The Lancers of 1956 wearing their blue and white uniforms had the City logo with pride and great pleasure as they drew great crowds to every game they played. Their home games were played at the Veteran’s Memorial Stadium as they do to these days. The big difference was that they drew monstrous crowds at all their games. I’m not lying when I tell you that crowds up to 18,000 would fill the stands and ring the playing area. The team was filled with many players who would eventually be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame and most were multi-sport stars.
On Thangsgiving Day they played against their perennial holiday rival: Lowell. This great rivalry has gone the way of all great games as realignment has taken away many great games and crowds these days. It is my great pleasure to remind you of these players who came from all parts of the city were sporting a 6 & 2 season after beating the downriver Haverhill Hillies last Sunday 28/19. Yes, I said Sunday; many home games were played on the Sabbath.
The line featured Tommy Carroll now a retired detective from the Lawrence PD. Tom was a multi sporter for the blue and white and is a school Hall of Famer. He still resides in the city and is married to his high school sweetheart Rachel.
Buddy Ralph was the right tackle, AI McLennan was the right guard and he and his family own and operate McLennan was the right guard.
Bobby Diodati was the center and captain. Bob is also a Hall of Farner and is retired from Malden Mills. He still lives locally; his son Mark was a great lineman later for LHS until he got badly injured in a nasty car accident.
Billy Adams was the left guard. Don Sott a future Hall of Famer retired from the Mass State Police played right tackle. Eddie Lonardo another multi sportster was a fine high school hoopster and is now retired from Raytheon and still lives in the area.
The backfield featured Mike DiGaetano who would become a great and tough as nails running back. Ralph Forgione was the QB and was a magician with his deceptive fakes with the pigskin he later became a top referee in the game he played so well.
Mike Riccio was also a running back and a tremendous blocking back. A Hall of Famer he served on the LPD and also the City Public Works Department. He is retired now and as much as he loved the game of football he loved the woods of Maine and New Hampshire and hunting for bear and deer and bigtime game. He and his good buddy Tommy Healey were always at the ready to hit out for the woods and land a big booty. Mike lives in NH now I think to be close to the sport he still loves.
These athletes get together every year or so for a reunion and the invite this writer who couldn’t carry their jocks, but they never forget me. The stories and memories come fast and furious and most are hilarious and inside team stuff.
I’ve heard this one many times and am not betraying any secrets, many of this team members were Italian and there was a diner on Lawrence St. close to where the donut shop is today, very close to the school. Well, when the players would cut classes they would meet at Frank’s Diner. Sometimes most of the team would be there. One mid-morning as the boys were acting as big time customers the head coach and his assistants pulled a raid a caught most of their team enjoying the ambiance of Frank’s place, from that day on after being caught by their coaches Frank’s was off limits for the boys.
I’ve met many high school players in my day but these guys were and are special; they carried themselves with a championship walk to this day as in later years they would become State Champions that really put the icing on the cake for their many fans.
