The Tablet . Sports | Diocese of Brooklyn

“The most dependable teammate I ever had. It was a pleasure to play with him.”
Gerry Brown, former pitcher for St. John’s University, could not wait to heap praise on Jack Kaiser.

The occasion was St. John’s dedication of the Jack Kaiser Baseball Stadium which took place last Saturday morning.

Irv (Peanuts) Miller, who flew from Denver, CO, to attend the ceremonies at the Vincentian Fathers’ school in Jamaica, echoed similar sentiments toward his Class of 1949 teammate.

“If anybody deserves this honor,” stated the former catcher for the then Redmen (now called the Red Storm), “it’s Jack.

And then there were the thoughts of Art West, the team’s second baseman who offered, “Jack was a quiet leader.

“He led more by example rather than being boisterous and a rah-rah guy.”
The philosophical Lou Carnesecca, who also was a teammate, lived up to his dazzling comments.

“There’s an old saying – and I can’t remember who was responsible for it – that goes like this:

“A gentleman is someone who doesn’t inflict pain. Jack, in addition to being an outstanding player, never caused anyone pain.”

Jack Kaiser surveys the baseball stadium that now bears his name at St. JohnÕs University, Jamaica, where he played baseball as a student, coached it as a graduate and served as athletic director until 1995.

Following the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach’s words, Jim O’Connell, who, as an undergraduate, was a manager for both the baseball and basketball teams, stepped forward.

“It’s the most deserving honor in the world for a man who won’t admit it,” related O’Connell, the college basketball editor for Associated Press who also has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

“Now Mr. Kaiser (O’Connell still shows great respect for his elders, never calling them by their first names) joins Coach Carnesecca in being honored on the same campus.
“First it has Carnesecca Arena, and starting today, you add Kaiser Stadium.”

Father Donald J. Harrington, C.M., president of St. John’s, and Chris Monasch, the Red Storm’s athletic director, presided at the dedication that preceded a Big East Conference doubleheader against Louisville.

Bob Sheppard, a St. John’s alumnus and the public address announcer for the New York Yankees, read the proclamation.

Kaiser took his turn on the mound for the ceremonial first pitch to Brendan Monaghan, catcher for the current edition of the Red Storm.

“Jack Kaiser embodied the ideals of St. John’s University as a key contributor to our athletic success for many years,” said Father Harrington.

To which Monasch added, “Coach Kaiser has dedicated his life to St. John’s University athletics.

“As a student-athlete, coach and athletic director, there is no person who has contributed more to the storied history of our program, especially baseball.”

Kaiser graduated from St. John’s Grammar School and St. John’s Prep before enrolling at SJU, making him a true Vincentian product.

At the university he played baseball, basketball and soccer. He coached baseball from 1956 to 1973 and then became athletic director, a position he held until 1995.
Jack’s first trip to the College World Series was as a player in 1949 when the event was held in Wichita, KS.

The CWS was moved to Omaha and Kaiser took three teams – 1960, ’66 and ’68 – there.

Back to Brown, who moved on to St. John’s after four varsity seasons (yes, four) as he pitched four games as a freshman at Babylon H.S.

“We had Walter McLaughlin and Frank McGuire as our baseball coaches,” said Gerry.
“Jack started out as the third baseman and then moved to center field when Dick Bohner came along.

“The same qualities Kaiser showed as a player (he was signed by the Boston Red Sox and played in their minor league system) were also displayed as an athletic director.”
It was Miller who contacted players from the Class of 1949 to attend the dedication.
“I was able to get 10 of them to come,” he said. “Our 1949 team that went to Wichita was one I will always remember.

“We played in Dexter Park (home of the then fabled Bushwicks) and won the Metropolitan Conference championship,” stated Peanuts.

“Then we prevailed in the NCAA Eastern regionals and that was followed by a victory over Boston College for the Northeast title.

“In the College World Series we really found out that the schools from the warmer climates had a big advantage. We were eliminated in two games by Southern Cal and Texas.”

As St. John’s athletic director, Kaiser joined Dave Gavitt, now retired AD of Providence College, in forming the Big East Conference.

He also had time to found the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League, one of the best summer leagues in the country.

As might be expected, Kaiser was humble – and most sincere – in expressing his thoughts on the dedication.

“Quite naturally,” began the American College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer, “I am delighted and honored. Any success I have had is due to the wonderful people with whom I worked.

The Girls Catholic High School Athletic Association for Brooklyn and Queens inducted the newest members of its Hall of Fame on Wednesday, April 25, at Russo’s on the Bay, Howard Beach. Shown, from left, are: Ed Savage, volleyball official; Theresa Gannon, Bishop Kearney, Bensonhurst; Kathryn McCabe, St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows; Nicole Dixon, St. Francis Prep; Rita Draghi, St., Saviour’s, Park Slope; Warren Ring, track official; Lisa Edwards, St. John’s Prep, Astoria; Christopher Wright, St. Edmund’s Prep, Sheepshead Bay; and Bill Shea, Fontbonne Hall, Bay Ridge. Not pictured are Kelly Connaghan-Dengler, Bishop Kearney, and Chamique Holdsclaw, Christ the King, Middle Village, who were unable to attend.