The history of sport in Marlborough, Massachusetts, from 1660 to the present. Presented January 30, 2013, by Bob Kane, curator of the Marlborough Historical Society. More information on Marlborough and on the historical society is at www.HistoricMarlborough.org.

1. Marlborough
Sports History

2. Researched and presented by Bob Kane,
curator of the Marlborough Historical Society
January 30, 2013
www.HistoricMarlborough.org

3. Early Times (1660 – 1860s)
Puritans settle in
Marlborow
‚Time was Money‛
Revolutionary War
Types of Sports

4. The First Sport

5. 1860 – Present
• Water Sports • Football
• Snow Skiing • Baseball
• Fish & Game • Marlborough High
• Bicycling • Olympic Torch
• Bowling • Lacrosse
• Running • Ralph Grasso &
• Boxing Louis Ghiloni
• Wrestling
• Harness Racing
• Soccer
• Hockey
• Golf
• Basketball

6. YACHT RACING
Popular in the 1890s
1st recorded race was June 1891 with 3 boats
Raced around Lake Williams 5 times and the winning boat
was ‚Electric‛ with a time of 1 hr., 15 min., 17 sec.

7. WATER SKIING
FT. MEADOW SKI CLUB
• Organized summer of 1954 by
9 boys
• Built a regulation ‚American
Water Ski Assoc. ski jump in
1957
• Sponsored ‚AWSA‛ official
tournament
• Hosted the New England Open
Championship
• Charles River expedition
• Became the largest club in
the East
• Harry Belafonte water skied
on Ft. Meadow in 1964

8. MEMORIAL BEACH
• Purchased and built through the guidance of the
‚Recreation Dept.‛ and its new director ‚Louis Ghiloni‛ and
dedicated in 1953 as the World War II Memorial Park

9. JERICHO SKI HILL
& CLUB
• Late 1930s
constructed a ski
jump

10. JERICHO SKI HILL
• 1943/44
removed jump
& constructed
ski hill & tow

11. JERICHO HILL & • 1944 organized Ski Club
• 1950s - One of first in country to make
SKI CLUB snow
• 1980-81 - Purchased by City

12. • Started in 1924 with a • Purchased 28 acres on
very modest beginning as lower Elm Street
‚Marlboro Sportsmen’s • Developed indoor &
Club‛ outdoor rifle & pistol
• Formally chartered as ranges, archery course
‚Fish & Game‛ on July 27, and trout pond, etc.
1933

13. ICE FISHING DERBY

14. ARCHERY PRACTICE

15. Marlboro Bicycle Club
October 24, 1880

16. July 18, 1891 – First known
race sponsored by the
Marlborough Rubber Co. 7
cyclists participated.
Started in Marlborough,
went through surrounding
communities. Won by Cliff
Wolcott.
June 12, 1893 – Sponsored by
Marlboro Rubber Company
with the same route of the
1891 race but with 12
cyclists, and Cliff Wolcott
won again.
August 1990 – Stratus
Computer 20 mile bicycle
race (part of city’s 100th
Anniversary)

17. • Bowling at Flynn’s Alleys - 1894
• Bowling Alley opened in
Monument Square –1899.
• Pastimes Alleys on Rawlins Avenue
o Became Allen’s Alleys in 1915.

18. Allen’s Alleys in Pastimes Building on Rawlins Ave.
• Leo Ballard set world record at Pastimes
• Over the years there were many different leagues

19. HIGHLAND HOUSE BOWLING TEAM SPORTING HAFFENREFFER SHIRTS
• Bowling at Flynn’s Alleys/Six team league – March 6, 1896.

20. During WWII there were no bowling leagues for 3-4
years.
Ten pin bowling came when Maple Lanes opened.
Maple Lanes destroyed by fire in 1989.
Maple Lanes -164 Northboro Road

21. RICHARD BUSA (Age 83)
• Amateur
runner/Legendary trail
runner
• Has run in over 70
Marathons, 61 Ultra
Marathons.
• Ran the Vermont 100 at
age 72.
• Raced in over 60
Snowshoe Races.
• Busa Bushwhack Trail
• Runs in 25 +/- races a
year.

22. RICHARD BUSA
• Won 7 Gold Medals in
his age group in the
U.S. National Snowshoe
Association Race.

23. ALEC D’ANGELO
• 1900 – 1910
o Old Marlboro Theatre
- Newton St
o Local favorites Hookie
Kane & Ed Stanton
• 1915-1928
o Pastimes Hall
o Sponsored by the
Marlboro Driving Club
o Local favorite Frankie
D’Amico
• 1928-1935
o Pastimes Hall – every
other week
o Vic Lotti & Alec
D’Angelo leading
lightweights in N.E.

24. GEORGE C. LIZOTTE
• In 1908, he won the
Boston Athletic
Association Sparring
Open.

25. • Many athletic events held at the Lyonhurst as
well as dancing and roller skating.

26. KAPPY
KAPETANOPOULOS
• Professional wrestler in
the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. A
total of 25 years.
• Fought Killer Kowalski and
Haystack Calhoun.
• Also a body builder, winning
the title of Mr. Florida.

27. • National Champion of Collar
HENRY ‚MOSES‛ DUFUR and Elbow wrestling.
• At age 17 defeated a 250 lb.
wrestler
• Moved to the Hudson section
of Marlborough
• 1863 moved to what is now
Marlborough
• 1878 issued a challenge in a
New York paper.
• 1880 battled John McMahan
over 5 hours
• He fought 127 matches and lost
but one!
Collar
& Elbow
Wrestlin
g

28. Dacey’s stables started in 1896.
Marlboro Trotting Park opened May 30, 1898
Development of Pari-Mutual Harness Racing
Many Marlborough people associated with Harness Racing
BILL DACEY
with
Dr. Eugene

29. JOHN HOGAN
Hall of Fame Trainer & Driver
50+ year career as a professional
Ranked among the top 100 drivers in the
country
3rd ranked in 1970
Won close to 4,700 races
Won 6 driving titles
One of Marlborough’s best horses
o Royal Joseph

30. Some of Marlborough’s Best Horses over the years
Tom Kyle’s ‚Highland Piper‛
Fred & Ruth Condry’s ‚Shadydale Judge‛
Carl Rowe’s ‚Justanuf‛
Jim Hogan’s ‚Shadydale Feather‛ & ‚Claude
Lybrook‛
Ralph Seymour’s ‚Southern Boy‛
Dr. McGee’s ‚Newport Ali‛
Jim Hutch’s ‚Chief Canuck‛
Bill Dacey’s ‚Tommy Song‛

31. Jack Hogan on
the right with
his father, Jim,
and Little
Piper.
Jack, driving
Royal
Joseph, at
Hinsdale
Raceway in
1973

32. ROCKINGHAM PARK IN 1964
Jack Hogan driving Southern Boy, owned by Ralph Seymour. At
Jack’s left is Ralph, at his right, Bob Kane, and far right is
Mike Krysa

33. MIKE BURNS
Started at age 6
High School All State
team 2 years
4 Years at Hartwick
College
World Hockey player
Olympic Games
N.E. Revolution
San Jose Earthquakes
Kansas City Wizards
N.E. Revolution

34. ROBERT ‚BOBBY‛ BUTLER
Marlborough High School Years
Played for Univ. of New
Hampshire
2010 signed with NHL’s Ottawa
Senators
2012 Signed with NHL’s New Jersey
Devils.

35. MICHAEL
LANDERS
• Was a talented 3
sport athlete at
MHS
• Was a standout
player and captain
of the 1993/1994
squad when at West
Point

36. MARLBOROUGH COUNTRY CLUB
Opened on June 3, 1922 with Francis
Ouimet Exhibition match
Golf was played on New Year’s Day,
1944
Added second nine holes in 1970
Bob Hope and National Champion,
blind golfer, Joe Lazaro played here
Over the years has had many golfers
& champions but one in particular
stands out…

37. FAY DERUVO
Won 28 ‚Women’s Club
Championships‛ in 40 years.
Won numerous state
championships
When she was 78 she shot her age!
She was also an outstanding
athlete in bowling and was State
Archery Champion for 2 years.
The new walking bridge on the
17th hole at MCC was dedicated in
her name this past November.

38. MARLBOROUGH COUNTRY CLUB FAIRWAY
• View from the #4 Tee, looking east

39. 1967 MHS GOLF TEAM
From 1965 to 1967 had 41 Wins and 1 Loss
Won 1967 State Championship

40. One of the first PGA
TOUR Senior
Tournaments, held in
1981
o 1981 Tournament
won by Bob Goalby
Brought to
Marlborough some of
Golf’s All Time Greats
Won by Arnold Palmer,
the ‚King‛ of Golf in its
2nd year, 1982!

41. Sam
Snead
Bob Kane Bob Goalby
1981 winner
Arnold Palmer,
1982 winner &
Mayor
Ferrecchia

42. ‛WAS ONCE LEADING SPORT HERE‛
The ‚GOLDEN ERA‛ 1894-1940 ‚Hotbed of Semi-Pro
Basketball‛
o 1894 Introduced to Marlborough by a YMCA instructor
o Team comprised of 8 players
o Part of a 7 team league

43. YMCA League folded
o Same group form ‚Young Men’s Athletic
Club‛
o N.E. Professional League

44. 1899 - The YMCA ceased
o Replaced by the ‚BBA Team‛
o Marlboro Basketball Assoc.
o Due to a lack of suitable halls, very little
Basketball was played for 7-8 years
o except for ‚Williams & Ryan Team‛ of 1906

45. 1899
o Games were played in the old City Hall
until it burned down on Christmas Day,
1902, not that long after a game was
played there!

46. 1910 - The Irish Americans (I.A.A.C.) organized
The I.A.A.C. folded
o Same group formed a new team called ‚Williams &
Ryan‛
1915 – Chris Ghiloni organizes ‚TD’s‛ (Totally Different)
o Opens season with Northboro A.A. winning 67-21
o Broke up when World War I started

47. 1920 – Industrial League with 6 shoe factories formed
o played for about 4-5 years
1926 – ‚Marlboro Bears‛ played until 1934
o Rated as the top team of the day in New England
o Won New England Championship
o Beat Bunker Hill K of C in quintuplet over time 23 –
22
o Top notch professional teams came to play them

48. Early 1930s - Company K National Guard team
o Played against the best of them
St. Jean’s was playing about the same time
o Featured local stars
1934 – popular WPA league with 16 teams formed
o 2 classes, Class A & Class B
o Marlborough’s Navy Yard dominated the Class A loop
o The Navy Yard had local stars
o The younger Crusaders beat out Navy Yard for title in
1938

49. World War II ended the WPA League & there was little
basketball until after the war
o The Crusaders & the Bears were re-activated
o Played double-headers at St. Jean’s Hall
o City league operated with a six team circuit during war
1947-1957
o Marlborough Boys Club organized a team with local
stars that dominated play for several years
o Nucleus of group played for different teams such
as the I.C. Senior CYO, Halon’s Jewelers, Ethier’s
Motors & the Boys Club in city basketball league

50. 1960
o Boys Club organizes team that won 30 straight games
Another top team was the ‚Central Auto Rebuilders‛
1962-1967
o Central Auto Rebuilders, one of top Semi-Pro teams in
MA
 Former top high school players
 Played in Lowell Town League
 Played all the top teams in Boston & Worcester
 Played Boston Patriots w/Larry Eisenhower, Nick
Buoniconti
 Top former high school players such as: Bill
Miller, Pat Forrest
o Central Auto was last semi-pro team in city
1968 – Present
o Mostly city leagues & tournaments at the Boys Club &
High School

51. 1880s – 1940s o Marlboro Tigers
o Marlboro Redskins  Existed for 12
o Marlboro Yellow years
Jackets  Lost only 4 games
o Marlboro Trojans
Marlborough Tigers

52. Two Marlborough
athletes were in the
Pros
o 1942 - Leo Brennan
played for the
Philadelphia
Eagles

53. Mike Long being
tackled by
Goose Gonsoulin
1960/61 Mike Long
played for the very
first
Patriot’s team

54. THE SHAMROCKS

55. Formed 1965
Won National
Championship 6 times
Won Eastern League
Championship 19 times
Won 7 East Regional
Titles
Seven members in
National Hall of Fame
460 Wins – 98 Losses –
2 Ties
BOB KAYS

57. • 1865-1870 – ‚Fairmount Baseball Club‛

58. • 1869 –
Fairmount
ranked 4th in
the country

59. • 1870 – Fairmount played
Cincinnati ‚Red Stockings‛ June 10, 1870
1870 CINCINNATI ‚RED STOCKINGS‛ TOUR STATISTICS
No text

60. 1878-1879 – THE ‚MADDEN BROTHERS‛

61. • 1878-1879 – The Madden Brothers
• Organized in 1878
• Nine brothers
• Played on Stevens Field and Prospect Park
• Played two years
• Toured country
• Played Chicago Cubs in 1880 – Lost 4-2

62. • OCTOBER 5, 1901 ‚THE GAME‛ BETWEEN
o MARLBORO TEAM along with the Carters of
Franklin
Against
o BOSTON RED SOX with Cy Young
o Last game of Boston’s 1901 postseason
o Played at Prospect Park
o The Score was 4 to 3

63. • DUKE FARRELL
o Major League Catcher
o Played for 8 teams in 18 year career
o Home Run Champion – 1891
o Won 1903 World Series w/Boston Americans
o Ranks 94th on MLB All-Time Triples list
o Ranks 4th on MLB All-Time Runners Thrown Out
list

64. Duke Farrell

65. • Other Marlborough people who played
in major leagues
o Harry Bemis (Cleveland Indians –
1902-1911)
o John Buckley (Washington – 1889)
o Jack Quinn (Philadelphia – 1911)

66. • 1912 - Tris Speaker and
Smokey Joe Woods
visit Marlborough
• 1948
TED WILLIAMS
visits
Marlborough
Ted
Williams

67. • KEN REYNOLDS
o 1970-1972
Philadelphia
Phillies
o 1973 - Milwaukee
Brewers
o 1975 – St. Louis
Cardinals
o 1976 – San Diego
Padres
o Player/coach
Toronto Blue Jays
o Coach for Chicago
Cubs farm system

68. From the 1860s on, the High School has always been
represented in the Athletic Field in both Football &
Baseball!

69. • 1869 – Prospect Park
• 1898 – Trotting Park
• 1898 – New High School built

70. • 1900 – 1928 Basketball was played on & off
• 1900 – 1947 Hockey was played on & off
• 1906 – Traditional Thanksgiving Day Game w/Hudson
started
1906 MHS Football Team

71. • 1907 - Baseball lost glory of equaling ‚World Record‛
• 1909 – Baseball one of best in state
1909 MHS Baseball Team

72. • 1909 – Controversial Thanksgiving Day Game
• 1910
o Hudson would not play Thanksgiving Day Game.
o Track added
1910 MHS Track Team

73. • 1914 – Midland League started
• 1914 MHS Football Team

74. • 1921 – Girls Field Hockey
started
• 1924 – Ward Park built
ARTEMUS WARD PARK

75. • 1927 – Jr. High w/gym added

76. • 1928 – Undefeated MHS Football
Team

77. 1930 – Boys & Girls Basketball start
1939 – Ward Six (Kelleher Field) built
1941 – Tennis & Cross Country added
MHS 1941 Football Team with All State standout player Armand Allaire

78. 1944 – Undefeated Football Team
o Outscored opposition 177-20
o Average weight was 150 lbs.
o Midland League Champs
o State Champs
1949 Hockey/Golf/Girls Softball
added
• 1953 – Roy Norden becomes coach of
football
o Beginning of football’s ‚Golden
Era‛
o 6 Years
o 1st year no wins, then went 36-6-
1
o ‘56, ’57, & ‘58 outscored its
opponents 797 to 265
o 5 Midland League
Championships
o 2 Consecutive State ‚Class C‛
Championships

79. 1957 – 1st Norden Undefeated Football Team
o 9-0 record/outscored teams 281-91
o Midland League Champs
o State Champs
o City raised $8,000 & sent team to Miami
• 1958 – 2nd Norden Undefeated Football
Team
o 9-0 record/outscored teams 288-82
o Midland League Champs
o State Champs
o City raised $4,000 and sent them to NYC
• 1958 – Rifle Team started
Roy Norden

81. Paul Drummey - Raymond Richer - Walter Brennan – Libby
Ginnetti
• These four gentlemen captained an undefeated
Marlboro High School football team.

82. 1963
o New High School on Union St. opens
1964
o Undefeated Football Team
 10-0 record
 Midland League Champs
 Class C State Champs
1966
o Gymnastics & Tennis added
1967
o Golf Team ‚State Champs‛
 41 wins & 1 loss in 3 years
o Football Team Midland League Champs
1969 – Soccer added
1970 – Dennis Zilembo scored 41 points in a single
game
1972 – Wrestling added
1972 – Navin Rink Opens

83. • 1973
o Assabet Valley Reg. High School opens
o Girls Tennis & Track added
• 1976
o Girls Volleyball added
o 1st girl to receive 4 yr. college athletic scholarship
for Field Hockey from Syracuse University - Mary
Beth Russo
• 1977
o New High School on Bolton St. opens
o Girls Hockey
• 1979 - Football Team wins Super Bowl
• 1985 – Girls Soccer Team State Champs
• 1986
o Boys Soccer Team Midland League Champs
& District Finalists
1987
Boys Soccer Midland League Champs & District E.
Champs
Girls Soccer Midland League Champs & District E.

84. 1988 – Girls Soccer Team State Champs
1990 – Girls Basketball Midland League Champs
o ‚Eighth consecutive year‛
o Finalists in State Championship
o New Mid-Wachuset League
• 1991 – Girls Soccer Team State Champs
1995 – New England Sports Center opens
2003-4 – Girls Volleyball State Champs
2004-5
o Girls Volleyball State Champs
o Boys Hockey State Champs
2008-9 – Cheerleaders State & National Champs
2011-12 – Girls Volleyball State Champs

85. • THE OLYMPIC TORCH TRAVELS
THROUGH MARLBOROUGH
1984 AND 1996
Los Angeles
1984

86. RYAN KANE
In the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay
• Ryan was one of several
Community Hero Torch
Bearers from
Marlborough
Ryan – Mark Bonin – Bill
Fiske

87. • 2003 – Youth Lacrosse started
• 2007 – Marlborough High School started
• 2013 – ‚Boston Rockhoppers‛
o Playing at the N.E. Sports Center
o January – March Season
o Member of the North American Lacrosse
League
?

88. Marlboro Enterprise & Hudson Sun Sports
Editor
RALPH GRASSO Marlboro Youth Baseball Pony League founder
AND LOUIS GHILONI Little League Baseball coach 1960-1975
JV & Varsity Basketball coach, MHS
1940s semi-pro Basketball team, “Halon’s
Jewels” founder
Central MA High School Basketball League
referee
Marlborough Football coach
Boys Club Board of Directors, Past President,
and director 1984-1994
Launched the Boys Club’s Youth Basketball
Program
Started the Boys Club’s annual winter
Basketball Tournament
Boys & Girls Club of America Medallion Award
and Man & Boy Award
Boys Club’s Alumni Assoc. President
Boys & Girls Club Teen Center dedicated in his
honor
Shamrocks football team Gen. Manager
Harness Racing Assoc. National & Regional
Director
U. S. Harness Writers Assoc. President
MHS Athletic Hall of Fame

90. http://www.HistoricMarlborough.org
http://www.facebook.com/MarlboroughHistoricalSociety
@MarlboroHistory