In 1962 the St Patrick Shamrocks of South Lawrence were sporting a gaudy record of 29-1.
Grammar League Hoop was big stuff in our city and games were played at Central Catholic’s gym on Saturdays. Brother Godfrey was the overseer and founder of the popular program. Teams playing each week were from Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover, and Andover would compete at three divisions A, B, & C.
The green and white were leading the ‘C’ division. Last year’s version of the Shamrocks posted a record of 24-2. Frank McKenna was the coach of that team he lived in the So. Lawrence East area of the city in those days. Mac players included Billy Enright, Denny O’Sullivan and Danny Kiley who later played three sports for Lawrence High and whose son Dan Jr. is a local high school wrestling coach these days.
Joe Casey another future three-sporter at LHS was giving us a preview of things to come for the Lancers, Dick Casey, Ralph Woekel and Jack Angelone would round out the team.
This 62 edition of Shamrocks had a tough act to follow but with co captains Joe Casey and Dennis O’Sullivan leading the McKenna game plans they got on a run. Casey would later become a LHS hoop captain.
The boys from St. Pats reeled off 29 straight wins. Jimmy Carney, Bill Carey and future LHS star Al Gidley were also integral parts of this exciting team. Winning the Grammar League title was followed by the winning of the Boys Club title and then the Archdiocesan championship. This team had its beginning under the tutelage of one Father Gene McNamara whose young vim and vigor as the CYO director at the So. Broadway Parish and it continued to flourish under his successor Father Paul Rynne.
A young future Central Catholic star Ron Siduiko was showing he was a star in the making as a grade schooler. David Bradstreet also a future “Red Raider” and Ronnie’s running mate was also a Shamrock in 1962.
Big Roger Leblond was the recipient of many of Joe Casey’s passes as they both played football for the fabled Gerry Callagy now of No. Andover and a retiree whose game is golf these days. Casey and Leblond played for the Lancers 1965 version. Roger had to be aware of the point guard Casey’s laser-like basketball passes on the hardwood as 8th grade hoopsters.
Paul Rousseau was another player to be heard from on this team. This team that was steamrolling all comers finally fell to the losing bracket while playing in a CYO tournament in Worcester. Their opponent was a strong St. Joseph’s team from Rhode Island and they were leading our locals by one point 20/19 going into the 4th period. Siduiko fouls out and Bradstreet quickly follows and the die is cast. St. Joe’s outscores our wearers of the green 13-7 in that 4th quarter to give our boys their first taste of defeat this season.
This game ends the season for McKenna’s guy but what a run it was. Imagine a record of 29 wins and 1 loss. These kids will go on to many great seasons in sports but they are not likely to have another season to match the 1962 St. Patrick’s Shamrocks.
