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Fordham Pitcher Had His Start at St. Augustine H.S.
BY BERNIE BEGLANE
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St. Augustine’s Jack McQuade |
They say that Friday the 13th is unlucky.
Turn the clock back to Friday, April 13, 1956. Yes, that long ago.
Jack McQuade, a junior pitcher on the baseball team at Fordham University, registered 17 strikeouts in a 6-1 victory at home over City College of New York.
Home being Jack Coffey Field on the Bronx campus of the Jesuit Fathers’ school.
Coffey, legendary coach and athletic director of the Rams, was running the team that day. He was one of the finest men we ever encountered in our sportswriting career with the now-defunct Long Island Press.
Following the performance by his pitcher, who just completed a term as a member of the parish council of St. Rosalie’s, Hampton Bays, where he lives with his wife Joan, Coffey stated, “I cannot recall any of my pitchers striking out that many batters.
“That might be a Fordham record.”
As good as his memory was, especially when it came to remembering birthdays (more about that later), Coffey was off the mark… by one.
He went to the record books and discovered that Gene Bowe – 18 seasons earlier – struck out 18 in a game against Lehigh.
And if the name Bowe sounds familiar to you ‘oldtimers,’ he pitched for the Bushwicks at Dexter Park.
Time to return to McQuade, who was in a reflective mood as he recalled his ‘days of old’ growing up in St. Francis de Sales parish, Belle Harbor, and attending the now-shuttered St. Augustine H.S., Park Slope.
“The more I think about it, the more I realize I truly had a magical time at St. Augustine. I was a good student and a good athlete.
“Above my graduation picture in the 1953 yearbook are the words – active member of Leo Honor Society – CHSAA freshman cross-country champ – versatile pitcher for the Lancers for four years.
“On the Senior Poll page are the pictures of Tom Cahill and myself for class athlete. Tom for the January class and myself for the June class.
“A few days into frosh year, I came in fourth in the freshman run and a few days later sixth in the school run. Both took place at the Parade Grounds. The next thing I knew I was a member of the freshman track team for a few weeks, and then off the team for the next few weeks, as the commute to and from Rockaway Beach where I lived had me leaving home at sun-up and returning after sun-down.”
All of which led to problems.
Expanding, Jack revealed that he was 10 pounds under his seventh-grade weight of 125 which was ideal for football and baseball.
“I had just run too much that spring and summer, first back and forth to St. Francis de Sales at lunchtime, and then back and forth on the beach to my summer job setting up chairs and umbrellas,” he continued.
“In any event, Brother Michael, the freshman track coach, around the last week in October asked me to run in the New York City CHSAA Cross-Country Championships at Van Cortlandt Park, the Bronx, the following Saturday.
“The morning of the race, Brother Michael jogged about half way around the course with me to familiarize me with the terrain since I had never been there.”
McQuade was the first runner from the Brooklyn school and the third overall to cross the finish line.
And his efforts led St. Augustine’s frosh to their first-ever city title.
It also played a key role in McQuade eventually being inducted into Fordham’s Hall of Fame last September.
Five months later with his weight back to 125, Jack tried out for pitcher on the varsity baseball team because first base, his best position, was taken by Jack Judge, who was a sophomore.
McQuade ended up on the junior varsity and in his first start, struck out 17 and hit a double and triple in the 3-2 victory.
“The next morning, the master bulletin board of events on the wall to the right of the stairs had only the score of the J.V. game on it, and an account of my unusual performance,” the pitcher said.
“I was truly stunned to receive that kind of recognition as a freshman.”
“In 1951, 1952 and 1953, I was the main pitcher on the varsity. My overall record for the three years, I think, was 11 wins and 11 losses. I had five wins and five losses in sophomore year, three wins and three losses in junior year and three wins and three losses in senior year.”
Taking a long pause, McQuade related, “I was fortunate to pitch a no-hitter in the first game of 1952 and a no-hitter in the last game. The first was against Bishop Loughlin and the second was against Brooklyn Prep.
“I was equally as successful at Fordham, striking out 26 in my first 12 1/3 innings pitched in ’56. I was the team MVP with a 5-3 record and eight complete games.”
McQuade, who compiled an overall record of 11-8 at his alma mater, finished all but two of the 19 he started.
In the summer of 1957, Jack played in the Philadelphia Phillies organization in the Northwest B League at Lewiston, Idaho, and at Bakersfield in the California C League. Upon leaving the Philadelphia organization, he went to the Western Canada League.
One career ended…another started. And there was success in the two.
Lest you think we forgot to mention Coffey’s memory, here goes. Once you were introduced to him, he would ask for your date of birth.
The next time you saw him the greeting was, “Hello, July 4 or March 20 or Jan. 12 or whatever was your birthday.”
And as far as we knew, he was never wrong.
Queens Rookies Win Fourth Diocesan Title
The Our Lady of the Snows, North Floral Park, Rookie (seventh grade) girls completed an undefeated 20-0 season with a 9-3 defeat of St. Mel’s, Flushing, in the CYO Rookie Championship game to claim their fourth consecutive CYO diocesan softball title.
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