Honoring Jack Curran, Lifer Coach

3/16/2013

Coaching in 1982; Photo by Carolyn Karsten, Courtesy of Molloy

Somebody said Jack Curran should have been a priest, and somebody else said, he was.

This old-fashioned man, who coached basketball and baseball, and lived his faith, passed on Thursday at 82.

The obits all said he never married, that he passed up college coaching jobs so he could take care of his mother, and how he pitched batting practice for Molloy into his late ‘70’s.

“How’s your arm?” I would ask when I called for some old-fashioned city wisdom.

“Not bad,” he would say.

He blew out the arm in the minor leagues, which pushed him into coaching two sports for nearly six decades.

A few hours after Curran passed, I received an email from a reader I did not know.

Write something about Coach, it asked.

Of course, I did not need to write a word. Three of my favorite writers at the Times have captured him perfectly:

Vincent Mallozzi on Curran’s 50th anniversary:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/sports/ncaabasketball/08curran.html

Dan Barry:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/10/nyregion/father-basketball-long-into-overtime-after-45-years-coach-still-teaches-layups.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

And Bruce Weber, in the obituary:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/15/sports/jack-curran-a-mentor-in-two-sports-dies-at-82.html?_r=0

So nobody needs me. But as a son of the city, I can remember him as a scrawny, big-eared red-headed sub with the good St. John’s basketball teams, intense, observant. I can remember my brother Peter, later a landmark basketball columnist in this town, playing both sports for Curran.

As a younger reporter, I thought Curran was a bit single-minded, and probably so did his players. The older we got, the wiser he became. Funny how that works.

In recent years, I went to Curran for wisdom, for opinion, for honesty. He knew what he knew. When area baseball coaches went along with the aluminum-bat lobby, Curran put together anecdotal impressions of youngsters being skulled by line drives that never should have traveled that fast. He lobbied his school to vote against the bats. It was the right thing to do, and he did it. This is what I wrote:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/14/sports/baseball/14vecsey.html

He was proud of graduates like Jim Larranaga who went on to coach George Mason in the Final Four:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E7D71530F933A05750C0A9609C8B63

I must add, he agitated for every break, the way the John Woodens and Dean Smiths did. A friend who played for a Queens public school recalled how annoying Curran could be, pestering the refs and the umpires. But his players were well-taught, my friend added, and they were tough.

Dan Barry noted the yin/yang of Jack Curran’s quotidian life, Mass, commuting across the bridge, coaching everybody, even kids on the opposing bench.

Barry wrote how Curran balanced “his daily aggressive commands – ‘Box out!’ -- with that saying of St. Francis of Assisi he carries: ‘Preach the Gospel every day and when necessary, use words.’”

Jack Curran kept that saying folded in his wallet. When people compared him to a priest, even in these complicated times, it was meant as an old-fashioned compliment.

Comments about Jack Curran are welcome here.

Jack Curran and Jim Larranaga, now coaching University of Miami

Big Al

3/16/2013 05:18:00 am

Coach Curran was a true classic, a giant, like my Coach at Martin Van Buren, the great Marv Kessler. They were very different as people, yet in an odd way, very alike. They lived for coaching kids the right way to play ball and wanted nothing else. They were very much Queens guys, the same age, friends forever, and I greatly enjoyed playing Father Curran's Molloy teams in Briarwood. Jack never cursed. Marv was a coach impersonating a longshoreman or a sailor. Both were legends without a doubt.

George Vecsey

3/16/2013 05:41:29 am

Al, it's a good thing Marv showed you how to hold Kevin Joyce to 40 or 50 points. Probably, Coach Curran was berating Joyce, if less colorfully. Great days. GV

Richard T.

3/16/2013 05:52:07 am

A great tribute to a great person. On hearing the news of Coach Curran's passing on Thursday, there was one universal theme that stood out in the e-mails of my Molloy classmates and other Stanners: the fulfilling purpose of life Coach Curran had in guiding and shaping the lives of countless young men. He never waivered in his principles and values and instilled great pride in all of us.

Big Al

3/16/2013 01:15:51 pm

George V.,

I held Joyce to 30! I was never quite sure he was aware I was on the court trying to guard him. Marv Kessler was and hollered at me the entire time I was on the court. I was used to that. Joyce was a "five-tool player." I brought mine to Briarwood in a toolbox. I always thought how nice it would be to play for Mr. Curran. He never hollered at his players and never cursed. He preferred to holler at the refs. It seemed odd to me, but Mr. Curran believed his players never committed a foul and were fouled on every play. I know I never fouled Kevin Joyce. I would have. but I never got close enough to him, something that was pointed out to me by Coach Kessler at practice the day after the Molloy game. He suggested to me that I try out for the vacant spot on the handball team because you don't have an opponent to guard in that game.

Mike C

3/16/2013 02:20:32 pm

RIP Coach Curran,love the St Francis quote. Thanks as always for the point of view and candor George. The first time I saw him in action was in 1974 at the NY State Big Eight Basketball Tournament at Hofstra, his star players included Whitey Rigsby.
I then had the honor of meeting him more than once the last few years, once, while standing in line at a golf outing. He was talking with 'the voice from above' Yankee Stadium, Mr Bob Sheppard on the buffet line behind me! It was quite a keeper for my memory bank, both of them real gentlemen, they're probably already chatting in the Big Diamond in the Sky. Coach Curran was an appreciative man, at a basketball luncheon I met him at the last few years, I took a nice shot of Pete Carril and him, he said, "hey kid (mind you I was 50), can you send me a copy of that?", I did (the kid compliment sold me!), and he called to chat and thank me. Quite a thrill in both cases.
Rest in Peace Coach Curran. A NY legend.

It's complicated

3/16/2013 03:55:07 pm

Not everyone who played for Curran loved him all the time. Famously, your brother wrote of his own experience in 1999:

"Appropriate, because I always wanted to play for McGuire but was only good enough, for the most part, to practice for Curran as a guard and a pitcher. We didn't exactly get along my senior year. I was the sixth man in basketball (until failing off the team for a marking period) on a five-man squad. If I were the fifth man, Curran would've only played four.

"In baseball, it was more of the same. I was the third pitcher on a two-man rotation. But I got even. Rainouts had forced a flood of games one particular week, thus taxing the arms of our two lefty stars. Thus, one sunny Saturday, Curran informed me I'd be starting that day.

"Just the opportunity I'd been waiting for. I proceeded to tear off my uniform and throw it in his direction. Take that! "I quit! I'm outta here!"

"So Curran turned the shinny white ball over to Ray Morissey, the fourth pitcher on the squad. He pitched a no-hitter. Won at least a partial scholarship to St. John's, as I recall. And Molloy won the '61 CHSAA championship.

"Regrettably, Turner Sports' obligations in Atlanta prevent me and Kenny Smith (who actually helped Curran win games and titles) from being at tonight's ceremony."

I had a similar experience. Curran was kind when you were in real trouble - help you find a doctor, buy you a sandwich after a serious injury. But when playing, I had a similar experience to Shandue McNeil, who said Curran told him (in the Dan Barry piece): ''You'd go 9 for 10, and what you'd hear is, 'You should have made that shot off the backboard,' ' 'He finds a way psychologically to keep you on your toes.''

For Shandue, who was better than me, that was keeping you on your toes. For me, battling for a starting spot, playing time and the legend's approval, hearing that -- after playing really well -- was almost devastating. Molloy was a tough place to play. I was the leading scorer on my freshman team, top 3 on JV, made varsity. 7th man junior year. Expected to start, worked hard, but didn't. I'd go games without playing, then play three quarters, play well and then inexplicably not play again for games at a time.

And he was no help getting into college. I had interest from Princeton, where I probably would have been able to be a back up on a good team and he was dismissive, throwing in the trash a message from an assistant to call about me.

I became a better player certainly because of him - X and Os wise, but if you couldn't help him win, he didn't care much about mentoring you to be a better player. Because of him, I didn't want to look at basketball for a year and a half, and turned down offers from Top 20 D3 schools, who mostly saw me in AAU (and my odd 4th quarter entries in Molloy games. Whether we were up or down, I usually was good enough to play out the game, just not play the first three quarters. Those were tough things for a teenager to understand.

While everyone writes about his greatness, there's nuance. And I can't be the only one out there with the same experience.

Andy Tansey

3/17/2013 12:49:18 am

One thing that's complicated about my perspective is an admitted bias on my part that tends to respect authority, perhaps to a fault. I could never have played for Mr. Curran - no talent - and so I ran XC & track - no speed - and so I ran distance and never won a varsity medal. Back in those days, Mr. Curran still taught gym, and I remember his patience in teaching me how to shoot free throws. I felt privileged. That, and his recognition of the name, were my only connections.

He remembered my father, his contemporary within about 3 years from Bronx parochial school days and later a Stanner. I was touched by how he would go out of his way at alumni events, where he was always the figure most in demand, to spend a few moments.

I paid for my kids to play youth sports and I expected they would get a fair amount of playing time. When my kid rode the bench while players I thought inferior started, I was heart-broken. However, this was not pay-to-play youth ball. This was competitive school ball. Parents and players protesting against the coach? Not on your life in my day, and I was appalled when I saw it. Mr. Curran was not my kid's coach at Molloy - different sport. A very young college student was coach. However, I knew that the coach's decisions were bound to disappoint some but had to be lived with. That's team sports. My kid - who probably could have played college ball - moved on, and still loves the game. It's complicated.

I hope the experience of the overwhelming majority with Mr. Curran was consistent with mine, analogous to our school's motto, "Non scholae, sed vitae." Not only for school, but also for life.

I am grateful to Mr. Vecsey for the fine tribute here.

George Vecsey

3/17/2013 04:09:34 am

The answer to these comments is: all of the above. My vision of Jack Curran comes from being a soccer player who got benched in high school. Curran was a steady and wise voice to a columnist in recent decades. Different role.

Pete was a good player, and Curran used him off the bench in games that mattered. Years later, Pete developed a 3-point shot.We were playing in the park one day and I said, "Where did you get that?" and he said, "Rick." He went to shootarounds with Rick Barry, and had to compete. I wonder if Coach Curran would have allowed that, back in the day. Nobody likes to sit. GV

bruce picken

3/17/2013 11:06:27 am

george,

just catching up after being away from your stuff for a little while. nothing to add about curran, but an observation.

i enjoyed your nyt stuff, but enjoy this site more. you seem to be unshackled or somethin'.......

the personal stuff is very good.

and, by the way, you know my whole 'world championship' phobia....it'll annoy me even more when mr buck says the angels are three outs away from a world championship since, once again, the u.s. crapped out in their third straight wbc. of course, it still wouldn't mean the nba, nfl or major league club champions are world champs.

cheers,

bruce

GeorgeVecsey

3/19/2013 01:17:20 am

Bruce, good to hear from you. Your Canadian sensibility (with your personal vantage point from Nara) keeps me on my toes. I do refer sometimes on my own site to the so-called World Series,if I remember. Then I am accused of being a communist or a kenyan or a fascist or something. Can't win. GV.

Alan Rubin link

3/17/2013 12:15:41 pm

Bruce

You are correct about George’s site; it is like an old pair of comfortable shoes. It also attracts interesting people.

Gene Palumbo

3/18/2013 11:37:09 am

In case you've gotten out of the habit of checking the Times every day to see if there’s a column by George, just wanted to let you know that he wrote one last week: "Where Are the Yankees I Loved to Hate."
www.nytimes.com/2013/03/13/sports/baseball/where-are-the-yankees-i-loved-to-hate.html

free resume builder link

6/14/2013 01:25:08 am

These girls are cute and smart, they deserve to be there. Good job, girls and good luck!

karriere navigator link

9/6/2013 02:24:36 am

May the soul of one of the best coach in the world will rest in peace. RIP.

entrance mats link

1/14/2016 05:55:19 am

The topic of this post is Honoring Jack Curran, Lifer Coach. He is such a great person and I like to follow him because basketball is my favorite game.

Comments are closed.

QUOTES

Measuring Covid Deaths, by David Leonhardt. July 17, 2023. NYT online.
The United States has reached a milestone in the long struggle against Covid: The total number of Americans dying each day — from any cause — is no longer historically abnormal….

After three horrific years, in which Covid has killed more than one million Americans and transformed parts of daily life, the virus has turned into an ordinary illness.

The progress stems mostly from three factors:
First, about three-quarters of U.S. adults have received at least one vaccine shot.
Second, more than three-quarters of Americans have been infected with Covid, providing natural immunity from future symptoms. (About 97 percent of adults fall into at least one of those first two categories.)
Third, post-infection treatments like Paxlovid, which can reduce the severity of symptoms, became widely available last year.
“Nearly every death is preventable,” Dr. Ashish Jha, who was until recently President Biden’s top Covid adviser, told me. “We are at a point where almost everybody who’s up to date on their vaccines and gets treated if they have Covid, they rarely end up in the hospital, they almost never die.”

That is also true for most high-risk people, Jha pointed out, including older adults — like his parents, who are in their 80s — and people whose immune systems are compromised. “Even for most — not all but most —immuno-compromised people, vaccines are actually still quite effective at preventing against serious illness,” he said. “There has been a lot of bad information out there that somehow if you’re immuno-compromised that vaccines don’t work.”

That excess deaths have fallen close to zero helps make this point: If Covid were still a dire threat to large numbers of people, that would show up in the data.

One point of confusion, I think, has been the way that many Americans — including we in the media — have talked about the immuno-compromised. They are a more diverse group than casual discussion often imagines.

Most immuno-compromised people are at little additional risk from Covid — even people with serious conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or a history of many cancers. A much smaller group, such as people who have received kidney transplants or are undergoing active chemotherapy, face higher risks.

Covid’s toll, to be clear, has not fallen to zero. The C.D.C.’s main Covid webpage estimates that about 80 people per day have been dying from the virus in recent weeks, which is equal to about 1 percent of overall daily deaths.

The official number is probably an exaggeration because it includes some people who had virus when they died even though it was not the underlying cause of death. Other C.D.C. data suggests that almost one-third of official recent Covid deaths have fallen into this category. A study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases came to similar conclusions.

Dr. Shira Doron, the chief infection control officer at Tufts Medicine in Massachusetts, told me that “age is clearly the most substantial risk factor.” Covid’s victims are both older and disproportionately unvaccinated. Given the politics of vaccination, the recent victims are also disproportionately
Republican and white.

Each of these deaths is a tragedy. The deaths that were preventable — because somebody had not received available vaccines and treatments — seem particularly tragic. (Here’s a Times guide to help you think about when to get your next booster shot.)
***

From the great Maureen Dowd:

As I write this, I’m in a deserted newsroom in The Times’s D.C. office. After working at home for two years during Covid, I was elated to get back, so I could wander around and pick up the latest scoop.
But in the last year, there has been only a smattering of people whenever I’m here, with row upon row of empty desks. Sometimes a larger group gets lured in for a meeting with a platter of bagels."

--- Dowd writes about the lost world of journalists clustered in newsrooms at all hours, smoking, drinking, gossipping, making phone calls, typing, editing.
***
"Putting out the paper," we called it.
Much more than nostalgia.
---https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/29/opinion/journalism-newsroom.html

Honoring Jack Curran, Lifer Coach

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