Building the Legacy, indeed!
The first Legacy Father in the school's history was Harry Morris, Class of 1969, whose son Shawn became the first offspring of a Hawk alumnus to enroll, in 1984, and graduate in 1988!
 
All told, the Class of 1969 produced four Legacy Father-Son combinations, including the Infantes, Frank and Frank ’98; the Benders, Thomas F. X. Jr. and Thomas F.X. III ’04; and the Anglins, Len and Andrew ’06.
 
Three fathers in the Class of 1970 produced four sons now among the ranks of the Alumni: Lou Giambusso and Matt ’98; the late Bert McTague and James ’96; and, Matt Guerra and sons Patrick ’93 and Matt ’96.
 
Besides Matt Guerra, the late Mike Pearson ‘73 also produced two Legacy sons, and twins at that, Daniel and Michael of the Class of 2008!
 
For those keeping score, the Classes of ’96 and ’98 each produced two Legacy Hawk alumni.
 
With the admission of our daughters in 2008, it was only a matter of a short while before Hudson enjoyed the first variation on its Father-Son Legacies. In the fall of 2011, Kristin Cunning, and proud papa John Cunning ’79, became the very first Father-Daughter Hawk Legacy. Kristin graduated in 2015.
 
And we are happy to report that Tom Soliman ‘94 and daughter Elizabeth are the latest Father-Daughter Legacy. Elizabeth is a Junior, Class of ’23.
 
Proud Legacy families are central to the history and tradition of Hudson Catholic!
 
Editor’s Note: As with any article that appears in this publication, we are bound to make omissions. If we have left out any other Legacy Families, please drop a note to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org and we will acknowledge those in a future issue.
Advancement Office Creates 'Yearbook Exchange'
Which Year’s Cover is the Best?

Hudson Catholic’s Advancement Office maintains a full collection of 57 Hawk Yearbooks….and counting, and has access to a small cache of duplicates for some years, held by the Alumni Association.
 
We would be happy to receive Yearbooks from any year in the event you no longer have need or space for yours. In turn, we can offer a yearbook, subject to availability, to any alum who might have lost theirs in a household move or simply misplaced it.
 
When looking them over in total, there are always a few that catch the eye, standing out for reasons of fine design or sheer differentiation. Nobody asked, but…….. here are the top 10 yearbook covers for your consideration. We’d like you to vote for your favorite Hawk Yearbook cover of all time.
 
To request, or turn in, a yearbook or two, and to vote for one of these ten for the Best Hawk Cover, or submit a write-in vote, contact us at Advancement@hudsoncatholic.org.
1968
2015
1996
[Caption]
1987
[Caption]
1986
2019
2017
2014
The Day
The ‘Say Hey Kid’ Willie Mays
came to Jersey City
Dateline: September 1978. A sunny day at the long ago-demolished Jersey City Roosevelt Stadium, the home field for Hudson Catholic Football and Baseball (and for many other Jersey City high schools).
 
Filming of the famous Willie Mays Schaefer Beer Circle Of Sports commercial that ran for two years on local TV stations. Beside the Baseball Hall of Famer, two other individuals featured in the commercial were both local, both having Hudson Catholic connections. Mays had already been retired since 1974, but stayed with the New York Mets organization for a number of years after that.
 
You can see it for yourself on You Tube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP40WdUWvG4
 
The pitcher featured grooving the ball into Mays for his home run swing is Bob Kelly, then a senior at St. Mary’s, who had attended Hudson Catholic for his first three years, before transferring.
 
The centerfielder in the ad, seen mainly with his back to the camera chasing the home run ball in vain until it drops over the 410’ sign is Andy Darpino, at the time a teacher, head football coach, and assistant baseball coach at HC.
 
The story behind what appeared on film starts with two Hudson County coaching legends: Rocky Pope and ‘The Faa’, Eddie Ford, who got wind of the plans to film the commercial at Roosevelt Stadium. Faa tipped Kelly, and Rocky tipped Andy, and somehow they found themselves on the field when the production truck pulled up.
 
Kelly was having quite a month for himself, filming a TV ad and signing a professional contract with the Milwaukee Brewers as an unrestricted free agent. In his freshman year in ’75 he pitched two innings in relief in the County Championship Game lost to Memorial at Veterans Stadium Bayonne. Bobby had been recruited by Rocky and played for three years at Hudson. He joined a stacked team at St. Mary’s, with righty Kelly and lefty Tom Caulfield on the mound, and the wily Ford at the helm. Kelly’s signing by the Brewers was pure coincidence -- the Brewers scout in attendance to see Caulfield wound up seeing Kelly instead. Kelly promptly threw a no-hitter that day to get on the Brewers’ radar.
 
Andy, a 1973 Marist graduate, was in the midst of a four year run on the Hudson faculty, while coaching two sports.
 
The commercial took several hours to film. Both Kelly and Darpino got to meet Willie and remember him as very nice, personable and welcoming. Willie asked Kelly about himself and complimented him for his pitching ability, and signed a baseball for Andy, reading “Willie Mays, New York Mets”.
 
After the scenes of Kelly pitching to Willie and Willie taking his home run swings, Willie cleared out for the filming of the ball going over the wall. That was left to Bobby and Andy, who claimed they were worn out from the work. Darpino was filmed mainly with his back to the camera as balls went over the wall, having been hurled by Kelly from a cherry picker stationed in centerfield! From Darpino: ”Let’s just say we didn’t get it done on the first take.” From Kelly: “My arm was hanging at the end of the day.”

Perhaps the most asked question of Kelly and Darpino about their experience is about what they were paid. Both said they would have done the ad for free, just to be in it. Their memories are quite clear and consistent, each recalling payment up front of $350, and then having checks show up every month for about two years, the length that the commercial ran on TV. Their royalties would vary between $60 and $120 from month to month, surpassing $2,000 in total. Small, in comparison to the bragging rights they held among the local crowd, and the experience of meeting the great Willie Mays!
Denizens of 'The Nest'
Look Who Stopped By!

Well, they took the offer to visit the Hawks Nest, and we're glad they did. On separate occasions, Mike Dunne '77, and '74 classmates Brian Altano, David Carbone and Peter Morales came for a visit and tour, with Altano claiming to be visiting for the first time since graduation! They were pleasantly surprised how great the place looks. The highlight of their visits was getting to see 'The Tunnel' that connects the Residence and School buildings! Not for the faint of heart. Who's next???!
Mike Dunne '77
1974 mates Peter Morales, Brian Altano, David Carbone
Alumni Spotlight
Bill Keegan's Message:
"You can heal yourself by helping others"
See NBC News Story of HEART 9/11's
Response to Hurricane Ida


The group of 9/11 first responders is heading down to the gulf to assist those impacted by Hurricane Ida. NBC New York’s Sarah Wallace reports.
Bill Keegan '73
FYI
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Mike Pecklers '71
Mike Dunne '77