In the months following the death of legendary Lynn athlete Harry Agganis from a pulmonary embolism at the age of 26, the idea for a foundation in his name – championed by Attorney Charles Demakis – was born.
Joining forces to bring the concept to fruition were The Daily Item newspaper and owner Peter Gamage, owner Thomas A. Yawkey and the Boston Red Sox, for whom Agganis was playing at the time of his death, and Harold O. Zimman, a confidante and mentor of Agganis.
The purpose of the foundation was to raise money for college scholarships to be presented in the name of Agganis, an All-American football player at Lynn Classical and record-breaking quarterback at Boston University who opted for professional baseball so he could play for the Red Sox and be near his widowed mother.
Seventy years later, that mission remains unchanged, with the Agganis Foundation having awarded $2,588,000 in scholarships to 1,074 student-athletes.
The foundation will mark seven decades of preserving the legacy of Harry Agganis with an event at the Lynn Museum & Arts Center on May 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. At the celebration, the Demakes Family and Demakes Enterprises will be honored for their longtime generous support of the foundation and the Agganis All-Star Games.
Also recognized will be past Agganis All-Star and scholarship recipient Mike Giardi, a teacher and three-sport coach at Marblehead High School, and current scholarship recipients Brady Warren, a junior at Saint Anselm College, and Victoria Quagrello, a sophomore at Middlebury College. Agganis scholarship recipients receive $2,000 per year for the four years they are in college.
“We are proud of the role the foundation has played and continues to play in providing meaningful scholarships in the name of Harry Agganis,” said John Meklis, foundation president and a 1990 Agganis scholarship recipient. “This event gives us an opportunity to celebrate 70 years of success, while reaffirming our commitment to continue that legacy.”
The Agganis All-Star Games serve as a fundraiser for the foundation. What started as a football game in 1956 has expanded to nine All-Star games – softball, baseball, girls and boys basketball, girls and boys lacrosse, girls and boys soccer and football. This year’s games will be played in Lynn June 27-28.
For information on tickets and sponsorships for the May 20 event, visit agganisfoundation.com
