Former CHA athletic greats to be honored

Posted 10/16/13

Squash star Gilly Lane will be one of many inducted into CHA Hall of Fame. by Clark Groome Six players, one coach and two undefeated teams make up the fifth class to be inducted into the Chestnut …

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Former CHA athletic greats to be honored

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Squash star Gilly Lane will be one of many inducted into CHA Hall of Fame. Squash star Gilly Lane will be one of many inducted into CHA Hall of Fame.

by Clark Groome

Six players, one coach and two undefeated teams make up the fifth class to be inducted into the Chestnut Hill Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.

The ceremony will take place on Friday, Oct. 25 as part of Springside Chestnut Hill Academy’s Homecoming weekend. The addition of the 2013 class brings the Hall’s total membership since its founding in 2001 to 48 players, 6 coaches and 10 teams.

According to the CHA Athletic Hall of Fame constitution, individual athletes out of school 10 years, teams from 10 or more years ago, coach-teachers who haven’t coached in five years, and administrators who have been gone from CHA for five years, are all eligible for consideration.

The Hall of Fame Committee – according to its chairman, former CHA teacher, coach and athletic director James M. Talbot II – takes individual performance as well as character and reputation into consideration. Honorees, who may be elected posthumously, do not have to be CHA graduates.

“You have to be a sportsman,” Talbot said. “You have to bring honor and glory to the school. Even if you were in the Hall of Fame, if you were a felon you wouldn’t get into the CHA Athletic Hall of Fame.”

The teams and individuals being inducted this year are:

• The 1990 Undefeated Varsity Tennis Team, which posted a 15-0 record overall and went 10-0 in the Inter-Academic League. Coached by Frank Steel ’77, the team’s captains were the late Tinry Dawson ’90 and John Talbot ’90.

• The 2001-2002 Undefeated Varsity Squash Team, which was both the Inter-Academic League and the Mid Atlantic Squash Association champions. Coached by Ted Rorer ’61 and Jim Talbot II ’81, the team had a 17-0 record. Its captains were Jay Boothby ’02, Tripp Kyle ’02 and Bruce Saltzman ’02.

• Francis P. Steel Jr. ‘77, who is being inducted for his 17 years as CHA’s varsity tennis coach. During his tenure, which began in 1985, his teams had great success. In addition to the 1990 undefeated team that is also being inducted this year, Frank Steel’s teams won five consecutive Inter-Academic League championships in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998. While the school’s current head of school is being recognized for his tennis coaching, over his three-decades as a member of the school’s faculty and administration he has also coached soccer, ice hockey, squash, golf and baseball. As a student he was captain of the 1977 Inter-County League championship ice hockey team that was inducted into CHA’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 as part of the Hall’s third class.

• Jonathan C. Freeman ’94, who served as the captain of CHA’s soccer and tennis teams his senior year and the squash team his 11th- and 12th-grade years, the year he also received the Patterson Cup as the senior class’ best athlete. At Trinity College in Hartford he played varsity soccer and squash all four years, captaining the soccer team for the 1996 and 1997 seasons and squash for the 1997/1998 season. As a squash player he was undefeated his junior and senior years. He was awarded the George Sheldon McCook Trophy, which is given to a senior male athlete for “distinction in intercollegiate athletics, including diligence and conscientiousness in observance of all the rules of drill, training, and discipline and general dependableness in practice, tests, and contests; courtesy, self-control, uprightness and honor at all times, but especially in athletics and contests.”

• Daniel C. Gargan ’01, who was part of the soccer, basketball and track teams at CHA. He captained soccer and track, teams that each won two Inter-Academic League championships. He received the Patterson Cup as the senior class’ best athlete. At Georgetown University he played soccer, serving as the team’s captain for two years. In 2004 he was an All Big East second team selection. After college he has played professional soccer for the Colorado Rapids, Chivas Regal (in Los Angeles), Toronto FC, the Chicago Fire and the San Jose Earthquakes. A defender, he won the Nutrilite Canadian Championship with the Toronto FC in 2010.

• Joshua T. Jennings ’90, who played football and basketball at CHA. His 1989 football squad was the Independence Football League champion and the 1990 basketball team, which he captained, was second in the Inter-Ac League. At Yale he played basketball all four years and was the team’s captain in 1994. That was the year he had All-Ivy Academic Honors, He also won the Stan Smith Award for leadership in Yale basketball and the Eggy Miles Award for having the leading free throw percentage on the squad.

• Francis Gilpin Bartlett “Gilly” Lane ‘03 While Gilly Lane is primarily known for his achievements as a squash player, his CHA athletic career also included significant accomplishments in soccer and baseball. He lettered in each four times, captained them his senior year, was named to the first team All Inter-Ac team in both sports. As a squash player he was part of five Inter-Ac championship teams. He won numerous awards during his time at CHA, including the Patterson Cup as the senior class’ best athlete. During his high school years he was also the US Squash Junior National Champion in Boys Under 15, Under 17, and Under 19 categories. While at the University of Pennsylvania he was a four-time All American and All Ivy League. He captained the Penn squash team his junior and senior years. In 2007 he was the first Penn player to win the Skillman Award, which is given annualy to a senior men’s squash player who has demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship during his entire college career. He turned pro after college and was the winner of three Professional Squash Association titles; was the second ranked player in the United States; reached a World High Ranking of #48, the second highest American ranking of all time. He is currently ranked number 44 on the International Squash Doubles Association’s Pro Doubles Tour.

• Jeffrey A. Larentowicz ’01, who played soccer for CHA throughout his high school years. He earned four letters, two of which were for playing on two Inter-Ac championship teams. He also played basketball (earning two letters) and golf for the Blue Devils. He captained the FC Delco Arsenal to two United States Youth Soccer Association National Championships in 2002 and 2003. While at Brown University his teams twice were Ivy League champs. He was a four-time All Ivy selection and twice a second team NSCAA All America selection. Since graduating from Brown in 2005 the midfielder has played in over 200 Major League Soccer games for the New England Revolution, the Colorado Rapids, and currently for the Chicago Fire.

• Porter Shimer ’67, who was a standout football and baseball player and wrestler during his senior school years at CHA. He was co-captain of the 1966 football and the 1967 wrestling and baseball teams. As a football player, he was chosen as a Maxwell Club High School Player of the week, as a member of the All Northwest Football Team and was a second team All-Inter-Ac selection. As a wrestler he was the 145-pound runner-up at the Episcopal Invitational Wrestling Tournament. He went on to play freshman football at Princeton University.

The Oct. 25 induction, which will begin at 6:30 p.m., is open to the public. Tickets, which must be reserved in advance, cost $80. Call Sue Toomey at 215-754-1622 for information or to make a reservation.

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