now-famous “Sgroiball” game for Steve at Cunningham Park 30 years ago.
*****
The Red Sox are looking to bring former star pitcher Derek Lowe back to town. He is currently a free agent and can pitch both in the starter role and out of the bullpen. However, most Milton stars don’t think the Sox will do this because it would cost them a first-round draft pick to acquire the 36-year-old. Had they signed Mark Teixeira (who instead opted to join the Yankees), the Sox would have had to give away their No. 1 draft pick. But you only have to give that
pick away to the team from which you sign the first free agent.
*****
Most Milton athletes we’ve talked to agree that well-known Milton walker John Kelley is the mayor of the Central Avenue business district in the morning; and that in the afternoon well-known walker and sports enthusiast Frank Masterson takes over. These two Miltonians know each other well. A few years ago, they were classmates at St. Gregory School.
*****
Congratulations to Milton High golfer Mike Whittaker for making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Golf Team. Mike will graduate early from Milton High and enter Bryant College, which is now a Division I school. And yes, he will play golf.
*****
Needham High appears to be the team to beat in Bay State League hockey. They have just about everyone coming back and even have some transfers.
They should make the Super Eight tournament and do quite well.
*****
Well-known Milton athlete Greg Rice, a senior at BC High, scored the first goal of the season for
the Eagles as they beat Framingham, 7-0, in their hockey opener.
*****
Longtime, highly successful Milton High basketball coach Mike Goodless seems to be faced with rebuilding the Archbishop Williams team in his first year there. The team hasn’t started off very well. Goodless built Milton High into a basketball power back in the 1980s and ’90s.
*****
The town of Barnstable has banned smoking at all of its beaches for the upcoming summer. So Craigville Beach, a popular spot with many Milton athletes, will be a place you can no longer smoke. But there will be places in the parking lots where people will be allowed to smoke.
*****
Did you hear that the New York Yankees have to pay the baseball commissioner’s office a luxury tax of $26.9 million? That is the highest in three years, and up from the $23.9 million that they had to pay last year. The highest the Yanks ever had to pay was $34 million in 2005.
*****
There was a bald eagle sighting recently at Turners Pond. Carly Rocklen, the outreach director of the Neponset River Watershed in Canton, spotted the eagle soaring high above the pond while walking late in the afternoon Dec. 30.
*****
Congratulations to the Milton High girls’ basketball team for winning the Christmas basketball tournament sponsored by Rep. Walter Timilty. Taunton, Stoughton and Boston Latin also participated.
*****
Milton High boys’ basketball (with a record of 4-2) plays a big game at home Friday evening, Jan. 9,
when they take on Bay State League favorite Newton North. Tip-off is at 6:45 p.m. The following
Tuesday, Jan.13, they are home again to face a tough Walpole team. Milton suffered a setback last week when they lost two games in the Braintree Lions Basketball Tournament.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
1/1/09
Well, here we are at the year 2009. Most Milton stars will be hoping for a better economy. Let’s hope their wish comes true. Most of us can’t do much about it, but we can get off to a good start with our health. To help you do this, the well-known athletic family, the Nemzers, are having their annual 5-Mile Fun Run and Walk on New Year’s Day at 10 a.m. starting at their home at 43 Cypress Road. There is no charge and all Milton stars are welcome. If you want, you can bring juice or pastry for after the run.
*****
Also on New Year’s Day, the Rangers of the Blue Hills are conducting five hikes (all at varying difficulties and lengths) starting and ending at Houghton’s Pond in the Blue Hills. The hikes all begin at 1 p.m. There is no charge. If you get there early, you can get some free soup.
*****
A lot of you Milton stars (and lot of college hockey coaches) took in the Flood-Marr Hockey Tournament held recently at the beautiful Milton Academy
hockey rink. The snowy weather couldn’t keep hockey fans away.
*****
Remember, the ice at Turners Pond is not
safe to skate or walk on. So please stay off. We
don’t want what happened at the pond in Natick happening here.
*****
The odds are good that Red Sox catcher and captain Jason Varitek will be back in a Sox uniform this year.
*****
Two well-known Milton athletes – Nikki Pantazopoulos and Hillary McNamara – make up two-thirds of the co-captains of the Milton Academy girls’ hockey team this winter.
*****
The well-known, sports-playing Tim Colton
family has expanded its business. They are opening
a new The Four’s Restaurant and Sports Bar on Route 53 in Norwell, where the old T.G.I. Friday’s used
to be. The Coltons already run very successful
establishments next to the Boston Garden and
in Quincy Square. They also own the East Bay Grille in Plymouth.
*****
We want to put an end to the rumor that there is
a hybrid wolf loose in the Blue Hills. It is only a German shepherd. The dog’s owner often lets it run loose up there.
*****
Our congratulations to three well-known Milton runners – juniors Olivia Collins and Emily Hughes, and sophomore Mairead Kiernan – for making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic girls’ cross-country team. They all ran for the championship team at Milton High and will be back next fall.
*****
Curry College football coach Skip Bandini and athletic director Vinnie Eruzione were recipients of the General R. Neyland Outstanding Athletic Director Award Dec. 11 at the All-American Football Foundation Banquet of Champions. The event was held at the Marriott in Newton.
*****
Have you missed former Stoughton High star Melissa O’Neill, who used to cut many of you Milton athletes’ hair at Mackie’s Barber Shop on Central Avenue? Well, she’ll be back cutting hair again on Saturday beginning Jan. 8. She took time off to be with her new baby boy.
*****
We want to congratulate Milton High junior girls’ soccer goalie Micaela Butlin for making the Patriot Ledger’s All-Scholastic team.
*****
The Parks and Recreation Department is offering winter indoor tennis lessons at well-known Milton tennis star Steve Goldman’s Weymouth Club. The group lessons will be held Mondays from Jan. 5 to March 2 from 9-10:30 a.m. The cost is $175. To sign up or for more information, call 617-898-4940 or visit the Parks Department at Town Hall. These lessons are for beginners and intermediate players.
*****
The Boston Herald has picked the Milton High girls’ hockey team as their top Division II team. Milton High nearly won the tournament last year but lost in the final game to Hingham, which now plays Division I hockey.
*****
It appears that we are going to get some snow this winter (we’ve already had plenty). Keep in mind the Blue Hills Ski Area at the Milton-Canton line is a convenient place to go. You don’t have to travel far, and they make their own snow.
*****
You may not know unless you’re an avid Providence College basketball fan, but the Friars have a new head coach this year. Keno Davis has come over from Drake University to become the 14th coach at Providence. Davis, 35, is an Iowa graduate. Last year he earned several National Coach of the Year awards for leading Drake to the NCAA tournament. The Sporting News, Associated Press and U.S. Basketball Writers Association all picked Davis as the nation’s top coach. Before that, he was an assistant to his father, Dr. Tom Davis, the former Boston College coach, at Drake from 2003 to 2007.
Providence promotes itself as the place to play if you want to be on TV. Most of their games this year are on ESPN and CBS. The Big East is the most televised league in the country. Although it is one of the smallest schools in the Big East (with an enrollment of 4,000), Providence leads New England schools in sending players to the NBA. Ryan Gomes, a former Boston Celtic who now plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves, was the most recent Providence grad to make the pros. Former Milton High all-time great basketball star Larry Ketvirtis also played his college ball at Providence.
*****
Stony Brook University, which plays a lot against local schools, has an enrollment of over 23,000.
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The BC hockey team was off for the entire month of December.
*****
Tim O’Shea, former BC basketball great of
the Class of 1984, is the new head coach at Bryant University. He will have his work cut out for him:
this year, Bryant will play a Division I schedule for the first time.
Tim comes off a successful stint as Miami of
Ohio head coach. Prior to that, he was Al Skinner’s assistant coach at Boston College and the University of Rhode Island.
Tim has said he loves Rhode Island and has always wanted to return there. He moved back in June to take the Bryant job. His top assistant is former New Bedford High and BC star Dwayne Pina.
However, Bryant won’t become an official Division I school for four years. So Tim won’t have an opportunity to take his team to the tournament until then.
*****
The Milton High boys’ basketball game, postponed two weeks ago because of snow, will be played Friday, Jan. 2, at 6:45 p.m. at the Copeland Field House.
*****
The Milton High boys’ hockey team is home against Braintree on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. at Ulin Rink. They play Peabody at home in a non-league game Monday, Jan. 5, at 4 p.m.
*****
Milton High girls’ basketball team plays Dedham on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 6:45 p.m. at the high school. The following evening, Jan. 8, the girls’ hockey team plays Dedham at 7 p.m. at Ulin Rink.
*****
Milton High’s outstanding football lineman Shad Sommers – 6-foot-2”, 285 pounds – has committed to play football next year at Columbia University. He was recruited by several other schools, including Cornell, Harvard, Brown, Boston College and the University of New Hampshire.
*****
Former Milton High basketball and tennis star Meredith Donovan, who played her college ball at Fitchburg State (and graduated in June), is coaching basketball this winter at Boston University Academy. Her brother, Adam Donovan, the big center at Milton High a couple of years back, is now a sophomore at Bridgewater State but is out this season with a knee injury.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
12/25/08
In a nice gesture, former Milton High star Susan Abbott Coleman, Class of 1981, knowing how important spring sports are, made a substantial donation to Milton High, to help save them.
They still need more money, though, if they are to function this spring, being down about $40,000. If you can help out, mail a check made out to Milton High School to the superintendent’s office, 25 Gile Road, or send it to the Boosters Club. You don’t want the Bay State League to be playing sports this spring minus Milton.
***
Looking for a gift for that Milton athlete, male or female? Think about a membership to a health club. They might not want to buy one, because of these economic times, but with all the stress on everyone, this is the time you really need to work out.
If they already have one, drop by the health club and get it extended.
***
Colleen Kelly is a sophomore midfield player of field hockey at Babson College. They recently held their end-of-the-season sports banquet, and she was named to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference All-Conference First Team and to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference Team.
Colleen was named an National Field Hockey Coaches Association Regional All-American and was named NEWMAC Field Hockey Athlete of the Week twice this season. She was named Most Valuable Player of the team at the banquet and has been selected as one of the two captains next season.
***
Athletics schedules for winter sports at Milton High are available and can be picked up at the high school office or at any of the Milton High home games.
***
Back playing indoor basketball again this winter, which he does every year, and enjoying it just as much as he did 40 years ago: Milton’s favorite milkman and former Milton High star, Joe Manning.
***
And glad to see that Dennis Ryan, the Irish writing specialist, is still out there pounding the pavement, moving along at a good pace.
***
The 2008 South Shore Kings, a Triple A hockey team out of Foxboro, won the touted Silver Sticks Tournament in Toronto over the Thanksgiving weekend. Young Milton stars Charlie Davis, Christian Simeone and Ryan Shea are on that team.
This is the second time the team has won that tournament. They did it back in 2006.
The team is ranked No. 1 in the country, according to national hockey rankings. They had the pleasure of going to the State House to meet Rep. Walter Timilty.
A lot of you Milton hockey enthusiasts will remember Christian Simeone’s dad, Greg Simeone, one of the best hockey players to come out of Milton High. He played for Milton High Hall of Fame coach, the late Skip Lapworth, before going on to star at Norwich University. He then was the successful coach at Stonehill College for a few years before giving it up because of business interests.
***
Still going strong, Milton basketball star Colin McIntosh had another 20-point game last week. This one was against University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
***
There is a fund-raiser being conducted for well-known Milton High soccer coach Mike Madden, who is partially paralyzed in both legs from a recent operation. You can bid on a ticket for a luxury-box seat to the Celtics game on Friday, Jan. 2.
If you would be interested in bidding or getting involved to help out the coach and his family at this time, send an e-mail to sshapiro@pinnacle-learning.com.
***
A lot of Milton pro football fans are saying that the Philadelphia Eagles are putting it all together at the right time and have a good chance to win the National Football League championship. If they did, Philly would be a double champion, as they won the World Series in baseball.
***
A lot of Miltonians who are Red Sox fans waited over two hours a couple of weeks ago to purchase tickets by phone for Red Sox spring training home games.
***
Last year’s Milton High sophomore hockey and baseball star, John Magliozzi, has gotten off to a good start for his new school, Dexter, in hockey. John transferred to the Brookline school last September. They are playing a non-league schedule.
***
If you are a high school football fan, you know that Milton Academy had a really good football team this year and lost only one game in the Independent League (to Belmont Hill). As a result of this, they got a bowl bid and won the game down in Connecticut. The defensive coordinator on this team was former Milton and Archbishop Williams star and Milton policeman Mike Mason. This is his 12th year coaching at the Academy.
***
A lot of Miltonians don’t think that there are as many coyotes in Milton as there were a few years back. Former Merchants star Bruce Bird says that a way you can tell is during a full moon around 11 p.m. – if they are around at this time of year, they will be howling.
***
Well-known former Stonehill College star Tim Knightly says that his two favorite restaurants at Christmas are the Coonamessett in Falmouth and Benjamin’s in Taunton. He says he has been to them in December and they are decorated beautifully.
***
The Milton Academy sports teams are now on Christmas break until after the holiday, except the boys’ varsity hockey team that is playing in the Tabor Tournament.
***
If you are looking for a nice pet, either for Christmas or another time, well-known Milton star and animal enthusiast Stan Dworkin says there is a really nice rabbit available at the Milton Animal Shelter.
***
Former Northeastern University basketball star Jose Juan Barea has started a couple of games recently for the Dallas Mavericks and done very well.
***
The University of Vermont baseball team, which has a definite Milton touch, will match up against colleges from a dozen different leagues next spring, and play 23 home games.
***
Get ready for some winter tennis. The Men’s Senior Pro Tennis Tournament, once again sponsored by Outback Steakhouse, will be played at BU’s beautiful arena on the weekend of Feb. 13-15. The pro players have yet to be named. For tickets, call 617-931-2000. Boston is the first stop on the tournament this year.
***
At this writing, Boston College is a four-point favorite over Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl. The game is set for the day before New Years at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.
***
At this time of year, the McDonald’s restaurants in Bourne and Falmouth do a big business with Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard sports teams of all ages that come to the mainland to play.
***
Former Milton star baseball, tennis and golf star Peter McLaughlin, who works at Boston College as special assistant to the senior vice president of university advancement, has been named chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St. Columbkille Partnership School, a unique alliance formed in 2006 by Boston College, the Archdiocese of Boston and St. Columbkille Parish, to maintain Catholic education in the Allston and Brighton neighborhoods.
***
At this time, I want to wish all of you readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
12/18/08
We recently got an e-mail from well-known Milton star of the 1950s Gil Alfano, who now lives in North Carolina. Two weeks ago, Gil shot his age in golf. He shot a 75 at the Pinehurst Resort using 5460 senior tees. He says he wouldn’t have done it without his chipping and putting.
Gil wants to thank Wollaston greats Steve Dowling, Joe Higgins and J. Barry Driscoll for all their advice. This was the third time in the last five years Gil has shot his age. Gil also wants to send his best to former Northeastern University star Fran “Inga” Walsh, who was his boyhood idol growing up in town.
*****
Save the date: Well-known Milton star and long-time boatsman Francis “Bucko” Finerty says the next get-together of Milton athletes of the 1960s will be on Wednesday evening, May 13 at the Common Market Restaurant in Quincy. Around 82 town stars of this era come from eight area high schools.
*****
Glad to see that well-known Milton jogger, walker and biker Elizabeth Douglas is getting back into walking again. This Milton star has been laid up for several months with a foot injury.
*****
Well-known former Milton High star and town firefighter Brad Buck (who also served in the Bridgewater Fire Department), now retired, is living in South Carolina, where he still plays tennis and softball.
*****
Well-known Milton star and Wollaston golfer Bill Chapman and his family recently purchased a couple of funeral homes in the Bridgewater area.
*****
Bruce Bird, the well-known former St. Agatha’s star and Cunningham men’s league bowler, says Milton now has a lot of deer and that it is their breeding season. So we have to be very careful when driving. There are more deer hit at this time of the year.
Bruce offers us some helpful tips to avoid hitting a deer in the road. He says you should change your dimming headlights to bulbs. Stronger lights make it easier to notice deer in the road by illuminating their eyes. If you see one deer in the road, another is likely to follow closely behind. Drive slow at dusk, especially on secondary roads. Drivers can also alert other motorists by flashing your headlights. You are more likely to hit a buck than a doe, as bucks are more erratic during mating season.
*****
As of this writing, well-known Milton long-distance runner Kevin Kelly – who is in charge of the buildings and grounds at Milton Academy – seems to be having success with his fake coyotes, which help to scare Canada geese off the sports fields.
*****
Speaking of Milton Academy, a lot of you Milton athletes like to take in the Flood-Marr Holiday Hockey Tournament, which is played at the Academy every year. This year the tournament runs from Dec. 19 to Dec. 21. Some of the best prep school hockey teams play in this tournament. You can pick up a Milton Academy winter sports schedule in the sports complex building.
*****
Remember, if we get snow the Academy is a good place to stroll. Also try Kelly Field and Andrews Park.
*****
For the second year in a row the Boston College football team could not win the big game against Virginia Tech. BC had a good year, but getting to the Orange Bowl (where Virginia Tech will play) would have brought in about $10 million to the sports program. They might not get this opportunity again in the future if Florida State and Miami can regain their former glory as ACC powerhouses.
*****
At least a few of the bids the parks department received a few weeks ago are within the department’s budget. The bids are part of a project to improve the path around Turners Pond that should get underway in the spring.
*****
A lot of you Milton athletes like animals and may be thinking of getting a new one for Christmas. The town’s animal shelter, besides having a few dogs, has about 15 cats. About five of the cats have been there for over a year, which means they have spent most of their time in a cage. Since Milton has a no-kill shelter, they can continue to hold these animals. But wouldn’t it be nice for you Milton athletes to take one home for the holidays? They already have all their shots and if it doesn’t work out you can always bring them back to the shelter.
*****
The Bay Colony Dog Show was held recently at the Bayside Expo. It was well attended by Milton stars. Next year the event is moving to Providence, RI.
*****
The South Shore Hospital Walk for Hospice, usually held in March, next year will be held in May at the Hanover Mall. The South Shore Plaza, the event’s usual host, is currently undergoing construction.
*****
A busy Milton athlete this fall was former Milton High and Curry College football star Chris Ernst. Not only did Chris coach the powerful Curry football line, he also worked full-time as a Milton police cadet.
*****
The Milton High boys’ basketball team looks to be a good one this season. Many players on the team were busy in the fall playing Dorchester House League basketball, facing off against tough opponents like BC High, East Boston, Marblehead and Lawrence. They finished with an outstanding record of 7-1.
Milton High is home Friday, Dec. 19 against Norwood and Monday, Dec. 22 against Braintree.
*****
With a good junior season under his belt, Milton High star basketball player Marcus McDermott is gaining some attention from recruiters at several schools. Included on that list are: Brandeis, Tufts, NYU, WPI, Salve Regina, Franklin Pierce, Connecticut College and Curry College. Marcus is the cousin of Providence star Geoff McDermott.
*****
Milton sportsman Al Thomas, who had a successful season running his harness horses out at Plainridge, plans to run a couple horses at the Meadowlands. Plainridge shuts down for the winter and Al will rest most of his horses.
*****
Have you seen former Milton High and BC star Brian Joyce around town? He has been doing some serious working out at the health club at 1 Eliot St. and has lost around 30 pounds.
*****
Well-known Milton High star, walker and swimmer Carolyn Thornton has some new cookie recipes out for the Christmas season. We hear they are delicious.
*****
We hear from many of you Milton stars that the main branch of the library is now set to reopen its doors in March, which is a couple of months more than originally scheduled. But we hear it is beautiful and well worth the wait.
*****
Northeastern University’s Solomon Indoor Track/Cabot Cage was recently renovated to include a new track surface surrounding a turf infield. It was open Nov. 17.
*****
Glad to hear that well-known Milton sports fan and former successful Little League coach Mike Gormley is home from the hospital.
*****
The Milton High Class of 1958 recently held their 50th reunion. They learned that their classmate Gerry Hauser, who couldn’t attend the reunion, now lives in an assisted living complex in Cheshire, Conn. Gerry is a former three-sport star at the high school. On Dec. 9, his friends John Celi, Ed McGuire, Phil Van Neste, Bob Fletcher and Brian Inteland drove down to see him.
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In sports, things never stay the same. You can be up one day and down the next. A year ago the Patriots looked to be the most unbeatable team in the league. This year they haven’t fallen too bad, but without Tom Brady they are fighting just to make the playoffs.
The Bruins, on the other hand, are off to a tremendous start. Although the team made the playoffs last season, they haven’t enjoyed much success in recent years. Bruins fans should be happy that they’re back on top again.
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Some of you Milton stars used to stop by Donovan’s Pub for a sandwich and a drink. For years it was a popular spot on Dorchester Avenue. The place was sold in September and right now is closed. We hear the new owners are doing a lot of renovations and plan to open again early next year.
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He is calling it a day: Former St. Sebastian’s star and well-known sports enthusiast Gene Pierotti (who has looked for you Milton athletes at Bent’s for as long as I can remember) is retiring from the cookie factory. His last day of baking will be Dec. 24. Drop by Bent’s and wish him well in retirement.
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We stand corrected: Two weeks ago, we stated in the column that former Milton High sports star Kate Donovan played soccer and basketball.
She actually played hockey, not basketball. Now a senior at Holy Cross and a captain on the Women’s Rugby Club, Kate was a big contributor in the rugby team winning the national championship this year.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
12/11/08
As most of you college football fans know, the traditional Harvard vs. Yale game in Cambridge was sold out again this year. However, a lot of loyal Harvard fans we know are asking where the big crowds were all season. Harvard didn’t draw very well this year.
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The Milton High boys’ basketball team, with many top stars returning, is picked as one of the favorites to win the Herget Division in the Bay State League. Milton High winter sports begin the weekend of Friday, Dec. 12, when the girls’ basketball team takes on Wellesley at home. The game starts at 6:45 p.m.
The boys’ team plays a key early-season game against always-tough Brookline Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 5:45 p.m. at the Copeland Field House.
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Boston College’s loss to Virginia Tech (for the second year in a row) will cost the school’s athletic department about $12 million. That is the fee they would have earned if they had won the game and gone on to play in the Orange Bowl.
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Well-known Milton star and former Boston College media director Reid Oslin (who still works at BC) will be signing copies of his new book – entitled Boston College Football Vault – on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Barnes and Noble in Hingham. The book is a nice, easy read with lots of pictures. It should be a must-own for you BC fans and for anyone who has followed college football over the past 50 years.
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Going to the Boston College vs. Maryland football game in style two weeks ago were well-known Milton runner and Falmouth wood and water distributor Peter Noonan and George Pyne of NASCAR fame. They met and had lunch at the Ritz and then took a limousine to the game.
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Holy Cross had a vastly improved football team this year and almost won the Patriot League, which would have gotten them into the NCAA tournament. However, they lost to Colgate in the final game.
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So far the attendance at local college basketball games hasn’t been too great.
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If you run into former Jeanne D’Arc Academy star Anne Thompson, wish her a happy birthday. This popular Miltonian had a big birthday recently.
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Well-known Milton star Colin McIntosh, the 6’5’’ senior basketball star at the University of Vermont, had a career game against Delaware recently. He scored a career-high 25 points and was named Player of the Week in the American East Conference.
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Well-known Milton athlete out of Milton Academy Lindsay McNamara, who had a great career playing field hockey, finished up a stellar career at Bowdoin College in dramatic fashion in a big win over Tufts. She scored the winning goal, giving Bowdoin a 3-2 victory in double overtime. The win gave Lindsay and her teammates their second consecutive NCAA Division III championship.
Congratulations to this well-known Milton star, who finishes her career as the all-time Division III playoffs scoring leader. She finished with 92 total goals in her career.
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Sunday, Dec. 14 is the Milton Animal League annual Christmas party. It takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. at Cunningham Park. Santa will be there for pictures, so bring along your pets for a photo. There will also be many items for sale that will make good Christmas gifts.
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Going into the Norwich University Hall of Fame recently was well-known local athlete, now deceased, Bill Cahill. Bill was a successful hockey coach at Worcester Academy, Assumption College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Many of you Milton athletes know his brother Peter, the well-known bicyclist and runner.
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A report has it that former Red Sox catcher Kelly Shoppach, now with the Cleveland Indians, may rejoin the Sox next year. Shoppach has been with the Indians for the past few seasons and hit well for them in the second half of last season.
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Glad to hear that avid Milton boater, sportsman and Rotarian Fabian Lionetti is enjoying his new home at Milton Village.
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He likes to teach: Former Milton High athletic director and soccer coach Tom Herget, who many of you had in class, is doing quite a bit of subbing in the Milton Public Schools.
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As far as we know there are no road races in December. But don’t forget on New Year’s Day, well-known Milton runner Josh Nemzer and his athletic family will have their five-mile fun run and walk, which begins at 10 a.m. at their house.
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Also on New Year’s Day, starting at noon at Houghton’s Pond, is the annual hike up the Blue Hills. There is no charge for these hikes.
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Ski passes are now being sold at the Blue Hills ski area. It is a great place to do some local skiing and is often open late for you night skiers.
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With WJDA out of business and WBZ telling people to listen to their station online, many Milton stars complain that they can’t get the scores of local high schools games when they’re in their cars anymore. Maybe next year things will change and stations will keep us up to date again on Thanksgiving Day.
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Sorry to hear that both Jack and Dick Thornton, sports-playing brothers at Milton High in the 1950s, aren’t feeling very well.
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It is interesting that the BC vs. Harvard hockey game played at 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 (the day after Thanksgiving) was sold out well ahead of time. There were quite a few empty seats at game time. Quite a few sporting events started at 4 p.m. that day.
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A lot of Milton athletes who frequent Eire Pub know Jimmie Hayes. His son Jim is an outstanding 6’5’’ freshman defenseman on the BC hockey team.
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The Milton Rotary Club put on a nice lunch for the Milton High team captains on Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving at Fuller Village.
The football team had the annual trophy at the table this year, but because they lost to Braintree on Thanksgiving they will not have it next year.
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Well-known former Milton star hockey player Patrick Foley is once again an assistant hockey coach to Ted Donato at Harvard. Patrick was a three-time captain at the University of New Hampshire.
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For the last five years the University of Maryland has averaged 49,000 in attendance at their football games, which they are very pleased about. The enrollment at the school is about 36,000. Over the past two seasons, Maryland has had the best record in the country against ranked opponents.
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For those of you who like to plan ahead, the first round of the Beanpot Hockey Tournament begins Monday, Feb. 2, with Harvard scheduled to play Boston University at 5 p.m. Following the game, Boston College will play Northeastern.
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Looking ahead, BC will host an Eastern Regional basketball tournament in March at the TD Banknorth Garden. So you college basketball fans might want to get going working on tickets. This is the first time a regional basketball tournament has been held at the Garden.
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Well-known long-distance runner and Thanksgiving road race director Elaine Schiffmann was happy with the 3.1-mile race this year. It drew over 150 runners and walkers and made a $2500 for Dana-Farber cancer research. Elaine’s sister died from the dreaded disease a few years ago. What makes the $2500 so great is that there is no set entry fee for the race. Participants were asked to donate whatever they could afford.
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For the first time in many years, the well-known, sports-playing Dunn brothers were all home for Thanksgiving this year.
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You have to give Patriots coach Bill Belichick a lot of credit. He really knows quarterbacks. He drafted both Tom Brady and Matt Cassel in later rounds for low salaries and it has really turned out well.
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In a nice gesture, a lot of restaurants in Randolph that have Milton ties and serve town athletes – including Lombardo’s, the Lantana, Piccadilly Pub and La Scala – provided food to the people of Reed Street in Randolph that got burned out of their homes over Thanksgiving weekend.
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Dog racing at Raynham Park will no longer be held on Mondays or Thursdays. This means the track will only have four race days, as it has not held Tuesday races for awhile. This is because a lot of the dog kennels in town are moving out. When 2010 rolls around, dog racing will be a thing of the past in this state, due to the ballot question passed in November that bans the races.
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Successful former Milton Academy coach Herb Chenell is looking for his Boston Latin tennis team to really improve this spring. Herb is a pro at the Sportsmen’s Tennis Club in Dorchester.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
12/4/08
The former and highly successful Milton High basketball coach Mike Goodless has announced the time and place of next year’s hall of fame dinner. It will take place Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 at the Lantana. You can pick up tickets at any of the Milton Public School offices or at Milton High’s website by clicking on the hall of fame link. Mike announced that Dennis Duggan, his long-time assistant coach at the high school, has joined him as assistant at Archbishop Williams, where he is head basketball coach for the varsity team. Well-known Milton star Brian Lenane will coach the junior varsity team.
Meanwhile, Lamar Reddicks, one of Mike’s best basketball players at Milton High, is taking over as boys’ basketball coach and assistant athletic director at Milton Academy. Because of scheduling conflicts, Archbishop Williams and Milton Academy did not meet in a game or scrimmage this year.
*****
Had the Milton vs. Braintree football game on Thanksgiving ended after three quarters, the Wildcats would have been victorious. However, as it went, the Wamps scored 14 points in the final quarter to give them the victory on a nice day down in Braintree.
*****
Two weeks ago, Curry fans had a great six-hour drive to Ithaca, NY to see their football team come from behind to beat highly-rated Ithaca College. However, last Saturday driving up to the same region of New York didn’t go as well for Curry. They lost to Cortland State, ending a great season for the Colonels
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Former Milton High wrestler Ted Carroll is taking over as the Wildcats’ wrestling coach. Ted had been an assistant coach at Milton Academy.
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A lot of you Milton stars get your hair cut at Mackie’s Barber Shop on Central Avenue. Soon, Mackie’s will have a new barber. Mary Ann’s mother is taking up the trade and will soon be occupying the chair next to her daughter.
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There will be a flag football game Saturday, Dec. 6 at noon at the Milton High football field. All proceeds go to the Debra Davis Foundation. There will also be a dinner at 5 p.m. at the Commonwealth Restaurant, 79 Parkingway in Quincy. They are asking for $10 donations.
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Glad to hear that highly successful Little League manager and avid sports fan Mike Gormley is feeling better and will be coming home soon if he isn’t home already. Mike wasn’t feeling well over the summer.
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Our congratulations to well known Milton High volleyball players Deirdre Connolly and Samantha Curley on their election as captains of next year’s team. Deidre is a junior and Samantha is a freshman. It is unusual for a freshman to receive this honor.
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Milton star Colin MacIntosh, the 6’5’’ forward out of BC High, is off to a good start playing as a senior on the University of Vermont basketball team. He has constantly been in double figures in scoring so far.
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With the cold weather coming on, and ice forming on the ponds, we remind you to keep your children and pets off the ice at Turners Pond. The pond is really deep in some areas and it’s not safe.
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Friends of the Blue Hills, the watchdog group of the Blue Hills, is not happy about a planned land swap. They oppose the swap proposed by the Lantana in Randolph. The proposed deal would have Randolph give the Blue Hills Reservation some land it doesn’t want and in return getting three acres of reservation land to build a 400-car parking lot. Lantana has offered an additional $290,000 for the land. However, the Friends of the Blue Hills say the Randolph assessors’ office values the land at around $1.2 million. Should the deal take place, the Friends of the Blue Hills insist that the state receive full market value. Contact your governor, Milton resident Deval Patrick, to get more information about the proposed deal. You can learn more about the issue by going to http://devalpatrick.com/issue.php?issueid=7698527 and clicking on the Support This Issue link. But you have to first register for an account on the governor’s website. The Friends ask you to leave a comment on the website.
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After two months of Hockey East play, we agree with the poll that has Boston University number one in the league and in the country. Boston College and Northeastern are not that far behind. Hockey East is a strong league this year with great balance. UMass found this out a couple of weeks ago when they lost to an improved Merrimack team. A good place to watch the games is the Mullen Center at UMass. You get a great view.
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If you have a young Milton star coming home from college or prep school, you might want to buy him or her a Christmas vacation membership at Milton athlete Steve Goldman’s Weymouth Club. Give the club a call at 781-337-4600.
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There is some talk around town that the Red Sox may trade for San Diego Padres star pitcher Jake Peavy. He is young and could probably do well at Fenway. However, as it stands now Peavy has said he would not accept a trade to Boston. There are reports on the internet that he might be traded to the Chicago Cubs in a deal involving Milton star Rich Hill, who pitched mostly in the minor leagues for the Cubs last season.
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Even with the sagging economy, one thing Milton stars have not cut back on so far is their pets. Their pets generally get great care.
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Did you know that well-known Milton star Dick Walsh now has five grandchildren? Many of you Milton athletes know Dick from when you used to get your coffee from him at the deli he used to run on Central Avenue.
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Well-known Milton and Stonehill College girls’ lacrosse coach Katie Lambert and her Stonehill team will conduct a lacrosse clinic open to Milton stars in grades 3 to 8. It takes places on campus Saturday, Dec. 6. The program is geared toward players at all skill levels from novice to advanced. For more information contact Cathy Smith at weidmansmith@hotmail.com.
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Kate Donovan, a former Milton High soccer and basketball star, is now a senior at Holy Cross. She is one of the captains of the Holy Cross Women’s Rugby Football Club that on Nov. 8 won the New England championship in their Division IV league by beating MIT. The team went on to win the National Championship by beating Albright College 44-7 on Nov. 15 in Philadelphia, PA. Nice job Kate.
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Brian Kelly, the highly successful coach at Cincinnati, is under consideration for the Tennessee job. Many of you know that Brian grew up on the North Shore and went to St. John’s Prep. He played his college football at Merrimack and successfully led Central Michigan before joining Cincinnati. Tennessee would have to buy out the rest of his Cincinnati contract. He has also had some interest from Notre Dame, but they would have to pay $16 million to buy out his contract.
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The non-major college football bowls (and there are a lot of them) are going to have a hard time drawing fans this year with the economy the way it is. Getting fans to travel to a secondary bowl is a hard sell.
*****
Penn State coach Joe Paterno,
who played his football at Brown in
the backfield with Milton star Larry Hall, says retirement may be a possibility but that he hasn’t thought much about it yet.
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Bentley football coach Peter Yetten is calling it a day after some good years coaching at the Waltham college. Bentley is scheduled to play Curry next fall.
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A lot of Milton stars were a little upset that Coco Crisp was traded away by the Red Sox. They liked his hustle and thought he was a good back up in the outfield, especially with JD Drew missing significant time last season.
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Expect the Boston College women’s basketball team to play a much faster running game under new coach Sylvia Crawley. Crawley comes to BC from Ohio University, where she coached well for two seasons. In her college playing days at North Carolina, she was a big star and led the team to the National Championship. She also played professionally in the WNBA for the Portland Fire and the San Antonio Silver Stars and played some pro ball in Europe. She takes over a veteran BC team.
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The Hofstra University women’s basketball team, which played BC a week ago, made their first trip out of the country when they played in the Annual Junkanoo Jam Grand Bahama Island Tournament, which ran from Nov. 26 to Nov. 30.
*****
The Stonehill College men’s basketball team played Notre Dame in an exhibition game in South Bend two weeks ago.
(Reach Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
11/13/08
Two weeks ago Milton High’s fine senior running back Paul Connor set a modern-day MHS record when he scored four touchdowns in the first half of a game against Newton North. Milton won the game 32-8, with all their points coming in the first half.
The team plays its last home game on Friday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. against Wellesley. Make sure you drop by to check out Connor, an exceptionally fast runner.
The final game on their schedule is Thanksgiving morning – Thursday, Nov. 27 – when they go on the road to face Braintree. Both of these games are very winnable.
*****
Well-known former Vose School, Hilltopper, St. Mary of the Hills and Milton High star Fr. Tom Norton is helping out at St. Elizabeth Church.
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Having a big birthday recently was one of Milton’s most active athletes, Herb Ferrari. Herb is a well-known Wollaston golfer and Cunningham men’s league bowler. There aren’t many older athletes around town still as active as he is.
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We have received word from some of our fishermen friends that the cold weather has brought some smelts up to the Neponset River.
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Milton athletes will be busy collecting awards at the 29th annual BC High Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which takes place Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling 617-474-5030.
This year’s Milton inductees are Chris Taylor (1988; baseball), and, from the 1948 basketball team, J. Barry Driscoll, Dick Driscoll and Bob Macomber.
Two other well-known Milton stars, Frank Taylor and Jack Shaughnessy Sr., will receive the Men for Others Award, which is given annually to people who show leadership in their community, in church and in their professions, and who support BC High’s academic and athletic excellence.
J. Barry and Dick Driscoll are brothers; Frank and Chris Taylor are father and son.
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Having a good season playing football at Bentley College this fall was Sean Ryan. A well-known Milton and BC High athlete, Sean played wherever he was needed, offense or defense.
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Nine players on the University of Miami football team (seven of them freshmen) are from Miami Northwestern High School. It must have been quite a high school football team.
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The Curry College coaching staff feels that their team deserves an invitation to the NCAA Division III tournament. The team has a combined record of 30-1 in regular season play the last three years.
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Jaime Albarelli, MHS Class of 2008 and one of the captains of last year’s MHS girls’ lacrosse team, is now a freshman at George Washington University where she is on the Women’s Rugby Football Club. (See her rugby jump shot photo on next page.) As it stands now, the club is undefeated 5-0 and sits atop the Potomac Rugby Union. Jaime plays lock and was awarded “Pack Player of the Game” in the team’s game with American University after she scored a try. She looks forward to traveling with her team to the “Beast of the East” rugby tournament in Rhode Island in April.
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University of Connecticut women’s basketball, rated number one in most pre-season polls, kicked off the season last week with a scrimmage win at home over Stonehill College.
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Most Milton athletes were surprised to hear last week that former Milton High basketball coach Mike Goodless has accepted the coaching job at Archbishop Williams. Most agree though that the school could not have picked a better coach.
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Well-known BC High and Boston College star Bill Ryan writes: “It’s nice to see a couple of teams in the Word Series who don’t have the benefit of greatly inflated payrolls. Except for the Red Sox – who won it in 2004 with $127 million and in 2007 with $143 million – no World Series winner in the last 10 years has had a payroll above $100 million. The Yankees won it three years in a row from 1998 to 2000, but their payroll was still under $100 millon back then. Other winners in that time span include the Diamondbacks in 2001 ($85 million), Angels in 2002 ($61 million), Marlins in 2003 ($48 million), White Sox in 2005 ($75 million) and the Cardinals in 2006 ($88 million).”
It seems that over the past decade there has been no real connection between a large payroll and a championship.
He also writes that former Glover School, Milton Academy and Tufts star Matt Cammack moved back into town recently. Matt and his wife Egan are both attorneys with law firms in Boston.
Before long their daughter Ella will probably be joining grandfather Hank Cammack for some athletic activity at the Academy facilities.
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One of the best pitchers ever to come out of Milton, Dave Stoller, was a speaker at the Milton High Athletic Hall of Fame banquet a couple of weeks ago. He was inducted along with teammate Paul Bortolotti, from the well-known, sports-playing Bortolotti family.
Both Stoller and Bortolotti pitched for the Eastern Massachusetts Championship team of 1978. At the banquet, Stoller explained how he and Bortolotti would pitch every other game. No one recorded pitch counts in those days.
Things have changed a lot in baseball since then, at every level from Little League to the majors. Throwing 150 pitches is a thing of the past.
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If you think you know a former Milton High star worthy of being in the Hall of Fame, now is the time to get out the nomination. Go to Milton High’s website, www.edline.net/pages/Milton_Public_Schools, and click on the Hall of Fame icon.
You can also pick up an application at any of the school offices in town. A person nominated is eligible for five years.
If you’re interested in picking up a DVD of this year’s Hall of Fame ceremony, which featured the plaque ceremony at Milton High, send an e-mail to BDRC@aol.com. The cost is $25. A bill will be mailed along with the DVD.
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Milton Academy completed the most successful football season in years with only one loss to Belmont Hill. This Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. they play in a bowl game in Connecticut. For more information, call the Academy at 617-898-2355.
By the way, Milton Academy is seeking qualified and committed coaches for the winter and spring seasons. Teams practice on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 3:45-5:45 p.m., with games on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The winter season runs from Nov. 17 to Feb. 28 and the spring season from March 2 to May 22.
Milton Academy plays ISL schools and has a great history of producing highly competitive and successful teams. Salary is commensurate with experience.
Open coaching positions for winter sports include: assistant alpine ski coach, varsity assistant wrestling coach, varsity assistant boys’ and girls’ squash coaches, junior varsity and freshmen girls’ head basketball coaches and junior varsity girls’ assistant volleyball coach.
Spring coaching positions include: assistant track and field coach and junior varsity boys’ and girls’ assistant lacrosse coaches.
If interested, contact the athletic director, William L. Whitmore, by phone at 617-898-2355 or e-mail at william_whitmore@milton.edu. Please include a cover letter, resume and two letters of recommendation.
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A note to all you Milton boat owners: USBoat recently listed the six most common winterizing boating mistakes. The most common mistake is a failure to winterize the engine. The other mistakes include a failure to drain water from the sea strainer; failure to close the seacock; clogged petcocks; leaving open boats in the water all winter; using bimini covers as winter storage covers.
Call 800-283-2883 for a free winterizing guide.
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Well-known Milton golfer Sachi Govindan got a hole-in-one Oct. 18 while playing at the Okemo Valley Golf Club in Ludlow, VT. The shot, which came from a 9-iron, was on the 173-yard eighth hole. Rich Russo, Larry Moisio and Mason Mobilio were playing with him.
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To our knowledge, there are two road races to go in Milton this year – they’re both 5K runs and both are for a great cause.
The first is the Milton 5K Gobbler for Best Buddies, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. at Cunningham School. The cost is $20 if you sign up ahead of time or $25 on the morning of the race. You can also walk the course. The first 300 people who sign up receive a free T-shirt.
Best Buddies is a non-profit group dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with mental disabilities by providing one-on-one friendships and integrated employment.
The second race is the popular Thanksgiving Day morning 5K Turkey Trot race, which starts Nov. 27 at 8 a.m. at Turners Pond. It’s a fun race and supports the fight against cancer. You don’t have to pay to run the race but donations are welcome.
One of Milton’s most improved runners, Elaine Schiffmann, is in charge of this one.
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The Milton High Copeland Fieldhouse is available for walkers Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 6 to 7 a.m. when school is in session. There is no charge but you do have to sign up. It’s nice to have this beautiful track available. Walk around it eleven times to reach a mile.
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Glad to hear that well-known distance runner and mountain climber Bob Falconi is feeling better after not feeling so hot. Hope he will be back doing all those triathlons and burning up those roads again soon.
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Want to own a hotel? We hear that the Sheraton Hotel in Braintree is up for sale. It features a health club where lots of Milton stars work out.
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Bentley College is the pre-season pick to win the Northeast-10 Conference in men’s basketball. The team did so well last year, making it all the way to the Final Four in Division III without a true big man.
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Jim Calhoun’s UConn men’s basketball team is the coaches’ pick to win the Big East.
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Former Merchants president Tom Gunning was seen on the golf course the other day.
We don’t know what he shot, but it’s good to hear that this Merchant is on the comeback. He had been laid up for awhile.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
11/6/08
In a nice gesture (and well deserved one) two weeks ago, the board of directors of the Milton High School Athletic Hall of Fame dinner gave a special award – the Chairman’s Award – to Joe and Cathie McMann, for many years of dedicated service to the student-athletes and youths of Milton.
Many of you Milton stars who grew up playing sports in town will remember all the time they dedicated and how they ran the Milton Youth Basketball program so well. Joe ran the boys’ program and Cathie ran the girls’ program.
The second annual induction ceremony, like the inaugural event last year, was a tremendous success and plans are already underway for next year’s event. If you would like a DVD of this year’s events – both at Milton High and The Lantana in Randolph – you can buy one for $25 (including shipping) by emailing BDRC3@aol.com. (See photo on Page 25.)
*****
Thanks to former St. Mary of the Hills and Hilltoppers star Joe Crocie, the Hilltoppers Athletic Association had many people at their banquet recently to witness the induction of 1950s and 60s sports star Peter Moran.
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Mike Goodless, who retired from coaching eight seasons ago after winning over 30 games and two state basketball, championships at Milton High, has been named head basketball coach at Archbishop Williams.
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Quite a few well-known Milton stars will be recognized at the BC High Hall of Fame banquet on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at BC High. Among them will be Frank and Chris Taylor, Jack Shaughnessy Sr., J. Barry Driscoll, Dick Driscoll and Bob Macomber.
*****
Well-known East Milton athlete and BC star Ed Duffy had a knee operation. It should help him get back to his busy athletic schedule.
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Former Catholic Memorial All-Scholastic and Northeastern University captain Jim Fahey is playing hockey in the Germany Elite League this winter.
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Former BC High and Northeastern star Mike Ryan, who has played hockey the past few years for the Buffalo Sabres, is a free-agent who just signed with the Carolina Hurricanes.
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The Boston University men’s’ basketball team is the coaches’ pick to win the America East Conference this year. The University of Vermont, with Milton’s Colin MacIntosh playing a major role, is picked to come in second.
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Well-known Milton baseball enthusiast and sportsman Aldo Feroli fell and was injured recently. He is at Marina Bay Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
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This is a big weekend at Boston College. On Friday, Nov. 7, the college dedicates the Doug Flutie statue. Doug won the Heisman Trophy in 1984. The college of each year’s Heisman winner is required to honor the winner in some way.
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Boston College plays Notre Dame in hockey on Friday, Nov. 7, and in football Saturday, Nov. 8.
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Over 40 Milton athletes participated in two of the biggest fall races recently. Long-time Milton runner Justin Renz was one of a dozen town runners who competed with over a thousand runners in the BayState Marathon in Lowell. Despite fighting a strong wind off the Merrimack River for six miles, Justin ran the 26.2-mile route in under three hours. Three Milton female athletes – Dawn Flynn, Mary Turner and first time marathoner and UMass Boston professor Stephanie Hartwell – finished high in the masters division. Long-time Al Thomas Little League coach, and herbal tea enthusiast, Jeff Mullan ran and completed his first marathon in over 10 years.
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Closer to home, former Milton High and UConn runner Brian Devin celebrated his 40th anniversary of competition by winning the senior division at the Boston Firefighters Memorial 10K Road Race. Brian ran his first race for Cunningham Junior High against cross-town rival Pierce Junior High in 1968, and he remembers running the race in Randy Boat shoes.
Long-time running fixture Barry Woods also finished strong in this very-competitive division. The competition was so good in the 70 and over division that legendary distance runner Don Murray had to settle for an uncustomary second place. Rabid BC fans Theresa and Steve Cidlevich competed into their 20th race this year. The couple, who are the parents of former Milton High and Stonehill College softball standout Tracey Cidlevich, is in striking distance of reaching their goal of running 25 races by Thanksgiving.
Overall, 27 Milton athletes completed the race, which draws around 1000 competitors annually.
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Well-known Milton football star out of BC High Liam Regan will be on the South Shore Saturday, Nov. 8, when Bentley College, where he now plays, will wrap up its season against Stonehill.
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The Milton Academy girls’ soccer team recently defeated The Governor’s Academy 1-0 under the lights at Governor’s. Hillary McNamara scored the lone goal for Milton.
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They are no longer the Chatham A’s but the Chatham Angels. That is because Major League Baseball was forcing the team to buy officials major league uniforms and hats from MLB suppliers if they kept the patented MLB name. Now Chatham can buy locally from whom ever they choose. Other Cape Cod League teams using major league names are expected to change their names as well.
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We were very sorry to hear two weeks ago of the death of long-time baseball coach and manager Bill Mee. A lot of you Milton athletes had Bill as your coach for Little League or in the Babe Ruth League.
He was many things to many people: a well-known walker, war hero, Boston Garden usher, sports fan and father of eight great children. Many, including myself, thanked Bill for upgrading their seats at the Garden many times at no charge.
Bill passed away just shy of his 89th birthday. For many years he was a fixture sitting behind the backstops at Milton High and Legion baseball games with Bob Hannon, Dave Stoller, Bill Hayea, Mike Spinelli and others.
He called me a couple of weeks ago (along with some of his other friends who are sports fans) saying it would be the last time he would call. He said he had a great life and had no regrets. He said he liked Fuller Village, where he lived, but was too sick to go outside. He told me his children had been wonderful to him.
We’ll miss Bill, a dear friend.
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Haven’t seen the Milton High football team play yet? Well you have three more chances. Two of their remaining games are on the road. Friday, Nov. 7, they play at Framingham at 7 p.m., and on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 27, they take on Braintree at 10 a.m.
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If you see any girls who were on Milton High’s cross country team, don’t forget to congratulate them. They finished their Bay State League schedule undefeated.
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To our knowledge, there are three more road races scheduled in town for the fall. The Ricky Coombs Memorial 4.5K Fun Run starts at Cunningham Park at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9. This race supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
The next race is the Milton 5K Gobbler for Best Buddies, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. at Cunningham School.
The final race, on Thanksgiving Day morning, is the 5K Turkey Trot race, which starts at 8 a.m. at Turners Pond.
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The Milton Mustangs youth football team will have their annual football banquet on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sons of Italy Hall in Quincy. Sign-ups for the 2009 season take place Saturday, Nov. 8 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Mustang trailer at the back of Milton High.
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The Cunnnigham Men’s Bowling League is looking for bowlers at all levels. All you have to do if you’re interested is show up at the Cunningham lanes on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening and talk to one of the captains. The group bowls around 7:30 p.m.
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Northeastern University men’s basketball is supposed to be improved and is picked to finish second in a tough Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Watch out for those Huskies this winter in both basketball and hockey.
North Carolina is once again picked to win the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), with Duke picked to finish second. BC is predicted to finish in the middle of the ACC pack. Wake Forest could be the sleeper team in the conference.
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A reminder to you Milton stars: Right now, Chickatawbut Road is closed for a couple of weeks. Many of us use the road as a cut through.
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Did you hear that former Washington Senators pitcher Sid Hudson passed away recently? He was in his nineties. Hudson was a real good one who also played a short time for the Red Sox toward the end of his career. I saw him pitch when I first starting watching baseball and he always did a great job.
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One of Milton’s most popular athletes (from one of its most popular families) Amy Sullivan may soon be hearing wedding bells. She stands to be the last of the Sullivans to tie the knot. Amy was a terrific Milton High basketball player and was known then for her wit. She works at the Norton Country Club and is engaged to a golf pro there.
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Long-time Curry College baseball coach Jack Vallely is a 2008 inductee into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Jack coached at Curry for over 50 years. He also coached basketball there for 15 years. One of his five sons, Bryant, was his assistant for 20 years. In 1999, in what would have been his 52nd year coaching, Jack suffered a stroke that ended his career. A baseball field, called Jack Vallely Baseball Diamond, was dedicated in October of 1998. Jack called it his greatest personal honor. Vallely is truly a legend among college baseball coaches. He has amassed some incredible records, many of which will likely remain forever.
Collegiate Baseball, the official newspaper of college baseball, made the announcement of his induction recently.
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Speaking of Curry, their football team still hopes to gain an invitation to play in the NCAA Division III tournament.
(Contact miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
10/30/08

Although the Boston College vs. Notre Dame football game on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Heights is sold out, the last time we checked there were tickets available for the BC vs. Notre Dame hockey game, which is on Friday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. You hockey fans should remember that BC beat Notre Dame in the finals of the Frozen Four, the NCAA hockey tournament, last year. This should be a good rematch.
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Well-known Milton star and former Boston College media director Reid Oslin has a new book coming out.
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This is just about your last chance to enjoy the local fall foliage. It’s your final opportunity to take a walk, jog or hike in the Blue Hills and see the foliage up there, which is really great.
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John Geraghty recently passed away. Born and raised in Ballinasloe Co. Galway, Ireland, John was a great semi-professional Irish football player. He was also a US Army soccer player. This popular athlete had a lot of friends in Milton.
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Did you see that in most recent newspapers and magazine polls Boston is rated as the top sports city in the country?
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Because of the increase in the number of moose in Vermont, the state has increased the number of moose-hunting permits. Officials say more hunting permits will reduce moose population in certain areas, allowing trees to return.
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A report we have says that former Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe, who has pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the past few seasons, wants to come back east again. Do you think the Sox would consider signing him after not offering him a contract following the 2004 World Championship season? He gives you a lot of innings and can start or relieve. When he was here before he lived on the Quincy-Milton line.
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Having a big 50th wedding anniversary recently was long-time former Milton athlete, football official and School Committee member Don Burgess. Don, who now lives on the cape, celebrated with a Mass at the Cathedral in Fall River.
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Milton High football has a home game on Friday, Oct. 31. They face off against Newton North beginning at 7 p.m.
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A lot of Milton racing fans are upset because the Boston Herald has stopped printing the entrants and results for the Plainridge harness races. If you think the Herald should keep posting the results, give their sports editor a call. Also give the Boston Globe a call. With the tough economic times, all the newspapers are cutting back.
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Former Milton High and Chicago Cubs pitcher Rich Hill is pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he had a good first outing. Pitching for Aragua, he went 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits. He didn’t walk a batter, which is always good.
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Well-known former Milton Little League and Roxbury Latin star Jake Joyce, now a sophomore at Harvard, is on Harvard’s rowing team and recently rowed in the 44th Annual Head of the Charles event. Jake is the second bow member in the boat. Jake is the son of Brian and Mary Joyce.
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The Everett High School football team is back on top of the Massachusetts rankings in most newspapers and is ranked sixth in New England in USA Today.
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Don’t be too surprised if in the not too distant future Toronto has two professional hockey teams. There are plans to put another NHL team in the city (and the Toronto Maple Leafs don’t mind because they’ll be renting them their arena).
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Even though Monday, Oct. 20, was a windy day, a good crowd showed up at Granite Links to make the Milton Parks Department golf fund raiser a success.
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If you have been to Bent’s Cookie Factory lately, did you notice the Halloween decorations? Well-known Milton baseball fan Geoffrey Legge, who manages the factory, did a great job decorating the place.
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Most of you Red Sox fans will agree on this one: if the Sox are to do better next year, they can’t leave as many men on base as they did this season. It seemed every inning they were leaving men on.
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The once-beaten Curry College football team has its last regular season home game on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m., when they go up against Nichols College. The following Saturday, Nov. 8, they go on the road to square off against UMASS Dartmouth. The team that wins this year’s New England League championship game receives an automatic bid to play in the NCAA Division III playoffs.
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We certainly want to congratulate all you Milton stars (and there were quite a few of you) who chose not to use your heat until this month.
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With food prices going up lately, many of you Milton stars are eating more chicken. The price for chicken products hasn’t grown quite as much as most other meat and fish products.
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Well-known Milton athlete Tim Knightly says that when he eats out he usually orders fish, as he believes you should have it at least once a week. He says chicken and fish dishes are usually similarly priced at restaurants, while at the supermarket there is usually a big difference in price.
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I know the 10-minute speed workout is becoming popular and a lot of well-known trainers around the South Shore are in favor of it. However, I think you might want to talk this over with your doctor before doing it, especially if you are a little older. It really gets your heart rate up, and to go into it with all barrels firing may not bring the best results. You have to work up to these things gradually.
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We were very sorry to hear of the death last week of long-time Patriot Ledger sports writer, and for many years sports editor, Paul Flynn.
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Some people in the Bridgewater-Raynham area think the slump in the stock market and layoff of state workers could help save dog racing in the state. People who work at the track feel that voters won’t want to put more workers out of a job, which would happen if the ban on dog racing is passed.
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Well-known Milton hockey star out of St. Sebastian’s, Tim Corcoran, is playing hockey for UMASS Lowell, where he’s a freshman. The home games are at Tsongas Arena on Friday and Saturday evenings, beginning on Dec. 12 when UMASS goes up against Boston University.
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Former Milton High star Devin Lynch, now a freshman at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, is a linebacker on the football team there.
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BC hockey has a home game Thursday, Oct. 30, against an improved Merrimack team.
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Unless you think the Tennessee Titans (who are 6-0 as of this writing) are the real power of the NFL, the league appears to be wide open. There is no clear favorite like the Patriots were last year.
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The Red Sox could have some trouble making the playoffs next year. Tampa Bay will have a lot of improving young stars coming back and the Yankees (with a new stadium opening) are expected to spend big bucks on free agents once again.
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We certainly want to congratulate Milton High athlete Micaela Butlin for getting an assist and scoring the winning goal in the girls’ 2-1 soccer win over Dedham last week. This achievement got this Milton Star the Boston Globe Athlete of the Week.
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Did you see where Stoughton High’s football team, coached by former MHS star Greg Burke, beat Foxboro High’s team two weeks ago? Foxboro is also coached by a former Milton High star – Jack Martinelli. The win gave Greg his 100th victory as a coach.
Both Greg and Jack are terrific high school coaches. They played around the same era in Milton, and both started at Northeastern University.
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After winning 37 straight New England Football Conference games, Curry was beaten by powerful Plymouth State last week in New Hampshire. The loss could cost Curry an NCAA-tournament bid. They could also miss out on the league championship, as Plymouth State is undefeated in the conference.
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With a lot of local school swim teams looking for places to swim, it’s too bad the Egan Center pool in the Blue Hills is closed. It was open limited hours in July and August, only during the day. Richard Egan, a former ambassador to Ireland, made a big donation to the Boy Scouts so they could have the pool. The scouts had it open for about a year before finding problems with it. They are trying to get the contractor to do some work. It looks like it won’t be open for quite awhile. Some say four to five years.
In the meantime, the Boy Scouts of America have put the property in the Blue Hills up for sale. The cost is quite high. Also, because it is located in the Blue Hills Reservation, the land has to be used for recreational activities. So you couldn’t cut it into house lots or start a manufacturing business up there.
(Write miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
10/23/08

The Milton High football team, which got a much needed win over Dedham last Saturday, takes on powerful and undefeated Natick at home on Friday, Oct. 24. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. A lot of high school football fans believe Natick is Super Bowl bound this year. After playing Natick, Milton High plays Newton North at home.
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Powerful Curry has a big football game on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m., as they go on the road to face off against the always-tough Plymouth State team. At this point Curry is still undefeated and has one regular season home game remaining on their schedule. It takes place Saturday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. when they face Nichols College.
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A lot of Milton runners and joggers will be participating in the Falmouth Cape Cod Marathon, which takes place on Sunday, Oct. 26 in Falmouth.
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Recently at the Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville, sportsman Al Thomas’ new harness horse Stagehand won his first race at the track. He led the whole way.
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Milton athlete Ben Donovan, from one of the best sports-playing families in the town, tells us that the class of 2001 Milton High football team beat Walpole, Natick and Needham.
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Milton Academy scored a big victory in girls’ soccer last week, coming from behind to beat Thayer Academy.
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Glad to hear that long-time Milton Academy squash coach Frank Millett is on the mend. This well-known Milton squash player fell down and injured himself recently.
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Did you see that the Boston Globe sent its two well-known Milton writers, Jim McCabe and Mike Vega, to Tampa to cover the Red Sox and Rays playoff series?
Mike does a lot of his writing about racecars. Jim usually covers golf.
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Quite a few Milton athletes are attending Southfield School in Brookline. Among them are Courtney Turner and Kathryn Davis (soccer, hockey, softball), Heather Mottau (soccer, hockey, lacrosse) and Lily Gacicia (soccer, hockey, lacrosse).
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Did you see where tennis player Michael Chang, who is 36 and retired as a player, is engaged to women’s tennis player Amber Liu, who is 24? Chang is also Liu’s coach.
Liu has dropped more than 100 spots in the rankings recently. Let’s hope Chang makes a better husband than coach.
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If you are interested in going to Foxwoods on Friday, Oct. 24, give the parks department a ring to see if there are any last-minute openings. The number is 617-898-4940.
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The Milton High cross-country team has only one home meet left. It takes place Tuesday, Oct. 28 at Houghton’s Pond, with Milton taking on its archrival Braintree at 3:45 p.m. The girls are doing well this year. They’re undefeated as of this writing.
We want to congratulate the Milton High girls’ cross-country team for their excellent second-place finish Saturday, Oct. 18, in the Division II Catholic Memorial Invitational meet at Franklin Park. A special congrats goes to Milton High runners Emily Hughes and Olivia Collins for their terrific sixth and seventh-place individual respective finishes.
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The New York Giants (who upset the Patriots in the Super Bowl earlier this year) may be a strong threat to repeat as Super Bowl champs. They really seem to have improved their team and the players have a lot of experience. This is really making Giants fans happy, and there are a lot of them around locally.
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Would you like to play amateur basketball on the Cape this winter? The Cape Cod Amateur Basketball League is looking for players 32 years or older. Call 508-398-0138 for more information.
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I got two phone calls the day after the Red Sox lost the second game of the American League Championship Series to Tampa in 11 innings. I very seldom get calls, but I do get e-mails. Those I spoke with were disgusted that Terry Francona would bring in Mike Timlin to pitch in the eleventh. Timlin is a nice guy but he hasn’t been pitching very well. One caller even told me he thought Timlin might have slipped Francona some cash to let him pitch.
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Columbus Day weekend was a bye week for the Bay State League football teams and some other high school sports teams. This was done because there are more days between Labor Day and Thanksgiving this year than there have been in recent years.
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Last week the town lost probably its most active athlete over the 80 years of his of life when long-time Milton Fire Chief Big Bob Blake passed away. Big Bob had not been well these past few years. In his day, he played more sports than anyone I can remember.
This versatile Milton star was one of the sports-playing members of the well-known Blake family that included the late, great Jim Blake. Bob came along in sports well before there was Little League baseball. Back then the big games were when one section of the town faced off against the other. There were no uniforms for the most part and most parents didn’t know how good their children were in sports.
Bob’s first big accomplishment known by East Milton athletes was when he won the Cosgrove Award, an award given annually to the best student-athlete at Cunningham Junior High. He won it in the first year it was given out. He then went on to star in three sports – football, basketball and baseball – at Milton High. He also played Legion baseball.
After high school, Bob went on to serve during World War II before coming home to attend Bryant & Stratton College. He played football for the highly successful Milton Merchants semi-pro team back when it was in its heyday. He also played baseball and softball for the Merchants and basketball for St. Agatha.
He participated in two bowling leagues – the Cunningham Park and East Milton leagues – and played softball in the Yaz league. Bob Blake was certainly a versatile Milton star.
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Most Buffalo Bills fans think the team needs a healthy Trent Edwards at quarterback to win the AFC East, the division the Patriots and Jets are in. The Bills play the Pats in Foxboro on Sunday, Nov. 9,
at 1 p.m.
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According to reports, Curry College is really going to toughen up its football schedule next year, playing a couple of non-league games against Wagner College and Bentley, which is now a university.
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We’re sorry to hear of the death a couple of weeks ago of long-time resident Josephine “Jo” Barnum Wallace. Jo was a great skater. She graduated from Milton Academy in 1947 and then went on to be the National Ladies Figure Skating Champion in the late-1940s. She also starred in the “Hollywood Ice Review” before going back to Milton Academy to teach figure skating.
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The Department of Fish and Game recently stocked Houghton’s Pond with fish.
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I know a lot of you Milton stars who are into hiking often travel west or to other countries to hike (one of my friends just got back from Utah). However, one upcoming hiking event in town will give some of you experienced hikers a little workout. On Sunday, Nov. 2, starting at 9 a.m., the Rangers in the Blue Hills will lead a Skyline Trail hike. It takes about six hours to do, but if you take your time you’ll notice the beautiful changing colors of the leaves.
You must sign up ahead of time for the hike, as cars are pooled. Call 617-698-1802 x212 to sign up. There’s no charge.
(Reach us at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
10/16/08
Two Milton High sports teams - the 1948 football team and the 1949 basketball team - will be inducted into the Milton High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 24, at the Lantana in Randolph. Although many of the former stars are deceased, you may remember some of them.
The 1948 football team had Harry McCormick as head coach and Jack Carney and Norm Cardiff as the assistant coaches. Players included Billy Mark and Joe Sandblom (co-captains), Dan Daley, Jim Buchanan, Charlie Collins, John Costello, Paul Donahue, Paul Dudley, Jim Blake, Ed Campbell, Sanford Dwight, Ralph Perry, Jerry Kelly, Bob Secatary, Bill Jay, Charlie Smyth, Ned Curley, Dave Machary, Paul McGonagle, Bill Fox, John Delco, Paul Hennessey, George O’Connell, Paul MacDonald, Bob Stover, Jim Johnson, Dick Ryan, Vic Carlson, Bob Bernstein, Ed Powers, Jack Collins and Jim McGarry.
The 1949 basketball team had Peter Haskell as head coach and Stan Snell as his assistant. Players included Jack Kelly (captain), Jim Blake, Bob Carlson, Don Daley, John Costello, Paul Donahue, Herb Duke, Paul McGonagle, Paul McLean, Robert Meek, Jim Newman, Bob Stover, Joe Sandblom, Leo Tyrell, John Whelpley and Bob Wells. The manager was Gerard Jepson.
If you would like to attend the banquet, call Mike Goodless at Milton High, 617-696-4478.
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BC High (where a lot of you Milton stars go) is rated number one in football by a lot of local sports writers. The school is also rated 10th in the East by USA Today.
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If you don’t have a lot of time these days but want to take a scenic walk or jog, go around Turners Pond. The changing colors of the leaves are quite unique, with some of the trees along the edge of the pond and leaves over the water.
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CBS is going to televise some Division II basketball games this year, but as far as we know nothing locally.
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Most stars think that Joe Torre, the Los Angeles Dodgers manager, looks a lot happier than when he was managing the Yankees. We believe the Dodgers should do everything possible to sign Manny Ramirez. They got him practically for nothing this year, with the Red Sox picking up his 2008 salary of $20 million.
The Dodgers need to keep him. He really tried for them, although his effort was questioned at times with the Red Sox. Without him they probably would not have made the playoffs.
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Remember all you Milton athletes who like to walk or jog: the Copeland Field House is open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6 a.m. There is no charge, which comes in real handy.
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Boston College has a big game on Saturday, Oct. 18, when high-ranking Virginia Tech comes to town to square off against the Eagles. BC was off last week, but two weeks ago Chris Crane, the senior quarterback who almost lost his starting job this year, won the ACC Offensive Player of the Week award. It just shows you how you can be up today and down tomorrow in sports.
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Talking about BC, the team that won the NCAA hockey tournament last year was honored before their first game last week with the raising of the championship flag at Conti Forum. Well-known Milton athlete Matt Lombardi, who is now a junior at the Heights, was a part of this championship team. This will be his third year playing varsity hockey for the Eagles.
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Glad to hear that Mary Erwin, the well-known Milton sports fan and mother and grandmother of all those Milton athletes, is feeling better after not feeling so hot recently. Back a few years ago Mary used to type this column.
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Sportsman Al Thomas’ horse RC Gumption finished second last week in the final of a breeders trot. She just got beat by a nose.
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Milton Academy football pushed Belmont Hill all over the field in the first half of a game last week. However, they gave them a lot of second chances and ended up paying for it, losing 21-0 to the Hill.
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There will be a new and hopefully big marathon race in Harwich next year. Also the Hyannis Marathon, running in conjunction with the Cape Cod Marathon, takes place this winter.
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Former Milton High star John Driscoll is cutting the grass at no charge in front of the new Collicot and Cunningham schools. Doesn’t it look good?
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Out visiting his granddaughter at Ohio State where she goes to college is well-known former Everett High and Boston University football star Frank Guilliano. Frank is taking in the football games out there.
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There aren’t many sportswriters we have talked to who believe ace left-hander CC Sabathia will be back with the Milwaukee Brewers next season. He will become a free agent this winter and a lot of teams will be bidding for him.
Sabathia really carried the Brewers to the playoffs this year after coming over from the Cleveland Indians mid-season. Most writers and fans believe he will be wearing Yankees pinstripes next year.
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We want to send along our congratulations to well-known Milton athlete and biker Joe Sloane for winning the LL Bean Outdoor Hero Award for all the work he did with the sports in the Blue Hills.
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The future of dog racing doesn’t look good to us after this season. We look for Massachusetts to join several other states in shutting down the sport when the vote comes up again in November. So if you want to see dog racing at a nice track, hustle down to Raynham with your friends and enjoy an evening.
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Many stars were very sorry to see Jimbo’s at the Five Corners in Braintree shut down recently. It brought back a lot of memories, especially those from back when it was owned by the well-known Doulos family from town. The family sold their interest about a dozen years ago and the restaurant had been run by a couple who live in New Hampshire.
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We lost one of our most faithful readers and a long-time writer when Martha Curtis passed away a couple of weeks ago. Marty had not been feeling well in recent years. She was well liked in the community.
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Colin McIntosh, the 6’8” Milton star out of BC High and Northfield Mount Hermon school, is once again playing for the University of Vermont, where he is a senior. Vermont makes only one local appearance this season. They play at Boston University’s Agganis Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
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A real busy Milton star these days is Francis “Bucko” Finerty. Bucko is an avid boat enthusiast and has been active in the Milton Yacht Club for years. He is also one of the most loyal graduates of Northeastern University and is active with Milton athletes of the 1960s. He is working on his 50th anniversary reunion from Milton High.
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The 10th Annual Milton Monster Dash road race is on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. The race usually draws several hundred local runners and joggers. It starts and finishes at Cunningham Park. There are also kids’ races. The money raised goes to the Milton Foundation for Education, MFE. MFE works with the public schools and the Sam Cichello Memorial Fund, which supports science enrichment in schools.
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We’re glad to hear that the St. Mary’s School 50-year anniversary held a couple of weeks ago was a huge success.
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You loyal Holy Cross fans should be high on your football team this year, as they have really improved and might win the Patriot League. However, they suffered some tough losses in close games outside of their league. The same could be said of the Stonehill College team, which has also improved but always seems to lose the close ones.
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The stripers are running good again in Cape Cod Canal with many fishermen getting blue fish from the shore. The stripers ran well in the canal in the spring but were way off over the summer.
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Would you believe that we are just about halfway through the college football season?
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I don’t expect many of you to see one, but if you do run into a black bear notice how fat it is. They are getting ready to hibernate.
Speaking of bears and moose, which one of them do you think will arrive in the Blue Hills first? Neither one is there now. Back 20 years ago deer and coyote weren’t there either, but they are now.
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In last week’s column, the name Norman Brattlie was omitted from the class of 2008 Milton High School Athletic Hall of Fame, which will be inducted on Friday, Oct. 24, at the Lantana in Randolph. He played football, baseball and gymnastics for the high school and started for all of them.
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Milton High’s football team gets back into action on Saturday, Oct. 18, after a week off last week. They play at Dedham in a morning game. Kickoff is at 10 a.m.
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Milton stars who visit Bent’s Cookie Factory report that new owners are taking over.
(Reach Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
10/9/08
Do you have any relatives or friends going into the Milton High Hall of Fame? The induction takes place Friday evening, Oct. 24, at The Lantana in Randolph. It was a great time last year and should be again this year. The cost is $60 but you’d better hurry if you want tickets. Last year it was all sold out. Call Mike Goodless at Milton High, 617-696-4478, for more information. The inductees this year are: the 1949 football and basketball teams, Allison Ananis (1999 field hockey, basketball, tennis), Mike Bianculli (1993; hockey, golf, baseball), John Blake (1964; football, hockey, baseball), Paul Bortolotti (1975; baseball, soccer), Tracey Bubas Turgeon (1987; gymnastics, volleyball, cheerleading, track), Ed Broderick (1979; football, track), Paul Costello (1994; basketball, baseball), Dick Cox (1948; football, basketball, baseball), John Edwards (1990; soccer, basketball, baseball), Elbie Fletcher (1934, baseball, football), Rich Hill (1999; baseball, golf, basketball), Brian Lenane (1983; football, basketball), Mark Lewis (2000; football, wrestling, lacrosse), Jack Maheras (1967; basketball, baseball), Lisa Markland (1990; track basketball, volleyball), Sean McDonough (1988; basketball, soccer, track), Peter Moran (1952, football, track, baseball), David Stoller (1975; baseball).
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A lot of you Milton stars are members of the Friends of the Blue Hills organization. As a watchdog of the Blue Hills, the group helps to clean up the Reservation. The group will have its annual dinner on Saturday, Oct. 18, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Canton. Well-known Miltonian Carol Stocker will be the featured speaker. Carol writes a gardening column for the Boston Globe. Tickets are $25 for an individual or $40 for a family. Call 781-828-1805 for more information or to make reservations.
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As many of you youth football fans know, the Milton Broncos teams are having a good season. As of this writing, they have a combined record of 17-3. Ten days ago in torrential rain, the C team was victorious over a much bigger Pembroke team. They won 12-6 in a game that went three overtimes.
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Former Milton High star Nikki Golding, a well-known parks and recreation instructor, is having another great year playing soccer for the University of New Hampshire, where she is the goalie.
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The popular early morning adult walk program happens Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 6 to 7 a.m. at Copeland Field House. There is no charge. Sign in is at the front door.
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It should be a great race if reigning Horse of the Year Curlin runs against Big Brown, the sensational three-year-old, in the Breeders Cup Classic later this month.
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Popular St. Agatha and Merchants star Bruce Bird was happy to see the Yankees and Mets miss out on the playoffs this year. Both teams spent a lot of money on player salaries but failed to reach the postseason.
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Several Milton stars have told us they think former Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner should light the first stick of dynamite when the Mets implode Shea Stadium to make way for their a new stadium next year. Buckner was at the center of an infamous play at Shea Stadium back in the 1986 World Series, which the Sox lost in heartbreaking fashion.
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In a nice gesture a couple of months back, Suffolk Downs dedicated a race to well-known Milton star Dr. John Trakas on the occasion of his 90th birthday. He was wished a happy birthday on the scoreboard and in the program. Dr. Trakas served in WWII under Gen. George Patton. He was awarded the bronze star for his instrumental role in saving the lives of 15 gravely injured men in Belgium. There was a big write-up of this in the Times back in 2004. At the race, well-known former Milton Academy star Chris Trakas’ horse Gold Bear performed well, nearly winning after coming from way behind.
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Former St. Mary of the Hills star Liam Regan is now a sophomore linebacker for Bentley College. When he played for BC High football, Liam led the state in scoring two years before breaking his leg.
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Parks and Recreation is running a bus trip to Foxwoods Resort Casino on Friday, Oct. 24. The bus leaves the Council on Aging building, 10 Walnut St., at 8 a.m. and returns at around 6 p.m. The cost is $25 and includes keno tickets and food at the buffet. Call 617-898-4940 for more information or visit town hall.
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Due to the World Baseball Classic tournament, which begins March 5, Red Sox spring training will start a week earlier next year. It will begin around Feb. 14, with exhibition games scheduled to start around Feb. 25. Japan won the tournament when it was last held a few years ago.
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By the time you read this, a lot of the trees in the Blue Hills will have changed colors. The Blue Hills are always beautiful at this time of year.
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If you like flowers in the spring (which a lot of you Milton athletes do) now is a good time to pick up some daffodil bulbs and plant them. You might want to add a little bulb luster. It’s real easy to do.
Dafffodils last for many years and can even multiply. Unlike tulips and crocuses, which are also good, squirrels and chipmunks don’t like the taste of them. They can also stand up against strong wind while tulips are inclined to break off.
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If you want to see the New England Revolution play this season, you’d better hurry. They only have one more regular season home game on their schedule. On Saturday, Oct. 25, at 8 p.m., they take on the Kansas City Wizards. It should be a good take.
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Undefeated Curry College faces off against MIT at home on Saturday, Oct. 11. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
After that, Curry will play only once more at home. On Saturday, Nov. 1 they take on Nichols College at 1 p.m. If they win their division again this year, Curry will play the championship game on the road on Nov. 15. Last year’s title game was at home and they alternate every year.
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Glad to hear that the Milton Hospital golf tournament, held at Wollaston Golf Club a couple of weeks back, was a success. The weather was iffy at the start but fortunately it turned out okay. It was sold out.
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Congratulations to well-known Wollaston golfer Bill Kearns for making the Bridgeton Academy Hall of Fame. Bill starred in three sports at Tufts University.
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If you like to hike and see fall foliage, the Buck Hill Autumn Adventure might be for you. It takes place on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. There is no charge for this two-hour hike, which begins at the Houghton’s Pond main parking lot. The view from atop Buck Hill is usually beautiful at this time of year. The event is run by the rangers in the Blue Hills.
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Also for you hikers: Don’t forget that Sunday,
Nov. 2 is the rugged 8-mile Blue Hills Skyline
Hike. For more information, contact the Department of Conservation and Recreation at 617-698-1802
(ex. 212).
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The ospreys have traveled south now and won’t return to this area until the end of March. This would be an excellent time for you Milton stars who live along the Neponset River to start building an osprey nest for the fish to use when they return.
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Well-known Milton hockey player Matt Lombardi will be among those honored Friday, Oct. 10. Prior to the BC vs. Wisconsin game, the NCAA Championship flag will be hoisted into the rafters at Conti Forum. Matt, now a junior at the Heights, is a member of the team that last April took home the title.
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As it stands now, Curry College will once again be playing its home hockey games at Ulin Rink this year.
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Winchester’s own silver medal-winning gymnast Alicia Sacramone is going to participate in the tour of the gymnastic stars that perform at TD Banknorth Garden on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 3 p.m. Tickets for the show range in price from $35 to $125 and are now on sale at the Garden box office or a Ticketmaster outlet or by calling Ticketmaster at 617-931-2000.
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B.C. was voted number one in the United States in the U.S. college hockey poll. Michigan, Notre Dame and North Dakota followed them.
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We were talking to Tim Knightly the other day and he said he thinks Boston College should go back to playing Holy Cross in football some seasons. If BC plays Division I-A teams like Rhode Island and Maine, why not the Cross? They are improving some in football each year and it would certainly create more interest.
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A lot of Milton athletes this year are glad to see the middle of October come. It has been a bad hay fever year. October usually bring a cold front that kills the pollen and lets you breathe again.
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There will be a Full Hunter’s Moon on Oct. 14, our gardening friends tell us. They say this has been a good year for corn but a bad one for tomatoes.
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Well known Milton athlete Kit Will who is a graduate of Milton Academy and Connecticut College is in the movie Morning Light which opens up at the Loring Cinema in Hingham and the Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge and other selected theaters on Oct 17. This movie is a sea adventure and Kit plays the part of one of the 15 sailors. This is a Walt Disney production.
(Reach Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
10/2/08

Have you noticed that the top high school football teams in the country quite often will travel a good distance to play each other, going from one state to another state? This is not true in the New England states, though.
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When the Cleveland Indians were in town last week to play the Red Sox, former St. Mary of the Hills star and known Cleveland TV sportscaster Jim Donovan stayed in Cleveland as he is busy with football.
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Milton’s Katie Lambert went to Thayer Academy, where she was a big sports star, before having a storybook career at Stonehill College in lacrosse capped by an NCAA championship in her senior year. Along the way she earned numerous accolades, including a spot on the IWLCA All-American Team first team
four years in a row, making her the first student athlete in Stonehill history to be named All-American four times in any sport. She was named Northeast-10 Player of the Year in 2001, 2002 and 2003 and Northeast-10 Rookie of the Year in 2000. She was also named the 2003 NCAA IWCLA Attacker of the Year in lacrosse. Stonehill was 60-16 in her four years and was 34-1 in Northeast-10 action. Katie finished her four-year career as the NCAA’s all-time leader in goals (220), assists (106) and points (326). Katie, who is now the lacrosse coach at the college, goes into the school’s hall of fame on Friday, Oct. 17. Call 508-565-1384 for tickets.
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Glad to hear where well-known Hilltopper star softball player Mike Shinney, who used to like to box, is recovering nicely from a summer fall that landed him in the hospital.
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Al Thomas, the sportsman, has all his harness horses at Plainridge Racecourse now, where they are doing well. This is the best year his horses have had in a few years. Rumor has it that his harness driver and trainer, John Hogan, may be brought on to work with his baseball team next year. His fine three-year-old trotter RC Gumption runs in the final of the Mass Bred trotters race Monday, Oct. 6 at Plainridge.
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They say things never stay the same forever and maybe this is so. Well-known former Brown University football star Lloyd Hill, who played football at Brown with Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, and is the father of those Milton athletes, has changed his early morning walking7 route. After many years walking on Central Avenue and Reedsdale Road, he has switched to an East Milton route.
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In real good shape: Did you know that well-liked Milton Academy Athletic Director Bill Whitmore runs seven miles early in the morning, every day before he goes to work?
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The new student union building at Curry College, which includes a nice new sports complex, is really coming along fine. The new parking lot next to the tennis courts is now complete.
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A big crowd of female Milton runners and joggers will be participating in the Tufts Health Plan 10K road race on the Columbus Day weekend.
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In Milton, the 8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day 3.1-mile road race starting and finishing at Turners Pond is on again this year.
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The osprey, some of you Milton stars call them sea eagles, have left this area now and will return in the spring. Did you notice that the day or so before they leave they are restless and make a racket?
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We needed a win in the Ryder Cup this year after not winning it since 1999, which was at the Brookline Country Club. This tournament pits the best professional men golfers in the USA against the best in the world from all other countries.
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The fall foliage season is just about here and the rangers in the Blue Hills have some great programs coming up. Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the weather observatory has an open house with no charge. If you have never seen it, take it in and bring your young Milton stars. Call 617-696-0562 for more information. It is on rain or shine.
Then on the Columbus Day weekend, the rangers have designated Saturday, Sunday and Monday as Fest O’Fall days from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is great, especially for young Milton stars. There is a small charge for these three days of fall fun. Call 617-333-0690 for all the information.
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Although I am not a Yankee fan, I thought the TV show put on before the last game with Baltimore on Sunday, Sept. 21, was terrific. Did you see where Atlanta Braves star Chipper Jones bought quite a few benches? He said they meant a lot to him.
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Did you know that Red Sox first baseman Sean Casey played for Brewster in the Cape Cod League back in 1994, hitting .338?
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Did you see that according to the National Sporting Goods Association, people participating in golf in 2007 dropped seven percent? Cape Cod estimates that they had about a 3.4 percent decline in people participating between 2003 and 2008.
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So far to us it does not look like there are too many outstanding teams this year in the National Football League and the Pats, even without Tom Brady, should be right in the mix all the way.
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Visiting Milton this summer was one of Milton’s finest athletes, Tom Bilodeau. The Bilodeau family always had a summer home in Hull. In fact, a lot of Milton stars will tell you, especially those from the 1960s era who played with or saw Tom play, that Tom, who did not go to Milton High but went to Boston Latin and then Harvard, was the best athlete that ever came out of this town. He starred in three sports.
Tom, who now lives in Florida and has had health problems including heart and leg issues. He isn’t in the greatest of health now. However, his spirits are great. He told many stories, and always with a laugh, when he was here this summer, including some about his friends the Mattorano brothers.
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Glad to hear where highly successful Milton Academy tennis coach of a few years back Herb Chenell is out of the hospital and feeling better.
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Sign-ups for St. Agatha basketball take place Oct. 16, 22 and 23 from 6-8 p.m. at the St. Agatha School gym. There are two divisions, one for grades three to eight and one for Pee-Wee, grades K-1.
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Having a big week last week was well-known Radio Coffeehouse proprietor and Red Sox fan Giancarlo Francesconi. Early in the week he and his wife, well-known jogger and country and western disc jockey Carolyn Kruse, celebrated their wedding anniversary by going to a Red Sox game. Later, the family had a good-sized birthday party for Giancarlo.
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Congratulations to coach Dale Snyder and his Milton High girls’ cross country team, who are 5-0 so far this season.
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Milton Academy’s football team is off to a good start too, winning its first two games over St. Sebastian’s and Middlesex.
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Playing football for undefeated Needham this year, which beat Milton two weeks ago at the high school, is sophomore quarterback Kevin Brennan. Although he doesn’t start, he has already scored a touchdown in a win over Dedham. Kevin, who plays three sports, is the grandson of former Milton High and Merchants star Bob Blake. At the Milton-Needham game, I was asked when the last time it was that Milton beat both Walpole and Natick in football in the same year. I know that when Milton won the Bay State League way back in the early 1960s, they would have done it, but I can’t remember them doing it since then. If any of you former Milton stars or fans can remember them doing it, tell me or drop me an e-mail.
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Well-known Hilltopper and former St. Mary of the Hills star Tim Knightly reports that he thinks Milton’s new middle school, formerly the high school, really looks nice.
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Don’t forget you golfers, the parks and recreation department has a big fundraising golf tournament on Monday, Oct. 20. Funds are always needed to help support the many park programs. The tournament will be held at beautiful Granite Links. Call 617-898-4943 for more information.
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Former Stoughton High star Melissa O’Neill, who many of you Milton athletes have as a barber at Mackie’s Barber Shop, recently had a baby boy (on Sept. 15) that she has named Connor.
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Glad to hear where well-known Milton star Susan Coleman is feeling better after a boating accident in Florida. She is all set to get back into horseback riding and Pilates.
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Out from under the knife: Milton Yacht Club member Audrey Barrett is resting at home after having a knee operation.
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According to the Wall Street Journal, Celtics basketball star Ray Allen has put his Seattle home up for sale. He played for the Seattle Supersonics before being traded to the Celtics last year. Ray also did some acting.The house, built in 2001, is on 45 acres and has a pool and a putting green. The price for the 7-bedroom, 10,000 square-foot house is $5.2 million.
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Well-known St. Agatha and Cunningham Bowling League star Bruce Bird passes this information along: If you see crows continually on your lawn picking at the dead grass, the chances are you have grubs. Treat the lawn as soon as possible and water it. Failure to do so and the crows can do quite a job destroying your lawn. Crows are very intelligent birds, according to Bruce, that mate for life. Most young crows don’t even get out of the nests and die before they can fly. You usually see a half dozen crows together. These are usually the parents and young crows. After a while, the young crows take off to have their own little family and the mother and father have more young who join them. Even though crows are territorial, they often are seen at night in large flocks to get some sleep.
(Reach Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
9/25/08
A lot of Milton athletes went to St. Mary of the Hills School. The school will celebrate its 50th birthday on Friday evening, Oct. 3, at the Hoosic Club. If you would like to go and enjoy meeting some of your old friends you may be able to do so. Call 617-696-0120 today. They also have a golf tournament for the school at Wollaston on Thursday, Oct. 9, and some other social events.
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Milton High is home in football this Friday, Sept. 26, with a 7 p.m. game against a good-as-usual Norwood High team that easily beat Braintree two weeks ago. Then they are on the road for two games at Weymouth and Dedham. For those that like to plan ahead, the Thanksgiving Day game is at Braintree this year.
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This year’s Milton High football captains are Jack Brown, Coleman Durgin, Tom Carter and Shad Sommers.
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This Saturday evening, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m., Milton Academy plays Middlesex School under the lights at Milton High.
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When Bob Driscoll was at Milton High back two years ago, he was a big three-sport athlete and the star quarterback of the football team. Last year, after graduating, Bob stayed in Milton for his college career, moving up the street to Curry College. Last year, his freshman year, he played mostly defense and played in all 13 games as a free safety. He amassed 17 total tackles, three of them solo jobs against Plymouth State. At the end of the year last year, this popular athlete out of Milton High was named Curry’s co-rookie of the year. Bob has got off to another good start this year as a sophomore, playing a big role as a defensive back in Curry’s first three games, which have been victories. Curry is home this Saturday at noon with Western New England College.
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If you watch college football games, you have probably noticed that even at the Division II and III level they are getting longer. I went to a game two weeks ago where with no commercials, the first quarter took 45 minutes to play and there were nine penalties. The pro games now are shorter than the college ones.
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Did you see in the newspaper USA Today that Red Sox player Dustin Pedroia shows up at Fenway Park six hours before game time? Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is still a great hitter, but he doesn’t seem to have the power he had a few years back. During the off-season he might want to work on hitting the baseball to left field. Red Sox slugger Kevin Youkilis has purchased a new home in Western Massachusetts.
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Well-known Milton athlete and Tabor Academy star lacrosse player Katie Lambert has been voted into the Stonehill College Hall of Fame. She will be inducted in on Friday evening, Oct. 17. For tickets, call 508-565-1384.
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The Mountain West Conference football league is not rated as one of the most powerful in the nation. However, after three weeks into the season, the Mountain West Conference, led by Brigham Young and Utah, which both have shots at making the Bowl Championship Series this year, leads all conferences in wins outside of their league.
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Boston College, which won the NCAA hockey championship last year, will open its season hosting University of Wisconsin on Friday evening, Oct. 10. They play the first Hockey East game at Northeastern on Saturday, Oct 18. Their last regular Hockey East game is at Northeastern on March 7. March 12-14 starts the quarterfinals. It’s a long season.
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The favorite mixologist of a lot of you Milton stars’ is back working a lot of evenings at the Piccadilly Pub in Randolph to help pay for her children’s education bills and she hasn’t missed a beat. Vanessa Steward, who years ago used to serve many Milton cocktails along with well-known Milton star John “Popcorn” Mansfield at Shenanigans in Canton and also worked with well-known Milton star Ed Hannon at the Iron Horse in Norwood, can still mix with the best of them. One of her favorite customers though, Tom Early, a friend of many of the Milton Merchants, has passed away.
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Well-known jogger and Notre Dame star Ed Pond says that, yes, fall is by far the best time to put down grass seed. You not only get fewer weeds, but the grass roots better.
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Tennessee and Connecticut have always been rivals in women’s basketball. Now they are going to be football rivals. In 2015 they are playing in Hartford. They go to Tennessee in 2016.
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With 34 bowl games slated for the holidays, Boston College should be one of the 68 teams making a bowl.
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According to Forbes magazine, the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable National Football League franchise. They are followed by Washington, New England, New York Giants and the New York Jets.
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The University of Buffalo, a member of the Mid-Atlantic Conference which has had trouble winning games in the last few years, is supposed to be very much improved this year.
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At the New England Revolution game on Sept. 11, we saw well-known athletes Bruce Bird, Tim Knightly and their families. Before the game they visited the new Cinema de Lux and the CBS Scene. They were very impressed by both. This Saturday, Sept. 27, the Revs, who have had trouble scoring goals lately, take on the league-leading Columbus Crew with game time set at 7:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. Why not go to the game? Parking is free and go a little early and see all the new stores and places Bob Kraft has put up around Gillette Stadium. I think you will like it.
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A lot of you runners and joggers will be doing either the 5K or 10K Marine road race this Sunday morning, Sept. 28, starting and ending at Houghton’s Pond in the Blue Hills Reservation. The races both start at 10 a.m. and you can register almost up to the post time.
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Road racing, if you haven’t noticed it, is having a banner year after being down quite a bit the last several years. But the numbers for races that have been around awhile all over Massachusetts are mostly up. The Father’s Day Fairhaven road race, which has been around ever since I can remember, drew a record 910 runners. The annual Mattapoisett Road Race, run on the Fourth of July at 8 a.m. for 30 years, drew a record 1,045 runners and joggers. Of course, the second-biggest road race in Massachusetts, the Falmouth Road Race, for which you can only sign up online now, was filled the first day. Maybe road racing is back.
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Well-known former Curry College star and Little League coach Tony “Binky” Campo received a nice honor the other night at a season-ending event for his summer Little League team. The event was held at the home of popular Milton stars Claire and John Lawton. Tony is well-known around town for his love of the game and dedication to practices, many of which last three hours or longer. He is stepping down this year as the coach of the Piatelli Construction team. As a tribute to his many years of service, Tony was inducted into the Milton National Little League Hall of Fame and was presented with a framed team shirt by the squad. Congratulations, Binky.
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It’s good to see one of Milton’s best organizers, Merchants star and one of Milton’s toughest athletes, Tom Gunning, around town again. Tom, who ran the Merchants bowling league for years as well as the Cunningham softball league, is still walking with a cane from bone problems, but is improving all the time and hopefully will soon be back playing golf and tennis again.
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I remember just back a few years ago, like I know a lot of you other Milton stars do, when Syracuse University was a real powerhouse in football. Now, it appears that the college in a real football town has fallen on real tough times football-wise. If any of you Syracuse fans or alumni have any idea what happened, let us know.
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You know the local South Shore beaches and the Cape Cod ones are really deserted now compared to how they were a month ago. However, many Milton stars have told us that now is a great time to walk your dog on the beach and let them run and swim if they want, which you could not do in the summer months. There is also more wildlife around that they can investigate and chase.
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Milton High has a new golf coach, Kevin Taylor, who we hear is a golf pro and comes from Hingham. If anyone knows anything about him, let us know. He succeeded long-time coach and former Milton High star Dick Cadigan.
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Don’t forget, for a good cause, the Milton Hospital Golf Tournament is on Monday, Sept. 29, at the Wollaston Golf Course. You may still be able to play. Call 617-313-1311.
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Don’t get shut out now: the Milton High Hall of Fame banquet is on Friday, Oct. 24, at Lantana’s in Randolph. It was a sellout last year and this year there are more inductees. Send a check for $60, made out to Milton High Hall of Fame, to Mike Goodless at Milton High School, 25 Gile Road, Milton, MA 02186. Or you can call Mike at the high school at 617-696-4470.
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The Patriots have a bye on Sunday, Sept. 28, so you may be wondering how you can fill your sports craving on that day. If you’re a fan of youth hockey, you won’t want to miss the Bantam A match-up between Milton and its archrival Norwood. The two teams have been battling each other since they were both Mites. Two years ago Milton lost to Norwood 2-1 in the state semifinal and lost again to them 3-2 in the South Shore Conference Championship match. They split the regular season, with one win each. The action promises to be fast and furious, with some great skating, shooting and hitting. The puck drops at 2 p.m. at Ulin Rink. Admission is free. All hockey moms are invited.
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Bates College lost to Trinity 17-7 in its regular season football opener in Hartford, CT. Milton star and junior wide-receiver Matt Gregg had seven catches for 52 yards in the losing effort. Two other Milton athletes – junior running back Judd Smith and senior defensive lineman David Marr – also play for Bates.

A lot of you athletes that went to Milton High a few years back had long-time chemistry teacher Walter Chick as a teacher. Walter taught at the high school for many years and won the teacher of the year award a couple of times. Well did you know that this well-known Red Sox fan has been doing a lot of traveling? He recently just returned from a trip to Europe.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
9/18/08
Don’t forget you Milton High sports fans, parents and followers, the fundraiser golf and tennis tournaments are on this Monday, Sept. 22, at the Wollaston Golf Club. These tournaments are a big financial boost to Milton High sports. You may be able to still play or go to the banquet reception. For tennis, call Kara Russo at 617-653-6804. For golf, call Beirne Lovely at 617-698-2444 or Peter Muse at 617-698-5276.
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The Milton Hospital’s annual golf tournament is on Monday, Sept. 29, at the Wollaston Golf Club. It’s for a great cause. If you think you might want to play or donate, call 617-313-1311.
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In last week’s paper we had the wrong day for the St. Mary of the Hills School golf tournament. It is Thursday, Oct. 9. For more information on it or the school reunion, call 617-696-0120 or see Page 27.
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Well-known and long-time Milton athlete and the father of all those sports-playing athletes, Paul Durgin, wants to give kudos to Milton High back Paul Connor for the great game he had against Walpole last Saturday, running for 264 yards in 22 carries. Milton was up with 10 minutes left, but couldn’t hold on. Paul hopes to see a lot of you Miltonites at the game Friday evening.
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Milton High was 1-2 in field hockey last week. They beat Braintree but lost to Norwood and Notre Dame Academy. Their season record is 2-3.
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The regular season for the New England Revolution is down to its final three home games. All three of them are on Saturday nights, starting at 7:30 p.m., so you can bring your children. The first one is next Saturday, Sept. 27, with the league-leading Columbus Crew. Two weeks ago, the Crew shut out the Revs 4-0 out in Columbus. There are tickets available for this game and the others and remember, parking is free. Tickets are only $19 to start. Call 508-559-7000 for information.
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Milton Academy opens its football season this Saturday morning, Sept. 20, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Sebastian’s. A week later on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m., they will play their annual football game under the lights at Milton High School against Middlesex.
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The eighth annual Marilyn/Rustlewood/Garfield/Allerton roads block party, attended over the years by many Milton stars, will be held this Saturday, Sept. 20, starting at 3 p.m. Some of these streets will be shut down for a few hours.
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A well-known Milton High star of the 1950s and 1960s has retired. Jay Brabazon has retired from teaching physical education for 34 years and coaching J.V. soccer for 15 years in the Scituate Public Schools. Jay won the Owen B. Keenan Award in 1959 as the outstanding player in the Milton/Braintree football game. Jay is looking forward to his 50th reunion from Milton High coming up in 2010. Jay is still doing some college teaching at Bridgewater State College, a school attended by many Milton athletes. During the summer months he heads up the well-known boating program at Thayer Academy.
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Over the years he has been one of Milton’s most-busiest stars and he is still rolling along. We are talking about retired vet Morton Wolf. This well-known Milton athlete still plays tennis, swims, walks and jogs, working out daily at the Quincy YMCA. In addition, Mort, who has been a member of the Milton Kiwanis longer than anyone else, still gives the dogs and cats their shots at the Kiwanis animal day each spring. A real active Kiwanis and Miltonian: Dr. Mort Wolf.
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Manny Ramirez’s new team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, is third in the major leagues in attendance with an average of 45,000 a game. The Yanks are first at 52,000 and the Mets are second at 50,000. The Red Sox are ninth with 37,000.
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This year’s Milton Legion catcher Sean Cleary is now catching for the ADLS club in the Boston Park League.
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Well-known Milton running star and Suffolk University running coach Don Murray, who probably has won more medals and trophies in running than any other Milton star, believes that June’s Milton Road Race should have an over-70 division. At this point they don’t, but Don says they should. A runner 70 or older who runs the race should be able to get a trophy or medal. It is not likely that a 70 year old can beat out 60 year olds.
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If Brett Farve can have a year like he did last year, it could make things very interesting for the other teams and the Patriots in the AFC East.
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Tim Knightly says that he is glad to see that the state rangers have two horses for patrolling the paths in the Blue Hills this summer, but really more horses are needed.
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Friday night football: Harvard, for the first time ever, opens its football season this Friday evening, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. with a tough Holy Cross team.
Also this Friday, Stonehill, who came from behind two weeks ago to beat Div. 1A Wagner, hosts powerful Southern Connecticut, who is the preseason choice to win the Northeast-10. Milton High is home for the next couple of Friday evenings with Needham this Friday and Norwood, a Herget Division team, on Sept. 26.
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Curry College, which really got a scare two weeks ago when they had to go into overtime to beat Worcester State up in Worcester and is trying to keep their home winning streak going at 30 straight wins, takes on Westfield State College in a noon game. Next Saturday, Sept. 27, Curry is also home at noon with Western New England College. Curry has its veteran 6’4” inch quarterback Ryan Van De Giesen and he is really outstanding at this level.
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A lot of local small college fans think that the schools should play more Friday evening and Thursday evening games in September. They do draw well on warm nights at this time of year.
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Boston College Athletic Director Gene DeFelippo is in his 11th year at that job with the Eagles. He is the main reason why B.C. has left the Big East and is in the ACC.
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Georgia Tech, which upset B.C. at the Heights in the first ACC contest for both teams this year, has a new coach in Paul Johnson, who did a real good job at Navy and we think he will do the same at Tech.
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Tickets for Milton High’s second Hall of Fame induction banquet are now on sale. The banquet this year will be held on Friday evening, Oct. 24, at Lantana’s in Randolph. Last year’s banquet was a sellout. Tickets cost $60 each. If you would like to order them, send a check made out to the Milton High Hall of Fame, attn. Mike Goodless, Milton High School, 25 Gile Road, Milton, MA 02186. Goodless can be reached at 617-426-2028.
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Well-known Milton athlete and former B.C. High starting pitcher, Ed Donovan, has started his career at Trinity College. Ed will try to work his way into the starting rotation for the Div. III champion Trinity baseball team.
Ed was on this year’s B.C. High state champion baseball team. He also was a pitcher on the good Milton Legion baseball teams. However, this year, his Legion season was cut short due to an injury while pitching.
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The Cape Cod Times recently published the most-popular walking and hiking trails on Cape Cod. They are (1) Cape Cod National Seashore, (2) Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, (3) Cape Cod Rail Trail, (4) Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary, (5) Cape Cod Canal Tail, (6) Shining Sea Bikeway, (7) Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary, (8) Nickerson State Park, (9) Cape Cod Pathways and (10) Skunknet River Wildlife Sanctuary.
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Two of the top teams in the American League, the Yankees and the Devil Rays, had their top affiliates Scranton and Durham battle it out for the International League Governor’s Cup.
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It was actually good to see the USA take a title at the U.S. Open when the Bryan twins, Bob and Mike, took their second-straight doubles title.
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So far the month of September has really picked up Red Sox centerfielder Coco Crisp’s game.
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At this writing, there are no ACC football teams (the league B.C. plays in) in the top 15 of college football. Wake Forest is the first ACC team listed, at number 19.
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The Toronto Blue Jays, who most baseball fans thought would be good this year, were not very good for the first two-thirds of the season. But they have been hot lately.
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In a recent survey, half the athletes said that running shoes are their most prized sports equipment.
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Talking about running, I am sorry to say that the days are getting shorter and it is not light in the morning now until about 6:30 a.m. That means that you early-morning joggers, and there are a lot of you, should have light clothes on. Orange or white should be preferred. You car drivers should really be alert and not be sleepy driving down the roads. Make sure you don’t drive in the bicycle lane when driving down streets like Brook Road and Central Avenue.
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Well-known Milton long distance runner Bob Pugsley was happy with his fine performance in the Plymouth Rock Triathlon Festival held on Labor Day weekend. This was the inaugural year for this Iron Man event, which included another shorter triathlon.
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Having a big birthday party in August in Manomet attended by his many relatives at the place he summered for years was long-time Cunningham League bowler and Red Sox fan John Cook.
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In an article written in the Sept. 4 USA Today on the sports page it states what a great guy former Cleveland pitcher, now with the Milwaukee Brewers, CC Sabathia is. Sabathia, who was 9-0 since coming to the Brewers from the Indians, is probably the greatest midseason acquisition ever. And beyond that and more importantly, he is a real nice guy and he is nice to everyone: other players, the manager and coaches, the grounds crew, etc. No one speaks badly of him. Because of CC, the Brewers will probably be in the playoffs this year. His ERA with the Brewers is 1.43.
After this season, this great pitcher is a free agent. That is why Cleveland traded him, saying they didn’t think they could sign him. They do plan to try again at the end of the season. The Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets are interested. The Yankees say they will make CC their top priority signer. However, CC loves the National League, because he likes to bat, so we will have to see where he goes.
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Former Boston College star Mathias Kiwanka, a good friend of well-known Milton star Tim Bulman and a teammate of his at Boston College, looked very good in his new defensive end position (where he played at B.C.) in the New York Giants opening game with the Washington Redskins.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
9/11/08

Two of the best high school backs in the state collide this Saturday afternoon, Sept. 13, at Walpole High at 1 p.m. when Milton High plays Walpole. Milton will have its great breakaway back Paul Connor, who ran for over 1,000 yards last year. Connor is the state’s 400-meter champ in track. He has speed, quickness, elusiveness and all the qualities needed. The Walpole Rebels are the defending Herget Division champions and made it all the way to the Super Bowl last year, losing a close one to Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro.
This year, Walpole is a veteran team and has all-scholastic running back Ryan Izzo returning. Last year, Izzo was the Boston Globe Division 2 Player of the Year. He scored 33 touchdowns and had 228 points. Walpole is once again favored to win the Herget Division. Should be a good show this Saturday and a dream to football fans who love to watch running backs.
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Curry was scheduled for only one home night football game this Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. with Fitchburg State. The game is now at 1 p.m. The Colonels, the defending league champions, beat Worcester State last weekend.
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The Chicago Cubs have taken former Milton High pitching star Rich Hill off the minor league disabled list and placed him on the major league 15-day disabled list. Which means that if he gets healthy, he can pitch in the regular season playoffs or World Series.
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Cunningham Park had another great summer. What would we do without it? Some 1,040 families signed up to swim at Cunningham this summer and 470 youngsters took swimming lessons. They were divided into two, four-week sessions.
Plus, there were all kinds of softball and baseball played there, including the Wednesday night Ed Duffy gentleman league and the Al Thomas team playing some weekend games. And of course, Legion and Little League baseball. And yes, the Yaz League still uses it.
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A lot of you youngsters might have watched the gymnastics in the Olympics and thought how great it was and how you might want to get involved in doing some of this. Maybe your parents can remember when Milton was just about the best gymnastics town around. Milton High won a lot of state gymnastics titles. Milton High does not have gymnastics anymore, but the coach of the state champion gymnastics team does run the highly-regarded Somersault Gymnastic Center in Stoughton. Give Tom Fontecchio a call at 781-341-4160 for classes.
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A lot of Milton stars that we talked to wish that the Olympic Committee would review their reasons for dropping softball from the 2012 Olympics. A lot of people really liked it.
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If the Red Sox finish as the wild card team, and that is where it looks as where they will, they will face the Los Angeles Angels in the first round of the playoffs with the Chicago White Sox playing Tampa Bay. The first two games will be in California.
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It was interesting to see that top-notch National Football League players and quarterbacks Tom Brady, Matt Hasselbeck and Peyton Manning played very little in the exhibition games.
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The Cunningham Senior Bowling League, which bowls Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m. at Cunningham Park, is looking for men and women who want to bowl. Either go up to Cunningham on Friday morning or call well-known Milton star Virginia Murdock at 617-598-1046, ext. 1270 or e-mail v.murdock@onebox.com.
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Donovan’s restaurant and pub on Dorchester Avenue, a favorite of Milton stars for years, is being completely done-over inside.
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We were very sorry a couple of weeks ago to hear of the death of long-time Milton star, who was recently living in Salem, NH, Arthur Graziani. Arthur played baseball for St. Mary of the Hills CYO, Christopher Columbus High School and graduated from Northeastern University.
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He had a great college career and a great Cape Cod League career. But, so far, the major leagues and pro ball have been tough on former St. John’s of New York star pitcher Craig Hansen. He was traded to the Pirates after a rough first half of the season with the Red Sox in the Manny Ramirez trade on July 31. He was optioned at the end of August to the Pirates top affiliate Indianapolis, a Triple A team. Bringing this on was the game of Aug. 27 against the Chicago Cubs when he walked in the tying and winning runs. Hansen, 24 years old, was 0-2 for the Pirates with one save and an ERA of 8.10.
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Former Milton Legion and Catholic Memorial star outfielder Mark Perdios did rehab all summer and is doing it this fall for the shoulder that he hurt playing baseball for Boston College this spring.
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I never thought, as September is here, that Mike Mussina would be the Yankees leading pitcher and have a chance to win 20 games.
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Former Stonehill College football coach Chris Woods, who hails from Milton and was an assistant at Harvard last year, is now an assistant at Bryant College.
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For the second year in a row now, the Brockton Rox didn’t make the playoffs and home attendance was off. Rox officials will tell you that North Shore not fielding a team, who was their archrival, and the fact that the economy is down really hurt them. However, if this is true, why did the Red Sox New England affiliates Pawtucket, Portland and Lowell draw record crowds?
With the Rox having to work every gimmick available to survive, I question why you would want to build a stadium and put a team in Plymouth or South Boston. North Shore didn’t survive.
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Don’t forget, St. Mary of the Hills School grads: This year is the 50th anniversary of your school. The social at the Milton Hoosic Club is Friday evening, Oct. 3. Mass at the church is on Sunday, Oct. 5, at noon. The annual golf tournament to benefit the school is Saturday, Oct. 9. For more information, call Brett Marcotte at 617-698-2464.
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There is a one-year anniversary memorial Mass for Monsignor John Dillon Day this Saturday, Sept. 13, at 9 a.m. at St. Mary of the Hills Church.
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Fall means the start of the indoor tennis season. The beautiful Weymouth Club, owned by well-known Milton star Steve Goldman, has tennis time, individual and group tennis lessons, and just about anything dealing with tennis available. Give them a ring at 781-337-4600.
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We, like so many of you Milton athletes, really enjoyed the Olympics. However, we were surprised that when going to some of the cocktail lounges in the area, the Olympics were not being shown on the TV screens.
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It is fall sport season now and don’t hesitate to let us know how your Milton athlete is doing at college or prep school in sports. If you prefer to write rather than e-mail, just send it to With the Athletes, P.O. Box 444, Milton, MA 02186.
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Well-known former Merchants softball star and St. Agatha basketball star Bruce Bird reminds all Milton athletes that have lawns that this is the best time to plant grass seed. When it comes in at this time of the year, there are a lot less weeds than in the spring.
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Because of age and injuries, I think one of my favorite women’s professional tennis players, Lindsay Davenport who I enjoyed talking to, will have her troubles winning another major tennis tournament. I hope I am wrong.
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Did you know that former Milton High three-sports star, and a member of the High School Hall of Fame, Jack Martinelli is in his 27th year of coaching high school football? Jack is at Foxboro High and always turns out good teams in this tough league at a small high school. Jack’s coaching record is 208-62-5.
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Another well-known Milton star, Greg Burke, who shined at Milton High and Northeastern University, is back coaching Stoughton. This is Greg’s 17th year coaching football. He has a record of 98-68-4.
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Did you see that versatile Pawtucket baseball player who has spent time with the Red Sox, Jeff Bailey, got the MVP award in the International League while Pawtucket’s Charlie Zink got it as the league’s best pitcher. I don’t think either one of these players figures in too much in Red Sox future plans.
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We were talking to well-known Milton star Tim Knightly the other night. He told us that while cutting his lawn the other evening, he was having trouble not hitting some young quail that were feeding on it. They were only the size of a sparrow and could only fly a little bit. There are not as many of these bobwhites or quails around as there used to be. If they are around, you will hear them as they are extremely noisy birds. With all the construction on the South Shore and because quail build their nests close to the ground, their homes have been bothered. Also, bobwhites sometimes get restless and move on to other mates, both the males and females. As a result, the youngsters are left to take care of themselves. A lot of them don’t make it. The estimate is that over the last 40 years, the quail population is down 40 percent in these parts.
(Ed Baker can be reached by e-mailing miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
9/4/08
This is a big football weekend. The high school opens up Saturday at 4 p.m. at Brookline.
Curry is away Saturday evening at 7 p.m. at Worcester State.
Stonehill opens up this Friday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. with a home game with Wagner.
Boston College looks for its second win Saturday at noon at home in a league game with Georgia Tech.
The Pats, after all those exhibition games, are home Sunday at 1 p.m. with the Kansas City Chiefs.
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The University of Massachusetts certainly has a tough game coming up in football on Saturday, Sept. 20, when they play at national power Texas Tech. College football expert Herman Greenfield expects Tech to be one of the top teams in the country this year. They are in the Big 12.
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Harvard, for the first time ever, will open their season with a night game on Friday evening, Sept. 19. They host an improved Holy Cross. The Cross opens this Saturday, Sept. 6, hosting the University of Massachusetts. It is homecoming weekend.
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Boston College has one of the toughest November football schedules in the country. They play Clemson, Notre Dame, Florida State, Wake Forest and Maryland.
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Most high school football fans that we have talked to rate Everett High as the best high school football team in Massachusetts. USA Today also rated them number one in New England.
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The Egan Center pool at the Boy Scouts’ Camp Sayre is again closed. It opened up during the summer months during the day for limited hours and was not too well attended. Too bad, as just a year ago this was a very popular swimming facility.
The Boy Scouts have put the camp and the Egan Center up for sale.
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As many of you Milton and B.C. fans know, Monsignor John Dillon Day, the great Boston College and St. Mary of Lynn sports fan and the longtime pastor of St. Mary of the Hills Church, passed away the first part of September last year. Well, there will be a memorial Mass for him on Saturday morning, Sept. 13, at 9 a.m. at St. Mary of the Hills Church. All are welcome.
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Glad to see Roger Federer, who has won almost every tennis title around, but has lost a little of his fastball lately as the young guys are catching up with him, won a doubles gold medal in the Olympics with his partner Stanislas Wawrinka. I am sure he would have preferred a singles championship. This was Roger’s third Olympics and he has not won the singles title. Roger, who just turned 27, lost to Harvard’s Jim Blake in the singles.
Tennis enthusiasts should enjoy the doubles tennis match coming up in November, which will be on TV, which has Federer and Bjorn Borg against John McEnroe and either James Blake or Rafael Nadal.
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The Chart Room restaurant, frequented by many Milton stars during the summer in Pocasset, remains open on weekends through Columbus Day.
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The Tuesday evening band concerts sponsored by the parks department and Selectmen once again drew big crowds to the Baron Hugo Gazebo and the town green this summer.
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Back about a month ago we wrote how well known Milton golfer Leif Jacobsen had won the New England PGA Junior Championship at Brookline Golf Club and would be representing Massachusetts in the nationals. Well, Leif finished a very good 41st out of an elite field of 78. Golfers from all over the USA as well as India, China and Australia took part. The tournament was held at the TPC River’s Bend Course just outside of Cincinnati, OH. Leif had rounds of 78, 73 and 75 on the 7,100 yard, par 72 course. Leif is now at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, playing fall golf.
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Two well-known Milton athletes played in the annual charity Oldtime Baseball Game two weeks ago in Cambridge. Playing for the home team was well-known Suffolk University and Al Thomas catcher Bob Barrett. Playing for the visiting team was former Salisbury School and Legion baseball star Sean Cleary. More than 1,000 people watched the game and the players wore old-style uniforms.
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The Al Thomas harness horses at Plainridge Racecourse have been having a real good year and are getting ready for the Massachusetts Breeders’ Cup races that are coming up at the track.
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We are sorry to say that we do not have an e-mail address for Francis Inga Walsh, as some of you have requested. However, his mailing address is 409 Lely Palms Drive, Naples, FL 34113-8903. We got a letter from him the other day saying that he thought that Milton High started having good basketball teams starting in 1944 and has had some great ones since then. Can you remember or did you have a friend or relative on that team? Besides Inga, there was Dick Lamere, George Watts, Bill Reardon, Charlie Coutts, Gordon Mann, Bob Blake and Jimmy Montgomery. The captain was Ben Coleman and the coach was Ed Tracey.
Inga says that three of his real pals in Milton, who he spent a lot of time with, have now passed on and he misses them. They were Anthony “Nino” Vitale, Cookie Burns and Bimbo Guinan. Inga also says that to be a real Miltonian you have to remember “Gusk’s,” a Kerrigan’s corner store or “Chaddick’s” at the corner of Thacher Street and Houston Avenue.
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A lot of local baseball fans think that next year’s Yankee baseball outfield will feature Johnny Damon in centerfield and Manny Ramirez in left. We think that with a new ballpark, the Yankees will have a lot of money to spend and will give Manny what he wants, but will not put him out there in left often with Damon. Manny could be the designated hitter.
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They will not do it, but we would like to see the Red Sox bring back Derek Lowe, who is a free agent after this year. Derek has proven to be a real workhorse. He can start or relieve.
Some Red Sox fans and writers are of the opinion that Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek’s upcoming divorce is affecting his hitting.
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On Aug. 2 and 3, nearly 5,500 cyclists, many Milton stars included, rode in the 29th Pan-Mass Challenge. They pedaled up to 190 miles through 46 towns. They raised $134 million for cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. This year’s contribution brought the 29th year total to the $240 million mark.
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Did you see where Buster Posey, who went to Florida State and played two years for the champion Dennis-Yarmouth Red Sox, led the Cape Cod League players on money paid to sign? He was a fifth round draft choice and the San Francisco Giants paid him $6.2 million. Buster played shortstop for Yarmouth in 2006 and caught in 2007. Both teams won the championship. The very versatile Posey can play all positions, including pitcher.
There were 14 Cape League players drafted in the first round. Twelve of these players signed and two didn’t, which means they will go back into next year’s draft. If someone drafts them next year, the team that had drafted them this year will then get the next pick in the draft.
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Many Milton baseball fans would not mind seeing the Tampa Bay Rays win the American League pennant because they are not a money team and don’t pay huge salaries for the most part. However, at home, they really don’t draw that well so their fans really don’t deserve it.
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The Cunningham men’s bowling league gets underway once again on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 8 and 9, at the Cunningham Park alleys at 7:30 p.m. It’s one of the oldest leagues in America and it is a great deal. There are some openings. If you would be interested in bowling or getting some more information, call Dick Bonomi at 617-696-9597.
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Congratulations to Milton athlete Bob Falconi for doing a great job in his most recent triathlon. He really did it in great time.
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The Aug. 26 USA Today has an article on University of Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun’s third battle with cancer. Jim, who hails from Braintree, was a familiar figure at the Kelly Field basketball courts back in the 1950s and 1960s. The highly successful basketball coach was treated for prostate cancer in 2003 and skin cancer in 2007. In May of this year, he had a cancerous mass removed from his neck, along with a portion of his salivary gland and 37 cancer-free lymph nodes. Jim took 33 trips to the hospital this summer for radiation, which he admits has left him weak as the basketball season gets near.
(Ed Baker can be reached by e-mailing miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
8/28/08
A lot of you Milton Patriots fans tell me that you would like to see the Pats pick up a veteran quarterback. They don’t have much faith in the present group of backup quarterbacks getting the job done if anything happened to Tom Brady.
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It is really too bad that popular Milton star and Chicago Cubs star Rich Hill is missing out of all the success that the Cubs are having this season. He has back problems. Last year, when the Cubs didn’t hit very well, he ended up going 11-9, with a lot of those losses through one-run games. You know injuries always play a big role in sports, but let’s hope that next year Rich is healthy and has a good year and the Cubs again do well.
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As most of you readers know, I am not a Yankees fan. However, I can’t remember in baseball when a team got hit with as many key injuries as the Yanks have had this year. Starting ace pitcher Chien-Ming Wang looks as if he is done for the season. Other pitchers out for long spells with injuries are Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Also, catcher Jorge Posada and outfielder Hideki Matsui are injured.
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It looks like 6’4’’ fifth-year senior Chris Crane will be the B.C. quarterback this year. He has an interesting career at the Heights. He was red-shirted his freshman year, 2004, and saw action in one game in 2005. Then in 2006, with Tom O’Brien as coach, he played in eight games. Last year, with Jeff Jagodzinski as coach, he played in only one game. Jeff went with Matt Ryan all the way, whereas Tom liked to give his backup quarterback some action.
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B.C. is rated as a 10-point favorite for the opening game against Middle Atlantic Conference opponent Kent State. Kent State, in a league that really plays wide open football, is not rated as a powerhouse.
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Did you know that Curry College’s regular season football record over the last five years is 51-3? Does any college have a better record than that?
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Just before handing over the keys after all these years, serving many Milton stars food and drink, the Donovan family had a free buffet with an open bar at their well-known restaurant on Dorchester Avenue in Lower Mills. Many Milton stars were in attendance and there were a lot of stories told about Donovan’s through the years. The restaurant will open under new management soon.
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Most Milton athletes that we have talked to are very happy with so much Olympics coverage.
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Here are the results of the Fallon Cup, played 10 days ago at the Wollaston Golf Club. It was a member/guest tournament.
In the championship flight, Pat Kenney and RJ Foley were the champions, Tom McKinnon and Tom Hamil were the runners-up and Jack Weeks and Jim Mahoney were the consolation champs.
In the first flight, Brian Higgins and Michael Crowley were the champions, Joe Plunkett and Michael Power were the runners-up and Mike Finnell and Juice Ahern were the consolation champs.
In the second flight, Len Pasciucco and Greg Pasciucco were the champions, Paul Nylen and Mark Roman were the runners-up and the consolation champs were to be determined.
In the third flight, Rob O’Sullivan and Mark Plansky were the champions, Bill Simeone and Rob Deignan were the runners-up and Bob Breyer and Ned Gargiulo were the consolation champs.
In the fourth flight, John Hassan and Michael Dunn were the champions, Dan Daley and Mike Levine were the runners-up and Nick Cortese and Fritz Engel were the consolation champs.
In the fifth flight, Tom Kelly and Jack Heelen were the champions, Fran Joyce and Pat Scanlon were the runners-up and Chris Petrik and Matt Lane were the consolation champs.
Playing in the Fallon Cup again, their 34th consecutive year as partners in this great tournament, were well-known former Boston College stars Paul Dolan and his guest Tom “Red” Martin. We think they are the most senior of all the players and hopefully have many more years to play. They played a great game even if they didn’t win. But did you know that Paul’s wife, Lynn Dolan, the well-known St. Mary of the Hills star, and her partner, Maureen Traverse, won the women’s 2008 Wollaston Cup?
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If you picked up a Pawtucket program book last year, you would see a picture of three outfielders, called the dream Red Sox outfield of the future. It had headshots of David Murphy, Brandon Moss and Jacoby Ellsbury. Now a year later, Ellsbury is with the Red Sox. Murphy went to Texas in the very bad Eric Gagne trade and Moss went to Pittsburgh in the Manny Ramirez trade.
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As of this writing, tickets are still available for the Pawtucket playoff games with the top tickets priced at $10. Tickets are also available for this Labor Day home game.
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We announced last week that the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) 2009 baseball championship being played in May would be hosted by Fenway Sports Group and played at Fenway Park and how you could get tickets. Unfortunately, due to a scheduling error, Fenway is not available on these May dates, so the ACC championship will not be there next year. Hopefully they will be in the future. Call Keith Gainsboro at 857-234-1481 for further information about this.
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As many of you sports fans know, Bryant University in Rhode Island (the place where the Patriots used to practice) has left the Northeast-10 in sports and moved up to Division I. This means that archrivals Bentley College and Stonehill Colege have an open date in football. Usually the two play each other once a year in football. But with both having an open date in September, they agreed to play each other twice this year. We can’t remember colleges scheduling to play each other twice in the regular season before. The game in September will be at Bentley and the one in November, at Stonehill.
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Harwich won the Cape Cod Baseball League this year, defeating Cotuit in the final series. It was the first championship for Harwich since 1987. At that time, the league was smaller and there weren’t any teams in Brewster or Bourne. Harwich beat Orleans, which had former Milton Legion star Alex Hassan playing the outfield and as a closer in the semifinal. Orleans had finished ahead of Harwich in regular league play.
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Despite the fact that most Legion baseball followers had told us that Walpole was the team to beat for the state Legion baseball title, Hanover, which beat Milton twice in the district playoffs, beat Walpole twice to win the state championship.
Hanover’s big star, of course, is pitcher/shortstop Andrew Aizenstadt, who many of you Milton athletes know, comes from Norwell. He started playing for Hanover when Norwell didn’t have a Legion team. They do now. Aizenstadt pitched for Babson College this spring, where as a freshman he had a sensational year after taking over as their number one pitcher when Milton’s Sam Whelan, who had pitched not only for Babson last year, but for Wareham in the Cape Cod League, was out injured.
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Well-known Milton sportsman and fisherman Sandy Will has caught a lot of shark and tuna fish this summer.
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The state has reportedly stocked Houghton’s Pond again with trout.
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Most of you Milton readers know that the newspapers, hurt by the Internet and the weak economy, have not been doing that well and have had to make cutbacks. The Ledger and the Brockton Enterprise sister papers now have the same sports editor.
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Two weeks ago, we wrote about how Milton has two of the finest golf courses around in Granite Links and Wollaston. A lot of former Milton stars, like former Milton High and Curry star Bill Doherty, now live in Canton and a lot of them subscribe to this paper. Well, Bill reminds us that Canton is really a town of fine golf courses. There is the Blue Hill Country Club, Ponkapoag, Wampatuck, Milton Hoosic, Spring Valley, etc.
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If you go over to Turners Pond, you will always see plenty of birds and ducks. There are no days or times of the day without the birds.
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A report around town is that one of Milton High’s all-time basketball greats, a member of the Hall of Fame and long-time Harvard and B.U. assistant coach Lamar Reddicks is going to work for the physical education department at Milton Academy. One of his jobs will be head boys’ basketball coach. We know Lamar will do a fine job.
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Did you know that former Yankee great Thurman Munson, class of 1980, and Ben Curtis the pro golfer are two famous graduates of Kent State University, who play B.C. this Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.? Former Big East member Temple, who was voted out of the Big East, is now in the MAC football conference. WBZ sports announcer Bob Lobel is also a Kent State graduate.
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The Hanover Legion baseball team, which beat Milton and went on to win the state title, won a game and lost two in the northeast regional tournament. Bristol, CT, which was the host team, won the tournament. This is kind of unusual in that the host team gets a bye into the tournament.
In the last four years of Legion baseball, Milton Post 114 has lost to the eventual state champion three times and the year they won the states they lost to the national champion.
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Curry College scrimmages Dean College in football this Saturday, Aug. 30, at 10 a.m. here in Milton. On Friday, Sept. 5, they open up with a night game at 7 p.m. at Worcester State. Their first home game is Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. with Fitchburg State College.
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Sportswriter Tony Massarotti of the Boston Herald is leaving that paper and switching to the Boston Globe, we hear.
The Globe, by the way, sent nine reporters to the Olympics, but the Herald didn’t send anyone.
(Ed Baker can be reached by e-mailing miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
8/21/08
Milton High’s first two football games this fall will be away from home, both on Saturday. On Sept. 6, they are at Brookline at 4 p.m. The following Saturday, Sept. 13, they are at Walpole at 1 p.m. The first Friday evening home game is on Friday, Sept. 19, with Needham at 7 p.m. at Brooks Field on Gile Road.
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The boys’ varsity golf team is the first Milton High team to open playing, at Wellesley on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Field hockey is home with Wellesley on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Boys’ soccer is home with North Quincy on the third and girls’ soccer opens up at Brookline on Friday, Sept. 5. Cross country opens on Sept. 9, at home with Walpole.
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Starting this year, Milton High is going to pay the same salary for coaching girls’ sports as they do for coaching boys’ sports.
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Milton stars who attend the public schools will be heading back to school this Wednesday, Aug. 27. We can’t remember any star going back through the years that started any earlier. Of course, they only go two days and then they are off for the Labor Day weekend. They don’t go to school on Friday before Labor Day.
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This should be an asset to Milton High sports: For the first time at the high school in three years, Milton will have a resource police officer.
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Kate O’Neill, who ran the 10K in the Olympics four years ago, then injured her knee here in Boston in April trying to make this year’s Olympic team in the marathon, had a nice run in her rehab race in the Falmouth 7.1-mile road race 10 days ago. Kate finished 11th in the women’s division, but was only 50 seconds behind the winner, who did it in 37:03.
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Sorry to hear that big-time Milton and Boston Globe sportswriter Mike Vega has been limited in his athletic activities because of a sore knee.
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Meanwhile, fellow Globe sports reporter and Milton golfer Jim McCabe has been all over the country covering the big golf tournaments for the Globe.
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Speaking at his opening press conference, B.C. football coach Jeff Jagodzinski says that his goal every year while coaching the Eagles is to win the Atlantic Coast Conference. The title of the B.C. media guide this year is The B.C. Way, which means winning, graduating and caring. Chris Crane, a tall one who was Matt Ryan’s backup for the last two years, is expected to open at quarterback and because he is very mobile, is expected to run the ball a lot more than Matt Ryan did.
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Former B.C. football coach Tom O’Brien, now in his 34th year coaching football, expects his North Carolina State team, where he is in his second year, to be vastly improved this year. Tom has six of his former assistant coaches at B.C. with him at North Carolina.
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Sports enthusiast Tim Knightly says that as of the middle of August, he would only give Sox manager Tito Francona a “C” this year for his managerial job after rating him a lot higher in recent years. Tito hasn’t really come up with any new ideas for a team that in mid-August has lost 16 straight one-run games on the road. According to Tim, if he had all the money that Brookline’s Theo Epstein has to work with he could do just as good or even a better job as general manager.
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According to former Cincinnati Reds baseball scout John Brinkley, who many of you Milton stars know, Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson should do a good job for the Sox in relief. John coached Justin in the summer of 2005 when Justin was playing for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League.
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Red Sox pitching prospect Mike Bowden, now at Pawtucket, continually throws his fastball at 92 mph.
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Labor Day weekend is the last one for the regular home season for Pawtucket (the top Red Sox affiliate) at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, RI. There probably will be some home playoff games for the Paw Sox this September. Call 401-723-7620 for more information and to order tickets for the regular games and the playoff games.
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It probably was a good deal for both teams: The Los Angeles Angels, that are trying to win their second World Series, acquired Atlanta Braves first baseman Mark Teixeira in a last-minute trade. Atlanta doesn’t appear to be going anywhere and Teixeira is a free agent with Scott Boras as an agent so the Braves would probably have trouble signing him. Although he is no power hitter like Teixeira, first baseman Casey Kotchman, sent from the Angels to the Braves, is very steady and minor league pitcher Steve Marek, also going to the Braves, is a hard thrower with potential.
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You have not heard much of this here, but could this be the year for an all-Chicago World Series? Both the Cubs and the White Sox are doing well.
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A lot of you Milton stars watched the women’s volleyball on TV and from the Olympics this year. Last year, the USA Volleyball Tour, including the women, made their first appearance in the New England area at Marina Bay in Quincy. They did not return this year, even though they said their Quincy stay was very successful. There were a few complaints from businesses and residents in the area about the clientele they brought in. I myself received two e-mails and a note saying that they thought the women volleyball players should wear more clothes.
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Well-known Al Thomas and Suffolk University catcher Bobby Barrett was recently out west catching with the Boston Typos baseball team in the Printer Tournament. Do you remember a few years back when Milton players, like Jack Breed with Herald-American, were involved in this tournament?
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So far this year we have not seen as many bugs on the trails of the Blue Hills or around the Blue Hills as some of the years in the past.
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Although we have not seen one, from what we hear the fisher cat population in and around the Blue Hills has increased.
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Around the United States the real estate slump has really helped conservation deals.
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Hot yoga with a controlled temperature of about 105 degrees, but with very low humidity, is becoming very popular in Baltimore, MD.
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University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt has donated $600,000 to support the women’s basketball program. She has been the Tennessee women’s basketball coach for 34 years.
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A lot of you Milton stars know Tom Smigliani, former Boston Latin star hockey goalie and well-known performer in St. Mary of the Hills minstrel shows a few years back. Tom also was a longtime history teacher and head of the history department at Milton High School before taking over as an administrator in Vermont.
Back a few years ago, this athlete suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed and forced him into early retirement. Tom moved back to Milton and through a lot of hard work has worked himself into good shape and is almost all better.
“Smig,” as he was called by his many friends growing up, has started up a couple of interesting little enterprises that you might want to talk to him a little about. One, of course, is “I can help get your young Milton athlete into college.” The other is a brochure for a lifelong fitness and learning program that he developed for those 55 and up, called Life Steps. He has a star pupil, who is a widow, who is 90 years old and who swears there is still fire in the furnace. For more information e-mail t.smigliani@verizon.net or give him a call. He would love to hear from you.
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Next week is probably the last week to catch the Brockton Rox if you are interested. Starting next Monday evening, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m., they are home for the rest of the regular season, which ends Sept. 1 this year. The Rox probably will not make the Can-Am playoffs this year, which start the first week in September. The Rox are a great family take, ask well-known St. Mary of the Hills and Milton star Joe Reardon, who was at a game with his family during the last home stand. The Rox offer all kinds of entertainment for young stars and you can have your face painted. Both admission prices and food and drink prices are very affordable. Call 508-559-7070 for tickets or information.
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Always a good take, and you can see some of the best professional men’s and women’s tennis players in the world just before the start of the U.S. Open, is the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament going on this week and weekend at the Connecticut Tennis Center next to the Yale Bowl in New Haven. It’s about a three-hour ride.
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Milton athlete Pat Kenney, one of the sports-playing Kenney brothers, and his guest R.J. Foley won this year’s Fallon Cup golf tournament. After becoming the medalist, they defeated Tom McKinnon and his guest Tom Hamel in the final round last Sunday at the Wollaston Golf Course.
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A lot of you stars stop into the Piccadilly Pub in Randolph for a cool one or something to eat. This is one of a chain of about nine restaurants that recently changed hands.
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You know the American Little League teams here in Milton had a tremendous year. The only team they failed to beat in the district playoff, which would have put them in the final four in the state, Middleborough, beat them twice in the district and went to the state final, before losing twice to Parkway National out of West Roxbury. In the New England finals, West Roxbury lost to Manchester, NH, which lost the final to Shelton, CT, which went to the Little League World Series, the first Connecticut team in 20 years.
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You can purchase single games or series seats now for the Atlantic Coast Conference 36th baseball championship being held at Fenway Park May 20-24. There are 13 games you can purchase tickets for, either for all or for single games, up until Sept. 1. Call 877-REDSOX-9 or 617-226-6644. Tickets for single games go from $5 to $15 for day games, to $5 to $30 for night games.
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You liked the gymnastics in the Olympics this year? Well, many of these Olympians will be performing at the TD Banknorth Garden on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 3 p.m. Call 617-931-2000 for tickets or more information.
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A good take-in: The 14-year-old Babe Ruth League World Series is going on at Adams Field in Quincy. You can purchase tickets at the gate.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
8/14/08
The 69th Annual Fallon Cup, which will involve many Milton athletes, takes place now through Sunday, Aug. 17, at beautiful Wollaston Golf Club. They hope to have 192 players in this annual member/guest tournament. The defending champions, who are expected to play, are Dan Shea and his guest Mike Mullloonly. They won the championship flight last year. Wollaston is having five flights plus the championship flight, with 16 teams playing. Go up and watch the play.
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We never remember in all our years a time when Ken Lodge didn’t play in an orchestra or band. Well, this Tuesday evening, Aug. 19, Ken and the wellknown Baron Hugo Orchestra will be playing at the Baron Hugo Gazebo in front of the town office building. Go up and enjoy this band and the chicken dance. Your children and grandchildren will enjoy it too. It starts at 6:30 p.m. and there is no admission charge, which is unusual these days. You might want to bring something to sit on.
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A real big fish – sports star Ginny Donahue King landed a real big brown trout back in May while fishing with her family and friends at the headwaters of the Connecticut River in Pittsburgh, NH. It was a 26-inch, seven-and-a-half pound brook trout. After she had a chance to show it to her friends, the family ate it last week.
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The Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League have now been at their new field at Upper Cape Regional High School for three years. A lot of Milton stars watch the Braves play. This year the Braves switched most of their home games to a 7 p.m. start because lights were put around the field. (Sunday games weren’t switched.) However, although attendance was up, it wasn’t as much as expected. So the Braves are expected to start some night games at 6 p.m. next year.
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Curry College baseball team’s well- known star Dave Perdios had a 28-10-1 record. This is the best ever for Curry baseball.
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Did you notice that the former Red Sox star Bronson Arroyo, who we never should have traded, has won five games in a row. He has had his ups and downs with the Cincinnati Reds. Arroyo is a free agent at the end of this season.
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The Pawtucket Red Sox have had as many as 82 chartered buses bringing fans to a game. This is their record.
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The sports-playing Muse family has a new puppy to keep their mother happy now that so many of them are away at school. It is a nice looking Golden Retriever. Slugging Al Thomas A’s player and former Milton High star Bubba Muse named it Nala, which means Lioness. Remember the Lion King with its Nala?
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Will Manny do this? Former long time Cleveland ace pitcher CC Sabathia who was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers a few weeks ago took out a full page ad in the Plain Dealer thanking his fans for a great 10 years. It cost him almost $13,000.
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Cathy Inglese, who stepped down this spring after 15 years as BC women’s basketball coach, has been elected to the University of Vermont Athletics Hall of Fame. Cathy coached successfully in Vermont before coming to BC.
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Did you know that well known Milton star Dr. Dave Gallery has been a dentist in town for 40 years. He graduated from Milton High in the mid-1950s. At Cunningham Junior High, he received the prestigious Cosgrove Award. The award goes to the outstanding athlete/scholar in the class. At Milton High, Dave was the football quarterback and played safety on defense. He was also on the basketball team and was a star shortstop on the baseball team. Dave has been active in Milton ever since and has given a lot to the town. He has been a Town Meeting member and a member of the Warrant Committee. He coached for many years in Little League and Babe Ruth League. Dave is a wonderful representative of the town and a friend to everyone.
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They had a big birthday party and a parade with more than 250 people in Scituate last week for Dave DePesa. Many Milton stars were among the guests. Dave has a summer home in Scituate.
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Before trying out for a fall sport at Milton High you must obtain a “clearance card” from the athletic director. Go to the athletic director’s office with a copy of a recent physical exam done in the last 13 months, a parent’s permission slip and a check for $200 made out to Milton High Athletics. The AD will then present the student with the clearance card that he gives to the coach before he can try out. The AD’s office is open for clearance cards next Monday through Wednesday, Aug. 18 to 20, from 8 a.m. to noon.

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Have you ever walked on Thompson’s Island in Boston Harbor? It is a great place to run or walk. Well, they are having a 2.1 mile (4K) race on the trails on Thursday, Sept. 4. You can run or walk the course. For more information, go to www.thompsonisland.org/english/support/trail-run or call 617-830-5108.
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If you are ever thinking of building a tennis court and don’t want the maintenance of clay, take a look at the new courts at Wollaston Golf Course. They are softest asphalt-style courts we have ever seen.
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Back about a month ago we mentioned that Milton High running star Aaron Nemzer almost beat his father, the well known long distance runner Josh Nemzer in the Milton Road Race. Well, another runner, Brian Devin, who is a Milton High and University of Connecticut star, sees the passing of the torch coming soon in his family. In the Sugar Bowl, the five-mile race in Southie, a couple of weeks ago his son Max Devin was only eight seconds behind Brian at the finish. Max, a freshman runner and baseball player at Milton High, was first in the 15-and-under division. Brian’s daughter Maura, another former Milton High running star and former Wildcat captain, also ran the race. She is now at Northeastern University.
The next day for Max it was back to baseball and Sarasota, FL, where his AAU baseball team was playing in the 14-year-old AAU division championship. Max went 8 for 19, hitting in the tournament. The team made the Sweet Sixteen.
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Save the date. Monday, Oct. 20, is the day for the Parks Department Golf Tournament. It will be held at Granite Links Golf Course. Proceeds from this tournament benefit the parks and recreation department. For more information, call Gayle Neville at the parks office 617-898-4943. The tournament is a shotgun affair starting at 10 a.m.
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Because of a recurring back spasm Milton’s Rich Hill is expected to rest without anymore pitching for the Chicago Cubs this season.
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An odd decision. Dick Sweeney, former Milton High baseball star, coaches a Quincy Legion team that was deprived a chance at victory because of the weather. The Quincy team finished fourth in Zone 6 and was playing Norwood, the second place finisher. The two teams split the first two games of a three game series. Then the thunderstorms came. Two games in a row were rained out. The day before the state tournament starts is always a day of rest and so Norwood was declared the winner because they were a higher seeded team.
Milton Post 114 also got a break on this rule as their zone series with Foxboro was tied, but they were allowed to move on at Foxboro’s expense. The teams both finished third in their zone but Milton scored four runs to Foxboro’s two in the playoffs. Let’s hope that in the future the zone playoffs get started a day or so earlier as they do in some other zones.
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It was good to see so many of you Milton stars at Fr. Bill’s time at Marina Bay a week ago. This organization does such great work.
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If you see BC High and Stonehill College star Terry Driscoll around wish him a happy birthday. He has a big one coming up the middle of this month.
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A lot of you athletes know Brian McLaughlin, the runner and jogger who had retired after many years of teaching in Boston. Brian who has worked as a mixologist at the popular Eire Pub in Dorchester longer than anyone is enjoying retirement and doing a lot of fishing down the Cape. He is having a great year catching a lot of bass.
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At the writing Aug. 1 the two top Pawtucket pitchers, Charlie Zink, the knuckleballer, and David Pauley, who has a couple Red Sox appearances, are both 13 and 3 even though you have not heard that much about them. Pawtucket recently had a crowd of over 10,000 for the seventh day in a row – a team attendance record. Pawtucket with a record of 68 and 43 has the best win and loss record in Triple A baseball. The playoffs in the International League start Wednesday, Sept. 3. Pawtucket is home next week Aug. 19, 20 and 21 with 7:05 p.m. games with Syracuse. After that they are home Aug. 29, 30 and 31. For tickets call 401-724-7300.
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The Ottawa Rapidz of the Can-Am League has let former Brockton Rox and Pawtucket Red Sox manager Ed Nottle go.
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In its fall season poll USA Today picks Georgia as the best team in the country in college football.
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I don’t know of a city or town that has two great golf courses like Milton does. Granite Links and Wollaston golf courses really are beautiful. The courses aren’t just great for the views, they are both in super shape. Both have terrific function rooms and fantastic scenery.
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The Northeast Regional Legion baseball tournament which Milton won two years ago is played this week in Bristol, CT. Two years ago it was hosted by Brockton at Campenelli Stadium.
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The Newport Legends Tennis Tournament is Aug. 13 to 17 at the Newport Hall of Fame Tennis Courts in Rhode Island Playing in this tournament are stars of the past including John McEnroe, Jim Currier, Mal Washington and Pat Cash. For tickets and further information, call 401-849-3990.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
8/7/08
As usual, Milton’s best long-distance runner, Kate O’Neill, plans on doing what she always does this time of year: running the Falmouth Road Race. Kate has been doing this since she was in elementary school. She came in second last year. The 7.1-mile race takes place on Sunday morning, Aug. 10, at 10 a.m.
Four years ago, Kate was an Olympian in the 10K. However, a knee injury during this year’s Olympic Marathon qualifiers in April forced her out at the 21-mile mark. After taking some time off to heal the injury, Kate is back running again. She’s going to give Sunday’s race a try and hopes all goes well. Many other Milton runners and joggers will head to Falmouth for the race as well. So if you see them down there, be sure to give them a hand.
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The Fallon Cup runs from Aug. 13-17 at the Wollaston Golf Club. The public is invited to come on up and watch. There is no charge.
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Glad to hear that well-known walker Jean Donahue is coming along well after being hit by a motorcycle last October near her house on Reedsdale Road. Although she is still using a cane, Jean is out there everyday, walking a good pace.
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If you see any of the players or coaches of the American Little League All-Star Team around, congratulate them. Milton got down to the final eight, and may have made it to the final four if they didn’t have to beat Middleboro, the sectional winner, twice to get there. They lost both games to them in the double-elimination tournament. Middleboro made it all the way to the state finals, but lost two straight to Parkway National, the team out of West Roxbury.
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The Cape Cod Baseball League begins playoffs on Aug. 9. There is a semi-final and a final; both series are best two-out-of-three-games. The boys have to get back to school.
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We want to congratulate the Milton Legion Baseball team for having a fine season and making it to the playoffs. The team, which features many young players, finished third in the league after winning it the past few years. They were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by a good Hanover team. Next year, with young stars returning, they should do well.
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Peter Daly - a Milton star and a real nice guy - died unexpectedly from a heart attack last week. Peter was the father of all those well-known sports-playing Milton stars.
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Two former MHS football coaches who many of you Milton athletes know - John Riordan and Don Gentile - are going to Beverly Hills, CA, this September with the Marshfield High football team. Both coaches help out at Marshfield, where they have homes. Last year, Beverly Hills came to Marshfield to play. This year both the Marshfield JV and varsity teams will play in California on Sept. 6.
By the way, Gentile’s grandson is a quarterback.
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From what we hear, this year’s Milton High Hall of Fame dinner is Friday evening, Oct. 24, at Lantana in Randolph.
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As of this writing, PawSox infielder Joe Thurston is batting .319 to lead the International League. If he ends the season as the league’s top hitter, it will be the first time any Pawtucket player has done so since 1981, when Wade Boggs did it.
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Doug Flutie and his brother, Darren, are two former Boston College stars to be inducted into the Eagles’ Hall of Fame this year.
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Many Milton athletes have called our attention to the fact that many of the daily papers are getting smaller, including the Boston Herald, Investor’s Business Daily, USA Today and the Patriot Ledger.
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Congratulations to Norwell High’s Kara O’Connell - daughter of former MHS and B.C. star Jeanne Byron - for making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Team in lacrosse as a sophomore.
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Even though many have said they enjoyed it, and it has made money, beach volleyball will not return to Marina Bay in Quincy this summer.
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Although he is retired from the Daily Item, the newspaper out of Lynn, well-known Milton star Rich Fahey keeps very busy. He still jogs, plays basketball, umpires softball games and writes for the Boston Globe and the Associated Press. A few years back, Rich was writing school sports stories for the Milton Times.
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Former B.C. basketball star Sarah Behn is running her 15th annual basketball camp at Fairhaven High this month. Sarah starred at Foxboro High where she is now the basketball coach.
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Who would’ve thought at the beginning of the season that Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew, who struggled through an injury-plagued 2007 campaign, would be named the Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game?
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The Tampa Bay Rays aren’t the only major league team in Florida with a good young pitching staff. The Marlins’ pitching rotation is made up of five young hurlers, aged 25 years and under, who have all been rated as good prospects.
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Well-known Milton golfer Leif Jacobsen will play in the Junior PGA Championship, from Aug. 13-16, at the TPC River’s Bend Country Club in Cincinnati, OH. Leif edged Ian Thimble of Hyde Park on the first playoff hole to win the New England Junior PGA Championship back in mid-July at the Brookline Country Club. Leif’s two-round scores were 71 and 74. Ian shot 73 and 72.
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Many local horse-race fans will be heading up to Saratoga, as that track is now open. It’s always a good trip.
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Northeastern University will open its football season on Thursday evening, Aug. 28, at Ball State.
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We hear that Donovan’s Restaurant has finally been sold and will be shut down for a while to be renovated. Donovan’s, both as a restaurant and a bar, was a fixture for years in Dorchester Lower Mills. Many Milton stars went to Donovan’s for their meals, while other stopped in there for a cool one. It was, and is, a very successful establishment, especially with working and retired Milton athletes. A lot of them are sad to see Mr. and Mrs. Donovan moving on. After Donovan’s is reopened, they say it will be upgraded.
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Former Catholic Memorial and University of Vermont baseball player Tom Kelly had his arm operated on this summer. If everything goes as scheduled, Tom plans on pitching and playing the outfield for UVM next year. Tom was able to pitch this year and had a successful pitching year in college, but because of a sore arm he had trouble batting. Tom is pitching in the Cranberry League this year for the league-leading Easton Huskies. The Huskies, founded by southeastern Massachusetts baseball legend Clem Spillane, have been around for years. But, does anyone remember any other Milton star playing for them?
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Well-known Milton star Tim Knightly, who many of you know, says that the other night between the Bourne Bridge and Randolph he had his cruise control set at 60. Two hundred and seventy five cars passed him and he passed no one.
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Most tennis enthusiasts predict that tennis is going to become very popular and that even the women’s tennis leagues will do very well. This a great exercise. It works all the muscles.
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Unbeaten welterweight Floyd Mayweather Jr. has retired. Truly a great fighter, he retired at his peak citing he has no passion to fight anymore. Most fight fans that we have talked to say usually when a fighter retires this young, in a few years, if the right occasion occurs, they will make a comeback. Mayweather Jr. would have been great in any era.
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The Brockton Rox got off to a good start in the Cam-Am League this summer, but it would have been even a better one if they didn’t have to play the New Jersey teams.
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We were sorry to hear recently of the death of retired TV sports announcer Jim McKay at age 86. We really thought he was one of the best announcers of all time.
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The new Massachusetts Outdoor Recreation Map is available and is packed with places to visit for fishing, hunting, camping, boating, swimming and wildlife watching across the state. You can pick one up at any Mass Wildlife office in the state or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Outdoor Recreation Maps, Mass Wildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.
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They will be missed: A lot of us older Milton stars remember Howard Johnson’s and Brigham’s. They were the big ice cream stores to go to a few years back. Then, HoJo’s faded away. Slowly, there has been a decrease in Brigham’s and now they have sold out to Hood. It doesn’t look like they will keep the few stores they have left open too much longer.
Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
7/31/08
This is the big weekend at Granite Links Golf Club for the Women’s Senior Golf Tour. The Pro-Am kicks off on Friday, Aug. 1, both in the morning and afternoon. The pros play on Saturday, Aug. 2, and Sunday, Aug. 3. Tickets are $10 per session or $25 for all three days. After expenses are paid, the remaining money will go to charity.
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At a luncheon recently, well-known Milton jogger and former Holy Cross star Jen White gave a nice speech, thanking the BJ’s Charity Championship. Jen is the development director for Cradles to Crayons, a charity that serves around 35,000 children ages 0-12 by providing them with clothing and whatever else they may need.
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A couple of well-known Milton baseball players are helping out the Al Thomas team this summer in their bid to win the Yawkey League championship. Catcher Bob Barrett, a sophomore out of Worcester Academy, caught 36 games for Suffolk University this year while batting .369, good enough for second-highest on the team. Junior pitcher Tim Doyle, who pitched at Phillips Exeter Academy, went 4–2 in nine appearances with Suffolk. He struck out 19 batters in 38 innings and had a complete game shutout to his credit.
These two fine Milton stars helped Suffolk University win its fifth Great Northeast Atlantic Conference championship this spring. Suffolk had a 29–12 overall record and went 14–0 in league play.
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Congratulations to the Milton American Little League All-Star team for winning the sectional title and two games in the state playoffs. Milton lost twice in the double-elimination tournament to Middleboro, who usually does extremely well in those tournaments. Still, it was a job well done by our young athletes.
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Hearing wedding bells last week at St. Brendan’s Church and Florian Hall was former Milton Youth Hockey and University of New Hampshire star Brian Yandle. The wedding was well-attended by hockey players and enthusiasts. We hear that Brian isn’t playing hockey this year. Instead, he will manage a sports complex in Atlanta, GA.
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For the seventh straight year, the Cape Cod Senior Babe Ruth League out of Barnstable won the state championship.
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The Red Sox will have to do a better job of not leaving runners on base, if they want to win their division again this year.
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Popular well-known and long-time baseball scouts Buzz Bowers and Lennie Merullo were recently inducted into the Topps Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame at the Brockton Rox ticket plaza. Plaques honoring the inductees can be seen at Campanella Stadium in Brockton.
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Congratulations to well-known Milton athlete Jim Coyne—a Boston police officer—for his recent heroics. Always in good shape, Jim disarmed a man with a gun in Roxbury after a struggle.
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Well-known Milton baseball and hockey player Bill Besinger has been taking the mound recently for the ADLS team in the Boston Park League.
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The Milton Kiwanis Club will hold its annual golf tournament on Monday, Sept. 15, at the Presidents Golf Club in Quincy. Men and women golfers of all levels are welcome. There will be a special raffle for a pair of 50-yardline tickets to see the Patriots take on the Dolphins on Sept. 21. For more information call 617-821-2642 or send an e-mail to Kiwanisgolf7@aol.com. If any business would like to donate items for the gift bags, it would be greatly appreciated. Proceeds will help the Kiwanis Club carry out its mission of good will in the community.
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Tickets for this year’s MLB All-Star Game went for between $150 and $700, the highest ever. However, the game was played in historic Yankee Stadium, which will close after this season, so it was one to remember and talk about.
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The Boston Athletic Association will have its annual Half Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 12, starting at 8 a.m., to benefit Dana Farber and the Jimmy Fund. Go to www.baa.org for more information. The fee this year is $54.
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The first-place New England Revolution have only two regular-season home games left not on a Saturday. Saturday games usually draw the largest crowds.
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There was a time when things around Milton Academy were very slow during July and August. Now with all the large summer camps held on campus, they are always busy there.
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Sorry to hear that well-known MHS, Hilltoppers and St. Mary of the Hills star Marino Noris recently passed away with cancer.
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Over at Turners Pond, where fishing has been spotty, all kinds of fish have been caught recently—perch, trout, bass, pickerel and sunfish, among them.
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One of the town’s best-known teachers and coaches, Dick Cadigan, is retiring after many years of service. Dick taught science at Pierce Middle School and coached the high school golf team. Up until a few years ago, he coached the ski team. He was very successful as the golf coach, winning a couple of state championships, and always had his team right in the thick of things for the Bay State Championship.
A lot of outstanding Milton golfers had Dick as their coach. He is a real Miltonian.
He grew up at 38 Lincoln St., behind the Kelly Field tennis courts. He says his grandfather, Cornelius Cadigan, purchased the home in 1895 and raised six children there, all of whom attended Milton High School. Dick’s father, Tom, and his wife, Martha, had the home next and raised five children there, including Dick. All five went to the high school. Tom, a great sports fan, coached Little League for many years.
Living at the home now is Dick’s daughter, Christine Ducharme, her husband, Todd, and their three children. Dick says he remembers Kelly Field—a place where he spent a lot of time—for the fireworks and the horseshoe courts.
To his credit, Dick thinks the next golf coach should be a Milton High teacher. He says it is best if the coach is with the athletes every day, so he knows how things are going academically. Having a coach like Dick come in from another school in town is better than hiring from out of town, but it isn’t the same as having a coach who already works at the high school.
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Curry College will build new parking spaces next to the tennis courts. They will need more space because of the new athletic building going up on campus, which takes away old parking spaces.
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If you’re looking for a baseball cap, the Tedeschi’s on Randolph Avenue sells nice ones, two for $10. Check them out.
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We received a note recently from Francis Walsh, who some say was the best basketball player ever to come out of town. Francis says that old-timers John Morosini—who he calls the “Father of Basketball in Milton” in the 1940s and 1950s—and former Milton and BC star, Herb Stokinger, both deserve to be in the Milton High School Hall of Fame. Stokinger was the long-time athletic director at Milton Academy.
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Congratulations to well-known Milton and former Thayer Academy tennis player Brenna Driscoll for making the All-New England Small College Athletic Conference women’s singles second team. In her career at Trinity College, Brenna had 47 wins in singles tennis, the third-most in the school’s history. She also played doubles.
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We were glad to see that South Shore Hospital’s Walk for Hospice back in March raised over $300,000. This great event at the South Shore Mall saw the participation of many Milton stars.
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The Brockton Rox recently picked up outfielder Dennis Abreu, the younger brother of New York Yankees outfielder Bobby Abreu, in a trade with the Nashua Pride. Rox games are broadcast on the radio station AM 1460 WXBR, but we seem to have trouble getting the station in town.
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Well-known former Mattapan shortstop Eddie Jay—who lived in the Central Avenue area of Milton for many years and always did a lot of power walking and exercising—is still very active around Fuller Village, where he now lives. Rain or shine, he can be seen walking the streets up there. Eddie is still active at his Mattapan car wash. He says it’s the best one around.
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The Egan Center pool is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost for a swim is $5. There are no memberships. At the end of August they will decide if they will stay open.
Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
7/24/08
Eighteen Milton athletes make up this year’s Milton Legion baseball team. Nine of them are from MHS. They are: Mike Bortolotti, Cody Clark, John Davis, James Katsiroubas, Nick Malatos, Matt McDougal, Mike Muse, Matt O’Neill and John Sabin. Also on the team are Ed Donovan, Dan Mullen, Jeff Rowan and Tim Ryan of B.C. High, Sean Cleary of Salisbury School, Mike Duffy of St. Sebastian’s, James Eckel of Catholic Memorial, Ellis Nathan of Noble and Greenough and Thad Kull of Roxbury Latin.
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Over the past couple of weeks, we have received a few e-mails about former Milton star Jack Connolly, who passed away suddenly in May. The e-mails all touch on the fact that in the 1950s and 1960s, Jack really was Mr. Town Field (what is now Kelly Field). No one played more games down there and played all sports as well. He also starred at Archbishop Williams and Providence College.
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We agree with all those Brockton fight fans that say the statue of former undefeated heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano belongs in downtown Brockton. Rocky was always the heart of the town.
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As of the International League All-Star break,
the Pawtucket Red Sox have a four-game lead
over Scranton Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees’ top minor league affiliate.
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Portland Sea Dogs ace pitcher, Michael Bowden, a top Red Sox prospect, skipped the Eastern League All-Star game due to a sore calf.
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Did you know that the Cape Cod Rail Trail is 26 miles long? It begins in South Dennis and follows an old railroad bed to Wellfleet. Also, the flat, paved service roads on either side of Cape Cod Canal are each seven miles long.
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About a month ago the Natick school committee gave in to pressure and agreed to change the nickname of their sports teams. They have been called the Redmen for years, but we hear their new name could be the Red Hawks. Also, we hear it might not be long until Braintree, an archrival to Milton, gets pressure to change its school nickname as well. Right now they are the Wamps. I guess using Native American nicknames names in sports is becoming a thing of the past.
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Northeastern University—which always plays a few powerful football teams in league games—will play on the road at Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 20. Northeastern will run several bus trips up to the game. It should be a nice trip and a good time to see the New York autumn foliage. You can contact the university athletic office for more information.
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Talking about Northeastern, former Huskies and St. Mary of the Hills star Joe Graziani is feeling better and has returned to his assisted living unit at Marina Bay.
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Boston College plays a 12-game football schedule this year with seven home games on their schedule. Two of the seven at home are against Central Florida and Rhode Island, which won’t make some B.C. fans very happy. They also have two big home games back-to-back, as they face off against Clemson on Saturday, Nov. 1, and take on Notre Dame the following Saturday, Nov. 8.
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Walpole Legion had an easy time winning the Norfolk County Zone 6A division this year. It looks as if they will give a good account of themselves at the start of Legion playoffs.
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Well-known Milton star of a few years back, Paul Agnew, along the John Capavella Quartet, will play the parks and recreation band concert Tuesday evening, July 29, at 6:30 p.m. on the town green. It’s free, so come and listen.
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A lot of local tennis fans think that former number one tennis player and runner up of seven grand slams, Justin Henin, who retired just before the French Open, will return soon.
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Pawtucket pitcher Devern Hansack, who is from Nicaragua, gave up baseball for the 2004–2005 season after being released by Houston and worked as a lobsterman in Nicaragua for two years before being signed by the Sox. Chris Carter who came to the Red Sox organization from Washington in the Wily Mo Pena trade and has been with the Sox having a good year. He recently made the All-Star Team.
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Quite a few sportswriters have told us that because the Red Sox have knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield, they would be interested in trading Pawtucket knuckleballer Charlie Zink. Atlanta and Seattle are showing interest.
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Does anyone know if Major League baseball umpires have to take a physical or run a distance in a certain amount of time like they do in basketball and football? Some of the Major League umps look quite a bit overweight to me. I asked the Major League and International League umpire supervisor about this and he said he didn’t think this was public knowledge.
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A lot of you Milton stars have dogs, which is good, most of us like dogs. We see on TV that quite a number of people who keep their pets outdoors have purchased air conditioners at a cost of about $400 to air condition their pets’ dog house. Do you know any Milton athlete that has done this?
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The Quincy newspaper had a nice article on Milton High and Legion baseball star Jim Katsiroubas and how he plays on and has done very well, despite the loss of his number one fan—his father—two years ago. Also, he will be joining his two former Legion teammates, Matt Duffy and Tom Kelly, at Division I University of Vermont next year.
There is also a good article by YMCA director Wayne Wescott on how good swimming is for you. According to Wayne you don’t have to be in the greatest condition to swim.
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When the 35-year-old Newport, RI, defending champion Fabrice Santoro beat 33-year-old Vincent Spadea a week ago in the well-attended Hall of Fame Tennis Tournament, it was the oldest combined ages in a semifinal on the tour since 1993. That year, in San Francisco, Jimmy Connors, 40, lost to Brad Gilbert, 31.
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Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants, who has won 10 games, pitched in the Cape Cod league in 2005 for Harwich. He led the league that year with a 0.69 ERA and struck out 68 in 39 innings. He was hospitalized and released for flu like symptoms recently.
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On Friday, June 27, for the third consecutive year, Betsy’s Bicycle Club (the BBC), pedaled their way from Milton to Cataumet. This year’s team included Betsy Goyette, Deirdre Michalski, Peggy Driscoll, Dina Nichols, Chris Gwynn and Mary Schneider. The team rides for enjoyment along with the exercise, although next year they are talking about riding for charity. This year’s ride concluded with a surprise 80th birthday celebration for Milton tennis and gold star John Gwynn, who resides in Cataumet.
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Recently the parks department, together with the Milton Yacht Club, sponsored a free rowing demonstration day at Milton Landing. East Wind Rowing provided the boats and some brief instruction before letting the rowers head up the Neponset. Bob Michalski attended and was back to his old crew days at Holy Cross in no time.
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We all know that the Oakland Athletics are one of the poorest franchises. Despite the fact that they are forced to be very frugal, did you know that since 2000, only the New York Yankees have won more games?
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A nice way to spend a summer Sunday afternoon: Tim Knightly says that a couple of weeks ago when there was an Al Thomas and Milton Legion double header at Cunningham Park, he saw the Al Thomas game, took a nice swim in Cunningham Pool and went back and watched the Legion game.
*****
At Fenway Park now not only does the scoreboard show you how fast the pitch is but also what kind of pitch it was.
*****
Former B.C. High and Legion star Alex Hassan has made some pitching appearances for his team, Orleans of the Cape Cod League. At this writing Orleans is in first place and Alex usually plays the outfield. The regular season ends the first week in August. Then the two top teams in each division play a two-out-of-three series and final round.
*****
Erin Feeney, a freshman at Milton High where she plays varsity soccer and lacrosse, as well as Miltonian Josette La Rochelle, who plays varsity soccer at Milton Academy, are playing club soccer for the South Shore Scorpions team this summer. The team won the State Cup and Northeast Regionals last week. They are now going to the Nationals. They are rated second in the nation for girls under 15.
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We were very sorry a week ago to hear of the death on Cape Cod of a fine Milton athlete of the 1940s and 1950s and 1960s, George “Gigi” Johnson, through a heart problem at age 79. For the last several years George had lived in Cotuit where he hardly ever missed a Cotuit Kettlers home Cape Cod League game. A lot of Kettlers were present at Gigi’s wake. When he was at Milton High, Gigi played baseball, track and football. Gigi, with his great speed, also developed into a real good softball player. But, football was Gigi’s first love and he could really carry the ball, zigzagging in and out, for yardage and the touchdowns. A true Milton star, Gigi played football after high school for the Milton Merchants, Quincy Manets, St. Paul’s, etc.
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Coming up next weekend here in Milton on the Quincy line is the annual Women’s BJ’s Charity Golf Tournament. Friday, Aug. 1, is the pro-am, and Saturday and Sunday is the professional tournament. Tickets are only $10 per day or $25 for the whole tournament. All proceeds go to charity. For tickets or more information call 617-721-3931. See you at a beautiful golf course, Granite Links.
Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
7/17/08
There was a big surprise birthday party on the Cape recently for former well-known Milton tennis and golf star John Gwynn. Many Milton stars attended. Back a few years ago, if you played tennis at the courts at Kelly Field you were sure to find John there. He was also a Milton businessman.
*****
Emily Lynch, a varsity athlete at the high school, represented Milton at the 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games, held recently at the University of Rhode Island. In addition to playing field hockey at the Kingston campus, Emily also attended leadership seminars with speakers like Gen. Colin Powell and Nobel Peace Prize family member Claes Nobel.
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World Golf and LPGA Tour Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, one of the most charismatic and distinguished players in women’s golf history, has committed to play in the fourth annual BJ’s Charity Championship, presented by Olay, Aug. 2 and 3 at the Granite Links Golf Club. Call 617-721-3931 for tickets or more information.
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Well-known Milton golfer and walker Dr. Phil Doherty is the chairman of this year’s Milton Hospital Golf Tournament, which will be held at the Wollaston Golf Course on Monday, Sept. 29, at 10 a.m. The co-chairmen, also well-known Milton stars, are golfer and big time sport fisherman Craig Dolan and golfer and gardener Carol Fallon. Call 617-313-1311 for more information about this event.
*****
It was good to see longtime (now retired) tennis writer and announcer Bud Collins covering the Wimbledon championships last week for the Boston Globe. I have never been to Wimbledon, but friends who have tell me it’s a great event. Even if you can’t buy a seat, there are ground passes available that allow you to walk around the courts and see the matches. The other big tennis tournaments don’t sell these passes.
Tim Knightly says he was sorry to hear that so many of his friends did not watch either the Wimbledon men’s or women’s finals. They were such great matches.
*****
The Milton American Little League All-Star team under well-known Milton coach and athlete Jim Coffey came from a game down this week to win the District 8 championship, beating Braintree in the final. They will be playing tonight, Thursday, July 17 at 6 p.m. against Middleborough in Middleborough.
*****
Well-known St. Agatha and Kiwanis star Betty Casey, who recently moved to Pine Tree Brook, reports that they have hummingbirds up there. Also, Betty and her husband Phil, a former BC star and long-time town park commissioner, are really enjoying watching a mother turkey raise her 11 little ones.
*****
Former Red Sox pitcher, now at Pawtucket, Kyle Snyder, is still on the PawSox disabled list.
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You can pick up a registration form for the park department’s popular outdoor basketball program (for boys and girls ages 3 to 8) at the park office at town hall. For more information call 617-898-4940.
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The Boston Globe recently had a best-of ranking of the 36 managers in Red Sox history. Former Northeastern University star Joe Graziani was not surprised to see that his great uncle, the late Bill “Rough” Carrigan, was ranked at number three on the list. Carrigan joined the Sox first as a player in 1906 after attending Holy Cross. He is the only Red Sox manager to lead the team to back-to-back World Series titles. Still, Joe thinks that uncle Bill would be turning over in his grave in Lewiston, MN, if he knew the Sox had opened up their season in Japan.
*****
Former Archbishop Williams star Jim Edwards and his band are back playing outdoors again Thursday evenings at the Atlantis Hotel on the banks of the Neponset River.
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We have a couple of female friends who are avid Red Sox fans. They say that Sox shortstop Julio Lugo is really costing the team with his poor fielding and that he should be replaced. However, as of July 1 he is running fourth in All-Star voting for shortstops, which isn’t bad.
*****
Even though Bronson Arroyo has been hit hard at times this year, the trade that sent him to the Cincinnati Reds for Willy Mo Pena was a poor one for the Red Sox. Pena now plays for the Washington Nationals, where he’s hitting only .218 and playing the field poorly.
*****
A pitcher the Red Sox could have used this year is Derek Lowe, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although he has lost some tough games this year, Lowe has proven to be a steady workhorse for the Dodgers.
*****
The surprising success of the Tampa Bay Rays is a good thing for baseball, where new blood is always needed.
*****
Former MHS star Dick Gallery, one of the most versatile athletes ever to come out of the high school, says that the book High and Inside, written by Lou Gorman, his former teammate at Stonehill College, is a good one. The book talks about Lou’s days as general manager of the Red Sox.
*****
What happened to the Cleveland Indians? The last time we looked they were in the cellar of the American League Central Division.
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Keep your eye on a couple of young MHS runners who recently made the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Team for track. We are talking about freshman miler Brianna Butlin, who recently ran a 5:13 mile in the state meet, and sophomore Cheryl Tran, who cleared five feet in the high jump at the meet.
MHS baseball players named to the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Team were James Katsiroubas (making it for the second straight year) and versatile sophomore John Magliozzi. James is playing Legion baseball this summer and John is in Georgia playing AAU ball.
We certainly want to congratulate well-known Milton star Dan Higgins for making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic team in lacrosse. It was the second time this year that this Milton star made the Ledger All-Scholastic team. He also made it in hockey. He is going to Hamilton College in September.
Also, well-known Milton High multi-sports athlete, who will be a senior in the fall, Brittany O’Rourke, made the Ledger team in girls’ lacrosse last year. Brittany captains both the soccer and lacrosse team at Milton High.
Congratulations as well to a couple of well-known Milton athletes for making the Patriot Ledger All-Star team. They are Sarah Campbell, who heads to Harvard this fall as a junior slugger and field hockey captain-to-be, and basketball player McKenzie Sumner. Campbell also made the Ledger team in basketball. She hopes to play softball at Harvard.
*****
If you enjoyed the fishing derby at Turners Pond in May, here’s another one: The annual Houghton’s Pond Fish Festival is on Saturday, July 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Equipment and bait will be provided. No license is required. Call 617-698-1802 for more information.
*****
The Boston Lobsters tennis club, a member of the World Tennis League, who shifted their home this year from the courts at Harvard University to the Ferncroft Country Club in Middleton, certainly has a short season. They opened on July 3 and the regular season is over July 22. Their last home match is July 19.
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Coming back to spend some time in Milton after living in Florida and taking some overseas trips in 2007 and the first part of this year, is well-known St. Mary of the Hills star, Notre Dame fan and jogger, Ed Pond.
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The Besinger brothers—Ed who goes to Bentley College and Bill who plays for Babson—are playing for the ALS team in the Boston Park League this summer, along with former Legion star Paul Cleary.
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The July 2 Patriot Ledger had a nice writeup on well-known Milton sports star Ken Quigley and Curry College and how it has really expanded under his leadership. However, Ken states that with this economy, money for students for tuition is getting tougher to get.
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For your convenience, the state rangers have placed portable toilets on both sides of the roads that run along Cape Cod Canal. There are also portable toilets in the parking lot at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum.
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League-leading Pawtucket players in the Triple-A All-Star Game were second baseman Joe Thurston, outfielders Jeff Bailey and Jonathan Van Every, designated hitter Chris Carter and pitcher Charlie Zink.
*****
Pawtucket, which has the best record in the International League, 55–32, is home this weekend, July 17 to July 20, with the Toledo Mud Hens. For tickets and information call 401-724-7300. The $4 grass seats in left field are extremely popular, especially with the summer weather. Bring a blanket to sit on if you are going to do this. Former Red Sox outfielder Bobby Kielty, who has been hurt, is back playing for Pawtucket.
*****
South Attleboro and Sandwich seem to have very strong Legion teams again this year, while Brockton and Easton don’t seem to be as good as they have been in the last few years.
*****
Congratulations to Milton teenager and Boston College High School student Nick Bolden. Nick, who plays four sports, wrote an essay on “How Kids Can Help Other Kids.” There were 700 applicants from 29 states in the contest sponsored by the Red Sox and Hood. Twelve of these Red Sox fans were chosen as Kid Nation captains and Nick was one of these. Nick wrote his essay about his own community service.
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The Al Thomas baseball team won three games in a row in the beginning of July to move up to the second spot in their division of the Yawkey Baseball League.
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The Al Thomas racing stable has been having a really good season so far this year both at the Plainridge and Rockingham race tracks. Al has harness horses.
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The Milton Legion baseball team, with many young stars playing key roles, should make the Legion playoffs again this year. By the time you read this, the playoffs should be set. Consult the sports page of the Patriot Ledger for the teams and the times and sites of the game.
*****
Sorry to hear that well-known Milton star of a few years back, who we reported as being sick two weeks ago, Bob Galaska, has passed away with cancer. Services are Saturday morning, July 19, in Bourne.
*****
Very sorry also to hear of the sudden death, just before the start of the Quincy Legion–Milton Legion baseball game at Adams Field a week ago, of Milton Legion baseball coach for the last few years, Dexter Dolan. Dexter was the scorekeeper and also passed the hat for many years at the local Legion team grounds. Dexter was very well known and liked around North Quincy. He really loved sports and will be really missed.
*****
Two Milton athletes are on a soccer team playing for the 15-and-under national championship. Erin Feeney of Milton High and Josette Larochelle of Milton Academy will be playing for the Braintree-based Scorpions soccer team in the national finals in North Little Rock, AR, from July 22–27. They are the Region I champions and ranked #2 in the USA.
Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
7/10/08
If you go to the Red Sox, check out the over-60 crowd at the game. I would say only about 5 percent
of the fans there are over the age of 60. It is definitely a young crowd. The over-60 fans either don’t want
to spend the money or don’t want to deal with
the hassle.
*****
A lot of Milton athletes who workout at the new health club at 1 Eliot St. in Milton Lower Mills,
Milton Hill Sport & Spa, really like it. It is like a
diamond in the rough with all new up-to-date athletic equipment.
*****
Glad to see that the Egan Center pool at the Boy Scouts center in the Blue Hills is open again, even if the hours are limited (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays) and the cost is $5 per swim. There are no memberships available at the present time. Many hope that they can get things together and stay open regular hours. This is a beautiful pool and the town needs it. I know there have been some discrepancies between the Boy Scouts and the contractors, but things should be worked out.
*****
With the return of long-time and highly-successful coach Bob Corradi, who has been in retirement the past two years, the Sandwich Legion team expects to be real good again. They have been one of the top teams in the state and usually recruit baseball players from all over the Cape.
*****
There is a new team in Zone 6 baseball, the league that Milton Post 114 plays in. Jamaica Plain has joined the league while two others teams, Stoughton and Canton, have been moved to Zone 6A to even-off the division. There have also been some changes in Legion rules, and most managers we have spoken to are in favor of them. A player who goes to a school like Archbishop Williams, Thayer, Xaverian or Milton Academy
(which is principally a boarding school) can now play either for his hometown or the town of his school. Managers say this gives a break to towns like Braintree and Westwood.
*****
Well-known Milton star Rich Hutchinson, who has run the golf tournament for the Jimmy Fund/UGL Unicco Golf and Tennis Classic for the past 13 years, was recently named Man of the Year by the Jimmy Fund Council of Greater Boston. Under Rich’s stewardship, the tournament has raised over a million dollars for the Jimmy Fund.
*****
Legendary women’s pro golfer and LPGA Hall
of Fame member Beth Daniel will play in the fourth annual Legends Tour, which will be held at Granite Links Golf Club on Aug. 2 and 3. This will be her
debut in this event. She will play with Rosie Jones. Defending champion Nancy Scranton will play with Christa Johnson.
*****
Sorry to hear that well-known Milton walker and St. Elizabeth pastor Fr. David Ziomek isn’t feeling well. Hope he feels better soon.
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We hear that well-known former St. Mary of the Hills and B.C. star Craig Dolan has been catching some good-sized blue fish out in Marion this summer.
*****
Dan Donato, the hockey coach at the Dexter School and one of the sports-playing Donato brothers, ran a highly successful hockey camp at Milton Academy recently. Many college hockey coaches attended.
*****
Look for Archbishop Williams, under new coach Derackk Curtis, to become a hockey power again in a couple of years. Last winter, Curtis coached Sandwich to the Division II state title. This is a great pickup for former Division I power Archbishop, but it’s also a tough blow for Sandwich, who really did well in its four years under Curtis.
*****
Congratulations to two MHS track stars, senior Craig Bennett and junior Paul Connors, for making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Team as sprinters. Both Milton athletes were a part of the great Wildcats relay team. Bennett is headed to UMass Lowell in
the fall.
*****
Vermont-bound MHS star James Katsiroubas, the reigning Bay State Conference MVP, made the Boston Herald All-Scholastic baseball team, with a batting average of .362 for the year. He recorded a 4–1 record as a pitcher as well this season. In four years at the high school, his average was .402.
*****
To our knowledge, there are no eagles in the Blue Hills. The last eagle count taken a few months back recorded a few of them in Lakeville and Middleboro.
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Quite a few Milton tennis fans are expected to take in the Hall of Fame Tennis Tournament this weekend in beautiful Newport, RI. It’s always a great event.
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We have had some local Milton golfers tell us this is the best year in a long time for golf at the Ponkapoag Golf Course in Canton. The course is in great shape.
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As of July 1, former Milton Legion star Alex Hassan (now at Duke) is batting fourth and playing right field for the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod League.
*****
The Bourne Braves have their lights up and working, and the field looks good. However, fog along the canal has proven to be a problem.
*****
The Thursday, June 19, edition of the USA Today had the Plymouth North baseball team 26–0 in Division II in the state rankings; seventh overall in the country. We’ve never seen a state team in any sport rated that high. In the east section of the country they were ranked third, with B.C. High (22–4) ranked at nine. Plymouth North, the Division II state champions, beat Dighton-Rehoboth 4–2 in the sectional final. Dighton-Rehoboth had toppled Milton High in the quarterfinals.
*****
There have been several newspaper articles written in the last four years about the possibility of having a minor-league baseball team play in Plymouth. We know the Plymouth area has recently expanded. However, we don’t think it’s a good idea unless the Red Sox are involved, and put one of their minor-league affiliate teams there. If Plymouth goes ahead on its own, however, and builds a stadium like the Brockton Rox have, they will probably wind up in the same league with the Rox: the Can-Am League. Quite a few teams (like the North Shore team playing at Lynn) have come and gone in this league.
Another independent league may be better, but the travel expense is greater. Brockton isn’t very far from Plymouth and a team in Plymouth would hurt
the Rox. The Rox, although they are surviving, need all kinds of gimmicks
to make a go of it. We think putting
a minor league team in Plymouth is a big gamble.
*****
Congratulations to Milton High freshman tennis player Ariana Launie for making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Team. Also, Tori Aiello, who is headed to Middlebury College in the fall, and Sarah Miller, who is going to Wesleyan—who are both residents and attend Milton Academy—made the team. These two Milton athletes played one and two for the Academy and also made up their first doubles team.
*****
The Quincy entry in this year’s Cranberry League has dropped out. The Easton Huskies are off to a 17–0 start this year, which gives the perennial champs Braintree White Sox something to really shoot at.
*****
According to the magazine Baseball America, the three pro baseball teams with the most minor league baseball teams are the Kansas City Royals, the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners. These teams have seven minor league affiliates. The rest of the major league teams have six. The Royals, Mets and Mariners have an extra rookie team.
*****
A lot of you stars like to have cookouts in the summertime, but are hesitating a little this year because of rising food prices. However, there is a hot dog war on now between Kraft Food’s Oscar Mayer brand and Sara Lee Corporation’s Ball Park brand. So there are some good deals on these dogs. Also, when times get tough, old-time favorite Spam sells well. Spam sales are up this year over 10 percent. The cost of a can has also risen a little, but it is still relatively cheap.
*****
You Milton runners should mark the Milton Road Race, the second Tuesday of June, on your list of races to be run next year. It’s always a nice challenging 10K course and usually a hot night. Back a few years ago, the food and drink wasn’t much to rave about. Now, though, it has seemingly gone from a race with poor food to a race with the best food. The Outback Steakhouse sent down chicken and salad, four local pizza houses sent pizzas, Costcos sent delicious cake and ice cream, and Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks sent food over. And also there were plenty of games for the children.
*****
Well-known Brookline golfer who has a lot of Milton ties, James Driscoll, recently won over $200,000 on the PGA tour. This brought his earnings for the year to over $500,000 and put him at number 85 on this year’s money list.
There was a time back not too many years ago that golf pros just relied on their weekend winnings to make a living. What you won then is what you lived on and many went week-to-week. Now, golf with huge purses means that the top golfers don’t have to play every week. Players have found that if they take some time off, they seem to get better results.
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, players just a few years ago had to pay for practice balls, and
a fee for meals and cars. Now, this has kind of changed and these are free.
The big tournaments now pay out much more money for even finishing way
down in the ladder than the small ones do. So, if you are planning on running
a pro golf tournament be prepared to
do some recruiting and pay out many extra benefits.
*****
Haven’t seen the Al Thomas baseball team play yet this year? Well, they
are home at Cunningham Park this Sunday, July 13, at 2 p.m. with the Savin Hill Hornets.
*****
The Legion baseball team is home tonight, Thursday, July 10, at 5:45 p.m. at Cunningham with Braintree. On Sunday, July 13, they are home at Cunningham with Quincy Legion at 5 p.m. So you can see a doubleheader.
*****
A lot of you Milton athletes know Walter Sgroi, the founder of the popular “Sgroi Ball” game here in town back a few years ago at Andrews Field and Cunningham Park. Walter isn’t feeling good and is in the Mt. Auburn Hospital. Walter lives in Watertown.
Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
7/3/08
Well-known Milton star John Roach has been named the new CEO of the Tom Flatley Company, succeeding the late Tom Flatley, who passed away recently after building the company into one of the biggest and most successful in the country. John has been with the company approximately 20 years and, like Tom, has a lot of energy and enthusiasm. An avid skier, John can often be seen at Steve Goldman’s Weymouth club weekdays, working out at 5:30 a.m. with well-known Milton stars Paul Durgin, Terry Driscoll and Bob Falconi.
*****
Congratulations to former MHS hockey star Tom Ambrose on his completion of basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. Airman 1st Class Ambrose is a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard and will be stationed as a crew chief on the F-15 at the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield. Tom also attends Westfield State College.
*****
The Newport Hall of Fame has announced that the top Japanese tennis player in the world, Kei Nishikori, will play in the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, which runs from July 7-13. Nishikori, at only 18, won his first ATP tournament this year at Delray Beach, beating American James Blake (the former Harvard star) in the finals. With the win, he became the youngest player in 10 years to win an ATP tournament. Two weeks ago in London, he took the first set from French champion Rafael Nadal at the Queens Cup.
*****
You could not have a better seat for a Celtics game than the one former Milton Legion and present Brown University pitcher Mark Gormley had for the recent NBA Finals in Boston. He got right on the floor with Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge.
*****
Former MHS star pitcher Rich Hill, who is currently on the Chicago Cubs’ disabled list, is working out at the Cubs’ spring training headquarters in Mesa, AZ.
****
The Milton Legion baseball team plays at Quincy on Monday evening, July 7, at 8 p.m. at Adams Field. Quincy is coached by former Milton star Bob Sweeney. Milton will be home the following night, July 8, to takes on Morrisette at Cunningham Park. That game begins at 5:45 p.m. Morrisette Post is one of the only teams around you don’t have to pay to play for.
Milton is also home on Wednesday, July 9, against Cohasset, and July 10 against Braintree.
*****
Many of you athletes know Bruce Bird, the former St. Agatha and Merchants star, and Cunningham men’s league bowler. Bruce is married to the former Joan Gordon, the youngest of the sports-playing Gordon family of a few years back. Bruce says that Joan really likes birds. He says there are a lot of them in his backyard, including several cardinals who have nested on his back porch. Some of the young can really make a racket. Joan has named two of them “E.D.” and “J.M.J.” after two old friends from East Milton.
*****
Milton star Devin Kelly, who this year won the Hilltoppers award for softball at the high school, is the sister of Vermont University ace relief pitcher, and former Legion star, Tom Kelly. Her father, Gerry, was a big contributor on the 1970s high school team that won the Eastern Massachusetts Championship. Devin recently moved in at the catcher position on the softball team (where she hasn’t played before) and did a tremendous job.
*****
Former MHS football and baseball star Dick Stanley says he is happy with his job in the entertainment business in the Midwest. Dick works as the greeter at a huge dinner theatre out there. He greets customers in the lobby and introduces the shows on stage. Business is good, and this former Milton star of the 1950s loves it. He has been doing it for 15 years now. He also plays a lot of golf in the morning. He played 73 rounds last year. Not bad for a 72 year old.
*****
Kate O’Neill, the well-known Milton long-distance runner and member of the Milton High Hall of Fame, reports that the injured knee that forced her out of the Olympic Trials in Boston a few months back is healing nicely. She hopes to run in the Falmouth Road Race on Saturday, Aug. 10. Last year, Kate finished second there.
*****
If you are ever up by Canton Avenue, you should take a look at the backyard of the Suffolk Resolves house. There is a really nice garden there.
*****
We’re sorry to hear that well-known Milton athlete of the 1960s Bob Galaska isn’t feeling up to par. We hope he’s feeling better soon.
*****
Also not feeling well is Milton and UMass star Dick Thornton. Dick plays a lot of golf down on the Cape where he lives.
*****
The Cape Cod Baseball League says that punishment will be handed out to some Brewster Whitecaps players following a recent incident of drunk driving that left one player severely injured.
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St. Mary of the Hills has announced that their annual golf tournament will be held on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 12:30 p.m. at the Wollaston Golf Club.
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Although many of the outside animal exhibits at the Trailside Museum in the Blue Hills are closed, the turtle exhibit is still open. There are many interesting turtles there that young Milton stars would enjoy.
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Polly Burke, a former three-sport athlete at the high school and currently a senior lacrosse star at Ohio Wesleyan University was recently named second team all-star in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Despite missing three games, she scored 20 goals and led the league in scoring percentage with a 58 percent goals/shots ratio. Polly’s successes helped her team win the league conference championship this year. They beat the College of Wooster in triple overtime, avenging a loss in last year’s championship game.
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Long-time and highly-respected Harwich High basketball coach Fred Thacher, who led both the boys’ and girls’ teams to state championships, died recently of cancer.
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Some Cape Cod beaches and paths have closed recently due to nesting plovers. Piping plovers are on the endangered species list and are protected by state and federal law.
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The upcoming tennis tournament at Wimbledon should be a real interesting one. Roger Federer has dominated all the tournaments he plays in except the French Open, which is played on red clay. The US and Australian Open are both played on hard surfaces, but Wimbledon is traditionally played on grass, which Federer loves.
Rafael Nadal should play a major factor in the tournament. He recently beat Federer to win his fourth French Open and looks to be playing terrific. Keep in mind that he is five years younger than Roger.
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We always say there are wild turkeys all over town. But what about turkey vultures? They are interesting too, and there are more and more of them every year in town. Twenty years ago no one in this area knew what a turkey vulture was. They are a southern bird that just keeps pushing north all the time. They have even been seen in Canada.
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Chris McDonough of Weymouth is in the starting rotation for the Brockton Rox. McDonough is a graduate of Wheaton College and last year was named the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year. He left Wheaton second all-time in strikeouts with 233 and is fifth on the all-time wins list.
This year the Rox are starting their Monday evening games at 6 p.m. These games are always a good take-in for the whole family.
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If you ever get an invitation to play golf at the Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, try to get there. It is a beautiful place to play. This is the course the senior men’s golfers played at recently.
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After a couple of good weeks back in the early part of June, the stripers have become scarce in Cape Cod Canal.
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A lot of Milton runners and joggers do the Jim Kane Sugar Bowl Five Mile Road Race, which this year is Thursday, July 11, at 6:30 p.m. This race has become real popular and now is one of the largest road races in the Boston area.
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Glad to hear that former MHS football star of the 1950s Don Affanato is coming along nicely after his recent operation.
Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
6/26/08
If you get up early in the morning like I do and go out around town between 6 and 7:30 a.m., you will see a lot of female Milton athletes out running, jogging and walking. They outnumber the guys by about 10 to one. Only in bikes do we see guys in the lead.
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It was nice to see well-known Milton walker and long-time Al Thomas sports fan John Linehan win the big prize at the Yawkey League banquet recently in Dorchester.
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The Al Thomas baseball team, which features many Milton stars, is home Saturday afternoon, June 28, at 2 p.m. to face the Brighton Blacksox team at Cunningham Park. Would you believe the team is about halfway through the regular season?
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Sorry to hear that former Jamaica Plain multi-sport star Tom Morgan, who has lived in town for many years now, is laid up with a back injury. We hope he feels better soon.
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Don’t forget to mark down Saturday, Aug. 2, on your sports calendar. That is the day of the Annual Marc Susi Memorial Golf Tournament at the Presidents Golf Course in Quincy. This scholarship fund helps a lot of Milton stars. Over the past 16 years it has awarded close to $300,000 in community grants and scholarships.
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The Cape Cod League baseball schedule is out, and it lists the Bourne Braves games. Because Bourne now has lights at its field, they have changed all the weekday and Saturday games to 7 p.m. On Saturday evening, June 28, Bourne plays the Orleans Cardinals, with former Milton Legion star Alex Hassan.
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According the Boy Scouts website, the pool at the Egan Activity Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It has been closed since November. The cost is $5 per swim.
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After saying they would not change the nickname of the their high school sports teams, it appears that the Natick school committee has changed its opinion and will come up with a new school nickname this year. Natick, currently nicknamed the “Redmen,” is a Bay State League-Herget Division school and plays Milton High in all sports.
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Well-known former MHS star and three-year high school dance leader Katie DeRoo is now the host of the Tuesday morning story hour at Radio Coffeehouse. Drop down (no matter what age you are) and listen to a story. There is no charge. Stories begin at 11 a.m.
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Many members of the Corcoran family, including two well-known athletes, Marie and Bob, and their son Gerard, participated in the VISION 5K run and walk in the Fenway area of Boston. This event is the national championship for blind and visually impaired athletes. It is one of the most unique sporting events in Boston’s history. Bob Corcoran serves on the board at the Carroll Center for the Blind.
The Tim Corcoran family had a big fundraiser recently. Many Milton stars and former stars attended at Tim’s beautiful new home to help raise money to cover some of the expenses of the Little League’s trip to Cooperstown, NY, this summer to play in the Little League tournament. They had some great sports prizes in the silent auction. One of many prizes was golf-for-three at the Hoosic Golf Club in Canton with former Milton athlete, and Boston Globe golf writer, Joe McCabe. If you can, pick up a Milton Little League Cooperstown program. It is well done.
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We know that past Milton sports stars were very happy with the Celtics winning the NBA Championship, especially over the Lakers. It was certainly tremendous for Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers, who only a year ago were not on very solid ground with their team. It was also a tremendous occasion for Paul Pierce, who did great throughout the playoffs. Although he has often been an NBA All-Star, Paul has never before been considered one of the league’s top players.
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Playing in the 31st Annual Mass High School All-Star baseball game recently was well-known MHS star shortstop James Katsiroubas. At the annual awards banquet, long-time baseball coach Ted Curley said that the versatile Katsiroubas was one of the best players to ever play under him at the high school. He hit .387 while at shortstop and has also pitched and played the outfield.
James is now playing for the Milton Legion team. The team plays at home Thursday, June 26, at 6:45 p.m. against Weymouth, and is not home again until Tuesday, July 8. Home games are at Cunningham Park.
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Well-known and long-time Hanover High hockey coach and teacher Jim Sylvia is still playing Jimmy Buffett music. On Saturday afternoons from 3 to 7 p.m., he plays at the Beachcomber at Wollaston Beach. It is a real good take-in. If you feel up to it, take a walk along the beach while you are there. It has been done over.
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The Chart Room restaurant in Pocasset, a favorite of many Milton stars, is now open seven days a week for the summer.
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When I think of Boston Park League baseball, I always think of the Stockyard Restaurant Team out of Brighton. This is the team sponsored by well-known Milton athlete Mark Manning. Did you know that Mark, who went to Amherst College and is a friend of former Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette, played four decades in the Boston Park League? He started in the 1960s, when he was about 15, and played into the 1990s.
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The U13 Scorpion Elite Soccer Club out of Braintree, with Milton star Molly McDonough, has won the state title for the third year in a row. Molly heads to Maine on June 26 to compete in the regionals.
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Having a big birthday this month is former MHS and Merchants star Big Bob Blake.
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It is good to see that former Red Sox star (for so many years) Trot Nixon is back in the major leagues. Trot was with the Cleveland Indians last year and has just signed on to play for the New York Mets.
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Alex Lazar, who played hockey and softball at Babson College and five years ago was named Bay State League Athlete of the Year, now works for the EMC Corp and still plays a little hockey.
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When you talk about versatile mobile athletes that live in town, you certainly have to bring up the name of Josh Nemzer. As all you Milton runners know, Josh has great energy. He might have some competition from his own household, however. Josh ran the Milton Road Race in a time of 45:23; his son, Aaron, a senior-to-be and high school track team member, was close on his heels at 45:52. Who will win next year: father or son?
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Running strong in the road race, as usual, was Steve Affanato, one of the well-known running Affanato brothers, who finished the 10K in 47:15. Thanksgiving Day race Director Elaine Schiffmann (the mother of all those great young Milton stars) finished at 49:46.
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One of my friends from the Cape recently shot a 275-pound black bear up in Canada. Bear hunting is very dangerous and you should really have an experienced guide with you if you decide to give it a try.
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You will not get much of an argument on this one: Milton athletes John Spatola and Mark Perdios playing for BC, and Alex Hassan playing for Duke, play in the best college baseball league in America: the Atlantic Coast Conference. Atlantic Coast teams Miami, the University of North Carolina and Florida State were ranked at 1, 2 and 4, respectively, at the start of the College World Series.
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Elena Delle Donne, the nation’s top female basketball player last winter, has left the University of Connecticut, where she was to enter her freshman year, and returned home. Delle Donne, a 6’5’’ guard from Ursuline Academy, didn’t say why she left or what she would do about school.
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Even though Paul Pierce is now an NBA Finals MVP, he was not invited to play for the national team at the Olympics. Kobe Bryant has been invited. The team will again be led by Duke coach, Mike Krzyzewski, who says he likes players who have played internationally. It may be a good thing for the Celtics that Pierce will not play. There is still the question of how much his injured knee can take.
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One of my favorite groups, The Black Velvet Band, who I saw and signed to play here when I was with the parks department, will be in town on Tuesday evening, July 1, to play on the Baron Hugo Gazebo at town hall. These concerts are free and well done. Come on out for it. There isn’t much for free these days. It starts at 6:30 p.m.
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Thursday, June 26, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. is the Neponset River Greenway Festival at the Martini Shell on Truman Highway. There will be free food, drinks, music and dancing. There is also a 5K road race with a $15 required entry fee. Call 617-962-4756 for more information.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
6/19/08
We congratulate talented MHS football player Paul Connor for winning the 400-yard run in the annual state track and field meet two weeks ago. The high school had a fine showing, placing 10th overall. Paul, who is a junior and was Milton’s “Mr. Touchdown” last fall, did well in the run with a time of 49:42. Coming in second behind him was his senior teammate and advisor Craig Bennett, who came in at 49:65.
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We have a baseball All-American here in town: freshman University of Vermont shortstop Matt Duffy. This former Milton Legion star was named to Louisville Slugger’s 2008 Freshman All-American Team. As a member of the American East All-Star Rookie Team, Duffy hit .308 (third highest on the team), and led conference freshmen with 33 RBIs. His team-leading 18 doubles was the second highest ever at UVM. He was also second on the team in hits with 61. Matt started at shortstop in all 51 of Vermont’s games and made five relief appearances, recording two saves and posting a 2.70 ERA. Quite a freshman year for this Milton athlete.
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We want to congratulate well-known Milton High athletes Sarah Campbell for winning the Milton High Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year Award and Brendan Perry for winning the Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year Award. Sarah played soccer, basketball and softball. Brendan wrestled, and played football and lacrosse.
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When the Celtics played the L.A. Lakers in the NBA finals in the late 1980s, there weren’t many female TV announcers or reporters around. In 2008 there are a lot of women who have really come a long way in sports broadcasting.
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A lot of Yankees fans that we talked to are happy that the team isn’t further back in the standings than they are now. The Yanks haven’t been playing very well.
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The Sunday, June 8, edition of the Boston Herald offered some advice for you athletes to think about. It said that if you want to save some money (with gas getting so expensive) you should purchase a push mower when the time comes to get a new lawn mower. Not only will it eliminate the gasoline bill and give you a good workout, it will also reduce your maintenance costs. All that needs paying for is the cutting blade, which sometimes needs sharpening.
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The Brockton Rox are home from Friday, June 20, through Thursday, June 26. All games are in the evening except for the Monday, June 22, game, which starts at 1 p.m. For tickets or more information call 508-559-7000. The Rox are always a good and cheap take.
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A week ago when Milton’s Rich Hill, who is still pitching in Triple-A, beat Omaha for the Iowa Cubs, former PawSox star Bobby Scales got a couple of key hits for the team. Rich and Bobby were teammates a few years ago at the University of Michigan.
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The Milton American Legion team plays their home games at Cunningham Park. They are home Thursday, June 19, to play Holbrook and Friday, June 20, to play Quincy. Both games start at 5:30 p.m.
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We certainly want to congratulate well-known Milton runner Jason Cakouros for winning the 10K at the Milton Road Race last week. Jason finished with a fine time of 35:05 on a real hot evening. The next top Milton finisher was Justin Renz, who came in fourth overall at 39:46.
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As of June 5, PawSox pitcher Dave Pauley, who has made a couple of starts for the Red Sox, is 7–2 with an ERA of 3.78 for Pawtucket. Also as of June 5 (and this may be hard to believe) the Tampa Bay Rays have the fourth best record in the majors behind the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox.
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PawSox star Jeff Bailey seems to hit very well in the International League, but he doesn’t seem to do well when the Red Sox bring him up.
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In a nice gesture, well-known Milton sports fan, former basketball official and School Committee Chair Beirne Lovely purchased a table at the recent Milton Library fundraiser so that high school seniors could go to the dinner to hear Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks speak.
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If you see hummingbirds in your backyard bird feeder this month, the Massachusetts Audubon Society would appreciate it if you let them know. Go to www.massaudubon.org/birdatlas/bba2 for more information.
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We recently received a note from long-time, highly successful MHS baseball coach of a few years back, Joe O’Neill. Joe said that he thought well-known Milton star Jack Connolly, who captained both Archbishop Williams and Providence College in baseball, was one of the best baseball players to come out of town. Jack recently passed away.
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You may know that Green Street, which runs up the Blue Hills in both Milton and Canton, is a nice street with expensive homes. Weekdays around noon it gets extremely busy with runners and walkers. It probably has the most joggers of any street in town around that time.
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People who say they know softball have told me that Braintree High’s Elizabeth DiMascio is probably the best softball pitcher to come out of the South Shore in 10 years and that she probably will end up pitching in college for a top Division I team.
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We received an e-mail from former Milton Academy running star Chris Trakas, who now has a couple of race horses running out at Suffolk Downs. Chris says that attendance is up in mass at the Suffolk, Wonderland and Raynham tracks because Suffolk races are simulcast to Las Vegas and TVG. Gas prices on the rise are helping keep local fans from driving out to Connecticut tracks, which they have been doing for a few years now.
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On the popular Al Thomas baseball team roster from Milton this summer are manager Joe O’ Hara, Steve Lambert, Matt Hallisey, Mark Daly, George Grant, Brian Powers, Mike DeBesse, John Foley, Chris Moore, Greg Potts, Harry Durgin, Ryan Stoller, John Kostas, Bobby Barrett and Paul Bonner, who will do some coaching.
Milton’s Dan Duckett, now a lawyer in New Hampshire, was recently introduced into the Yawkey League Hall of Fame with many Milton fans present to support him. Dan played 10 seasons for Al Thomas and played all nine positions on the field. He even played all nine in one game on three different occasions.
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Good-sized keeper striped bass have been running lately in the Cape Cod Canal and fishermen have been doing very well fishing off the banks on both sides. The bass have been on the cape chasing mackerel that are moving through. Plugs have proven better than live bait, but it is still a real job to land one of these fish.
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Popular professional tennis player Mardy Fish has signed up to play in the Hall of Fame Tennis Tournament, July 13, in Newport, RI.
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We understand that well-known and long-time runners Jack Mahoney and Don Murray really cleaned up in the South Shore Senior Games held last month at the Merrymount Recreation Center in Quincy. These two veterans won a lot of medals.
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Still rolling along in tennis at the Dedham Tennis and Raquet Club where she plays both summer and winter is well-known Milton athlete Isabel Pinkus.
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Seen at their 50th anniversary from BC recently were well-known Wollaston golfer Paul Dolan, tennis player and dancer Paul Kingston, walker Don Agnetta and former St. Mary of the Hills basketball stars Jack Horrigan and Jim McCusker.
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As of May 24, the Al Thomas racing stable at Plainridge Racecourse was in the 23rd position money-wise. This is good in that Al only has two harness horses racing regularly at this track.
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In last week’s column I mentioned that the bank at Pawtucket’s McCoy Stadium is a fun and cheap place to watch a game. This is the grass bank in left field where you can bring something to sit on and enjoy the game. The tickets are only $4.
Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
6/12/08
Our congratulations to the MHS baseball, softball and girls’ lacrosse teams for having a good year in the Bay State League and for winning at least one game (softball won two) in the State Tournament.
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It always feels like summer when the Cape Cod Baseball League begins and that’s what will happen this Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15. All teams will be in action both days. Once again Milton will have a representative in the league, as former Milton Legion star Alex Hassan (who plays for Duke) will be in the lineup for the Orleans Cardinals. About a month ago Alex was here with his Duke baseball team to play old Legion teammates John Spatola and Marc Perdios, who play for BC.
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The Annual Milton Hospital Tee Off Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 29, at the Wollaston Golf Club.
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If you go out on a charter boat this summer, as many of you Milton stars like to do, expect to pay more than last year, when diesel fuel was $2.60 per gallon. Just 10 years ago it was only $1 per gallon, but right now it costs $4.78. Most four-hour chartered trips will cost $575 for six people, $50 more than last year.
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Versatile Milton athlete and scholar Isabel Andrews is one of 25 finalists for the Red Sox Kid Nation Captains Contest. You can find out more information about this contest and vote for your favorite candidate (hopefully Isabel), at www.redsox.com/captains. You can also vote at www.hood.com. The contest ends June 22.
The 12 winners who get named as Kid Nation captains will report directly to Red Sox Nation President Jerry Remy. They will also help to develop, organize and implement a new Kids Helping Kids charitable program.
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Blessed with good weather, the two state track meets at the high school drew large crowds recently.
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Katie Lambert, the former Thayer Academy star who built Stonehill into a Division II power in lacrosse, has been coaching at rival Merrimack for the past couple of years. She returned to Stonehill this spring as head lacrosse coach. The Skyhawks responded by winning the Northeast-10 Championship.
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The Brockton Rox are home this week for a game against the Ottawa Rapidz on Thursday, June 12, at 7 p.m. They play the Atlantic City Surf over Father’s Day weekend. The Rox games are always good to take in, and the low prices are just right.
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Don’t forget to get a $20 ticket for Tim Corcoran’s party, which will take place on Friday evening, June 13, at his new and beautiful home on Fletcher Steele Way. The party will raise money to send a Milton Little League team to compete in the Cooperstown Tournament this summer. Tickets are available at many businesses around town, including Dependable Cleaners and Metrakas Market.
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If you ran in the Milton Road Race and enjoyed it, another popular race is coming up on Father’s Day. The McKeon Post Road Race in Dorchester, a race and walk that many Milton athletes have done over the years, takes place on Sunday, June 15, at 10 a.m. (with walkers beginning at 9:30 a.m.) You can sign up until the beginning of the race. For more information call 617-436-2911. This is the race directed by popular South Shore jogger Herb Green.
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On Monday, June 3, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife released about 150 endangered Red-bellied Cooter turtles into two ponds, the Great Quittacas and Pochsha, in Middleboro. The turtles are endangered both at state and federal levels and only live in this region in Southern MA. The young turtles were picked up in the fall and kept in incubators until they were big and strong enough. For more information call 508-389-6300.
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Former Red Sox General Manager Lou Gorman, who has a new book out called High and Inside, gave a nice speech at Curry College last week. He was introduced by well-known former MHS star, and Curry President, Ken Quigley.
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The Senior Men’s Golf Tournament (for professional golfers over 50) will be played again from June 16-22 at the beautiful Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord. If you have a father or husband who likes golf, you might want to purchase tickets for this event. Special ticket prices are available until Father’s Day.
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You may have trouble believing this but two of the three gas stations in East Milton Square have the cheapest prices around for gas (as long as you pay cash). We know that many of you Milton stars like to get a good deal.
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The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game recently stocked Houghton’s Pond with trout and a few salmon.
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If you go to the Cape Cod beaches this year, you might notice that there are some terns there. These little white birds, almost extinct a few years back, are now returning.
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We know that George Carney, the man who runs the Raynham dog track, is a very powerful individual with a lot of political clout. However, we think that the dog-racing question will get on the ballot this year. If so, dog racing at the Raynham and Wonderland racetracks (the only two tracks in the state) could be voted out. The ever-increasing animal lovers groups do not like the racing of dogs. Of course there will be fewer greyhounds in the state if racing stops because there will be less breeding.
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Well-known Milton sportsman and harness race enthusiast Al Thomas has a new horse that he is high on. Its name is RC Gumption and it is a Mass-bred trotter. Al has this trotter at Plainview that he expects to run in handicap races.
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Well-known Milton Legion and former BC High star John Sills has been elected as captain of the Holy Cross baseball team for next year. John, a sophomore, will play in the New York Collegiate Baseball League this summer.
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We are sorry to hear that the PawSox have released lefty pitcher Abe Alvarez. Earlier this decade, Alvarez was rated a top Red Sox prospect and was a member of the 2004 World Series championship team. Things never materialized after that for the lefthander, who is legally blind.
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According to the University of Vermont athletes newsletter, former Milton Legion star shortstop Matt Duffy, who made the American East All-Rookie Team and tied the UVM school freshmen record for doubles this past season, made a great play when he threw two Hartford University runners out at the plate in the final regular season game that got his team into the playoffs. With ace reliever Tom Kelly on the mound and Vermont up by a run with runners on first and second and one out, a Hartford batter lined the ball into left center-field. Matt was the cut-off man on the play and made a great throw from the outfield grass to nail the first runner. The ball was waiting at the plate for the second runner, who was only 10 feet behind and also trying to score.
Duffy will stay in Vermont this summer while teammate Tom Kelly joins BC’s John Spatola in New York to play summer ball.
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We thought that Cathy Inglese had really done a fine job as women’s basketball coach at BC and taken the program to another level. However, I guess the powers-that-be figured that 15 years was enough. From what we hear she was not offered a new contract at the end of the season.
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Well-known Milton athlete Martha Pitt helped pace the BC women’s sailing team to its first ICSA National Championship in Newport, RI recently. The Eagles finished first with 186 points. They were followed by top-five finishers Brown (188), Yale (202), Stanford (206) and Charlestown (224).
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Recently, 48 college student-athletes were named to the NESCAC Spring All-Academic Team. To make this team you must be a junior, a letter winner and have a GPA of 3.35 or higher. Former Milton stars Kit Will and Alex Dey Jr. were two of those selected to the team. Kit made it for sailing and Alex for lacrosse.
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Well-known Milton walker and tennis star Carolyn Burke had an operation on her shoulder recently. We hope she is back playing tennis soon.
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A lot of us Celtics fans know Milton stars that had tickets at floor level at the TD Banknorth Garden a few years back. Did you see what these seats now sell for? During the regular season they were $900 or $1,000, depending on who the Celtics were playing. First-round playoff floor seats sold for $1,200 each, second-round seats jumped to $1400 and third-round seats went as high as $1,600. This trend continues into the NBA Finals, where it will cost you $2,000 for a floor seat to watch the Celtics play the Lakers at the Garden.
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Jamie Moyer, former Red Sox pitcher who is now 45 and with the Phillies, has won his last three starts as of this writing.
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If you get up early in the morning and the sun is up at 4:30 a.m. at Turners Pond, try some early morning fishing. A great variety of fish are in the pond this year.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
6/5/08
The 31st annual Milton Road Race is on Tuesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m. at Cunningham Park. The race this year is sponsored by Turner Construction and organized by the Milton Junior Woman’s Club to help pay for many of their community programs. You can pick up applications for the race at the libraries, town office building, police station and at many businesses in town. The entry fee is $20 for the 10K and 5K races and $5 for the Kids Fun Run, and the race day fee is $23. You can register right up until 6 p.m. on the day of the race at Cunningham Park. The first 300 people to register get a T-shirt. You can also register for the race at www.coolrunning.com. For information visit www.miltonjuniorwomansclub.com.
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Although she can’t do some of the things she would like, well-known Milton historian and long-time Archbishop Williams guidance counselor Mary Mullen Burke still enjoys herself, watching the Patriots, Bruins and Celtics, and now watching the Red Sox.
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After 50 games last season, Pawtucket was 20–30. In their first 50 games this season, they have reversed that record and are 30–20. For a fun night (and a cheap one) at McCoy Stadium, try the $4 bank seats.
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As most of sports fans know, Ted Williams leads the Red Sox in career grand slams with 17. Not as well known is the fact that Rico Petrocelli is second on that list. He hit nine in his career with the Sox.
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The 2005 MLB draft was a great one for the Red Sox. Young stars Jacoby Ellsbury, Craig Hansen, Clay Buchholz, Jed Lowrie and Mike Bowden made up their top five picks. That year they also drafted a high school player named Pedro Alvarez but failed to sign him. This year he could be the first player taken in the draft.
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The high school has announced its inductees into the Class of 2008 Milton High School Athletic Hall of Fame. There are two teams and 19 new members this year. The 1949 football and basketball teams will be inducted, as well as the following athletes: Allison Ananis (1999–field hockey, basketball, tennis), Mike Bianculli (1993–hockey, golf, baseball), John Blake (1964–football, hockey, baseball), Paul Bortolotti (1975–baseball, soccer), Norman Brattlie (1975–football, gymnastics, baseball), Tracy Bubas Turgeon (1987–gymnastics, volleyball, cheerleading, track), Ed Broderick (1979–football, track), Paul Costello (1994–basketball, baseball), Dick Cox (1948–football, basketball, baseball), John Edwards (1990–soccer, basketball, baseball), Elbie Fletcher (1934–baseball), Rich Hill (1999–baseball, golf, basketball), Brian Lenane (1983–football, basketball), Mark Lewis (2000–football, wrestling, lacrosse), Jack Maheras (1967–basketball, baseball), Lisa Markland (1990–track, basketball, volleyball), Sean McDonagh (1988–basketball, soccer, track), Peter Moran (1952–football, track, baseball) and David Stoller (1975–baseball).
The induction ceremony takes place on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Lombardo’s in Randolph.
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For those who might have missed it, versatile MHS senior baseball player Jim Katsiroubas, who is headed to the University of Vermont, was named Bay State League Most Valuable Player. Ted Curley, the popular and long-time coach of the team was named Coach of the Year by fellow coaches. Ted says he plans to coach until his sons, who are now at the middle school, play ball for the high school team. Ted has always liked Cunningham Park. That’s why the team plays there.
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Glad to hear that long-time park commissioner and weightlifter John Landry is home from the hospital and feeling better.
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Because of the road race around town, there is no band concert Tuesday evening, June 10. However, there is a kids concert on Thursday evening, June 12. It is Wayne Potash’s “Yodel For a Fish.” It starts at 6:30 p.m. at town hall. Regular Tuesday concerts are back on Tuesday, June 17, with Four Guys in Tuxes. Many Milton stars take advantage of the free concerts and enjoy a great evening out.
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Former Milton Legion and Thayer Academy star Corey Pontes, who last year had a good freshman season playing baseball for Tufts University, followed up with a good one as a sophomore for the Jumbos. The first baseman played in 34 games and had 42 hits in 131 at-bats for a .321 average.
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The Milton Little League Cooperstown Team is having a fundraiser on Friday, June 13, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Tim and Susan Corcoran’s house on Fletcher Steele Road. There will be food, drinks, music and you can watch the Red Sox game on their big TV. There will also be a silent auction. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at Beantown Athletics, The Nutshell, Corcoran Brokerage, Darcy’s Pub, Dependable Cleaners, The Fish’n Chicken, Mellie Hair Salon and Metrakas Market.
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Last week former Red Sox shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who hasn’t been hitting well since signing a six-year, $70 million extension with the Florida Marlins, was put back into the lead-off spot in the batting lineup (where he says he feels more comfortable) and got a couple of hits. Hanley’s $70 million for six years is just two million short of what BC football star Matt Ryan got when he signed for six years with the Atlanta Falcons.
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The town lost a nice guy last week. Russ King was a Milton star that had been around the town for a long time. He worked the family business for years and was a familiar figure at a lot of your homes. Russ was a plumber and gas fitter.
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The New York Yankees may have some help coming because their Scranton/Wilkes-Barre team is leading the International League. The PawSox, who have been hot lately and own the best record at home, are in second place. Pawtucket is home for a seven-game stay from Saturday, June 7, through Friday, June 13. For tickets or more information call 401-724-7300. General admission is $6, box seats are $10, and children and senior tickets are $4.
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Popular Red Sox outfielder Bobby Kielty has been on the PawSox disabled list since Apr. 19. He was sent to Pawtucket because there was no room for him on the opening day roster.
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Do you have friends that really look forward to going to Florida in the winter, only to go down there, get sick and have to come home? The last athlete we know to do this was former Randolph and BC star Phil Carlino, who went down with enthusiasm only to run into some heart problems.
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The MHS track teams finished off the regular season with an impressive showing at the Bay State League Championship on May 20. Craig Bennett and Kelly Madigan both earned the honors of Bay State League Champions. Kelly won the 100-meter dash and anchored the fifth place 4x100-meter relay team. Craig won the 200-meter dash and placed forth in the high jump.
Other top six finishers were: Krisen Cockrell (fifth in the 200-meter), Brianna Butlin (second in the mile), Chelsea Mitchell (third in the 300-meter hurdles), Cheryl Tran (sixth in the high jump), Margaret Driscoll (sixth in the shotput), Paul Connor (second in the 400-meter) and Maxwell Opara (sixth in both the 400-meter and long jump). The boys’ 4x1 relay team placed third. The girls’ 4x1 was fifth and the 4x4 was fourth.
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George Kottaras, the supposed Red Sox catcher of the future is off to a good start with Pawtucket. Surprisingly, the left-handed hitting catcher is hitting left-handed pitching better than right.
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Sorry to hear that long-time Milton tennis player and golfer John Gwynn fell down and hurt his elbow while playing tennis in Florida. Hope his shoulder gets better soon.
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The new lights at Upper Cape Cod Regional are up and set to go for the Bourne Braves this year in the Cape Code League.
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Our congratulations to senior MHS pitcher Ryan Stoller for pitching a one hitter. Only two years ago Ryan had shoulder surgery and it looked as though his pitching career was over. Ryan heads to UMass Lowell in the fall.
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A Milton athlete who had a really good year was Matt Duffy. A freshman at the University of Vermont, Matt was named American East League All-Star. He broke the freshman record for doubles and hit safely in his last eight games.
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Popular Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, out of Oregon State (where he hit .365 in the 2005 College World Series), played for the Falmouth Commodores in the summer of 2004. Falmouth lost to Yarmouth-Dennis in the Cape Cod League finals that year.
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Well-known Milton walker and golfer Carolyn Savage celebrated a big birthday recently.
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We received a letter from well-known former MHS and Northeastern star Francis “Inga” Walsh recently. He wants to say hello to two of his old buddies, Mike Aylward and Bob Blake, whom he hears aren’t feeling so hot. Francis walks his dog, a 10 year old, everyday and he says this really keeps him going. While he thinks it was a nice gesture of Joe Lannan to donate fish for the fishing derby, Francis doesn’t remember Joe as a boxer. He wants to know when and where Joe ever boxed.
Francis also wants to nominate his wife, the former Carolyn Turner, for the Milton High Hall of Fame. Carol was captain of three sports at the high school in 1950 and also the head cheerleader. She received numerous write-ups in well-known Boston Herald writer Ralph Wheeler’s sports columns.
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The flowers have been beautiful this spring around town led by the lilacs, which were not so good last year. Many Milton stars are paying the price for this by suffering from allergies.
(If you have information about Milton athletes, send it to Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
5/29/08
There are a couple of big events coming up next week that could use the support of Milton athletes. Next Monday, June 2, is the twelfth annual Council on Aging (COA) Golf Tournament at the Hoosic Club in Canton. There still may be room for you to join in.
Give Tournament Director Phil Driscoll a call at 617-898-4893. If you can’t play, maybe you can drop by the COA, 10 Walnut St., and buy some raffle tickets. There are great prizes, and the council does a lot of good work.
Another upcoming event is the library’s Literary Gala dinner, a fundraiser where tickets cost $100 that will be held at the Granite Links Golf Club Wednesday evening, June 4, at 6 p.m. For tickets or more information call 617-696-4845. By the way, the new library is coming along fine and is on schedule.
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The second Tuesday evening in June is approaching and this, of course, means the Milton Road Race is near. Races on that evening start and finish at Cunningham Park. There is both a 10K and 5K race this year. You can pick up applications at the library, town office building and at many businesses in town. Training hard for another 10K race is veteran Milton runner and sportsman Jeff Marr, who has run every race except one.
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Veteran Milton baseball coach Ted Curley, who has been at the high school for about 20 years, thinks that this year’s team has the pitching, hitting, defense and depth to go a long way in the State Tournament. Milton will play in Division II in the tournament because of enrollment, and all games will be seven innings. In the Bay State League, games are nine innings. Consult your daily papers for starting times, results and location of the games. The MHS softball team, playing one of the toughest schedules around, really improved as the season went on and also made the tournament.
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The state relays are Saturday, May 31, at the high school. If you liked the Class C relays two weeks ago, you will really enjoy this one. Having good facilities brings out the best in sports.
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The New York Yankees host this year’s MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15, at Yankee Stadium. This will be the fourth time that the Yanks have hosted it. It will be the first time in baseball history that the All-Star Game will be held in a stadium that is in its final year of operation.
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Mark Gormley, the Legion baseball ace pitcher for the past few years had a good freshman year pitching for Brown University. He made 14 appearances, mostly out of the bullpen. The last weekend of the season, the freshman lefthander started against Yale and went nine innings, shutting out the Bulldogs. Mark and his catcher at Brown are both playing for the Lowell All-Stars in the New England Collegiate Baseball League this summer.
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We attended one of the largest funerals we’ve ever seen last week, when good friend Tom Flatley passed away after a two-year battle with ALS (or Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Tom played sports with all the energy and desire you could possibly imagine, and he put that same desire into his real estate construction business. He was truly a competitor.
Tom basically played all the sports. He wasn’t a watcher. He liked to compete. He also kept himself fit: swimming all-year round indoors and out, playing tennis and racquetball, jogging and biking regularly, and always playing golf.
Just two summers ago, Tom even did the Pan-Mass Challenge a final time and raised a large sum of money for that great charity. He didn’t really feel up to the challenge, but he had competed in it for so many years before and decided to do it once again. Tom was certainly a Milton star who will be missed.
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Well-known Milton walker Bob Dunn is very pleased with his prayer group that has been meeting the third Saturday of each month. The group meets from 7 to 8:30 a.m. at St. Mary of the Hills and is open to all faiths. For information call 617-696-8394.
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Well-known Milton Park Commissioner and former BC star Terry Driscoll is now busy working on Stonehill’s Timothy J. Coughlin Memorial Golf Tournament, which raises money for a scholarship at the college in Tim’s name. Tim was killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
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We are sorry to hear that well known St. Mary of the Hills and Archbishop Williams star Fred Barry has put his beautiful house up for sale. He says it is just too big. We hope that Fred stays in town. He has been a fixture in Milton for years.
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Lou Pinella, the Chicago Cubs manager, said on May 16 that he wants former Milton star Rich Hill to make several good starts in Triple-A Iowa before coming back up to the big leagues with the Cubs.
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Kate O’Neill, who hurt her knee in the Olympic Marathon qualifier, is back running a little again, but we hear that she doesn’t have plans to try to qualify for the Olympics in the 10K.
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According to USA Today, one group benefiting from the real estate woes is conservationists. Real estate trusts throughout the country, and especially out west in California, have been able to purchase land at discount prices after builders have turned away from developing it. Even in Groton, a 360-acre farm slated for development was bought by a trust and will not be developed.
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About 65 well-known Milton athletes of the 1960s era showed up 10 days ago at their 13th reunion at the Common Market in Quincy. This was by far the largest turnout for the group. It was done through the efforts of well-known Milton stars of the past, including Joe Curran, Bob Smith, Bob Sullivan and Francis “Bucko” Finnerty. If you would like to join this group for their annual dinner next year, contact one of them.
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On Saturday, May 31, at 8 a.m., the Friends of the Blue Hills is sponsoring a three-mile bird walk. It starts and finishes at Fowl Meadow at Paul’s Bridge on Neponset Valley Parkway and will be led by Friends of the Blue Hills vice president, and experienced birdwatcher, Steve Olanoff. For more information about the walk, you can call Steve at 781-326-6585. Bring binoculars and a bird book.
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The first Milton parks and recreation band concert takes place at the Baron Hugo Gazebo on the town green, 525 Canton Ave. on Tuesday evening, June 3, at 6:30 p.m. The Canton American Legion band will play. Make sure you bring something to sit on.
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If you have a few minutes some evening, take a walk or jog around Turners Pond. When well-known BC star Ed Duffy (who many say is the mayor of East Milton) says that when the sun comes up in the morning it shines first on East Milton, he might want to look first at Turners Pond, which is really a great spot to spend some time.
It takes about 15 minutes to take a leisurely stroll around the old ice pond. The paths are now nice and wide and the ground is soft, so it’s good to get off the asphalt and concrete of the streets and sidewalks and give those legs a rest.
At this time, you can see all the summer birds there, like red-winged blackbirds, the Baltimore orioles and cardinals. There are, of course, a lot of ducks that call the pond home and plenty of turtles that enjoy sunning themselves. If you want to see the foliage at this time of year, the pond has it all. If you have some time, you might want to try your luck at fishing. At the recent annual fishing derby at the pond, a large variety of fish were caught, including bass, trout, sunfish, white perch and catfish. Turners Pond is just a delightful spot.
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So far the Tampa Bay Rays are having a great season, and this is really a good thing for Major League Baseball.
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Framingham’s Lou Merloni, a former Red Sox star, should do a good job as a TV analyst. He is well liked and has the personality to succeed.
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When BC left the Big East in sports a few years back and joined the ACC, the University of Connecticut was upset and said they would not schedule play with the Eagles. But it was good to see them playing BC baseball again this spring.
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It was no secret in the press box that the Red Sox were interested in talking to Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who had come up through Boston’s farm system. The Sox traded Hanley to Florida a few years ago in the Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell deal. The young slugger is only 24 years old and recently agreed to a six-year, $70 million extension with the Marlins.
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Curry College recently announced its 2008 football schedule. The NEFW defending league champion Colonels, who will again be coached by Skip Bandini, will open their season at Worcester State on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. Their first home game will be on the following Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m., against Fitchburg State. These are the only two night games on their 10-game schedule. After Fitchburg, the Colonels will be at home with Westfield State, Western New England, MIT and Nichols, and away against Salve Regina, Endicott, Plymouth State and UMass Dartmouth.
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We’re very sorry to hear that Jack and Bob Grady, the two oldest of the playing Grady brothers of the 1960s are not feeling so hot.
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Most Milton horse racing fans think that Big Brown can become the first Triple Crown winner in years by winning at the Belmont Stakes a week from Saturday. The field will be a little tougher than at the Preakness, however. If you watch Big Brown, you will see that jockey Kent Desormeaux will have a United Parcel logo on his racing pants. Just like at the Preakness and Kentucky Derby, Desormeaux will wear a UPS cap as well.
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Congratulations to well-known Milton walker Katie Conboy for being named Stonehill College’s first provost. In this job, the English professor will lead a number of college-wide initiatives and strategic-planning activities.
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Although he is not known for his fielding, Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez made the defensive play of the year so far in Baltimore when he caught a fly ball, saluted a Sox fan in the stands and then threw out a runner at first.

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
5/22/08
A Milton athlete who had a really good year and is a major factor on the girls’ softball team is pitcher Casey Flavin. She isn’t flashy but she is steady and has done a nice job. Also, the well-known sports-playing Sumner sisters McKenzie and Morgan have both hit the ball very well.
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One of Milton’s all-time basketball greats, Lamar Reddicks, will be conducting another Sunday night basketball clinic for the parks department. These clinics for boys and girls aged 3 to 8 are held on the outdoor basketball courts at the high school during the month of June. The cost for these four June nights is $100. After being the assistant coach at Harvard for seven years, Lamar is now at Boston University. You can send an e-mail to him at lamarreddicks@gmail.com or pick up applications at the parks office at town hall.
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Boston College will open its 2008 football season playing Kent State in the second annual First Merit Patriot Bowl in Ohio on Saturday, Aug. 30. Tickets are $20. You can call BC at 617-552-3000 for more information.
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Former Milton High star softball pitcher Melissa Traft made the second-string all-star team for Clark University in the NEWMAC Softball League. Traft, who plays first base when she isn’t pitching, batted .318 with 24 RBIs. She led the Cougars pitching staff in wins with 10, which was the sixth highest in the NEWMAC Conference. She also led her team in strikeouts with 65 and had an ERA of 2.98. This was Melissa’s first NEWMAC all-star appearance.
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Some Milton boys golfers who are playing good golf this spring for Thayer Academy are Luke Ferrari, a freshman, and AJ Ferrera, a junior. They are playing one and two for the team and recently defeated ICL rival Belmont Hill twice in match play. Luke’s dad, David, and AJ’s dad, Jim, are both frequent Fallon Cup contenders, and AJ’s grandfather is popular Wollaston Golf Club player Alfred Ferrara. Luke’s grandfather is well-known golfer and bowler Herb Ferrari. The Thayer Academy golf team is coached by Milton star Larry Rooney, who is also the Thayer hockey coach.
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Chronicle came to Thatcher Farm a few weeks ago. The program aired on Friday, May 2. It showed well-known Milton star and hard worker Joe Manning delivering products, and interviewed Joe in the dairy. He was also pictured loading trucks. Many Milton sports stars saw the program and thought it was a good show.
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The high school baseball, softball, and girls’ lacrosse teams have made the state tournament. You can consult your daily papers as to when they play in the tournaments.
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Don’t forget that the Milton Road Race is scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 10. There are both 5K and 10K races this year, so get practicing if you want to do a good job running it. Applications are available at the library and the town office building. One Milton star who will not be doing the race this year is Brian Devin, who was one of the founders of the race and has probably run it more than any other athlete in town. Brian is out with a leg injury.
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Our Canton connections report that Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Pabelbon has purchased a house on Green Street in Canton, near the Milton line.
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As of the middle of May, popular Pawtucket all-position (except pitcher) ballplayer Jeff Bailey was leading the Paw Sox club in hitting with a .360 average. Jeff says he plays baseball for the love of the game.
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Sorry to hear that well-known Milton sports star Ed Duffy hasn’t been feeling so hot lately. Hope he’s feeling better soon.
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We hear that the Red Parrot restaurant at Nantasket Beach, where a lot of Milton stars like to stop for a cool one and a great view of the Atlantic Ocean is being auctioned off.
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While walking up the Blue Hills near Prowse Farm the other day, well-known town historian Marita Manning pointed out many Baltimore Orioles to us.
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Well-known Milton star Tim Knightly says that you are not a real Miltonian unless you can remember the Parkway East and Parkway West buses and what their routes were.
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The Rev. Vincent Dailey is returning to St. Gregory’s Parish as its new pastor.
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Sorry to hear that high school freshman and three-sport star Will England is going to be sidelined for awhile while his meniscus heals. Will hurt it on May 9 while playing baseball for the freshman team. With the score tied 0-0 in the ninth inning, Will singled to right field. He then stole second base and got to third on a passed ball. Then he stole home with the winning run but got injured. A speedy recovery is wished for this great three-sport athlete. The team’s record on May 9 was 6-4.
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Ted Curley has been named Bay State Coach of the Year. On May 20 the coaches of the Bay State League, the only nine inning league in Massachusetts, also voted on this year’s all star team. James Katsiroubas was voted League MVP. Joining James on the starting all star team will be sophomores Matt O’Neill in center field and John Magliozzi on the mound. Sophomore Mike Muse was selected for the second team outfield along with Junior catcher, Matt McDougal. It has been a terrific season for the Wildcats and they hope to continue on through the State Tournament.
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Many Milton stars frequent the Farmer’s Market here to pick up their fruits and vegetables during the summer months. Well, the market opens this year on Wharf Street as usual on Thursday, June 19. It will be open on Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m. Welcome back again this year Iggy’s Bread in Cambridge, Henry Thomas flowers, the Ever So Humble Pie Company in East Walpole, Esprit du Vin (which sells cheeses) and the BNAN in Newton (for native plants).
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Well-known Milton figure skater Diana Fidrocki skated a solo as well as doing the group numbers at the annual Commonwealth figure skating show held recently at the John J. Zapustas Arena in Randolph. Also skating at the show were well-known Milton athletes Kate Madigan, Madelyn Driscoll, Isabelle Discoll and Lily Gacicia.
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Milton Academy is seeking qualified and committed coaches for the 2008 fall and winter seasons. The teams practice on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 3:45 to 5:45 p.m., with games on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The fall season goes from Sept. 2 to Nov. 8, and the winter season goes from Nov. 19 to Feb. 28. The academy plays in the Independent School League and has a great history of producing highly competitive teams. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.
For the fall it is seeking JV and freshman boys’ head and assistant soccer coaches, varsity boys’ assistant cross-country coach, JV girls’ assistant soccer coach, varsity and JV field hockey coaches, and freshman head and assistant football coaches. For the winter they are looking for a varsity and assistant alpine ski coaches. If you are interested in any of these coaching jobs or for more information, call Bill Whitmore at 617-898-2355 or e-mail william_whitmore@milton.edu.
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The last Milton Legion baseball tryout takes place Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25, at 3 p.m. at the new high school baseball field. Any Milton residents under 20 years of age as of Jan. 1, 2009 is eligible to play. For more information call 617-698-8695.
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The well-known Falmouth bike path that many of you Milton stars use in the summer time has been repaired and extended into North Falmouth. It now goes all the way to the Silver Lounge.
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Did you hear that former Milton High coach Tony Green is coaching the Weymouth high baseball team? We don’t know many athletes that are as versatile in coaching as Tony. Some of the coaching jobs we remember Tony doing include coaching gymnastics and JV baseball at Milton High. He was also football coach at Holbrook and at North Quincy, and a assistant at Mass Maritime, Curry and Weymouth. We are sure there are more places that this Milton star has coached, but this is what we can remember.
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From well-known former Milton Little League and Babe Ruth star Bill Ryan: Retired Dallas Cowboys star running-back Emmitt Smith recently enjoyed success on the TV program Dancing With the Stars, a televised ballroom dance competition that Emmitt eventually won with his partner, Cheryl Burke. What football legend and Olympian won a national ballroom dancing competition when he was in college? The answer is Jim Thorpe, who won the Intercollegiate Ballroom Dancing Championship in 1912 as a student at Carlisle Indian School.
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Don’t forget, you Milton athletes, well-known Milton jogger, walker and fight fan Jack Coffey is the featured Milton star at the Men’s Breakfast on Thursday, May 29, at 9:30 a.m. in the senior center, 10 Walnut St. Should be a good one.
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You may still be able to take adult group golf lessons sponsored by the parks department starting Wednesday, May 28, at Ponkapoag Golf Course. The cost is $130 for four one-hour group lessons on Wednesdays. One session goes from noon to 1 p.m., the other from 6 to 7 p.m. For information call 617-898-4940.
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The Milton Academy girls’ tennis team, 10–0 at this writing, hosts the New England Prep School League championships Saturday, May 24. Playing for the Academy at first singles is Tori Aiello, at second singles is Sarah Miller and at third is Sophie Panarese, all residents.
(If you have information about Milton athletes, send it to Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
5/15/08
On Saturday, May 17, the state high school Class C relays take place at Brooks Field at the high school. It certainly was a good event last year. On Saturday, May 31, the state relays track meet is scheduled at the high school. This is another great meet we would not have if not for the Copeland Foundation.
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Talking about running, you better start practicing now if you are planning to run this year’s popular Milton Road Race, which is Tuesday, June 10. Applications are available at the library, town office building and at many of the businesses in town. For many years, there was only the 10K race, but recently a 5K race was added. So, if you don’t feel up to running the 10K, you can do the 5K instead. Just make sure you know which race you want to run and get working on it.
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The MHS softball team got a 4–3 win over Walpole under the lights at the new high school field. It was a good win, and playing at 7 p.m. gives parents, brothers, sisters and friends more of a chance to watch the game. The girls’ softball team, which plays one of the toughest schedules around has been playing better and has made the tournament.
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The town lost one of its best athletes of the 1960s a week ago, when former St. Mary of the Hills baseball and basketball star Jack Connolly died. Jack, who could always be seen playing sports at Kelly Field, was a big basketball and baseball star at Archbishop Williams when the Bishop was a Class A power. He went to Providence College, where he played both baseball and basketball his freshman year, and then baseball alone after that. He was captain of the Friars his senior year and played centerfield.
After college, Jack played baseball in the Boston Park League for the Supreme Saints and well-known Milton manager Joe Cunningham, when it was in its heyday. He was a fixture in center field for the powerful Saints, and a member of the Park League Hall of Fame. In his younger days, Jack was one of the main reasons why St. Mary of the Hills was the CYO New England Champions when CYO basketball was very popular here. Just about every parish had teams. Jack Connolly was a real fine athlete.
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We have also learned that George Mulligan passed away in Florida recently. George was one of the four sports playing Mulligan brothers. A lot of you Milton stars remember George, because he drove buses for Brush Hill Transport Co. for years, including long trips as well as the old east and west routes. George was from the Pete Moran, Dick Gordon era.
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Endicott College, popular with Milton athletes, has won its sixth consecutive Commonwealth Conference Championship (the league Curry is in). Playing for the NCAA Division III Championship Endicott team was sophomore shortstop Jenna Lazar and freshman pitcher Jenna Bortolotti, both former Milton High stars.
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The Herget Division league-leading Milton High baseball team has some real hot hitters at this writing. Leading the league is Mike Muse with a .464 average, followed by teammates Joe Major at .407 and Matt O’Neill at .404. Pitchers John Magliozzi and Jim Katsiroubas are both undefeated. The high school team, which recently won the Quincy Tournament, has qualified for the State Tournament, which the team will play in Division II.
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At their recent luncheon meeting, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce gave well known Curry College president and former Milton High football and wrestling star Ken Quigley a nice thank you for a job well done on his term as president of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce.
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In the last USA Today college baseball poll, the ACC (the league BC is in) had the first three places. Miami (39-5) was first, North Carolina (38-8) was second, and Florida State (39-7) was third.
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With Rich Hill now in the National League with the Chicago Cubs, though he was recently sent down to the minors, Milton has now had three of its native sons make the big leagues. The others are Charlie Devens with the New York Yankees and Elbie Fletcher with the Boston Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates.
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In a nice gesture, the Radio Coffeehouse on Central Avenue supplied free coffee to the fishermen and the watchers last Saturday at the annual fishing derby at Turners Pond.
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Glad to hear that Brad Richardson, the former Milton Academy and Harvard star goalie of a few years back is feeling better after not feeling so hot.
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A lot of Milton athletes spend a lot of time at the Chart Room Restaurant in Pocasset during the summer months. The Chart Room re-opens for the season on Thursday, May 15. For the first few weeks, it is only open on weekends.
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The scheduled track meet with Norwood, which was rained out on April 29, will be held in town on Friday, May 23. This is the last league meet of the season.
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The Men’s Senior Tennis Championship was held at BU’s Agganis Arena recently. The tournament was won by the 49-year-old legend, John McEnroe. After he won, the only newspaper allowed to interview him was the Boston Globe. McEnroe, who says he is probably playing his final year of tennis, really had a great tournament, beating Courier, Sampras, and Krickstein to win. In marvelous shape, McEnroe really hit some great shots. Of course it wouldn’t be John if he didn’t complain a lot too (and he really does this and gets plenty of warnings). But with fans coming to see him, you know the officials aren’t going to disqualify him.
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Tickets for the BJ’s charitable golf tournament to be held Friday, Aug. 1, through Sunday, Aug. 3, at the Granite Links Golf Club, are now on sale. This is the fourth year now that the best 45 and over golfers have played in Milton and Quincy. Single play tickets remain at $10 and $25 for the three days. For information visit www.thelegendstour.com.
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You walkers and joggers, be very cautious if you come across Canada geese. At this time of the year, many of them will have their young with them or close by, causing them to be extremely aggressive.
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This weekend is a big bird watchers weekend. If you are interested in joining a group or finding out more about it, call 508-660-0142.
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Glad to hear that well-known former Milton High and Yale star runner Kate O’Neill is coming along nicely from her recent knee injury that caused her to drop out of the Boston Marathon Olympic qualifier at two miles.
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We are very sorry to hear of the death of well-known St. Agatha and Milton High star basketball player of the 1950s and 1960, Eddie Linehan. Eddie hadn’t been feeling well lately.
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The stripe bass fishing is now picking up. There was always an old adage that when the dandelions started to bloom, these fish really start to bite.
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The annual high school letterman awards banquet, usually held at Lombardo’s in Randolph, has been shifted to the Copeland Field House at Milton High this year. The date is Wednesday, May 28. Get your tickets now at the high school or from high school athletes.
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St. Mary of the Hills Parish has presented two unsung hero awards. The awards were given out to two well-known Milton stars a week ago in appreciation of all the work they do for the parish. One went to well-known golfer and sports enthusiast Harry Feldman, and the other to the mother of all those well-known Milton athletes, Joan Regan. Joan’s son Liam was leading the stats in scoring in football a year ago until he broke his leg playing at BC High. However, he had a good year as a freshman at Bentley College this fall.
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Well-known and liked St. Mary’s priest The Rev. Joe Antonellis is leaving for a new assignment at St. Mary’s in Brookline. The Rev. Aidan Walsh, a former parishioner at St. Mary’s Milton, is going to be in residence at the parish.
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Many Milton athletes are expected to attend the annual Historical Dinner next Tuesday evening, May 20, at the Neighborhood Club of Quincy.
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The annual Mass for deceased Hilltoppers and their families is Friday, May 23, at 9 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Parish.
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We heard from former Merchants president Bill White a week ago, and he informed us that when former Merchants president Tom Gunning went from Mass General to the rehab center at Marina Bay, whose bed did he take over but former St. Mary of the Hills and Hilltopper star Joe Graziani, who had just been released from the rehab center.
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Rachel (Hahnfeld) Presswood sent us an e-mail from Indian Beach, NC, where she now lives and works. Rachel is a 1999 graduate of Milton High and a classmate of Rich Hill. She says that she has a lot of faith in Rich and knows that he can make a speedy return to the big leagues.
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Jeremiah Rivers, the son of Boston Celtics coach Roc Rivers, is a sophomore at Georgetown, where he played in 34 games this year, averaging three points per game. He was not satisfied with his playing time and is transferring.
(If you have information about Milton athletes, send it to Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
5/8/08
The parks department’s annual fishing derby takes place Saturday, May 10, from 7 to 11 a.m. at Turners Pond. There are a lot of prizes and divisions. The cost to enter is $3 for a youth and $5 for an adult. You can sign up Saturday morning. John Davis has once again donated Red Sox tickets, and Al Thomas donated BC football tickets. The Hamilton family donated a new rod and reel and fish along with former Merchants star Joe Lannan. Will Sand and Gravel of Canton donated trophies. No shiners or minnows are allowed in the fishing derby. You may use worms, however.
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Paced by former Milton High softball stars, sophomore Jenna Lazar and freshman pitcher Jenna Bortolotti, the Endicott College softball team with a record of 35–4, won the Commonwealth Conference championship and is now in the playoffs. Bortolotti won the team’s last regular league game, shutting out Salve Regina 7–0 and pitching a four hitter. At this time, the Endicott girls are ranked 20th nationally and number one in New England in Division III.
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Have you seen the new addition to the Milton Hospital yet? Well, you should take a look at it because things are coming along great. What about making a donation to the hospital (you never know when you may need it) by giving to their “Taste of Spring” benefit on Thursday, May 15, at the Milton Hoosic Club, 193 Central Ave. Tickets are $125 each. You can purchase them and get information by calling 617-313-1311.
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Well-known Milton and Bentley College star, and probably the best soccer goalie to ever come out of this town, Carolyn Cahill, the assistant coach in soccer at Boston College, is conducting a goalie clinic at BC. This is for netminders ages 12 to 19. Graduating high school seniors are welcome. The clinic starts June 2 and runs every Monday and Wednesday from 6–9 p.m. The six sessions cost $175. Cahill frequently works with BC All-American goalie-candidate Julia Berkowitz and Canton resident and sophomore Kristine Stigas. For information call 617-552-3004.
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Milton athlete John Sills is playing shortstop for the Holy Cross baseball team this spring, where he is a sophomore. Do you know who was the last Milton athlete to play shortstop for Holy Cross in baseball? It was former Merchants star Jack Concannon back in 1952. He was the captain of that team and led them to the 1952 NOAA Championship, the only New England team to ever win that championship.
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Although he had plenty of people urging him to go to Curry or BC, well-known Xavarian High tennis star and captain Brian Quigley, who also plays a lot of golf, is going to Holy Cross.
Speaking of Holy Cross, their fine Milton athlete, Amy Lussier, has just been named to the Big South Conference Women’s Golf All-American team for the second straight year.
Lussier has competed in three tournaments this year, and her 83.1 average is the second best on the team. At the 2007 Big South Championship, she led the Crusaders with a 31st-place finish and a three-round score of 261. At the 2006 Bay South Championship she led the Crusaders with a 32nd-place finish and a three-round score of 256. She is quite a golfer and student, playing out of the Wollaston Golf Club.
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If you buy a BC season basketball ticket next year, you are going to see this year’s college basketball player of the year. Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina.
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The Cleveland Indians have not won the World Series since 1948, the Bob Feller era, and the Cleveland Browns have not won the National Football League Championship since 1954, the Paul Brown era?
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From what we hear it will be a long time before we see the lovely laps pool at the Boy Scout Center open up again. The pool was used daily by a lot of Milton stars of all ages. However, after being open for about a year, it shut down last November because of poor lighting in the pool, a deficiency in the heating system that was costing a lot of money, and some other problems. They said it would be shut for a month or so, but from what we hear nothing much has been done, so lap swimming there is a long way off. If anyone has updated information on the Eagan pool, send it along to us.
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They had a big crowd with many Milton stars present at a reception held last week in St. Gregory’s Parish auditorium for well-known BC star Paul Ryan, who has served as a priest for 50 years and has been at St. Gregory’s for 27. This popular priest is stepping down as pastor.
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The high school baseball team, as of May 1, was off to a good start and has a record of 7–1, which gets them ranked 13th in high school baseball by the Boston Globe. Pitching, of course, is a key factor, and the team seems to have three good arms in Vermont-bound Jim Katsiroubas, University of Lowell-bound Ryan Stoller, and sophomore sensation John Magliozzi. They are home on Thursday, May 8, at Cunningham Park at 3:45 p.m. with Framingham, and next Monday, May 12, Norwood is here.
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Well-known Milton athlete, Francis “Bucho” Finnerty, got an award recently, and he was completely surprised. Just after returning from the “Frozen Four” hockey tournament, Finnerty, a well-known and long-time Neponset River boatsman, was talked into going to the Northeastern University hockey banquet. There, to honor all his efforts helping the Northeastern hockey program, he was presented with the Fernie Flaman Award, which is given annually to a strong supporter of the program.
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Manny Ramirez has been named 16 times as the American League Player-of-the-Week. The last time was April 14–20. This is more than any player in history.
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I agree with a lot of Milton baseball fans that J.D. Drew will have a lot better year hitting this year than last. However, I thought Trot Nixon was a better defensive right fielder than Drew.
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Many Milton athletes know Milton star Andrew Eastman, who is now in California working on an acting career. Andrew played a lot of golf at Milton Academy, where he was number one. He also played a lot of golf at the Wollaston Golf Course and played many tournaments about 10 years ago.
One summer while at the Academy, he went to a summer golf camp at Stanford University. His roommate there was Masters Champion Trevor Immelman. Andrew remembers getting Trevor in trouble at the camp because he dragged him out of the room at night to roam around the Stanford campus. They got caught and counselors made them hold gallons of paint in their outstretched arms for several minutes as punishment. Trevor was worried that his father would be upset if he found out about it.
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Because of Mother’s Day, there are no Legion baseball tryouts this weekend. Tryouts will resume on Saturday, May 17, at 3 p.m. at the new baseball field at Milton High. There will also be tryouts at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 24–25 at the high school field. Any resident under 20 on Jan. 1 is eligible.
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A couple of weeks ago, we published the names of the athletes playing singles for Milton High’s fine girls’ tennis team. Playing doubles for this team are 12th graders Kelly Lynch and Sarah Merjoley and 11th graders Carolyn Maloney and Aurora Kesseli. There are eleven junior varsity players on the team. The team is on the road this week for three matches before returning on Friday, May 16, for a home match with Dedham.
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There are quite a few red wing blackbirds now at Turners Pond. We haven’t seen any Baltimore orioles, yet.
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Sorry to hear of the death in Florida recently of Mary Jane Cleary, the sister of well-known Milton fast walker Louis Lintz. She had cancer. Also we hear that long-time long-distance runner, and for years Milton police officer, Jake Mahoney, hasn’t been feeling up to par.
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Ben Hansbrough of Mississippi State, the younger brother of North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough, is transferring to Notre Dame. He had a good year last year.
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Those active Milton gardeners and walkers are at it again. On Saturday, May 10, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the amateur gardeners are having their geranium sale. There will also be plants and hanging baskets. The proceeds go to town beautification and scholarships for Milton High seniors. This is a perfect way to help the town and get some flowers for Mother’s Day. Well-known Milton stars working on the project are Ellen Shea, Gayle Davis, Beth Quigley, Ericka Jacobsen, Karen Whitney, and Carolyn Burke. If you’re looking for something for Mother’s Day, the Milton Hospital gift shop is stocked with items.
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In our May 1 column, we mentioned that longtime Weymouth Club owner and popular Milton star, Steve Goldman, used to coach baseball at Milton High. It should have said that the longtime baseball coach at Milton High was Paul Dorsey and Paul, now a tennis instructor at Weymouth Club, was the one who said that freshman Milton High tennis player Ariana Launie was worth watching.
This Saturday Ariana Launie, 8–0 thus far in singles, and the Milton High doubles teams of Kelly Lynch and Sarah Murphy, and Aurora Kesseli and Carolyn Maloney will be competing in the invitational South Section Tournament, which is on at Hingham High.
(If you have information about Milton athletes, send it to Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
5/1/08
Freshman Matt Duffy was voted the University of Vermont’s Athlete of the Week recently. The former St. Sebastian and Milton Legion star, who is the shortstop for the UVM baseball team, hit .360 for the week with two homers, two doubles and eight runs batted in. Matt leads all first-year America East batters with a .353 average and 23 RBIs.
Also having a fine year at Vermont is former Catholic Memorial and Legion star Tom Kelly. Tom hurt his left hand just as the season got underway. While this has affected his batting, he has done well as a starter and relief pitcher for UVM. Tom is a sophomore at the college.
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It is too bad that former Milton High runner and USA half-marathon champion Kate O’Neill had to drop out of the World Trial Marathon held in the city the morning before the Boston Marathon. With the first three runners in this race going to the Olympics, Kate was in 10th place at the 21-mile mark. Kate had a knee problem the last month. Dropping out of the race was probably a smart decision, rather than doing more damage to the knee.
Although she can’t run for the U.S. Marathon Team in the Olympics, if her knee gets better she could try to qualify in the 10K trial that is coming up. Four years ago she made the Olympics 10K team.
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Yawkey League President Dave McKay informs us that the league will continue to honor the memory of popular Milton star Dan Tarpey, who died recently. Tarpey, a former St. Michael’s college swimmer, spent many years helping to develop a quality baseball league in Boston, the Yawkey League. One of the divisions in the league is named after Tarpey. A gentleman-of-the-year award will be given out in his name.
The league ordered a special patch with Tarpey’s name and the Yawkey logo draped in black. Every coach and player will wear that patch on his jersey this year. Some teams may want to wear the patch after this year is over. According to President McKay, the league will be unable to replace Dan and will never forget his contributions.
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If you see athlete Matt Lombardi around town you should congratulate him, as he was a member of the Boston College NCAA-winning hockey team.
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Former Merchant’s star and boxer Joe Lannan is once again supplying the trout for the fishing derby coming up on Saturday morning, May 10, at Turners Pond. Brook, brown and rainbow trout will be put in the pond.
Turners Pond fishermen have been telling me that there are quite a few large mouth bass that are biting at the pond. If you want to catch them, come in from Central Avenue and go to the right.
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The very popular Merchants president for years when the Merchants were very active, Tom Gunning, is having an operation on his leg. Tom, who was forced to use a cane and walker lately, looks forward to playing some golf and tennis, as well as fishing. If he feels up to it he plans to participate in the fishing derby in May.
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Glad to hear where long-time teacher Carol Crowley is feeling better. Carol, who played a lot of golf, hopes to play a lot of it again. She has made a great come back.
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The Milton Legion baseball team will hold tryouts for this year’s team on Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4; Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18; and Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25. All tryouts are at 3 p.m. at the new Milton High field, 25 Gile Road. If you are a resident and will not be 20 years old until after Jan. 1, you are eligible for this team. For information call 617-698-8695.
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The Milton High baseball team, rated second on the South Shore by the Patriot Ledger, has only one loss, which was to Norwood. The team is 6–1.
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After getting off to a great season, injuries have hurt the Curry College baseball team. Their sophomore first baseman and sophomore shortstop are out for the season.
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A lot of tennis enthusiasts are expected to watch the Senior Tennis Tournament this weekend in the Boston University Agganis Arena. Tickets are available for this event, which features John McEnroe, Jim Courier and others. They are all great professionals.
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Three-sports Milton High athlete Sarah Campbell, who plays soccer, basketball and softball, and ranks fifth in her Milton High class, is headed to either Harvard or Notre Dame next year. She has been accepted at both schools.
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Long-time Milton High baseball coach and now a tennis instructor at the Weymouth Club, Steve Goldman, says that if you want to follow a tennis player you should keep your eye on Milton High freshman Ariana Launie, who also plays a lot at the Weymouth Club. Although only a freshman, she is the school’s number one player. Through her first five matches she has not lost a set. If you would like to see this Milton athlete and her team play, they are home with Walpole next Monday, May 5, and with Wellesley next Wednesday, May 7. Matches are at the Kelly Field courts, 299 Brook Road, starting about 3:15 p.m. You can pick up the sports schedules in the Milton High office, 25 Gile Road.
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Jessica Baylor is co-captain for the second year in a row of the Wooster College lacrosse team. Last year, this team went to the NCAA Division III finals. Her younger sister Isabel Baylor is playing for Thayer this year and is a senior. Next year she is going to Wooster and plans on playing lacrosse.
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Young stars on the rise Patrick Coughlin and Derek Curley, both students at Pierce Middle School, played hockey this winter for the AA Bantam team, the Flyers. This team is affiliated with the New England College Development League. The Flyers finished first in the regular season. Coughlin is a defenseman and Curley is a wing.
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Applications for this year’s Falmouth Road Race, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 10, in Falmouth, are available starting May 1. They must be returned by May 15. Go to www.falmouthroadrace.com to get your tickets.
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After eight years, Tim Welsh has been let go as the Providence College basketball coach. We thought overall that he did a good job in a real tough league. Back 25 years ago when PC was in its basketball heyday, they could do well in the Big East. However, the league has become better. Providence is a small school and can’t accept some of the good recruits because of academics, while some of the other schools aren’t as strict. The new Providence coach is Keno Davis, who is coming from Drake where he had a good season after taking over for his father.
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Making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic hockey team was three-sports athlete J.J. Sabin, who is headed for Tilton Academy. This year he had seven goals and 17 assists.
Also Dan Higgins, the big 6’3” left-handed center who had 12 goals and 15 assists, made the team. Dan, who also plays lacrosse, is a good student. He is 10th in his class.
On the girls’ side, junior goalie Anna Mandell made it.
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The Red Sox have a good infielder and shortstop in Jed Lowrie, although most scouts will tell you he is not quite ready.
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Due to construction, the Bosox Club, a Red Sox fan club, has been holding its meetings in Quincy Market.
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Although we were not all that surprised, Boston College’s fine women’s basketball coach, Cathy Inglese, has decided to move on after 15 years of coaching at the Heights. We thought Cathy, who came the year after Milton’s Kerry Curran graduated and had Curran as an assistant for a year, did an excellent job. Inglese took the women’s basketball program to a new level.
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Did you see where Milton sportsman Al Thomas’ horse, Third Down Delight, recently won two races in a week? Running at the Plainridge Track in Plainville, the horse won the race on Monday and came back to win again on Thursday.
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Time seems to really fly by. Did you know that “Miss” Mary Ann Mackie, who cuts many athletes’ hair, opened up her Central Avenue barbershop seven years ago? A lot of Milton stars are having female barbers cut their hair since this has happened.
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Softball pitching and hitting star Lauren Tarpey, a junior at Notre Dame Academy in Hingham, has pitched and batted her team to a 6–0 start.
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Branson Arroyo has not been a great pitcher since his trade to the National League by the Red Sox. However, recently he has had a real steady game.

(If you have information about Milton athletes, send it to Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
4/24/08
Bob Halloran, one of the town’s busiest athletes, gave a nice talk at the Al Thomas Annual Banquet in the Neighborhood Club in Quincy held a couple of weeks ago. At the request of General Manager Joe O’Hara, the baseball players wore suit coats and ties. This really made them look good and certainly upgraded the affair. Halloran, besides being a television sports announcer on Channel 5, also does news for the station and a radio sports show for WHDH on Saturdays. Halloran writes sports columns and is an author. But this is not all there is to this busy former tennis star, he also teaches sports writing and broadcasting at Curry College, as well as CCD at St. Agatha.
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Once again former Merchants star and boxer Joe Lannan will donate the money for the trout that will be put in Turners Pond for the annual fishing derby to be held on Saturday, May 10.
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Baseball seems like a sport that doesn’t have many injuries and is safe to play.
Well on April 10, the second week
into the season, it was reported that there are 130 Major League players on the disabled list.
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Glad to hear that Animal Control Officer Linda Kippenberger, from whom a lot of residents got their pets, is feeling a little better after not feeling well a couple of weeks ago. Linda does a really good job.
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Our congratulations go to well-known Milton High hockey players Mary Carmody and Shana Indelicato for making the Boston Herald’s All-Scholastic hockey team.
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Glad to hear where well-known walker, Eleanor McCusker, who walks about seven miles a day, went through her eye operation fine. She will be walking longer distances now.
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Milton Green Day is scheduled once again this year for Saturday, May 3. It is a great way to get exercise and help the town out by making it green and beautiful. Thirty-five schools, neighborhoods, churches and service organizations have signed up to participate. Volunteer groups may either choose their own site or be assigned a location. For information call the DPW at 617-898-4871. Or you can volunteer for a clean-up site by e-mailing Miltongreenday@comcast.net.
Everyone is invited to the kickoff festival, which starts at town hall, 525 Canton Ave., with coffee and muffins at 8:30 a.m. The clean up goes from 9 a.m. to noon and is sponsored by the DPW, Waste Management, the Milton Times and Curry Hardware. The rain date is May 4. Come help out and get home early.
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The Milton High girls’ tennis team, as of April 15, was 2–2 in the tough Bay State League. The team is led by freshman sensation Ariana Launie, who is at number one singles and is undefeated so far. Ali Hoolihan, a 10th grader, plays number two singles and another freshman, Liz Devine, is the third singles player.
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The Globe South rates Milton High as the second best high school baseball team on the South Shore, as of the middle
of April.
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Draft beer at Fenway Park is $7.25 with a limit of two that you can buy at a time. However, they don’t seem to be having much trouble selling it. There
are usually long lines. When you throw in parking costs, most Milton stars
that go to a game expect it to be an expensive night.
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The Boston Globe has a story on page B6 of its April 14 edition about well-known local star and former University of New Hampshire star hockey player Brian Foley and how as a Milton police dispatcher he saved a girl who was choking. For this he will be one of 11 people honored by the Massachusetts Statewide Emergency Telecommunications Board.
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Milton Hospital and former New England Cross Country Champion, Dr. Mike Berry, got the Baron Hugo award this year as Milton Hospital Doctor of the Year.
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Milton Academy was the only school to have two student athletes named as scholar athletes by the local chapter of the National Football Foundation. The two are Steve Aborn who comes from Plymouth and is going to Harvard in the fall. The other is Walter McCarthy of Warick, RI, who is going to the University of New Hampshire.
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The Philadelphia Phillies have moved their International League team, the Ottawa Lynx, to Lehigh Valley, PA, and named them the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. They are the top affiliate of the Phillies.
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Pawtucket has put all new televisions in their
press box. Pawtucket is home Friday, April 25, at 7 p.m. with Syracuse.
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Red Sox and Pawtucket baseball player, now with Pawtucket, Jeff Bailey, plays all positions for the love of the game. He loves baseball. Pawtucket shortstop, Jed Lowrie, a former number one pick by the Red Sox, who many say looks good defensively so far, has not been burning up the league with his batting.
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The Boston College inter-squad football game is on this Saturday, April 26, at 1 p.m. at the Heights. The game is open to the public and is free.
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Do you believe this? The new owners of Fenway Park say they have maxed out the old ballpark in their seventh year of off-season renovation, bringing the capacity of the oldest and smallest ballpark in the country to 39,928. The owners say there is no more space to add on.
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Did you see that former Northeastern University and Cape Cod League star Johnny Gomez is the highest paid player on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays?
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Remember Milton High tennis star Peter Leveroni of the 1960s? Well, his son, Chris Leveroni, who captained Barnstable High in tennis last year is now a well-known poker player on the tour and is doing
very well.
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A quick home season: The Boston Lobster tennis team has a fast home schedule this year playing on the North Shore. The first home game is July 7 and the last is July 19. They have seven home meets in 12 days and that’s the home season.
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Former BC and Natick High star football player Doug Flutie was recently voted into the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame.
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At town elections recently in Natick, it was voted unanimously to keep the name Redman for Natick High sports teams. The Natick School Committee had voted previously to change the name.
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Former BC High and St. Mary of the Hills basketball star Jack “Hopper” Harrigan was seen in Naples, Florida recently at his 50th reunion for Boston College. He looks terrific, good enough to make a comeback on the court. His BC companions at the reunion were local residents Don Agnetta and Paul Dolan, who were also vacationing in Florida.
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With tickets available, Pawtucket has a home game, Friday, April 25, at 7 p.m. After that they are home again the week of May 5–12. There are both afternoon and night games. For information or tickets call 401-724-7300.
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I don’t think this is going to happen, because I don’t think their college coaches would approve. But did you know that Legion star of the last few years, Mark Gormley, now a starting pitcher for Brown University, and hard-hitting University of Vermont shortstop and pitcher Matt Duffy are still eligible age-wise for Legion? What a team the Legion would have if these two decided to play. They’d probably go back to the Legion World Series.
Well-known former Legion pitcher Tom Kelly pitched up his first America East victory for the University of Vermont last week. His teammate Duffy leads all freshmen on America East teams in hitting with a .361 average.
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Sorry to hear that Wareham Gateman, manager of the Cape Cod League John Wylde has stepped down because of illness. Gateman fans and players will tell you he was the heart of the team. Wareham has renamed the press box in his name. Wareham will play two league games in New Bedford this year. Last year they
had one.
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Former Red Sox General Manager and author Lou Gorman says the New York Yankees made a big mistake by not signing better pitchers. They could have afforded it and should have done it, according to Lou. With the pitching staff they now have they won’t win the pennant. They will not hold up, according to Lou.
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We think that the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team was the best team in the country. We also think they have a fine coach, Geno Auriemma. However, we thought in the semi-final against Stanford in the NCAA, which they lost, they should not have been playing zone all the time against the Stanford Cardinals, who were slower and less talented
than UConn.
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The first of the hummingbirds will arrive back here in town this week. Others will follow the birds in the next four weeks. This is an excellent time to put a birdhouse or give your old one a good cleaning if it is not occupied. Have you noticed that a lot of birdhouses are a lot closer to the ground these days? They’re about five-feet high.
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Did you stars know that laptop computers use a lot less electricity than desktop ones? That’s what our energy experts tell us.
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We hear another long-time business is up for sale. The Dorchester Reporter says that the Molloy Funeral Home and some of its adjoining real estate is for sale.
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Milton American Legion Baseball will hold its first tryout at Kelly Field, 299 Brook Road, on Saturday, April 26, at 5 p.m. Eligible players must be residents under the age of 20 as of Dec. 31. For information call 617-698-8695.
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Finishing up a great college career after a great one at BC High, where he was an All-Scholastic athlete, is Sean McCarthy, who also starred for the Milton Legion team. Sean is now a senior outfielder at John Carroll University in Cleveland. He started for John Carroll since he was a freshman. He started every game and was the leadoff batter most of the time, batting .410 last year. In his sophomore year he batted .398 and .360 as a freshman. He’s quite a good baseball player.
(If you have information about Milton athletes, send it to Eddy Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
4/17/08
I can’t remember a bigger long-distance runner’s weekend than the one coming up. The Women’s Olympic Marathon will get underway at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Sunday, April 20, at 8 a.m. There are five loops in this marathon, so you can see the runners frequently. The loops go through Boston and Cambridge. Milton and Yale star Kate O’Neill, who qualified for the Olympic 10K four years ago is trying to qualify for the Olympic Marathon this year. The first three runners to finish qualify.
The 26-mile Boston Marathon from Hopkinton to Boston takes place the following day on Monday, April 21, at 10 a.m. Many Milton stars are running, and we mentioned their names a couple of weeks ago. There are a lot of famous names running this race, but there are many others, such as local residents, who run for recreation and health purposes after work and will be toeing the starting line on Monday morning.
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Glad to hear that the Milton High baseball fundraiser with Robin Curley, the wife of Coach Ted Curley, was a big success. The fundraiser pays for buses to scrimmages and the coach’s salary, and also some of the money goes toward a baseball scholarship. Many athletes were present, including a few from possibly the best Milton High team ever, the 1974 team that won the Class A Eastern Massachusetts Championship. The coach of that team, tennis enthusiast and long-time baseball coach, Paul Dorsey, was there and gave a nice talk. Dave Stoller, who many say was the best Milton High pitcher ever, was a star on that team. Dave’s son, Ryan Stoller, is a great pitcher on the current Milton High team. He beat Walpole in his first start this year. The team, which is supposed to be good this year, is off to a 2–0 start.
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You may want to get some practice in by trying your luck at freshwater fishing, if you want to be set for the 15th Annual Fishing Tournament, which will be held on Saturday, May 10, at Turner’s Pond. There are a lot of prizes this year.
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As we mentioned a couple of weeks back, Milton High basketball player Kerry Curran, now a mother of three, was inducted into the ACC Hall of Fame. When Kerry played for Boston College, the team was in the Big East, but it moved to the ACC three years ago, so she was inducted with the other legends at the annual ACC Basketball Tournament.
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It is time for another get-together for athletes who played sports in Milton during the 1960s. The annual event will be held in the Common Market, 110 Willard St., Quincy, on Wednesday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m.
The committee this year consists of athletes Buck Finerty, Joe Curran, Bob Smith and Bob Sullivan. The cost of the meal is $24, if you have fish or chicken, and it’s a little extra for steak. The affair is for all athletes of the 1960s era who grew up in Milton. You don’t necessary have to have gone to Milton High. The committee asks that you call Finerty at 781-843-7339 by May 4 to make a reservation or if you have questions.
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Last year Rich Hill, who pitches for the Chicago Cubs, was given the second fewest runs to win with in Major League Baseball. In Hill’s first start this year on April 4, the Cubs only got two runs. Rich gave up two runs in six innings, giving up four hits, and he had four strikeouts. The power-hitting Cubs batters continued to do what they had done in previous games: swing at the first pitch.
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The NBA is expected to make it mandatory in the next few years for a basketball player to be out of high school for two years or complete two years of college before being eligible for the NBA draft.
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Kelly Madigan is a Milton High athlete finishing up a great career at the high school and has just been named to the Patriot Ledger’s All Scholastic Team. Kelly, who heads to Northeastern University in the fall, runs the 55-meter dash. She was a four-time Bay State Competition All Star. Aside from track, she is a competitive figure skater and an instructor in the sport.
A couple of juniors from Milton High also made the Patriot Ledger All Scholastic Team. Paul Connor, the high-flying star running back, qualified in boys’ indoor track for running the 55-meter dash and the opening leg of the 4x200-meter relay as the high school won Division III of the State Championship. He plans to major in engineering when he gets to college.
Junior Marcus McDermott, a 6’5” basketball guard who led the Milton High boys’ basketball team to the State Tournament averaging over twelve points per game, made the team as well.
Sarah Campbell, the soccer, basketball and softball player, also made the team. Besides being outstanding in all three of these sports, Sarah is a good student and is ranked fifth in her senior class. She plans to take up engineering in college.
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Off to a great start: The American East Baseball season is about to start on April 6. Freshmen shortstop Matt Duffy has started all 14 games and hit safely in 12 of them for a .321 average. He has come in to save two games as a relief pitcher for his University of Vermont team, while his sophomore teammate, Tom Kelly has come in as a relief pitcher seven times and has allowed only one run.
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The Third Annual Luis Tiant Swing for Diabetes Golf Tournament is at Granite Links Golf Course on May 19. There will be a short gun start on this Monday event, which has as a sponsor B.J.’s Wholesale Club. All money raised goes to the American Diabetes Association. A lot of sports celebrities, including John “Pie” McKenzie, Wilbur Wood and Ken Hodge, are scheduled to play. If you would like to play or get involved call Tiffany Nagle at 617-482-4580 ext. 3459.
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Red Sox and Pawtucket outfielder Brandon Moss hit the home run in the opening-day game with Oakland that was played in Japan and tied the game, which was later won by the Red Sox. He says that the best steak he ever had was in a restaurant in Japan. Brandon, who says the Japanese fans really know and follow baseball and the Sox, has been sent to Pawtucket to learn how to play first base.
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Sean Donoghue, captain of the 2006 Milton High golf team, is attending Florida Coast University in Fort Myers. He is majoring in hotel and resort management with a concentration in professional golf management. Sean passed the Player Ability Test (PAT) on his first attempt, shooting rounds of 74 and 72 in competition in St. Petersburg, FL. Sean will be home this summer working an internship for Steve Mann at Wollaston Golf Course before going back to Florida in August.
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Save the date Milton High parents and sports followers. The Milton High School Booster Banquet will be held in Lombardo’s in Randolph on Wednesday, May 28. It’s always a good event.
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You never know what the playoffs will bring, but with the best record in the NBA, the Celtics are assured the odd game in every series of the playoffs. This means a lot.
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Local athletes Lauren Tarpy and Sarah McLoughlin got off to a strong start in varsity softball at Notre Dame Academy in Hingham. Lauren went three for four and had one run batted in when the Cougars went up against Hingham High 10 days ago. Notre Dame won 5–2. In the next game against Mount St. Joseph High, Tarpy pitched a one hitter and Sarah McLaughlin went two for three at bat as the Cougars prevailed 5–1.
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Sorry to hear that former high school athlete and member of the Milton High Hall of Fame Doug Maiden is not feeling well. We hope he feels better soon.
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Former Milton High softball pitcher Jenna Bortolotti and short stop Jenna Lazar, now playing for Division III power-house Endicott College, will be here in Milton for a double header with Curry College on Wednesday, April 23, with the first game starting at 3 p.m.
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The National Football League draft is Saturday, April 26, and BC quarterback Matt Ryan appears that he will do very well. He will go in the first round and could be the first pick for the Miami Dolphins.
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St. Mary of the Hills athletes and friends of the school should save the date, Sunday, Oct. 5. That is the day the 50-year celebration of the popular school will be held.
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Freshman Greg Potts, the former Milton High three-sports star, has recovered from an injury and recently pitched Bridgewater State to victory over Suffolk University. Greg’s Milton High and Legion teammate Steve Lambert got a big hit to help Greg and Bridgewater win the game. Greg’s first hit came from another former teammate, the Suffolk hard-hitting catcher Bob Barrett.
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We hope it opens again. The Sports Center up in the old Howard Johnson Building next to Dunkin Donuts, located on Route 138 near the ski area, is closed for vacation, according to the sign on the door. It was a favorite with residents when the former owner had it a couple of years back. We hope it reopens.
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Did you see where I was lucky and prevailed as Kansas won the NCAA tournament? I picked them in the column a couple weeks back.
(If you have information about Milton athletes,
send it along to Ed Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)

By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
4/10/08
It’s expected to be an 8 a.m. start for local long-distance runner Kate O’Neill and other women as they try to qualify for this year’s Olympic team on Sunday, April 20. The first three runners to finish in the event make the team. The race, which is scheduled for the morning before the Boston Marathon, will have five loops so it will be good to watch. The starting line will be the finishing line of the Boston Marathon. The finishing line will be at the library in Copley Square. For information visit www.baa.org.
Most residents know that a member of Kate O’Neill’s class of 1999, Rich Hill, pitches for the Chicago Cubs. Although Rich is listed by USA Today on April 2 as making $445,000 a year, the other three pitchers in the rotation make quite a bit more. Number one, Carlos Zambrano, made $16 million. Number two, Ted Lilly, made $8 million. Number four, Ryan Dempster, made $7.3 million. The average Cubs salary is $4,484,179. The Red Sox average is $4,763,930.
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Long-time Milton High Athletic Director and Coach Tom Herget called recently to say that April 18 is the last day to nominate a Milton High star for this year’s Milton High School Hall of Fame. Get an application from the Milton High webpage, www.miltonps.org, and get them in. Send it to Mike Goodless or go to the Milton High School, 25 Gile Road. There are four categories, individual athlete, teams, coaches and contributions. For information call Goodless at 617-696-4470.
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The defending Bay State League champion Milton High girls’ softball team plays its first home game at Kelly Field on Friday, April 11, at 3:45 p.m. with Brookline High. This year the pitching mound is three feet farther back from home plate. This should make for more runs in high school softball. The team is home next Monday, April 14, with Norwood.
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The Milton High boys JV baseball team and the freshmen team plays most of their home games at the new Milton High field. The varsity team is once again at Cunningham Park.
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The University of Massachusetts beat Syracuse at the Carrier Dome twice this year, once in a regularly scheduled men’s league game and the other in the National Invitation Tournament. This was the first time ever that anyone has beaten the Syracuse Orange twice in one year at the Carrier Dome. Not too many teams play in the Carrier Dome twice in a year. The Orange plays in the Big East, where most games are played home and away, and the Big East Tournament is played in Madison Square Garden. Nevertheless, it was a great achievement by the UMass team.
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Did you know that Albie Gould is still very active in Canton politics? Albie, who was an offensive end at Boston College, had the pass-reception record for the Eagles for many years until it was broken by Darren Flutie. Albie played a lot of basketball at St. Mary’s of the Hills CYO with well-known athlete Paul Dorsey when he lived in Milton. After graduating from BC, he played offensive end for the Boston Yankees football team of the American Football League, a team owned by Ted Collins and Kate Smith.
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University of Vermont Hockey Coach Kevin Sneddon won the Bob Kullen Hockey East Award. It is given in memory of former Milton High and Bowdoin star hockey player and successful coach at the University of New Hampshire Bob Kullen, who lost his life early to cancer.
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Mark Gormley, the Milton Legion ace and left-handed pitcher for the last three years, the only local pitcher to win a game in the Legion World Series, got off to a good start at the end of March. A freshmen at Brown University, Mark pitched five innings to get the win as Brown beat Hartford in a game played in North Carolina.
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Bentley University did a good job in men’s basketball again this year, but if they really want to win Division II of the NCAA basketball tournament, a couple of big men could really help.
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It was nice to see so many local athletes turn out for injured Milton fireman Tony Pickens at the Firemen’s Post at few days back.
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Former Milton 10K runner, George Hitt, is now a successful New York City businessman.
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Giving back, Fallon Ambulance was once again a major sponsor of the Walk for Hospice of the South Shore, held on March 30. The event drew a large crowd as usual.
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The New England Revolution soccer team plays its second home game of the season on Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. with the Colorado Rapids. If it is a nice night this is a good event because parking is free and tickets are only $19. You can buy them the night of the game.
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The Boston Lobsters Tennis team of World Team Tennis is leaving Harvard after three years and heading for an open-tennis stadium being completed at the Ferncroft Country Club in Middleton on the North Shore. The stadium will seat about 1,500 people for the seven Lobsters home games in July. Tickets are $30 for reserved seats and $12 for children. For tickets or information go to www.bostonlobsters.net or call 1-800-514-3849.
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Also for you tennis fans, you might want to pick up a ticket for the Friday Night Championship tennis matches to be played at the beautiful Harry Agganis Arena at Boston University on Friday, May 2. That is the evening that John McEnroe will play Pete Sampras. This tennis tournament also features Jim Courier, Todd Martin, Jimmy Arias and Aaron Krickstein. For tickets that start at only $15 call 617-931-2000.
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The Boston College men’s basketball team did not receive an invitation to the NCAA Tournament or the National Invitation Tournament but did receive an invitation to the new tournament called College Basketball Invitational Tournament, but Coach Al Skinner quickly turned it down saying that any club with an overall losing record like the Eagles had this year doesn’t deserve to be in a tournament.
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There were a lot of familiar names at the baseball game. When BC and Holy Cross played baseball at the Heights two weeks ago, John Spatola and Marc Perdios were in the outfield for the Eagles, while John Sills was the Crusader short stop.
Former Catholic Memorial star Perdios, who is the freshmen centerfielder for the BC team, is playing in a college baseball league in Michigan this summer.
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Glad to hear that two of the Milton Merchants are feeling a little better: Big Bob Blake here in Milton and Mike Aylward down in Florida.
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A lot of sports fans enjoyed the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Next year the Eastern Sectionals play here at T.D. Banknorth Garden, with Boston College as the host school. So you might want to think about getting some tickets.
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Local high school basketball star of the 1950s, Fred “Dugy” Dugan, has been a dentist in Sandwich for quite a few years. He now has one of his daughters working as a dentist in his office.
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John Muse, the BC goalie from Falmouth, who backboned the hockey team to the Frozen Four, was a high school teammate of Brown pitcher Mark Gormley last year in hockey at Noble and Greenough.
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Matt Lombardi of the well-known hockey playing Lombardi family and former Governor Dummer star is now a sophomore at BC and has been on two BC teams that have made it to the Frozen Four in his first two years of playing hockey at the Heights.
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We were very sorry to hear of the death last week of well-known Milton athlete and former Archbishop Williams star lineman Jay Haviland. Jay died after fighting cancer for many years.
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Having a big birthday recently, well-known jogger, bike rider and baseball player Ed Duffy is known by some as the mayor of East Milton.
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Most basketball sportswriters will tell you that Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers is the NBA’s finest individual performer followed closely by Cleveland’s LeBron James, but this year the Celtics’ Kevin Garnett should get the Most Valuable Player award for the job he has done in turning the Celtics around.
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Joe Paterno, the Pennsylvania State head coach is now into the 43rd and final year of his coaching contract. Joe is a Brown University graduate and football player. When Joe was starting for Brown as a running back, do you know who was in the backfield with him? Lloyd Hill, local walker and jogger and father of all those great athletes.
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(If you have information about Milton athletes,
send it along to Eddy Baker at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)