Chicago Catholic League the Centennial Celebration May 8, 2013
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Chicago Catholic League Est. 1912 The Centennial Celebration May 8, 2013 Bishop McNamara Brother Rice De La Salle Fenwick Gordon Tech Hales Franciscan Leo Loyola Academy Mount Carmel Providence Catholic Saint Ignatius Seton Academy St. Francis De Sales St. Joseph St. Laurence St. Rita DePaul Academy Mendel Catholic St. Elizabeth St. George St. Martin de Porres St. Mel St. Philip Weber Evening Schedule 6:00 Registration and Open Bar in the Foyer 7:00 Call to Dinner Welcome: Jim Muting, President Chicago Catholic League/Principal of St. Laurence High School Invocation: Fr. Tony Mazurkiewicz, O.Carm, President, Mount Carmel High School Grace: Rev. Jim Arimond, S.J. , Loyola Academy 7:15 Dinner Open Bar 7:30-10:30 8:30 Evening Program Opening Remarks: Jim Muting Introduction of past Presidents: Jim Prunty, President of the Board of Control of the Chicago Catholic League/Athletic Director of St. Ignatius College Prep Introduction of Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame members: Dan O’Keefe—Vice-president Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association/De La Salle Institute Chicago Catholic League History: Dan McGrath, President, Leo High School 9:15 Closing Prayer: Jim Muting School Picture by the school banner. Open Bar until 10:30 May 8, 2013 Friends of the Chicago Catholic League, On behalf of the Chicago Catholic League member schools, I would like to thank you for attending this evening and celebrating with us the 100th anniversary of the oldest continuous athletic conference in the United States. We are here this evening because the Chicago Catholic League means so much to us. Most of us grew up playing in the league, coaching in the league, teaching or administering at a league school or just a fan of the competitiveness the Chicago Catholic League has represented for a century. We are a league that has produced leaders in religion, business, industry, medicine, law, science, technology, education and the arts; hall of fame professional and collegiate coaches and athletes; and role models who affect positive change in our every expanding global society. We are a league dedicated to the student-athlete. We have succeeded over a century in developing student-athletes spiritually, educationally, intellectually, socially and athletically through rigorous academic programs and demanding interscholastic athletics. We are a league that has never lost sight of the importance of living Gospel values and empowering our student-athletes to emulate God’s will in one’s personal life. We teach our student-athletes the importance of prayer in their lives. We continue as a league before all league contests to ask God to bless our student-athletes and keep them safe. I have been President of the Chicago Catholic League for six years and I have been involved in the league as a coach and administrator for over thirty-five years. The league continues to be one of the top athletic leagues in the country because of the efforts of people like you in attendance this evening. Thank you for being part of this celebration. Enjoy the evening, take time to get reacquainted with old friends, tell some stories, and thank God for the continued success of the CCL. All the best! God Bless You! Mr. James C. Muting, Jr. President, Chicago Catholic League Principal, St. Laurence High School May 8, 2013 Fellow Catholic Leaguer, It is with great pleasure that I welcome each of you to this evening’s centennial celebration of the Chicago Catholic League. From its humble beginning back in October of 1912, the Chicago Catholic League has grown in reputation to be one of the premier high school athletic conferences in the United States. It is a testament to everyone here this evening as well as those members of the League who have gone before us that our League is one that is the envy of many high school conferences. From a Heisman Trophy winner to an Olympic Champion and everything in between, the Chicago Catholic League has produced leaders in all aspects of life. Being a ―Catholic Leaguer‖ means you are in a special fraternity that has impacted the world in many great ways. Please join me in moving our League forward as we begin our second century of service to student-athletes and their families throughout the Chicago area. I sincerely hope you enjoy the evening. Mr. James T. Prunty President, Board of Control Athletic Director, Saint Ignatius College Prep Chicago Catholic League Est. 1912 Menu Minestrone Soup Garden Green Salad Chicken Wellington Butter whipped Potatoes Green bean Almondine Chocolate Tuxedo Mousse Cake Chicago Catholic League Officers Principal: Jim Muting – St. Laurence President: Jim Prunty – Saint Ignatius Vice President: Pat Mahoney – Loyola Academy Treasurer: Mike Curtin - Fenwick Secretary: Paul Chabura – Gordon Tech Chicago Catholic League Athletic Directors Chris Kirkpatrick – Bishop McNamara Phil Cahill – Brother Rice Tom White – De La Salle Scott Theis – Fenwick Paul Chabura – Gordon Tech Lawrence Nalls – Hales Franciscan Ed Adams – Leo Pat Mahoney – Loyola Academy Dan LaCount – Mount Carmel Doug Ternik – Providence Catholic Jim Prunty – Saint Ignatius Deon Tolliver – Seton Academy Greg Mudzelski – St. Francis de Sales Bruce DeSanto – St. Joseph Tim Chandler – St. Laurence Mike Zunica – St. Rita Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association Officers President: Dan O’Keefe – De La Salle Vice President: William Gleeson – Brother Rice Secretary: Jim Prunty – Saint Ignatius Treasurer: Jim Prunty – Saint Ignatius Chicago Catholic League Presidents Dr. Kevin Burns – Brother Rice Rev. Paul Novak, OSM – De La Salle Rev. Richard Peddicord – Fenwick Mrs. Kelly Jones – Gordon Tech Fr. David June - Hales Franciscan Mr. Dan McGratch – Leo Rev. Patrick McGratch, SJ – Loyola Academy Fr. Tony Mazurkiewicz O. Carm. – Mount Carmel Fr. Richard McGrath, OSA – Providence Catholic Rev. Michael Caruso, SJ – Saint Ignatius Mr. Ray Nedohon – St. Francis de Sales Mr. Dave McCreery – St. Joseph Mr. Joseph Martinez – St. Laurence Mr. Ernest Mrozek – St. Rita Chicago Catholic League Principals President: Jim Muting – St. Laurence Secretary: Mary Kay Ramirez – St. Francis de Sales Tim Granger – Bishop McNamara Jim Antos – Brother Rice Jim Krygier – De La Salle Peter Groom – Fenwick Paul Chabura – Gordon Tech Erica Brownfield - Hales Franciscan Phil Mesina – Leo Katie Baal – Loyola Academy John Stimler – Mount Carmel Don Sebestyen – Providence Catholic Cathy Karl – Saint Ignatius Marianne Lynch – Seton Academy Mary Kay Ramirez – St. Francis de Sales Ron Hoover – St. Joseph Jim Muting – St. Laurence Brendan Conroy – St. Rita History of the Chicago Catholic League By: Rev. James Arimond, S.J. Though not the oldest high school athletic conference in the state of Illinois (the former Suburban League holds that distinction), the Chicago Catholic League has been in operation longer than any other. It began on October 3, 1912 when representatives of eight parochial schools met in Chicago’s Great Northern Hotel (demolished in 1992) to found the Catholic League. Those charter members were Loyola Academy, St. Cyril (Mount Carmel), DePaul Academy, St. Philip, Saint Ignatius, De La Salle, Cathedral and St. Stanislaus. In that very first year the League sponsored only basketball and indoor baseball. Football was to follow in the 1913-14 school year, track in 1916-17, swimming, golf, and tennis in 1923-24, cross country in 1946-47, wrestling in 1964-65, water polo in 1965-66, soccer in 1967 and volleyball in 1993. Baseball was dropped after the 1930 season but was reinstated in the 1957-58 season. For the first 71 years of its existence, the Chicago Catholic League operated independently of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). The League’s renown especially in football and basketball, was recognized nationwide. But, during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, as the need developed for a wider base of competition especially in such sports as swimming, track, wrestling, golf, tennis and baseball, the principals of the League’s schools began to consider the possibility of joining the IHSA. After much discussion, many arguments over the pros and cons, and several meetings with the IHSA did not take place until June 30, 1973, the actual entrance into the IHSA did not take place until June 10, 1974. The reason for the 18 month wait was to give the League a full year of athletic competition during which it could make the transition to those rules and practices of the IHSA which differed from those current at the time in the Catholic League. Though there was a multitude of objections form many in the Catholic League to the decision to join the IHSA, the benefits that have accrued to the Catholic League schools and students since 1974 have far outweighed the original objections. Chicago Catholic League Fight Songs Bishop McNamara Fight Song GO McNamara Irish Tried and True. We will Sing Your Praises, McNamara We‟re for you. RA! RA! RA! Lead on to vic‟try, noble green and white. Colors so bold, we‟ll always honor McNamara. FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! (repeat verse) TEE HO, TEE HOHO, IRISH, IRISH GO, GO, GO! TEE HA, TEE HAHA, IRISH, IRISH RA, RA, RA! Br. Rice Fight Song Hail our Crusader Team As it advances in the fray! For what though the foe assails Our maroon and orange will gain the day! And we‟ll cheer for Brother Rice And we shall wave our banners free, Fight fellows one and all, And we shall sing of victory! De La Salle Fight Song De La Salle men De La Salle men, We‟ll crash right through that line, Up and at „em; we will get „em, We‟ll c0nquer every time. RAH! RAH! Win the battle; show your mettle; We‟re loyal to you old pal! For the man whose name you bear, Through him we have no fear; So fight for De La Salle.