Post by efg72 on May 8, 2021 13:24:14 GMT -5
The Missing Banners
BYTHEHOLYCROSSSPIREON MAY 7, 2021 • ( LEAVE A COMMENT )
Jimmy Casey ‘22
Sports Editor
Image Courtesy of College of the Holy Cross
Have you ever heard of a National Championship winning team who didn’t even have their own practice facility? No? I hadn’t either… that was, until I heard the story of the legendary 1947 Holy Cross basketball team. In that season, our tiny Jesuit school on Mount St. James shocked the college basketball world and won it all, despite using a shabby barn on campus for practice. This team kickstarted a long era of dominance for The Cross. Our school became a national powerhouse, consistently churning out All-Americans, NBA players, and even Hall of Famers.
Six players in particular played huge parts in making those teams so successful: George Kaftan ’49, Bob Cousy ’50, Togo Palazzi ’54, Tom Heinsohn ’56, Jack “The Shot” Foley ’62, and Ron Perry ’80. They led the charge in this impressive run of brilliance for the College, which featured an NIT title in 1954 and multiple NCAA tournament appearances all the way up until the late 1970s.
To commemorate these six legends, the school retired their jerseys in the Hart Center. Kaftan, Cousy, Palazzi, and Heinsohn saw their banners sent to the rafters on November 16th, 2008, while Foley and Perry received the same honor on February 12th, 2011. These banners celebrated the careers of the six young men who led Holy Cross to the pinnacle of college basketball. Perhaps more importantly, they exemplified all the qualities that the college strives to instill in every student that comes through The Cross.
Yet, for some reason, the banners no longer hang in the Hart Center. To me, their absence represents a failure to honor the legacies of these six great men and their impact on the college. After learning more about them, I believe you’ll join me in thinking that it’s time to raise the banners once again.
George Kaftan, #12
Kaftan pioneered Holy Cross’s meteoric rise to national prominence. Before his arrival, the school was nothing close to a basketball powerhouse. But with the help of some tough, hard-nosed teammates, Kaftan completely flipped the script. Dubbed by many as “The Golden Greek,” he led the Crusaders to an improbable turnaround. In his sophomore campaign, Kaftan was the star of the show, captaining Holy Cross to a 27-3 record and earning them a bid to the NCAA tournament. He scored a remarkable 48 total points in the final two games and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. In his final two years, Kaftan and the Crusaders stayed atop national rankings before he was eventually drafted by the Boston Celtics. In his collegiate career, Kaftan tallied 1,177 career points, becoming the first player in school history to eclipse 1,000 points. He was also named a first team All-American in 1947 and 1948. Kaftan cemented his place as a Holy Cross legend when he was inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1962.
Bob Cousy #17
Nicknamed “The Houdini of the Hardwood,” Bob Cousy was nothing short of spectacular. Prior to forging a Hall of Fame career in which he became an NBA MVP and 6-time NBA champion with the Celtics, “Cooz” made his mark on the Hill. Cousy was a key member of the 1947 NCAA Championship Team despite being just a freshman, as he ranked third on the team in scoring with 227 points. During the remainder of his career, Cousy became a bonafide superstar. He led the team in scoring in all three seasons, leading the Crusaders to a 72-16 record in that span. Cousy revolutionized the point guard position and entertained people in a way they had never seen before. He finished his career at Holy Cross with 1,775 points, which at the time of his departure, was the most in school history. He’s also the only player in school history to be named a first team All-American three different times in 1948, 1949, and 1950. He was a member of the first class of the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1956.
Togo Palazzi #22
Palazzi was very highly touted coming out of high school, with offers from just about every major program in the country. Luckily for Holy Cross, he felt most at home on the Hill, and he definitely lived up to expectations. A March, 1954 edition of the college’s literary magazine named The Holy Cross Purple called Palazzi “a great national hero” and “the idol of fans in every state in the Union.” This praise was well-deserved, as few players in the history of college basketball put up numbers as good as Palazzi’s. He erupted in his final two years specifically, with averages of 22.8 points and 16.3 rebounds per game as a junior and 24.8 points and 13.6 rebounds per game as a senior. Although he’s measured at 6’4”, Palazzi played like he was 7’0”. His tenacity led the Crusaders to a 46-8 record during his junior and senior seasons. He capped off his outstanding career with an NIT championship title – the school’s second major championship in 7 years. Palazzi was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after scoring an incredible 77 total points in three games. He concluded his legendary career as a two time All-American with 1,633 points and 1,086 rebounds. He was named to the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1967. His contributions to the college extend beyond his playing days as well. He returned as an assistant coach for eight years for the men’s team and as the head coach of the women’s team for five years.
Tom Heinsohn #24
Like Cousy, Tom Heinsohn is primarily remembered for his time in the NBA, and for good reason. His Hall of Fame professional career included 8 NBA championships and 6 NBA All Star appearances, among other awards. Oh, and he coached the Celtics to 2 more NBA championships before becoming the signature voice of the Celtics broadcasts. He was a legend in every sense of the word. But before all of that, Heinsohn made a name for himself on Mount St. James. Standing at an imposing 6’7” with stellar athleticism, he was a monster in the paint. He averaged 15.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in Holy Cross’s NIT-winning season, complementing Palazzi’s game perfectly. From there, Heinsohn only improved. He upped his averages to 23.3 points and 14.8 rebounds per game as a junior, and then once again to an unbelievable 27.4 points and 21.1 rebounds per game as a senior – one of the greatest single season stat lines in college basketball history. With Heinsohn in the lineup, the team’s record was 67-14. He scored 1,789 total points over his career, and he ranks as the school’s most prolific rebounder with an astounding 1,254 boards. He was named a first team All-American in 1955 and 1956 and eventually joined the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1962.
Jack “The Shot” Foley #32
When it comes to scoring, there haven’t been many people better than Jack Foley. Even before suiting up for Holy Cross, Foley was a myth in Worcester. Acclaimed for his unstoppable jump shot, he put up 920 points in only 22 games in his senior year of high school. And while this was remarkable in and of itself, “The Shot” didn’t stop there; he brought that firepower to the Hill. In his first season on the varsity squad, Foley averaged 24.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, earning the team a bid to the NIT. He only improved as time went on, with averages of 27 points and 10.5 rebounds as a junior and 33.3 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior. His 866 points as a senior still stand as the most points by a player in a single season in Crusader history. Foley also holds the top 2 spots for most points in a single game with 56 and 55. At the time of his graduation, he was the only player in the program’s storied history to eclipse the 2,000-point mark, finishing with 2,185. The three-time All-American led Holy Cross to a 61-17 record over his varsity career. He was inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1971.
Ron Perry #15
The Perry family is iconic on the Hill. Ron K. Perry is the son of Ron S. Perry, who starred in both basketball and baseball at the Cross before becoming the school’s longtime athletic director. The elder Perry was a dominant pitcher for the 1952 NCAA baseball champion Crusaders, and was also the starting point guard for the 1954 NIT-winning basketball squad. Like his father, Ron Perry Jr. was an elite two-sport athlete at the college. During his years on the basketball team, Perry brought the Crusaders back to national prominence. In his first season, he led all freshmen in the country in scoring with an average of 23 points per game. His efforts spurred Holy Cross to a 23-6 record that season and earned them a spot in the NCAA tournament. Because of this, Holy Cross found themselves ranked 18th in the country in the preseason poll. Led by Perry’s 21.7 points per game, the Crusaders turned in another impressive season, finishing 20-7 while being ranked as high as 12th in the nation at one point. During his final two years, Perry averaged 25 and 22.9 points per game, respectively. His senior year saw the Crusaders return to the NCAA tournament once again, as #11 seed Holy Cross narrowly lost to
#6 seed Iona in the first round. That game capped off Perry’s incredible career. He became the second player ever to surpass the 2,000-point mark, ending with 2,524 points. This number still stands as the most in school history. He was named a second team All-American in each of his first three seasons before being chosen as a first team selection as a senior. Perry was inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1985.
Greater Meaning
While all the statistics and accolades that these players racked up were amazing, these banners mean so much more than that. Former Holy Cross player and head coach Ralph Willard knows this well, as he was a key proponent in getting the jerseys up there in the first place. In a recent phone call that I had with Coach Willard, he explained his reasoning behind pushing for the banners to be raised. Willard recalled once meeting Dick Groat, a standout athlete who starred in both basketball and baseball at Duke before becoming one of the best shortstops in the MLB. His jersey was retired in Cameron Indoor Stadium, making him one of just 13 players in Duke’s illustrious basketball history to receive the honor. Willard said, “When he talked about having his jersey retired, it brought a tear to his eye. It meant that much to him.” This experience led him to advocate for the college to show the same type of appreciation to our own legends. His effort obviously succeeded, and he noted that each one of the four legends whose banners were originally hung in 2008 told him how much it meant to them.
Their reverence for the honor extends far beyond being recognized for their play. I spoke with Togo Palazzi about that special day in 2008, and his emotion was apparent throughout the conversation. What stuck out most to me was how grateful he was to represent his teams and his school, not just himself. He asserted that his banner embodied each and every one of his teammates during his time on the Hill, which was really cool to hear. I’m certain all the other men whose banners hung up there would say the same. This conversation with Mr. Palazzi was similar to what I imagine Coach Willard’s conversation with Dick Groat was like. Willard also remembered a particularly significant moment that encapsulated the power these banners hold. On the day that the four original jerseys were raised to the rafters, the 2008-09 Crusaders took on St. Joseph’s. Although it was just a regular season game, the Hart Center was completely filled. People were excited to witness such a historic day for the school and for the program, and a win by the Crusaders would be the icing on the cake. However, Holy Cross fell into a hole. They were down big, and they needed a spark. “I called a timeout to rally the troops,” Willard said. “I told the guys, ‘Look up at those banners. Don’t do it for me. Don’t do it for you. Do it for them.’” This lit a fire under the team. They stormed back from the deficit, forced overtime and eventually won the game by four points. It was a gritty win, and there’s no doubt that the banners hanging above the floor had a lot to do with it.
From a fan’s perspective, I can attest to the significance of the banners. It might sound weird, but the feeling of those banners was palpable when you stepped into the gym. I’d liken it to the feeling I had when I walked into TD Garden for the first time. Looking up and seeing the 22 retired jerseys in the rafters was very moving. Those legends have an effect on players and fans during each and every game, despite no longer playing. Guys who play for the franchise often talk about dreaming of having their numbers retired, and they cite the banners above them as inspiration to achieve such a thing.
The same is true on a smaller scale in the Hart Center. History matters to players, coaches, fans, and alumni. By celebrating our school’s best and brightest players, we’re inspiring current and future members of the program to emulate their standard. The athletic department isn’t a separate entity from the school. It’s a part of the fabric of Holy Cross, and it’s a main reason why the Hill is such a special place. We rightly applaud notable non-athlete alumni for their outstanding contributions to the college and to the world. You can’t tell the story of Holy Cross without all those people… but you also can’t tell the story of Holy Cross without George Kaftan, Bob Cousy, Togo Palazzi, Tom Heinsohn, Jack Foley, and Ron Perry. They are cornerstones for not only our storied athletic department, but also for our school. Most importantly, though, their examples of excellence both on and off the court are phenomenal representations of what Holy Cross is all about. They symbolize everything a Holy Cross student should hope to be, and they deserve to be admired for that. For all of these reasons, I don’t see a plausible reason for taking the banners down. These men contributed so much to our school, and they’ve repeatedly shown their appreciation for their time on the Hill. What ever happened to celebrating our history?
BYTHEHOLYCROSSSPIREON MAY 7, 2021 • ( LEAVE A COMMENT )
Jimmy Casey ‘22
Sports Editor
Image Courtesy of College of the Holy Cross
Have you ever heard of a National Championship winning team who didn’t even have their own practice facility? No? I hadn’t either… that was, until I heard the story of the legendary 1947 Holy Cross basketball team. In that season, our tiny Jesuit school on Mount St. James shocked the college basketball world and won it all, despite using a shabby barn on campus for practice. This team kickstarted a long era of dominance for The Cross. Our school became a national powerhouse, consistently churning out All-Americans, NBA players, and even Hall of Famers.
Six players in particular played huge parts in making those teams so successful: George Kaftan ’49, Bob Cousy ’50, Togo Palazzi ’54, Tom Heinsohn ’56, Jack “The Shot” Foley ’62, and Ron Perry ’80. They led the charge in this impressive run of brilliance for the College, which featured an NIT title in 1954 and multiple NCAA tournament appearances all the way up until the late 1970s.
To commemorate these six legends, the school retired their jerseys in the Hart Center. Kaftan, Cousy, Palazzi, and Heinsohn saw their banners sent to the rafters on November 16th, 2008, while Foley and Perry received the same honor on February 12th, 2011. These banners celebrated the careers of the six young men who led Holy Cross to the pinnacle of college basketball. Perhaps more importantly, they exemplified all the qualities that the college strives to instill in every student that comes through The Cross.
Yet, for some reason, the banners no longer hang in the Hart Center. To me, their absence represents a failure to honor the legacies of these six great men and their impact on the college. After learning more about them, I believe you’ll join me in thinking that it’s time to raise the banners once again.
George Kaftan, #12
Kaftan pioneered Holy Cross’s meteoric rise to national prominence. Before his arrival, the school was nothing close to a basketball powerhouse. But with the help of some tough, hard-nosed teammates, Kaftan completely flipped the script. Dubbed by many as “The Golden Greek,” he led the Crusaders to an improbable turnaround. In his sophomore campaign, Kaftan was the star of the show, captaining Holy Cross to a 27-3 record and earning them a bid to the NCAA tournament. He scored a remarkable 48 total points in the final two games and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. In his final two years, Kaftan and the Crusaders stayed atop national rankings before he was eventually drafted by the Boston Celtics. In his collegiate career, Kaftan tallied 1,177 career points, becoming the first player in school history to eclipse 1,000 points. He was also named a first team All-American in 1947 and 1948. Kaftan cemented his place as a Holy Cross legend when he was inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1962.
Bob Cousy #17
Nicknamed “The Houdini of the Hardwood,” Bob Cousy was nothing short of spectacular. Prior to forging a Hall of Fame career in which he became an NBA MVP and 6-time NBA champion with the Celtics, “Cooz” made his mark on the Hill. Cousy was a key member of the 1947 NCAA Championship Team despite being just a freshman, as he ranked third on the team in scoring with 227 points. During the remainder of his career, Cousy became a bonafide superstar. He led the team in scoring in all three seasons, leading the Crusaders to a 72-16 record in that span. Cousy revolutionized the point guard position and entertained people in a way they had never seen before. He finished his career at Holy Cross with 1,775 points, which at the time of his departure, was the most in school history. He’s also the only player in school history to be named a first team All-American three different times in 1948, 1949, and 1950. He was a member of the first class of the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1956.
Togo Palazzi #22
Palazzi was very highly touted coming out of high school, with offers from just about every major program in the country. Luckily for Holy Cross, he felt most at home on the Hill, and he definitely lived up to expectations. A March, 1954 edition of the college’s literary magazine named The Holy Cross Purple called Palazzi “a great national hero” and “the idol of fans in every state in the Union.” This praise was well-deserved, as few players in the history of college basketball put up numbers as good as Palazzi’s. He erupted in his final two years specifically, with averages of 22.8 points and 16.3 rebounds per game as a junior and 24.8 points and 13.6 rebounds per game as a senior. Although he’s measured at 6’4”, Palazzi played like he was 7’0”. His tenacity led the Crusaders to a 46-8 record during his junior and senior seasons. He capped off his outstanding career with an NIT championship title – the school’s second major championship in 7 years. Palazzi was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after scoring an incredible 77 total points in three games. He concluded his legendary career as a two time All-American with 1,633 points and 1,086 rebounds. He was named to the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1967. His contributions to the college extend beyond his playing days as well. He returned as an assistant coach for eight years for the men’s team and as the head coach of the women’s team for five years.
Tom Heinsohn #24
Like Cousy, Tom Heinsohn is primarily remembered for his time in the NBA, and for good reason. His Hall of Fame professional career included 8 NBA championships and 6 NBA All Star appearances, among other awards. Oh, and he coached the Celtics to 2 more NBA championships before becoming the signature voice of the Celtics broadcasts. He was a legend in every sense of the word. But before all of that, Heinsohn made a name for himself on Mount St. James. Standing at an imposing 6’7” with stellar athleticism, he was a monster in the paint. He averaged 15.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in Holy Cross’s NIT-winning season, complementing Palazzi’s game perfectly. From there, Heinsohn only improved. He upped his averages to 23.3 points and 14.8 rebounds per game as a junior, and then once again to an unbelievable 27.4 points and 21.1 rebounds per game as a senior – one of the greatest single season stat lines in college basketball history. With Heinsohn in the lineup, the team’s record was 67-14. He scored 1,789 total points over his career, and he ranks as the school’s most prolific rebounder with an astounding 1,254 boards. He was named a first team All-American in 1955 and 1956 and eventually joined the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1962.
Jack “The Shot” Foley #32
When it comes to scoring, there haven’t been many people better than Jack Foley. Even before suiting up for Holy Cross, Foley was a myth in Worcester. Acclaimed for his unstoppable jump shot, he put up 920 points in only 22 games in his senior year of high school. And while this was remarkable in and of itself, “The Shot” didn’t stop there; he brought that firepower to the Hill. In his first season on the varsity squad, Foley averaged 24.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, earning the team a bid to the NIT. He only improved as time went on, with averages of 27 points and 10.5 rebounds as a junior and 33.3 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior. His 866 points as a senior still stand as the most points by a player in a single season in Crusader history. Foley also holds the top 2 spots for most points in a single game with 56 and 55. At the time of his graduation, he was the only player in the program’s storied history to eclipse the 2,000-point mark, finishing with 2,185. The three-time All-American led Holy Cross to a 61-17 record over his varsity career. He was inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1971.
Ron Perry #15
The Perry family is iconic on the Hill. Ron K. Perry is the son of Ron S. Perry, who starred in both basketball and baseball at the Cross before becoming the school’s longtime athletic director. The elder Perry was a dominant pitcher for the 1952 NCAA baseball champion Crusaders, and was also the starting point guard for the 1954 NIT-winning basketball squad. Like his father, Ron Perry Jr. was an elite two-sport athlete at the college. During his years on the basketball team, Perry brought the Crusaders back to national prominence. In his first season, he led all freshmen in the country in scoring with an average of 23 points per game. His efforts spurred Holy Cross to a 23-6 record that season and earned them a spot in the NCAA tournament. Because of this, Holy Cross found themselves ranked 18th in the country in the preseason poll. Led by Perry’s 21.7 points per game, the Crusaders turned in another impressive season, finishing 20-7 while being ranked as high as 12th in the nation at one point. During his final two years, Perry averaged 25 and 22.9 points per game, respectively. His senior year saw the Crusaders return to the NCAA tournament once again, as #11 seed Holy Cross narrowly lost to
#6 seed Iona in the first round. That game capped off Perry’s incredible career. He became the second player ever to surpass the 2,000-point mark, ending with 2,524 points. This number still stands as the most in school history. He was named a second team All-American in each of his first three seasons before being chosen as a first team selection as a senior. Perry was inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1985.
Greater Meaning
While all the statistics and accolades that these players racked up were amazing, these banners mean so much more than that. Former Holy Cross player and head coach Ralph Willard knows this well, as he was a key proponent in getting the jerseys up there in the first place. In a recent phone call that I had with Coach Willard, he explained his reasoning behind pushing for the banners to be raised. Willard recalled once meeting Dick Groat, a standout athlete who starred in both basketball and baseball at Duke before becoming one of the best shortstops in the MLB. His jersey was retired in Cameron Indoor Stadium, making him one of just 13 players in Duke’s illustrious basketball history to receive the honor. Willard said, “When he talked about having his jersey retired, it brought a tear to his eye. It meant that much to him.” This experience led him to advocate for the college to show the same type of appreciation to our own legends. His effort obviously succeeded, and he noted that each one of the four legends whose banners were originally hung in 2008 told him how much it meant to them.
Their reverence for the honor extends far beyond being recognized for their play. I spoke with Togo Palazzi about that special day in 2008, and his emotion was apparent throughout the conversation. What stuck out most to me was how grateful he was to represent his teams and his school, not just himself. He asserted that his banner embodied each and every one of his teammates during his time on the Hill, which was really cool to hear. I’m certain all the other men whose banners hung up there would say the same. This conversation with Mr. Palazzi was similar to what I imagine Coach Willard’s conversation with Dick Groat was like. Willard also remembered a particularly significant moment that encapsulated the power these banners hold. On the day that the four original jerseys were raised to the rafters, the 2008-09 Crusaders took on St. Joseph’s. Although it was just a regular season game, the Hart Center was completely filled. People were excited to witness such a historic day for the school and for the program, and a win by the Crusaders would be the icing on the cake. However, Holy Cross fell into a hole. They were down big, and they needed a spark. “I called a timeout to rally the troops,” Willard said. “I told the guys, ‘Look up at those banners. Don’t do it for me. Don’t do it for you. Do it for them.’” This lit a fire under the team. They stormed back from the deficit, forced overtime and eventually won the game by four points. It was a gritty win, and there’s no doubt that the banners hanging above the floor had a lot to do with it.
From a fan’s perspective, I can attest to the significance of the banners. It might sound weird, but the feeling of those banners was palpable when you stepped into the gym. I’d liken it to the feeling I had when I walked into TD Garden for the first time. Looking up and seeing the 22 retired jerseys in the rafters was very moving. Those legends have an effect on players and fans during each and every game, despite no longer playing. Guys who play for the franchise often talk about dreaming of having their numbers retired, and they cite the banners above them as inspiration to achieve such a thing.
The same is true on a smaller scale in the Hart Center. History matters to players, coaches, fans, and alumni. By celebrating our school’s best and brightest players, we’re inspiring current and future members of the program to emulate their standard. The athletic department isn’t a separate entity from the school. It’s a part of the fabric of Holy Cross, and it’s a main reason why the Hill is such a special place. We rightly applaud notable non-athlete alumni for their outstanding contributions to the college and to the world. You can’t tell the story of Holy Cross without all those people… but you also can’t tell the story of Holy Cross without George Kaftan, Bob Cousy, Togo Palazzi, Tom Heinsohn, Jack Foley, and Ron Perry. They are cornerstones for not only our storied athletic department, but also for our school. Most importantly, though, their examples of excellence both on and off the court are phenomenal representations of what Holy Cross is all about. They symbolize everything a Holy Cross student should hope to be, and they deserve to be admired for that. For all of these reasons, I don’t see a plausible reason for taking the banners down. These men contributed so much to our school, and they’ve repeatedly shown their appreciation for their time on the Hill. What ever happened to celebrating our history?