Tuesday, May 14, 2013

High School Seniors, now the Real Thing.

Thanks to some of my Facebook friends, got a little jolt of nostalgia today with this photo showing up.
After Jim's latest post, I had to make sure that we went to the same high school. Based on this picture it not only proves we did, but also why from my point of view he's to the left and John is to the right. But based on that theory Bill should be standing next to John and not in the middle. Well, I guess that blows that theory. Anyways at least it confirms we are fellow alumni.

Peeps... when I tell you about being Rough, Tough, Hard to Bluff, and Damn Good looking... it started way back then.  Just not a recent trend.  These guys were all of the seniors on the Lynn English High School Cross Country team and everybody is still living, as far as I know.
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Phil Freeman, the kid on my left got me on the team my sophomore year.  I had known Phil since the 2nd grade and played CYO Basketball with him.   He became a phenom in Cross Country, and I figured that I could beat him, so I went out for the team when indoor track started.
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He kicked my ass.  I only legitimately beat him once in three years... when I came in 3rd in the Essex County Championship my senior year with Freeman fading to fifth....., and the only cross country race that I ever won was because Phil was sick from school that day and couldn't compete in a dual meet against Peabody.   There was no way that I was going to lose that race with Freeman out of contention.
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He lives in New Jersey, I think.  I hope he is well.
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The guy on my far left is Jim Lundgren, who was legendary for singing the theme song from "Exodus" during cross country races.   Lundgren was a hurdler anyway and now is one of my best facebook friends as he thoughtfully presents the Democrats' position in highly entertaining Facebook threads.
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I have fond memories of all of these guys.   Don Gorski - a good golfer who moved to NY, Bob Hill- now retired from the Phone Comany, Billy Quirk- the only kid that I knew who legitimately went to Woodstock and is now a proud ex-Marine, and Mike Cole- a tough quarter miler.
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Not sure if Coach Civiello is still alive.  He was a good guy and very active in the Lynn Italian Community.
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If only we had Christos Laganos on that team, who now pedals 100 Miles through the Mountains and is currently hiking the Appalachian Trail. Chris would have been a hell of a distance man.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Any idea what ever became of Mike Cole? G Chase