What ’62 Gave Support # 2

Larry Crane

Two Sport Man

Cracked a loud bat on the Diamond. Basketball 4, 3, 2 & 1 (Army A 3, 2 & 1); Baseball 4, 3 & 2 (Army A 3)

The list of basketball lettermen includes Larry Crane (1960 and 1962 — we would like Larry to tell us about 1961), Al DeJardin (1960 and 1962 — same question), Bob Loupe (1962), and Stu Sherard (1960, 1961, and 1962).

The media guide includes a rather odd one of Larry Crane found in”’62 Can Do” in the basketball section on the 1962 Class page.

In scrutinizing the on-line baseball archives, I found no mention of any member of the USMA Class of 1962 or any of the three teams to which that Class contributed other than the list of lettermen:

Crane, LT

DeJardin, AR

Eccleston, TF

Fox, RM

Lilley, RJ

McRae, WD

Schmidt, JL

Larry Crane lives in Newagen, ME, with his wife, Jan. Both are playwrights and have published several works, some of which have won awards. by Dave Phillips – ’62

Al DeJardin

The Straw That Stirs the Drink

The 1961-62 basketball team was 10-11 but we will long remember how we beat Navy in the Field House. Stew Sherard had fouled out and the straw that stirred the drink for the Army offense, Al DeJardin, had also been disqualified. No matter. One of the five players we had on the floor was Bob Loupe — can anyone name the others? — and his famous scoop shot in the last few seconds was all we needed. Absolutely unforgettable. Navy did have one more chance, but I think they threw the ball away.

Another 2 Sport Man

In scrutinizing the on-line baseball archives, I found no mention of any member of the USMA Class of 1962 or any of the three teams to which that Class contributed other than the list of lettermen: Crane, LT; DeJardin, AR; Eccleston, TF; Fox, RM; Lilley, RJ; McRae, WD; Schmidt, JL

(Photo from Col Red Reeder’s Book – Pointers on Athletes)

Al, if memory serves, played a steady shortstop for Army and earned at least one major A for his service.

Plebe year: received class numerals for corps squad plebe teams in baseball and basketball

Received 6 “Major A” letters during the 3 years of eligibility as shown below:

Yearling year: received a “Major A” in baseball and basketball

Cow year: received a “Major A” in baseball and basketball

Firstie year: received a “Major A” in baseball and basketball (received a gold star on the “A” for beating Navy in basketball)

In April 1963 played in the Pan American Games as a member of the USA Baseball Team. The games were played in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The other teams were Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil. Was the starting shortstop and played every inning of all games. We played Cuba in the gold medal game and lost 3-1. We received the “silver medal). The Cuban team had a number of players that had played in our “Major Leagues” but were kept in Cuba once Castro became the leader of Cuba.

Baseball highlights: Playing in Ebbetts Field (Home of the Brooklyn Dodgers) in 1956 and 1957 for the Catholic High School Championship. Won in 1957. Winning the Eastern league title Yearling year, Being selected Captain of the baseball team after the 1961 season, Being selected All Eastern League 2nd team SS Firstie year. Playing in the 1963 Pan American Games for the USA baseball team and receiving the silver medal for a second place finish..

Basketball highlights: Playing against Ohio State @ Ohio State when they were rated #1 in the country, Playing UCLA, West Virginia and U of Washington in a Christmas tournament in Los Angeles, Beating Boston College @ West Point, playing in Madison Square Garden in the NIT and last but certainly not least, the exciting victory over Navy Firstie year with Bob Loupe scoring the winning basket as time was running out.

Robert DeVries

75 Bill Yost, 73 Bob Odd, 11 Pete King, 45 George Kirschenbauer, 58 Dick Buckner, 65 Harry Miller, 64 Al Vanderbush, 56 Ozzie Oswandel, 40 Russ DeVries, 94 Bob DeVries, 61 Jerry Clements

Russ DeVries

Russell & Marcia DeVries

75 Bill Yost, 73 Bob Odd, 11 Pete King, 45 George Kirschenbauer, 58 Dick Buckner, 65 Harry Miller, 64 Al Vanderbush, 56 Ozzie Oswandel, 40 Russ DeVries, 94 Bob DeVries, 61 Jerry Clements

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Russ DeVries

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Tom Eccleston

Baseball Player and Class Legend

Tom on the Mound – Doubleday Field against Navy 1961. It is probably “Gordon Dopsloff” Class of 1963 on First. (Photo A Triolo Sports ILLustrated)

In scrutinizing the on-line baseball archives,I found no mention of any member of the USMA Class of 1962 or any of the three teams to which that Class contributed other than the list of lettermen:

Crane, LT DeJardin, AR Eccleston, TF Fox, RM Lilley, RJ McRae, WD Schmidt, JL

As for Tom’s legendary status, details are best obtained from him.

George Kirschenbauer

George & Karen Kirschenbauer
George was our Class President for a number of years. Ted Stroup replaced George.

Recuited for Baseball, George lettered in both Football and Baseball– sending a pitch in the spring of 1962 right over Cullum Hall roof.

“Kirschenbauer, Kirschenbauer, I saw George Kirschenbauer hit a home run over the roof of Cullum Hall” Comment by son of Mr. Link (PE Dept.) Spring of 2006, when George’s name was mentioned. The excitement in his voice was as if was May of 1962. What we did made a difference.

His home run off Yankee Cy Young winner, Bob Turley (Yogi Berra to George as he crossed home plate, “Well son, you’ve seen the last inside fast ball you’re going to see today, so hang on to your hat.”

Start of 59 Season

75 Bill Yost, 73 Bob Odd, 11 Pete King, 45 George Kirschenbauer, 58 Dick Buckner, 65 Harry Miller, 64 Al Vanderbush, 56 Ozzie Oswandel, 40 Russ DeVries, 94 Bob DeVries, 61 Jerry Clements

Bob Lilley

and Roger Maris

In the eye of my mind, I can still see Bob Lilley staggering under the longest, highest fly ball ever hit at Doubleday Field, post Babe Ruth. The ball was struck by Roger Maris during the exhibition game against the Yankees. Bob was holding down right field and had moved back towards the Library Tennis Courts fence out of respect for Maris. Now, if this happened in 1962, Maris was coming off the year he hit 61 home runs. If it happened in 1961, it was just after the major league season had begun, the season in which Maris would break the record. In fact, if it was 1961, it would have happened about the time Maris began his run at the record, because he did not hit his first homer until game 9 of the season. (He hit 61 homers in his last 154 games of the season, just as Ruth had hit 60 in his 154 games.)

The overflow crowd had leeched onto the playing field and more or less surrounded Bob as he followed the arc of the ball, gauging its trajectory with geometric logic and experience gained from hundreds of games of baseball. I heard someone yell, “Go back further!” Bob heeded this advice, camped under the high-flying missile and actually got his glove on it but could not hold it. Maris strolled into third base. The ball struck the ground perhaps 20 feet from the fence, a monstrous shot.

It is like it happened yesterday.
Bob stayed in the lineup because of his bat, playing Cather, First Base & Outfield.

There is a photo of Bob, Al DeJardin & Mickey Mantle on the wall of Fame connecting Kimsey Center & with the Hockey Rink & Basketball Arena.

Bob was drafted by the Cleveland Indians out of High School.