This week friends, we’re going to shine the spotlight on one of the good old East Side boys. I’ve known him all my life — he hails from a good strong football pedigree, with his Uncle Bill being the Hall of Fame halfback/fullback of the late ’50s and early ’60s.
He would sit with Dave Hardt, Mike Walsh and me through the 7th grade dinner hour on a railroad baggage cart with either Bill Donahue’s french fries or Kai Shang’s chow mein sandwiches. Oh boy, the memories we all have of those hours, until Richardson’s lunch bell rang us back to class.
So, without further ado, here’s some thoughts from our boy from Elbow Street, Frankie Marcoccio...
Dear Tom and Dave,
As you know, I attended Attleboro High School and graduated in 1966. I achieved six letters while there. My coaches were Jim Cassidy, Tom Crowe, Joe McKenna, Ray Charron and Bob Bray. One of the two coaches who bring back memories the most is Tom Crowe, who, at his first practice chased Jim Fredericks down the field because he didn’t cut up the field after he caught a flat pass. At that moment, I knew Coach Crowe was all business.
And then there was Joe McKenna — he told us he would give his right arm to play football again, and I certainly believed him; today more than ever!
My biggest disappointment was not beating North Attleboro in my last two Thanksgiving games. At the time, with two wins the Hilda Trophy would have been even between the two schools.
The most memorable games were beating Durfee at Fall River. I think the score was 14-12, and of course, our two victories over Bishop Feehan.
I would like to set the record straight on the 6-0 victory over Feehan in 1965. AHS was driving the ball towards Feehan’s goal line. Mike Bristow, our quarterback, called a “41 away block pass.” This was a play we used all year. Bristow would roll to his right and Dave Hardt would run a flag pattern to the right. I would go in motion right in order to move the defensive back towards me. The pass play was very successful for us all year. However, Coach Cassidy changed it up for the Feehan game. Instead of me going in motion, I flanked out to the right, I was to be the deep man and run to the back of the end zone. Dave was to run a short flat pass underneath me. Dave ran his pattern a little deep, when Bristow threw the ball (to this day I never asked Mike who he was throwing to). Afraid this will forever remain a mystery — Mike Bristow is deceased.
At any rate, the ball hit Dave’s hands and bounced up over my shoulder and I grabbed it. As I was coming down, Chris Servant, the Feehan defender, tried to grab the ball and knock it out of my hands. It would be great to hear Chris’s version on the play as well as Dave’s! Well that’s it for now — hope all is well!
Your friend,
Frank Marcoccio
***
Today, we mark the passing of Gene Conley, a Foxboro native who did something athletically that will probably never be duplicated — he pitched for the Red Sox and played center for the Celtics for a number of years, and acquitted himself pretty well. He was in the Sox rotation and spelled Bill Russell when the big guy needed a breather! So that’s about it, my friends — hope to see you next week. Peace ...