Allan - RPC pg 9 8-9-12
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- Category: Past Issues
By Ron P. Coderre
A sporty hello goes out today from RPC to former Clipper Matt Zamagni. Although never a headline grabber as an athlete, he was one of the steady players for the Putnam Clippers football team, just as he is today with all his friends.
There was a time in the decade of the ‘60s when it seemed Tourtellotte Memorial High School was producing nothing but giants on the basketball court. One of those players was Allan Chandler, who scaled in around a rugged 6-feet, 5-inches and commanded the space under the basket at both ends of the court.
Chandler’s forte was basketball but he stayed in shape in the fall by running cross-country for the Tigers, where he served as captain of the team in his senior season as the team won the conference championship. The legacy of Chandler is quite impressive. It was so noted when he was inducted into the Tourtellotte Memorial High School Athletic Hall of Fame in the Class of 2012.
The career of Allan Chandler as a Tiger athlete spanned the years, 1962 through 1965, when he starred in basketball and as an X-country harrier. In his senior year, Chandler led Tourtellotte basketball to the Quinebaug Valley Conference Championship, where he was selected as a QVC All Star. Among his accomplishments were making it to the semi-finals of the QVC in 1963 and 1964 and into the CIAC State Tournament in 1963, 1964 and 1965 as the team’s co-captain.
Following his high school graduation Chandler moved on to Eastern Connecticut State University where he made headlines for four years on the basketball court for the Warriors. Among his ECSU accomplishments, he is the school’s second leading single season rebounder grabbing 352 caroms in 1968 for an average of 17.8 per game. He also holds the school’s single game rebound record with 40 in a game on Jan. 12, 1967.
Chandler was honored by his alma mater in 1996, when he was selected to the Eastern Connecticut State University Athletic Hall of Fame. He went on to a brief semi-professional career with the Bristol Regents and the East Hartford Explorers following his college graduation.
Zone VI All Stars…
Following the completion of the Zone VI American Legion Baseball season, Commissioner John Krot released the names of the All-Stars and Sportsmanship Award recipients.
The Danielson and Moosup entries each placed two players on the team, while the Tri-Town team was shutout of the balloting with no one being selected. Dan Gagnon, who was a steady performer in the field and at the plate for coach Jonathan Krot, was selected as one of the middle infielders. Chris Mayhew, who starred on the mound and at first base, was selected as a reserve. Mayhew produced a 14-game hitting streak this past summer for Danielson.
Chosen in reserve roles were two Moosup players, Dylan Yaworski and Gage Griffin. The duo led the Post 91 team on the mound and at bat throughout the rugged 30-game regular season schedule and into the State Tournament.
Although Tri-Town didn’t place anyone on the team, it’s difficult to fathom how shortstop Mike Thienel was left off the squad. He batted over .300 for the season, played a sparkling shortstop and was scouted by college coaches. He did receive the coach Tom Auclair Most Valuable Player Award at the team’s postseason banquet.
Zone VI Sportsmanship Awards went to Michael Delpapa of Danielson, Dustin Yaworski of Moosup and Brady Matteau of Tri-Town.
Wonderings and Wanderings…
Just thinking out loud while waiting for the Red Sox to be mathematically eliminated from the American League pennant race and for the New England Patriots to begin their preseason schedule, which everyone realizes is simply going through the motions waiting for the real season to begin.
* Just wondering why guys like Johnny Damon and Darnell McDonald looked so disheveled when they played for the Red Sox. And why they looked so neat and never complained when they had to clean up when traded to the New York Yankees.
* Just wondering when Commissioner Bud Selig will do something about uniformity in baseball. Some players wear long, softball style pants, while others look like ballplayers with the knickers style pants.
* Just wondering why umpires allow CC Sabathia to pitch with his back pocket flapping in the breeze rather than tucked in as it should be.
* Just wondering why the folks who have weekend yard sales don’t go back and take their signs down.
* Just wondering why people who work in downtown Putnam insist on parking right in front of their businesses rather than leaving the spaces for the customers and visitors to our fair town.
* Just wondering why when Roger Franklin starred for Putnam High School we didn’t invent the term Frank-Linsanity as the folks in New York did for their superstar.
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.