LYNN — Fifteen scholar athletes from the North Shore and the Boston area are the latest recipients of scholarships presented by the Harry Agganis Foundation.
Since the foundation was established in 1955, following Agganis’ sudden death at the age of 26, it has awarded 927 scholarships totaling $1,749,000.
Agganis, called “The Golden Greek” during his athletic career at Lynn Classical, Boston University and with the Boston Red Sox, died of a pulmonary embolism on June 27, 1955, while a member of the Sox. Charles Demakis, a Lynn attorney, was the moving force behind the establishment of the foundation, and his son, Thomas, also an attorney, is its chairman today.
Of the 15 scholarship recipients, four attended Lynn schools, one each from St. Mary’s, English, Classical and Lynn Vocational Technical Institute.
Four more are from Boston schools. Their Yawkey/Agganis Scholarships are given thanks to a yearly grant provided by the Yawkey Foundation, which is named for the late Thomas A. Yawkey — former owner of the Red Sox — and his wife, Jean.
There is one scholarship each named for two members of his Agganis family: his nephew, Michael and his grand-nephew Greg.
There is one scholarship named for Patrick J. McManus, the late mayor of Lynn, which goes to a graduate from McManus’ alma mater, Lynn English. This year’s recipient is Haylee Denham, who will attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Finally, one of the grants is the result of a gift from the family of the late Edward H. Cahill, a former sports editor at The Item, who was writing for the paper on the day Agganis died.
All scholarships are four-year $1,000 grants. See the chart that accompanies this story for a complete list of winners.
