Fordham Football Player Collapses on Field, Dies
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THE BSERVER October 16, 1996 THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM COLLEGE AT LINCOLN CENTER VOLUME xv. Fordham Football Player Collapses On Field, Dies By Clemente lisi according to a statement released by game and this was not really a signifi- at this point." Homecoming the University. cant problem for him," Zambetti said. A school statement released by the w.eekend Tierney will undergo an autopsy "He had a mild case from what we office of public affairs said, "It is turned into later in the week to confirm the pre- know and he tended to that by him- always a tragedy when a young life tragedy when cise cause of death, various news self," said team trainer Vinee ends early. We will remember the stu- a Fordham reports said. Porricelli. "He never had an asthma dent, his teammates, and his family in University "I turned around and noticed the attack during any practice or game our prayers." football player young man on his knees with his head situations." School officials postponed the died on down on the ground, keeled over at After the incident, over 700 stu- game with Lafayette and have yet to Saturday dur- the 15 yard line," Rams head coach dents, faculty, and alumni packed reschedule a make-up date. In addi- ing pre-game Nick Quartaro said. into the Rose Hill church for a memo- tion, all other Fordham athletic activi- warm-ups at "He did not have any spontaneous rial service at which Father ties scheduled for the weekend were Bill Tierney Jack Coffey breathing and he did not have a Joseph O'Hare, President of the canceled, according to the sports Field in the pulse," said team physician Dr. University, spoke. department. Bronx. George Zambetti. "Right from the Tierney's parents, Raymond and Tierney, a junior and economics Bill Tierney, a 20-year old defensive very beginning it was a very, very seri- Kathleen, were in attendance as part major, was a two-year letter winner at back from Lyndhurst, N.J., apparently ous situation." of Homecoming festivities, along with Fordham. As a sophomore, he died of a heart attack, a Fordham Tierney is said to have suffered 3,000 other fans. His 15 year old sister emerged as a team leader, appearing spokesman said. from asthma, but team doctors com was expected to sing the "Star- in 11 games and making eight tackles. He was immediately tended to by firmed that he had no history of bad Spangled Banner," according to He was also a manager of the on-campus-paramedics and team health and doubted that it may have school officials. <,• Fordham baseball team. The 5-9, 185 doctors who performed CPR while contributed to his death. The young man touched a lot of pound defensive back was a star the silent crowd looked on. He was "He would* use an inhaler occasion- people and we're certainly grieving," athlete at Bergen Catholic High then taken to St. Barnabas Hospital ally, but basically that was under con- Quartaro said, "and yet the School in- Ordell, N.J., where he was where he was pronounced dead, trol. He never missed practice or a family is our main concern and focus also a wrestler. • Study Finds Heart Failtffe Most Friends Mourn Loss of Popular Student Common Cause of Athletes' Deaths Residence Hall Remembers By William Jullano ing to the AMA, was hypertrophic car- By Cara Shultz and Christine Vaccaro and I don't think it's hit anybody diomyopathy (HCM), a disease whose yet," he said. It is a coach's worst nightmare: A effects include excessively vigorous About 20 students gathered togeth- "Here everybody leaves for the seemingly young and strong athlete heart contractions and cardiac muscle er Saturday in the first-floor lounge at weekend so it's not going to hit until suddenly collapses in practice, or dur- enlargement. Sesqui Centennial Hall on the Rose everybody's back together and you ing a game, and dies. The AMA further concluded that of Hill Campus to be together, watch the see a missing seat in class. It's weird Although such scenarios are very the athletes included in the study, only Yankees' game, and talk about Billy, because you don't think of kids rare, the possibility is frightening 5 percent showed symptoms of heart according to Mary Jane Conlon, mas- dying," Savo added. especially since most athletes' deaths disease while less than 1 percent were ter of the residence hall where Bill "I was at home when I found out," are the result of difficult-to-detect conclusively diagnosed. In most Tierney lived. said Michael Macalisang, also a junior heart abnormalities, according to a instances, the study stated, the athlete Tierney, a standout defensive back from Sesqui. "I saw it on the news. I report released this past summer by collapsed either during or after engag- for the Fordham Rams' football team, couldn't believe it." the American Medical Association ing in physical activity and did not pre- collapsed suddenly during warm-ups In response to Tierney's death, (AMA) in a special journal devoted to viously show any signs of ill health. before Saturday's scheduled homecoming activities were cancelled sports medicine. Guidelines drawn up by the July Homecoming game against Lafayette. and Fr. Joseph O'Hare, President of The study found that of the 158 sud- study recommended that prospective Tierney was taken by ambulance to the University, said a Memorial Mass den deaths among young athletes athletes, especially those with families nearby St. Barnabas Hospital where at University Church on Saturday between the period of 1985 and 1995, who have a history of heart disease, he was pronounced dead of an appar- afternoon. 134 were the result of heart problems Undergo more detailed screenings ent heart attack, according to school This is evidence of the close com- related to intense physical exertion. and that those athletes diagnosed with officials. munity at Fordham," Conlon said. The most common heart malady serious heart abnormalities avoid "I taught Billy freshman year," said In addition, the Couseling Center responsible for sudden death, accord- excessive athletic engagement. • Conlon. "He impressed me as some- has reserved time for small groups of one with a real focus in life. He set students to meet. Counseling will also Account* of atbtfeWaffl^ted by h«*rt goals for himself and worked hard to be available through campus ministry. y. Fordham football player, collapses arid diet achieve them. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 6to0t heart attack during ppro-gamg e warm-upsp . ^ "He was well liked, a shining star as held Thursday, October 17 at 10 a.m. September IXI99t>"»»Two high school students from Southern California dlft from • a student and an athlete," she said. at Queen of Peace Church in h»»ft related complication* after playing In hlgl> school football g»im<it. "He was a real good guy," said Alex Tierney's hometown of Lyndhurst, Sopttmbui 4,1996 17 yW'OM Jaffox Campos, a w.itor polo player from California,! Fcrreyra, a junior at Sesqui. "No one New Jersey. •colbpset and dies on the pool dock, the victim of m apparent hwt attack. over had anything bad to say about Buses to the Wednesday night Jutf 27,1993—Reggta Lewi* of the Boston Celtics dies of heart failure while *hooi> him." wake and the funeral will depart from Ing baskets |ust throe months aft«r collapsing during an NBA gam«. ~ Gino vSavo, a junior from Sesqui, Sesqui Hall for students who wish to MOth 4.1990— loyola Mfrryro6unt'Uhlv<sfs1ty'« Hank Gathm ill** df H said, "It was a shock. No one under- attend the ceremonies. • durlnfc' <;•:-•- „"*•• 1 * "ml at Fordham By Chris Maloney George Henshaw reported that an and Oklahoma City bombings. convention of eldelry evacuation measure was not Freshman Liz Quinn said, "They persons or invalids was in progress Fordham college at Lincoln Center necessary in this case. He also should have caught the guy by now. in the Pope Auditorium. Evacuating received a bomb scare from an added that the New York Police All of the phones at Fordham should these people would be unidentified perpetrator on Department was notified, and that the have an automatic tracing system," an extreme risk to their health, he Wednesday, September 25, according matter is still under investigation. she said. said. to security officials. Emily Houpt, Senior Secretary of Freshman Stephanie Angelino "Obviously, this is a dangerous situ- At approximately 5:20 pm, the Adult Admissions, was with Jennings added, "I can't believe that evacuation ation and we, as students, should be unidentified perpetrator phoned the when the call was measures weren't taken. What if there notified," Law school student Brian admissions office with the threat. received. Houpt argued that the had really been a bomb? We could all Kelly said. Brian Jennings, a student assistant in time between receiving the call and be dead right now." "I think it's our right to know if our admissions, answered the call. the response far exceeded ten min- Henshaw explained that evacuating lives are in danger," added Freshman According to Jennings, the suspect utes. According to Houpt, the elapsed the Lowenstein building could have Greg Foro. told him there was a bomb hidden in time was approximately twenty min- proven to be a safety hazard. Because Freshman Simon Bennett said, "I the Lowenstein Building, and immedi- utes. the Lowenstein building is a highrise was really taken aback and shell ately hung up. Security was notified Houpt theorized that the perpetra- and the elevators are heavily relied on shocked when 1 heard and then responded within ten min- tor was a Fordham student "I think it by students and faculty, overcrowding about the bomb scare at Fordham.