~ Malden Musings ~ “The 1960 MHS Basketball Title Team and the Pork Pie Hat”

By Peter Levine

This gem is once again contributed to my column from the brothers who keep on giving, Aaron and Mayer Mintz. It’s a story about the 1960 MHS Basketball team simply titled, “The 1960 Malden High Basketball Title Team and the Pork Pie Hat.”

“The 1960 Malden High basketball team were trailblazers. They became the first Malden High team to qualify for the famed Tech Tournament in March of 1960. This came after the team’s 17-1 regular season; their only defeat was a heartbreaking 1 point loss to perennial power Somerville High in the season’s first game. The Golden Tornado then won 17 straight games winning the GBL title for the first time.

“Coach Art Boyle had never played organized basketball but Boyle, a WW2 veteran, was a B.U. Class of 1950 football center good enough to be in the B.U. Hall of Fame. Boyle and assistant coach Jack Hussey stressed defense and rebounding, and Boyle was typical of coaches from that era – he played his five starters till they dropped.

“And what a starting 5 it was! The 6′ 6 1/2″ center, John Keats, averaged 12.9 ppg and was the Tech Tournament leader in scoring and rebounding. Don Moore, a smooth jump shooter, was the team’s high scorer averaging 22.3 ppg. Elliot Gventer at 6′ 5″ was the power forward; he and Keats snared 17 rebounds each in the Tech title game vs. Somerville. In the Boston Globe, Boyle called point guard Al Barris his most underrated player and said that ‘Barris sacrificed his offense for tenacious defense which was a key to our winning.’

“The other guard was Willie Barron, a sophomore prodigy from Suffolk Square whose 12.6 ppg in the regular season didn’t foretell how important he would be in the Tech, despite being called Bill Barron constantly by the Globe. Barron had grown 2 inches since September and Boyle told the Globe that ‘Willie’s wiggling the ball on his foul shots looks crazy but Barron had complete control of the ball.’ In the summertime, Willie practiced that shot at Edith Street Park on the Malden/Everett line off Ferry St.

“The reserves were famed 3-star athlete Mac Singleton, Don Davidson, Ernie Leblanc, Bob Pearlman, Danny Goldfarb, and Larry Leavitt.

“Before Tech started, Elliot Gventer eyed Coach Hussey’s pork pie hat. Hussey told Gventer that he could have it if Malden won the tournament. In the Tech, MHS beat St. John’s and Matignon by double digits and then a huge snowstorm dumped 20 inches on the area. The tourney resumed 3 days later with Malden beating Lawrence Central by 13 in a comeback win led by Willie Barron and John Keats.

“The next day, Nixon and Kennedy faced off against challengers in the NH Primary while at night, Malden beat its archrival Somerville to win the Tournament, 66-61. John Keats had 20 points and 15 Rebounds and according to the Globe ‘completely demoralized Somerville’s shooters with his long arms and big hands.’

“After the game, Coach Boyle was thrown in the shower by the seniors and Elliot Gventer grabbed Hussey’s pork pie hat and put it on his head. Gventer said ‘It’s a little big but I’ll grow into it.’ Malden High basketball had already grown up.”

Apropos of nothing…Suffolk Square kids knew Edith Street Park by the name Rich Street Park because on the Malden side of the park, it bordered on Rich Street. But it is an Everett park that just happened to be on the Malden city line and the real name of it is Edith Street Park.

Fabulous! Thank you very much to two very special “landsmen” – the Mintz brothers.

It is said in “Malden Musings”…

• Sherman, set the Wayback Machine to… Edgeworth’s Robert DiGiovanni speaks: “Who remembers Johnnie Manzi? John ‘Johnnie’ Manzi was one of Edgeworth’s greatest athletes, a few years older than me. I was lucky the older boys, like ‘Johnnie,’ would let me play in their pickup baseball games at Devir Park/Craddock Field. I learned to love the game there. At first just trying to get Johnnie out just once was a victory for us kids. His blazing speed was something to behold. You’d throw the ball to first base, and he would already be rounding second base. You’d toss the ball to third base and before it got there, he was already at home plate. I learned to love the game playing those pickup games with Johnnie. He was one of the fastest runners I had ever played with. Johnnie was a phenomenal football player for Malden High as well as a very talented baseball player. In his last year playing for the ‘ole’ Blue & Gold football team and heading for a record touchdown season, when after scoring one, with several games still to be played, he accidentally ran through the 2×4 fence that sectioned off the red zone area from the huge Gas Tanks right behind the end zone and was seriously hurt! His season unfortunately was prematurely over and his chances for a record touchdown season came to an end. He was a wonderful guy, and I was shocked years ago, when I heard he died, sadly, rather young. But I will never forget his extraordinary athletic talents. He was one of my favorite heroes as a youngster when I first took notice that he had hit over 23 home runs in the Malden National Little League for the Dodgers, the first Little League in Malden. Not too many kids that weren’t the size of adults ever hit that many and although Johnnie was well built, he was not oversized, as some Little League players were that hit many home runs! He was just spectacular! Long live the memory of John Manzi; a great kid, athlete, and a very kind man, who I’ve learned, as the years went by, helped many others in his life! RIP John “Johnnie” Manzi, I will never forget your talent and all the ways you taught me, by your own spectacular athletic talents. I hope others who read this, will remember this Edgeworth born man and athletic star of the 1950’s!” Thank you so much, Robert!
• Mayor Christenson, back virtually the next day at work doing what he does best: showing up and making a difference in people’s lives. Example: Mayor Gary front and center and very much involved in the CPL. William T.J. Dempsey Memorial Square dedication last week in Linden on the Saugus Branch. Thank you for sincerely caring, Mr. Mayor.
• The GTC Athletic Hall of Fame Committee knows how to throw a party! The November 18 induction ceremony at Anthony’s was a stone-cold blast with the old barnyard on Canal Street packed to the rafters! Stay tuned for details.

Sherman, set the Wayback Machine to… Found a mix tape recently in an old crate packed with hundreds of other mix tapes, some dating back to the late 1970’s – mostly college radio stations I listened to back in the day (WMBR, WZBC, WERS, WMFO). Some I still tune into (Hello, 88.1 WMBR ‘Backwoods’ with Mr. John Funke!) The 20 or so song playlist is greatest hit after greatest hit! Each escorting me back to a time and place, long gone “down the foggy ruins of time.” Certainly, never to be forgotten. This tape has seen much better days, beyond resurrection. Not sure who made it for me or when but whomever took time out of their lives, thank you:

• “Isn’t Life Strange,” Moody Blues
• “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” The Stylistics
• “Reflections of My Life,” Marmalade
• “Catch the Wind,” Donovan
• “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” Bob Dylan
• “Some Mother’s Son,” The Kinks
• “Sideshow,” Blue Magic
• “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” Johnny Cash
• “Cycles,” Frank Sinatra
• “Famous Final Scene,” Bob Seger
• “Heaven Can Wait,” Meatloaf
• “Chimes,” The J. Geils Band
• “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” The Delfonics
• “Backstreets,” Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
• “Can’t Find the Time,” Orpheus
• “Walk Away Renee,” The Left Banke
• “I Wish It Would Rain,” The Temptations
• “Eve of Destruction,” Barry McGuire
• “The Boxer,” Simon & Garfunkel
• “These Arms of Mine,” Otis Redding

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – I have been really good lately – haven’t mentioned Preacher Jack in at least six weeks (insert smiley face). In 1981 Preacher Jack was touring solo on his second Rounder release: the aptly titled “3000 Barrooms Later.” He’s doing a bunch of solo one-night stands in Toronto (Canada) accompanied by his manager/spiritual muse, future wife, Jesse Filtrante. Jack’s opening for Ry Cooder for part of the tour. Cooder played at various times in his long career with The Rolling Stones, Captain Beefheart and bluegrass superstar Bill Monroe. Also, on that long ago tour traveling the same long, lonely byways and highways, but just the night before Jack, is 35-year-old John Prine. Jack and Jessie befriended “Mr. Illegal Smile” and would have coffee, smokes and “holy herb” with him when their paths would cross along those same roads. An 11-minute video recently popped up on YouTube of a fresh-faced Preacher Jack and Jesse being interviewed on February 16, 1981, by “New Music Toronto TV.” The interviewer escorts Jack and Jessie into a coffee shop, asks a question or two before Jack goes into a familiar Preacher Jack filibuster. Classic Preacher Jack and the exasperated look on Jesse’s face is simply priceless!

Postscript: On Tuesday, November 21, after leaving work, I made the infamous light at Main & Exchange Street, and you would have thought I hit the number I have been playing since 1978. How messed up is that? That I found that much joy in cruising through a green light without hitting the brakes! The times they are a changin’.