Later this morning I'm going to attend yet another state championship football game featuring my high school alma mater in a bid for their 8th state championship title. The sports writers used to refer to them as "unlikely" but they don't any more. The reason for the early reports including the "unlikely" moniker was to do with the extremely small school size, their male enrollment often a very small fraction of those they competed against. They didn't have a band because they had to put those boys in football uniforms. 
On Thanksgiving Day, a day that marks one of the oldest football rivalries in the US dating back to the 1800's and clearly the biggest of them all here in CT, a man died who grew up on the same street as me, and was the coach of this team for 19 years. The record he amassed was a staggering 193 - 26. His name was Jack Hunt.
At 6' 7" and nearly 300 pounds, he was a very imposing man to say the least. He was 12 years older than me and played college football on a scholarship at Witchita State under two very familiar assistant coaches, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcell. Upon his return home, he became the truant officer at Ansonia High. How could that possibly tie in with me you ask?
Just a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, I ran into Jack while at an appointment at my primary care doctor. I hadn't seen him in many years and we had some great laughs there in the waiting room remeniscing over the good old days.
Particularly funny (now - not then) was how he used to continually catch me skipping school at one of three favorite haunts. Muzzy's Candy Store, Vonetes Ice Cream Parlor, and, of course, Sam's Pool Hall, a real 'underbelly of society' kind of place. I loved it there.
I was really enjoying our visit and then we said goodbye as I was called in for my appointment. He looked great and was I ever surprised to learn of his passing just a couple of weeks later. Very fitting, I thought, was that it happened just ten minutes prior to the kickoff of the Ansonia - Naugatuck Thanksgiving Classic. He never mentioned to me that he was battling esophogeal cancer. He was a stoic man.
When he would come flush me out of the pool hall, etc., he was always kind to me and, quite frankly, he gave me way more breaks than I deserved. He was as good-hearted a man as any near-300 lb truant officer could ever be. :grin:
Here's a link to a story about his passing and the legacy he left. I made a comment on the page, as well.
Maybe, in his honor, the team will bring home another state championship today. Go Blue! :smile:
http://www.rep-am.com/sports/redzone/685802.txt
RIP Jack!
best,
brian kc
On Thanksgiving Day, a day that marks one of the oldest football rivalries in the US dating back to the 1800's and clearly the biggest of them all here in CT, a man died who grew up on the same street as me, and was the coach of this team for 19 years. The record he amassed was a staggering 193 - 26. His name was Jack Hunt.
At 6' 7" and nearly 300 pounds, he was a very imposing man to say the least. He was 12 years older than me and played college football on a scholarship at Witchita State under two very familiar assistant coaches, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcell. Upon his return home, he became the truant officer at Ansonia High. How could that possibly tie in with me you ask?
Just a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, I ran into Jack while at an appointment at my primary care doctor. I hadn't seen him in many years and we had some great laughs there in the waiting room remeniscing over the good old days.
Particularly funny (now - not then) was how he used to continually catch me skipping school at one of three favorite haunts. Muzzy's Candy Store, Vonetes Ice Cream Parlor, and, of course, Sam's Pool Hall, a real 'underbelly of society' kind of place. I loved it there.
I was really enjoying our visit and then we said goodbye as I was called in for my appointment. He looked great and was I ever surprised to learn of his passing just a couple of weeks later. Very fitting, I thought, was that it happened just ten minutes prior to the kickoff of the Ansonia - Naugatuck Thanksgiving Classic. He never mentioned to me that he was battling esophogeal cancer. He was a stoic man.
When he would come flush me out of the pool hall, etc., he was always kind to me and, quite frankly, he gave me way more breaks than I deserved. He was as good-hearted a man as any near-300 lb truant officer could ever be. :grin:
Here's a link to a story about his passing and the legacy he left. I made a comment on the page, as well.
Maybe, in his honor, the team will bring home another state championship today. Go Blue! :smile:
http://www.rep-am.com/sports/redzone/685802.txt
RIP Jack!
best,
brian kc
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