It's the fifth year for this major event on Cathedral's hockey calendar.
A little event like this was bound to drum up added interest in Cathedral hockey's alumni weekend.Players from state championship teams of 1996, 2003 and 2009 will be among those taking part in Cathedral High School’s alumni hockey weekend, set for Jan. 13-14.
Interest among alumni is stronger than ever after Cathedral’s New Year’s Day game at Fenway Park against Mt. St. Charles of Woonsocket, R.I.
“Because of that game, we’re expecting a huge turnout of alumni,” said Bill Christofori, a former Cathedral athlete and long-time booster of the school.
A dinner Friday, Jan. 13, at the Springfield Elks Lodge on Tiffany Street will get the weekend going. On Saturday, Jan. 14, two alumni games will be played at the Olympia in West Springfield.
The first game, at noon, will be reserved for players over 35. The under-35s will play at 1.
It’s the fifth year for this major event on Cathedral’s hockey calendar. Sponsored by the family of late Cathedral player Jack Hoar as a memorial, alumni games and dinners have raised $40,000 to help defray costs of the hockey program.
Dave Keaney of West Springfield, a member of Cathedral’s first Western Massachusetts championship team in 1954, will be “senior man” on the ice.
Dave Fenton, who coached the 1996 and 2003 state champs, will be among the skaters.
“We need two games, because alumni have been coming back in droves the last couple of years. We had 63 players last year, and we expect over 70 this time,” Christofori said.
ALL-AMERICA BEAR: Western New England University’s Mike Graham, a junior from Norwalk, Conn., has made two All-America teams as a kick returner.
He was named Thursday to the Division III first team, selected by the Beyond Sports Network.
Previously, he had received a third-team spot in selections made by D3Football.com.
He is the first Golden Bears football player to receive All-America recognition.
In helping coach Keith Emery’s 2011 team to a 10-2 record, Graham averaged 35.3 yards on kickoff returns, including four touchdowns.
HONORING ALFREDO: Alfredo Aceves, whose 10-2 record led all Red Sox pitchers in winning percentage for 2011, has been named Boston’s Pitcher of the Year in voting by the Boston Chapter, Baseball Writers Association of America. He also was selected for the Unsung Hero award.
He will be among the honorees at the chapter’s 73rd annual awards dinner, set for Jan. 19 at Boston’s Westin Copley hotel. Other winners include Jacoby Ellsbury, team MVP; Jonathan Papelbon, Fireman of the Year; Dustin Pedroia, Jackie Jensen Award for team spirit; and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Good Guy award.
New manager Bobby Valentine and new GM Ben Cherington will be among the head-table guests.
Dinner tickets, at $175, can be obtained online at The Sports Museum website, www.sportsmuseum.org
BEST BET for the weekend: Secret Circle, in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.
Garry Brown can be reached at geeman1918@yahoo.com