By STEVE KRAUSE
LYNN — The consensus of opinion from his contemporaries was that Harry Agganis was a man among boys — athletically and physically.
“Let’s face it,” said Don Brothers, who spent his middle and high school career staring across the line at “The Golden Greek” while at English, “he was a big man, compared to a lot of the guys back then. He was 6-1, and weighed anywhere from 185-190 pounds. And no matter what he did, he was smart with it. He knew what he was doing.”
That’s just a glimpse of the Harry Agganis whose name, and legacy, will be honored tonight at the 56th annual Agganis All-Star Football game (7 p.m., Manning Field). Agganis was a star athlete in three sports at Lynn Classical, especially in football. He went onto play football and baseball at Boston University.
But he was one of the real-life embodiments of poet A.E. Housman’s “To An Athlete Dying Young.” He was a rising star with the Boston Red Sox in 1955 when he developed an illness that landed him in Sancta Maria Hospital in Cambridge. While there, on June 27, he died suddenly of a pulmonary embolism. He was only 26 years old.
Upon his death, and at the urging of Lynn attorney Charles Demakis, The Harry Agganis Foundation was established, with help from The Daily Evening Item and then-publisher Peter Gamage and sports editor Edward H. Cahill; the Red Sox and owner Thomas A. Yawkey; and Harold O. Zimman, a coach and mentor at Classical. The objective was to provide scholarships to deserving scholar-athletes.
That was 62 years ago. Since then, the foundation has awarded $1.85 million in grants to 945 young men and women from both the Lynn and Boston areas.
The foundation has grown not only in its endowment, but in its scope. The Yawkey Foundation contributes four scholarships annually to Boston-area students. And scholarships have been endowed by Agganis’ grand-nephew Greg; the Cahill family; and in the name of former Lynn Mayor Patrick J. McManus.
This year, there are two new grants, set up by former Lynn resident and St. Mary’s graduate James Baldini. The grants are for $20,000 each, spread over four years, and go to West Lynn students who plan to major in STEM-related fields in college (science, technology, engineering and math).
The foundation has had a family feel in other ways. Greg Agganis is among the foundation’s trustees, as is Cahill’s son, Edward L. Cahill. Gamage’s son, Peter H. Gamage, is a former trustee.
Charles Demakis’ son, attorney Thomas C. Demakis is the foundation’s chairman, and his nephew, Thomas L. Demakes of Old Neighborhood Foods in Lynn, is a trustee.
“I find it amazing that 62 years after Harry Agganis died there’s still a football game in his memory that draws thousands of fans,” Thomas C. Demakis said.
Tonight, the best of this year’s senior class will be on display at Manning Field. Last fall, two teams from the Lynn area, St. Mary’s and Marblehead, went to MIAA state championship football games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Five of them — Liam Reddy, Abraham Toe, Marcus Atkins, Cam Sakowich and Joey Silvestri — will represent St. Mary’s and play for the South squad. Four more — Bo Millett, Justin Faia, Jaason Lopez and Drew Gally — will represent Marblehead and play for the North team.
Faia and Lynn Classical’s Matt Lauria will wear No. 33 — Agganis’ number at Classical.
The Agganis football game concludes a week of events that honored both Agganis and the North Shore’s senior class of athletes. Combined, they constitute the principal vehicle for raising money for the Agganis scholarships. More than 300 athletes participated in Agganis Week, including the 80 who will play tonight, said Paul Halloran, who is chairman of all the Agganis games.
Not only is the talent for tonight’s game outstanding but, Halloran said, “the officiating crew could literally work any college football bowl game in the country. These are among the top officials in the country, and they’re lining up to volunteer for this game.”
The crew includes Jeff Akers, Gary Dancewicz, John Salmon, Donny Werner, Skip Likins, Steve Walsh, Joe Pennucci and Bryan Platt.
“This is the finale of what has been a great week for youth sports,” said Halloran, referring to all-star baseball, softball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls lacrosse games played earlier this week. “It’s a great spectacle.”
