It occurs to me that although I often allude to my lifelong friend Dave Hardt in these columns, there may very well be many readers unfamiliar with David and his place in Attleboro athletic lore.
Following legendary high school and prep school careers, through his talents and sheer hard work, he became the first Attleboro High School athlete to become a New England Patriot.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL draft in the same class as future Super Bowl quarterback Jim Plunkett, Dave's future looked rosy.
After having shown promise in workouts and preseason play, Hardt's career in pro football was ended by a blind-side block which shredded his knee and his professional football hopes in the same moment.
His ACL and MCL both were torn badly, an injury which was inoperable (for his purposes) in the early 1970s.
David has proven a reliable and trusted friend since we were both 10-year-olds at Bliss School. I hope this brief account from and Attleboro Sun of July 1968, when Dave was preparing for his freshman year at Kentucky will allow newcomers to become acquainted with his schoolboy achievements and accolades. It will give the reader some perspective to know that although Dave's college days are nearly half a century in the past, he still holds many of the University of Kentucky punting records.
Dave Hardt accepts
offer from Kentucky
Dave Hardt, former three-letter athlete at Attleboro High School, has received and accepted a full football scholarship at the University of Kentucky. The 1966 AHS graduate will enter the university in September after completing a year at the Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, Va.
Hardt starred for the Bombardiers in football, basketball and track for three years, but will concentrate chiefly on football and track at Kentucky.
Many of the top-notch colleges of the country were after the services of Hardt, and after several visits to campus sites, he chose to be with Coach Rupp at Kentucky (this had to be written in error; legendary coach Adolph Rupp coached basketball). Among the colleges interested in Hardt for football were Memphis State, Virginia Tech, University of Maryland, Michigan State, the University of Maine, University of Massachusetts, Boston University, University of Connecticut, Syracuse, Duke, the Citadel, Wyoming, University of West Virginia, Colorado and Northern Michigan.
Among those who offered scholarships for basketball were Boston State and Villanova, while track interests came from the University of Miami, Boston College and Northeastern.
While at Staunton, Dave made the All Military State of Virginia team, was named the most outstanding lineman on that team, (for which he received a football as a souvenir) was named to the All Prep School team in the state of Virginia
During a recent practice with the shot, Hardt had a heave of 61 feet. He holds the AHS record of 58 feet, 11 3/4 inches set last year.
While in high school, Hardt won the shot put event in the state Class B meet at White Stadium in Boston. He has both gold and silver medals as awards from state meets and also a silver medal won in the New England Tournament held in New Hampshire last year. His record heave for the AHS came against Coyle High of Taunton. Two other achievements of the AHS track team will live long in Hardt's memory; the winning of the Bristol County League meet in his senior year and the BCL dual-meet in his junior year.
From the AHS football picture, Hardt said he would always remember the 40-8 drubbing handed Durfee while a senior, and also the first time that any Bombardier team had beaten Bishop Stang. He also cherishes being named to the All-Star State squad and running back a punt for a long touchdown against the Bishop Stang Spartans.
Memories from the three years of basketball at AHS includes the upsetting of Waltham in the Tech Tournament at Boston Garden while a junior and from the same year, the triple tie for BCL honors between Attleboro, Coyle and Durfee. In that same year, Dave recalled the back-to-back overtime games with Stang and Coyle. The latter game required two overtimes for the Blue and White to prevail.
"One thing I'll never forget as to basketball memories is the 30-footer that I sank against Coyle with 3 seconds left to win that double overtime game. The team and our fans went crazy, and it was the last shot of my career at AHS."
(The final lines of the story offers a chilling premonition)
Dave underwent an operation last Thursday for the removal of cartilage from his left knee. Although hobbling somewhat now, he expects to do some running next week. The troubles stemmed from a football injury suffered while a sophomore.
Dave is the son of the late Police Lt. and Mrs. John W. Hardt of 228 Bishop St.
Closing thoughts
Our old friend Tony Vivieros tells me there will soon be another gathering of Attleboro High Alumni, which proved to be so enjoyable and such a success at the last one. As soon as final information is available, you will hear it here.
Tipping the Irish Scally cap in the direction of those wonderfully tenacious River Rats for their annual cleanup efforts. They render an invaluable, if unseen service to our community and our environment.
Your friends are thinking of you, Jackie Pimentel, Yen Correia and "Mac" McKearney. A special salute to an old friend, Jackie Pimentel's "Secret Angel!"
Please be good to everyone out there and treat others as you would be treated; always take a moment to lend a helping hand to a brother or sister. After all, we're all in this together. Peace.
Thomas McAvoy's commentaries appear Tuesdays.