Classical Hall of Fame Welcomes New Inductees

The Daily Item of Lynn, 5/9/07

The new Lynn Classical Hall of Fame inductees include:

Dave Barry, Class of 1932: Oh, for the days of baseball at Hill's Field and Barry Park. Who remembers the Little River Midgets? One such person would be David R. "Dave" Barry, born in Lynn in 1915 and graduated from Lynn Classical in 1932. Dave starred as a catcher for Classical, Post 6, La Salle Military Academy, and Holy Cross College, where he played from 1935-38.

Dave often told the story of an exhibition game between Holy Cross and the Boston Red Sox at Holy Cross in 1938. Someone snapped a picture with Dave catching and Ted Williams at the plate. That picture still hangs in the athletic office at Holy Cross.

Dave continued playing baseball at the professional level in Canada until he enlisted in the US Army in 1941 and served until the end of World War II.

Returning to Lynn in 1945, Dave taught in the Lynn School System, married his wife Claire, and had four children. His untimely death occurred in March of 1969.

Geoffrey Boyd, Class of 1992: Geoffrey Boyd played varsity basketball, track and football at Classical High School. His athletic awards are many: long-jump record at the Class D Championship in 1991, Bill Joyce Award, Daily Item All-Star, Agganis and Shriner Bowl All-Star and voted most athletic in his senior year. Football, however, helped pay the bills for Geoffrey as he headed to the University of New Hampshire on a full football scholarship. Upon graduation, Geoffrey began his teaching career at the Lynn Community Charter School, and he has taught at Classical and Breed.

Geoffrey is now working with at-risk youth at MY TURN, Inc., a program aimed at helping at-risk Lynn youth continue their education.

Joyce (Delehanty) Erekson, Class of 1978: As a 1978 graduate of Classical High School, Joyce Erekson played both softball and field hockey for three years. She captained the field hockey team in her senior year and was a member of the Classical softball team that won the Northeastern Conference Championship. After graduation from North Adams State College in 1982, Joyce became a sports correspondent at the Daily Item -- and later a staff member -- where she has been working ever since, both in the News Department and covering high school sports. Joyce serves as the Agganis Softball Classic co-Director.

Joyce lives in Lynn with her husband, Carl, and her children, Jack and Jennie.

Raymond Desmarais, Class of 1979: As a graduate of Lynn Classical, Class of 1979, Raymond F. Desmarais led the charge for the hockey team in 1977-79 and was a two-time Daily Item and Sunday Post All-Star. He was also a Northeastern Conference All-Star and was one of the top ten scorers in his senior season.

While at Classical, Ray also played three years on the golf team, and was a Northeastern Conference, Daily Item, and Sunday Post All-Star.

Ray continued playing hockey and golf at New Hampton Preparatory School in New Hampshire, the #1-ranked prep school in the country, and New England College. In hockey, he played in two playoff games and received the Coaches' Award in 1985. He continues to be a member of the Friends of New England College Hockey. In golf, he was a member of the 1985 New England College National Association Interscholastic Athletes Division 5 Championship Team, and he qualified to compete in the NAIA Championships in Arizona.

Mr. Desmarais is currently Executive Vice-President of the Lynn Classical High School Alumni Association and plays on a Senior A hockey team in Boston. Ray and his wife, Julie, have two sons, Ryan and Jake.

Patrick Gecoya, Class of 1964: Patrick Gecoya graduated from Classical in 1964, but not before he was selected to the Daily Item All-Star Football Team and the Lynn Sunday Post All-Star Football Team. He was also a member of the 1963 Classical Championship Baseball Team. After graduating from Curry College and Suffolk University, he remained active in sports, both as an official and as a coach. He speaks with pride of his years as varsity softball coach at Lynn English, where his teams won five consecutive Northeastern Conference Championships from 1986-90.

Over the years, Patrick has given back to the community in various capacities as president of the Classical Monogram Club and as Grand Knight at the Knights of Columbus in Lynn, where he received the 1996 Community Award. Patrick continues to serve as past Grand Knight.

Patrick has been a Guidance Counselor at L.V.T.I. since 1998.

Bill Giarla, Class of 1971: Bill Giarla could be called Classical's Renaissance man, since his skills ranged from the classroom to the sports arena. Bill grew up in Nahant and attended Lynn Classical High from 1967 to 1971. At Classical, this honors student was President of the National Honor Society, and President of his class both junior and senior year. In his senior year, Bill captained the basketball team and played quarterback and defensive back on the football team and was the recipient of the distinguished Harry Agganis Award.

Continuing his education at Harvard, Bill played intramural football and basketball and was named Intramural Athlete of the Year for Kirkland House. After Harvard, Bill continued his education at Duke University Law School in North Carolina, where he played intramural sports.

Since 1987, Bill Giarla has been a lawyer for Beazer East, Inc. He is also Executive Director of the Martha Fund, a non-profit organization that raises money for local playgrounds, named after his sister-in-law, an FBI agent killed in the line of duty.

Bill lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Joanne, and his two children, Katie and Kenny. He is currently President of the Harvard Club of Western Pennsylvania.

Malcolm Hunt, Class of 1951: Hockey was new to Lynn Classical in 1950. Previously, the boys who played pond hockey and attended Classical made up the Lynn Classical Independent Hockey Team. In 1949-50, Classical had an official hockey team, and the goalie was Mel Hunt. The very next year, in 1950-51, Lynn Classical won the North Shore Championship and went on to the State Tournament. Again, Mel Hunt led the charge.

His hockey honors are many: Team Captain in 1951, North Shore All-Star in 1950 and 1951, Honorable Mention at the Met Tourney, and State All-Star. When pressed, he'll boast of 10 shutouts in 22 games in 1951.

After graduation, Mel served four years in the Navy and turned a summer job at the General Electric into a career that lasted 38 years. Mel retired from the GE in 1989. His four children all graduated from Classical, and he predicts at least one of his 14 grandchildren will wear Classical's green as a hockey player some day.

Cindi (McPherson) Melanson, Class of 1993: Classical athletes often play more than one sport, and Cindi (McPherson) Melanson was no different. She was a member of both the varsity soccer and varsity basketball teams. She was co-captain of Classical's basketball team during her senior year and was named an All-Star by the Northeastern Conference and by the North Shore Sunday Post and Daily Item. Cindi was also Junior and Senior Class President.

After graduating in 1993, Cindi took her Agganis Scholarship to Tufts, where she played basketball her freshman year and then moved on to running. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1997 with a degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Community Health. She also earned a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina in 1999, and since then has worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Cindi lives in Atlanta with her husband A.J., and is expecting (or enjoying) her first child as we go to press.

Salvy Migliaccio, Class of 1971: Salvy the Florist has been a Lynn institution for 45 years, and much of that time the business has been run by Salvy Migliaccio. As a 1971 graduate of Lynn Classical High School, he played football and baseball.

Salvy attended Boston University but left early to expand the family flower business. Salvy has served the Lynn Community in many capacities, including four years as President of the Lynn Chamber of Commerce, President of the Lynn Business Education Foundation, ten years as Councilor at Large on the Lynn City Council, and six years as the Council's President. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chamber of Commerce and the Community Service Award from the Friendly Knights of St. Patrick.

Salvy has been married to his wife, Anne, for 26 years, and they have two children and one grandchild.

Abraham "Hector" Monsein, Class of 1929: It is doubtful many people can remember the 1928 undefeated Lynn Classical football team, but Abraham "Hector" Monsein does. Today, living in an assisted-care facility in Florida, he told his son Steve recently that he "loved to make a good tackle," and tackles he made that year as "Hector" (as he was known) was named High School All-Scholastic in football.

Hector never was able to accept the football scholarship to Columbia he was offered. He had to help support the family, and he went to work at Anheuser-Busch. Years later, Hector went to night school at Northeastern University and was admitted to the bar in 1938. He practiced law in the Boston area until 1973, when he retired.

Hector's son, Steve, will deliver the good news of his induction to the Classical Hall of Fame.

Tom Morgan, Class of 1972: A 1972 graduate of Lynn Classical High School, Thomas L. Morgan co-captained both the LCHS Basketball Team and the LCHS Baseball Team. Tom continued his baseball playing with the American Legion Post 6 and the City of Lynn Park League. He even pitched in front of the scouts at Fenway Park with the New England All-Stars.

Tom made numerous appearances on television as a professional bowler and was in many championships, such as the Yellow Pages Championship, the Stars and Striikes, and ABC with Don Gillis.

Since 1979, General Electric was home to Tom, and he worked there and was a union representative until his death in 2002.

George Papagelis, Class of 1963: Best known for his baseball ability, George Papagelis was chosen in 1963 as a first-team Globe All-Scholastic in baseball at Lynn Classical High School. After graduation, George went to Parson College, Iowa, where he played baseball for two years.

Softball followed baseball, and George spent 10 years playing Men's Major Fast Pitch Softball. He played in 10 national tournaments, winning in 1983. He was a three-time All-American alternate and played in two world tournaments. George looks forward to being inducted into the Connecticut Softball Hall of Fame in November of 2007.

Fred Santangelo, Class of 1950: Fred Santangelo remembers playing with the likes of Harry Agganis on the Classical 1947 football team. He was a three-year starter in football and captained the 1949 team. Fred played indoor and outdoor track at Classical, where he was best known for the shot put.

Fred went on to play football on an athletic scholarship at Wake Forest University. Upon graduation in 1955, he came back to Classical as a line coach under George Moriarty in 1955 and 1956. He worked in the private sector for 33 years before retiring in 1996.

Fred is a charter member and past President of the LCHS Monogram Club and a member and past Grand Knight of the Lynn Valladolid Council #70 Knights of Columbus.

Fred lives in Lynn with his wife, Gloria. They have two sons and six grandchildren.

Tom Sucharewicz, Class of 1972: Tom Sucharewicz graduated from Lynn Classical High School in 1973 with numerous athletic honors behind him. In 1972-73, he was the captain of the football and track teams. In 1971, Tom won the Harold Zimman Award for "Outstanding Thanksgiving Game Player." He was a 1971 Globe All-Scholastic in football and Essex County All-Star Team player. In fact, if there was a newspaper, he was on its All-Star Team -- Item, Herald, Globe and Sunday Post. Tom received a full scholarship to Iowa State University, where he played football and ran track.

Tom resides in Peabody with his wife, Noreen, and their two sons.

Robert Thibodeau, Class of 1953: Rated one of the best backstops in the league, Robert Thibodeau played three years on the Lynn Classical baseball team, most notably as a catcher. From 1951 to 1953 at Classical, Bob not only was known for his arm, but he batted cleanup.

Bob also played for Connery Post 6 under Nipper Clancy and made Captain. He was an All-Star for three years in the Essex County League. Bob took baseball to the next level when he signed to play minor-league ball with the (NY) Giants and the Dodgers.

Bob is retired from the General Electric, and he lives in Lynn with his wife, Maureen.

David Warden, Class of 1947: Another graduate who played with Harry Agganis in football at Classical is David Warden, who graduated in 1947. He played in the '46 East Coast Championship game on Christmas Eve. Warden gives much of the credit to his coach, Bill Joyce. David also captained the Essex County Championship basketball team in 1947 alongside the great Agganis. Again, Warden credits his coach, Jim Twohig.

Warden went on to play football, both offense and defense, at Harvard. He received three varsity letters while at Harvard, and in one Harvard-Yale football game was credited with catching the longest pass for a touchdown in the series at that time. He also played Varsity Basketball at Harvard.

David served in Korea as a platoon leader. Soon after, he graduated from Boston University School of Law. He has practiced law in Lynn and served three terms on the Lynn School Committee.

Gene Wiswall, Class of 1963: It's hard to pick Gene Wiswall's most noteworthy sport. Was it baseball, football, track, or boxing? He's won awards in all four, and this 1963 graduate of Lynn Classical has played sports with some of the greats.

Gene played baseball on an undefeated Cobbet Junior High team in 1960 and went undefeated with the Classical team in 1963 in the regular season. He was selected to the 1962 Daily Item Football All-Star team. He set a record in the relay while at Classical, and won the Greater Lowell Silver Mittens Championship in 1960 at the 118-lbs. weight class.

After high school, Gene joined the Army Airborne in 1964, where he won high score on the Physical Combat Training Proficiency Test in basic training. He continued boxing in the Army.

In 1967, Gene boxed at the Boys Club and won the New England A.A.U. Championship in 1967 and 1968.

After retirement from General Electric, Gene spends his days on the golf course in Florida.

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