To set the cause above renown, To love the game beyond the prize From Clifton Chapel, by Sir Henry Newbolt (1862-1938)
Lawrence Academy ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
Saturday, June 7, 2014
2014 INDUCTEES RAYMOND T. “SCOOTER” MCLEAN CLASS OF 1932 VICTOR HEYLIGER CLASS OF 1933 WILLIAM J. FLYNN CLASS OF 1935 NORMAN B. GRANT LA FACULTY 1929–1970 CINDY RYDER MATTHES CLASS OF 1984 DAVID A. JENSEN CLASS OF 1984 LAURIE BAKER CLASS OF 1995
Reunion Weekend Catch the Spirit
ATHLETICS AT LA Athletics at Lawrence have come a long way since James Lawrence donated the first gymnasium equipment in 1878. Used by both boys and girls, the gym—which also served as study hall, theatre, and faculty meeting space—featured horizontal bars, dumbbells, and Indian clubs and the like. There were no fields until 1900, when Shumway Field opened, so outdoor “sports” were limited to walking and running. There was, however, a tennis court, which the Student Aid of June 1889 called “one of the pleasant features connected with our school.” Football had been played informally since around 1880, though the principal, Mr. Ball, quickly banned it because of the destruction it wrought on the lawns, proposing croquet in its place! With the new field, however, the sport caught on quickly. Out of a total school enrollment of 28 boys in 1901, 13 were on the team during that first season. Baseball thrived in those days as well, and basketball became a team sport within a few years. The modern era of LA athletics really began with the arrival of young Norman Grant in 1929. He added lacrosse as a varsity sport, and in 1940 the school started construction of the Spaulding-Stearns Athletic Fields. By the end of that decade, the Fred C. Gray Building opened, providing the Academy’s first dedicated athletic facility. It included squash courts and a wrestling room, anticipating the addition of that sport in 1950. The athletic program expanded again with the return to coeducation in 1971–72, and the construction of the Stone Athletic Center in 1993 provided up-to-date facilities for both boys and girls. The Academy’s first year in the Independent School League, 1976, saw undefeated football and cross-country teams; football shared the League championship. That winter, moreover, boys’ varsity hockey won the ISL Keller Division title. Lawrence’s athletes that year ushered in a new level of competition and recognition. Since that time, Lawrence has celebrated numerous boys’ and girls’ championship teams in the ISL and the New England Division. In addition, many individual athletes have aspired to achieve greatness beyond their days at LA, in collegiate sports and with national teams, both as amateurs and professionals. * * * Today, at this inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, we recognize outstanding Lawrence athletes from the old days and the new, carrying out the organization’s mission “to honor and perpetuate the memory of individuals and teams that have made outstanding contributions to the quality of LA athletics and have helped bring recognition, honor, and excellence to the Academy and its athletic program throughout its history.” As the mission statement concludes, “The Athletic Hall of Fame will highlight athletic character, sportsmanship, achievement, and pride,
and will strive to provide a positive link between the student-athletes of today and those of the past.” We welcome you on this happy occasion, as we honor seven members of the Lawrence community, living and dead, who gave of their talents and helped ensure that their school on the hillside would forever remain “worthy of its great renown.”
C OMMITTEE M EMBERS Kevin Potter, P’13, ’15, athletic director, co-chair Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75, director of alumni relations, co-chair Rob Moore, P’04, ’06, ’09, assistant head of school Caroline Heatley, assistant athletic director Rick Tyson ’87, president of the alumni council Rich Johnson ’74 Sean Sheehan ’87, faculty Marianne Balfour ’88 Beth Frissora ’95 Many thanks to the Alumni Development staff and all other members of the LA community who worked hard to establish, produce, and facilitate this inaugural ceremony for the Athletic Hall of Fame. Dan Scheibe, head of school Dick Jeffers P’84, ’86, Jeffers Heritage Center Paul Husted ’64, Jeffers Heritage Center Geoff Harlan P’16, ’18, director of annual giving Donna Mastrangelo P’13, faculty John Bishop, director of communications, webmaster Dale Cunningham P’13, assistant director of communications Bev Rodrigues, editor Joe Sheppard P’93, ’94, retired faculty, writer-at-large Charlie Corey P’17, former faculty Joel Sugerman, director of theatre Conor Melvin ’15, audio-visual assistant Ryan LaPointe ’17, lighting assistant
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INAUGURAL INDUCTION CEREMONY O RDER
OF
P ROGRAM
Catch the Spirit! LA Athletics: A Journey Through Time Opening Remarks Dan Scheibe, head of school Welcome Master of Ceremonies Richard Johnson ’74, curator for the New England Sports Museum
Honoring Ray “Scooter” McLean ’32 Vic Heyliger ’33 Bill Flynn ’35 Norman Grant Cynthia Ryder Matthes ’84 David Jensen ’84 Laurie Baker ’95 Facilitators and Presenters Kevin Potter, athletic director Rob Moore, assistant head of school Charlie Corey, former faculty Donna Mastrangelo, faculty Closing Remarks Dan Scheibe, head of school
E 2014 INDUCTE
RAYMOND T. “SCOOTER” MCLEAN CLASS OF 1932 F OOTBALL /H OCKEY /B ASEBALL
Ray MacLean (later McLean, a concession to reporters who constantly misspelled his name) entered Lawrence as a sophomore in 1929, beginning a three-year career that would establish him as one of the Academy’s premier athletes of the time. Starring in football, hockey, and baseball, he earned early entrance into the “L” Club, joining other outstanding lettermen. Playing forward on the hockey team, he was hailed as a “fine scorer” in the Lawrencian. It would be in football, however, that Mac, as he was known at LA, would leave his mark. Ray attended Cushing Academy after Lawrence; then he was off to St. Anselm College, where he played both football and basketball. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1940, he played for eight seasons before starting a successful NFL coaching career that was cut short, tragically, by his premature death in 1963. McLean’s first coaching assignment was at Lewis College (now Lewis University) in Lockport, Illinois, where his teams dominated their league for two seasons, compiling a 14–2 record. When the college moved to a stronger league in 1950, he stayed on for one season before signing on as an assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers in 1951. The team struggled for several years; two head coaches were fired before McLean took over in 1958, the last to hold the position before the legendary Vince Lombardi came aboard in January of 1959. Ray went to work right away as an assistant coach with the Detroit Lions, where he remained for the rest of his career. Diagnosed with cancer in mid-season of 1963, he passed away a few months later at the age of 48, leaving his wife and three children. For what he gave to Lawrence’s athletic program, and for his contributions to the world of football, both collegiate and professional, Lawrence Academy is proud to count Raymond McLean as a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame. LAWRENCE ACADEMY
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME JUNE 7, 2014
E 2014 INDUCTE
VICTOR HEYLIGER CLASS OF 1933 F OOTBALL /H OCKEY
If you’ve heard of hockey you’ve probably heard of Vic Heyliger. Growing up in Concord, Mass., Vic was a star athlete in high school before entering Lawrence as a post-graduate student in the fall of 1932. After a successful fall season as an end on the football team, he spent the winter skating for Norm Grant’s icemen, quickly earning the Lawrencian’s praise as “an outstanding star of hockey.” “Outstanding” would turn out to be an understatement, for Vic went on to the University of Michigan to garner All-American honors, setting a school record of 116 goals in one season. After college and a season with the Chicago Blackhawks, he coached the University of Illinois, posting a five-year record of 59 wins, 29 losses, and 4 ties. Another season with the Blackhawks preceded Vic’s return to Michigan, where, over thirteen years, he led the Wolverines to a half-dozen NCAA titles. Vic capped a memorable career with a highly successful nine-year stint at the U.S. Air Force Academy, at the end of which he was inducted into the recently-formed United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Several years later he was honored by the American Hockey Coaches’ Association with its John MacInnes Award, recognizing coaches who have fostered interest in amateur and youth hockey programs and have worked to ensure high graduation rates among their players. Vic Heyliger has earned a place of honor among Lawrence Academy’s distinguished athletes, and it is with gratitude that we induct him into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
LAWRENCE ACADEMY
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME JUNE 7, 2014
E 2014 INDUCTE
WILLIAM J. FLYNN CLASS OF 1935 F OOTBALL /H OCKEY /B ASEBALL
“He is rightly acclaimed as the best athlete,” wrote the editors of the 1935 Lawrencian. “His flashing smile and general good looks give him the distinction of being the handsomest senior.” In one short year at Lawrence, “Lefty” Flynn lettered in football, hockey, and baseball while earning “consistently excellent grades;” along the way, he found time to serve on the Student Council and even to sing and dance in the annual minstrel show. In addition to voting him “best athlete” and “best looking,” the yearbook, not surprisingly to those who knew him, also named him “most modest.” Bill’s year at Lawrence marked the kickoff to a legendary career in athletics. As a student at Boston College, he earned nine varsity letters in three sports, graduating in 1939 as the first hockey player to score 20 points in one season. World War II saw him serving with the FBI, after which he returned to his college to teach math, help coach football, and, within a few years, to serve as executive secretary to the Alumni Association. Appointed athletic director in 1957, Bill spearheaded the dramatic growth of the athletic program and its physical plant. A profound believer in the model of the student-athlete, he helped establish the Office of Learning Resources for Student Athletes, which provides a wide range of support services for varsity team members. By the time he retired in 1990, Bill had been elected president of the NCAA, only the second athletic director to be so honored; he had won countless awards, including the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame’s Distinguished American Award; and Boston College had named its new recreational facility for him—appropriately, since it fulfilled a need he had long foreseen. For all that he gave to Lawrence Academy, and for a career driven by heartfelt dedication to countless students’ development as athletes and as citizens—a list that should include his grandchildren Timothy J. Flynn Jr. ’07 and Bridget L. Flynn ’12—we are honored to induct Bill Flynn into the Athletic Hall of Fame. LAWRENCE ACADEMY
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME JUNE 7, 2014
E 2014 INDUCTE
NORMAN B. GRANT LA FACULTY 1929–1970 C OACH OF F OOTBALL /H OCKEY / B ASEBALL /L ACROSSE
When Norm Grant retired in 1970, the editors of the Lawrencian dedicated the yearbook to this “man of depth, kindness, and sacrificial dedication.” For 41 years, Norm’s life was Lawrence Academy. Fresh out of Rhode Island State College, Norm was hired in the fall of 1929 as athletic director, math and science teacher, and coach of football, hockey, and baseball. In 1939 he introduced the “new” sport of lacrosse to the Academy, serving as varsity coach for many years. Norm held the post of athletic director for most of his career, guiding and building the program, often literally with his own hands, as the school grew. Lawrence’s first hockey rink was of his design, and many alumni of those natural-ice days will remember Norm, early in the morning, watering his beloved ice and keeping it smooth and safe for the young skaters who would put it to hard use later in the day. As the years passed, Norm became head of the buildings and grounds crew, working alongside his men during vacations to keep the plant running. By the time he was appointed assistant headmaster under Arthur Ferguson, Norm had become the glue that held a growing school together; be it a team schedule change, a burst pipe, or a medical emergency, the byword was “Get Mr. Grant!” Though he eventually passed the Director of Athletics post on to others, it was only after he had done his utmost to give the Academy a strong and vital program that carries his legacy even today. With endless kindness and love, Norm and his wife Catherine gave their lives to Lawrence Academy, and his induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame can only begin to express our gratitude to an extraordinary man.
LAWRENCE ACADEMY
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME JUNE 7, 2014
E 2014 INDUCTE
CINDY RYDER MATTHES CLASS OF 1984 C ROSS -C OUNTRY / N ORDIC S KIING /R OWING
Over her years at Lawrence, Cindy Ryder Matthes starred on both the Nordic skiing and the fledgling girls’ cross-country teams, captaining the latter as a junior and setting a course record that she held for several years. One of her favorite workouts included running through the orchard behind the school to collect apples, which then became pies for her teammates! Entering Bucknell University after graduating from LA in 1984, Cindy discovered a passion for rowing that has stayed with her to this day. In her international rowing debut, she won the gold medal in the single sculls at the 1991 Pan American Games in Cuba. The following year, she represented the U.S.A. at the Olympic Games in Barcelona in the double scull. In 1993, Cindy placed sixth in the single sculls at the Rowing World Championships in the Czech Republic. She currently holds the course record for the masters single at the Head of the Charles—a record she set in 1997—and continues to row a few times a week with her doubles partner from Barcelona. For her love of sport, for what she has given to teams representing her high school, her college, and her country, it is with gratitude and pride that we induct Cindy Ryder Matthes into the Lawrence Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.
LAWRENCE ACADEMY
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME JUNE 7, 2014
E 2014 INDUCTE
DAVID A. JENSEN CLASS OF 1984 S OCCER /H OCKEY
By the time he graduated from Lawrence in 1984, David Jensen had earned ISL First Team All-League honors four years in a row, setting a still-unbroken Keller Division record of 50 points in one ISL season. David averaged 3.2 points per game at LA, a figure coach Charlie Corey calls “astounding,” adding that he is an “extraordinarily gifted” athlete and, incidentally, a “very, very good soccer player.” Senior year at Lawrence saw David playing first-line left wing on the U.S. Olympic hockey team in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, where he finished second in scoring. Turning pro for several years after graduation, he played for the Hartford Whalers, the Washington Capitals, and the Boston Bruins system. Injuries cut short a brilliant career, but David’s hockey days were far from over. One measure of a great athlete is a passion for sharing the love of the game with future generations. As co-founder of DAJ Skillz hockey training centers, David has been doing just that for many years. In his words, “Playing the game is where kids learn that the game is, in its simplest form, fun...There should be a low priority placed on winning and losing and a high priority placed on just introducing the game to a young kid.” David’s lifelong love of hockey has benefitted not only him and his many fans, but countless young people who will carry on his legacy of unselfish sportsmanship, a commitment to excel, and that mark of the great athlete— the gift of sharing. With gratitude and pride, we salute David Jensen and welcome him into the Lawrence Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.
LAWRENCE ACADEMY
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME JUNE 7, 2014
E 2014 INDUCTE
LAURIE BAKER CLASS OF 1995 S OCCER /H OCKEY /S OFTBALL
“No female has ever accomplished for girls’ athletics what Laurie Baker did at LA,” as one veteran coach put it. She still holds the scoring titles in soccer and hockey at Lawrence, and, during her career, led the Independent School League in scoring for those sports. As a senior, Laurie led three teams to championships, garnering New England titles in soccer and hockey for the first time, as well as an ISL championship in softball. Laurie’s athletic career continued at Providence College, where she was named hockey Rookie of the Year for the 1995–96 season. The U.S. women’s National and Olympic teams beckoned a year later. Named 1997 U.S.A. Hockey Player of the Year, Laurie went on to capture a gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan, followed by the silver in 2002 at Salt Lake City. Since her Olympic days, Laurie has enjoyed a successful coaching career, first at Lawrence Academy, and currently at Buckingham, Browne and Nichols, where she is associate athletic director. While coaching at LA, Laurie brought the girls’ hockey team back to the league championships for the first time since her own senior year. As one of the finest female athletes to have attended Lawrence, Laurie Baker has more than earned the honor of induction into the Lawrence Academy Athletic Hall of Fame, and we welcome her into the organization with pride and heartfelt thanks.
LAWRENCE ACADEMY
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME JUNE 7, 2014