The Wisdom of Brother Basilian
Sender
Thomas Sciolino '59
Posted On
2014-12-03
Year
1955
Memoir
Joe Wolf partially stole my Marauder Moment, as I was also at that September 1955 football game at Civic Stadium where we crushed the other school 12-7. I would have embellished the 4 down goal line stand from the one yard line that our defense put on at the end of the game, but I have a better moment at least for me.
I entered St. Joe's in September 1955, a graduate of PS 22 which was around the corner from Bennett High School. In fact, I lived one block from Bennett, knew no one at St. Joe's, had no relatives that ever went there, and quite honestly had no desire to be at the place. All my friends from PS 22 and the surrounding public grammar schools had gone to Bennett.
So there I am at home in early September on a Sunday morning (pre-Buffalo BIlls days!) when one of my old buddies from PS 22 calls to ask if I wanted to go to the St. Joe's/Canisius High School PAL game that day at Civic Stadium, as he had free tickets. IT was a game I otherwise had no intention of attending, as again I knew no one from SJCI and did not understand the importance of "The Game."
So I go to the game with about 20 of my friends from Bennett, walk in the stadium, go up the ramp, and start heading off to a general admission section when I run into Brother Basilian, my homeroom brother.
He asks me where I am going, and I tell him I'm going to sit with my friends, motioning to the Bennett Brigade. He "buttonholes" me and says, "you sure are." He "gently" guided me to the St. Joe's section, but not just any part of that section; he puts me with the seniors, who I was sure wanted no part of a 5 foot nothing nerdy freshman. Little did I know.
I do not remember which of the big seniors (they were all big) advised me what to do, but he did note that we were wearing Maroon, and when the Maroon did something good I was supposed to scream...something at which I have always been reasonable adept!
I was probably hoarse for a week after the game but who cared? The win was unbelievable, the celebration afterwards was amazing, and I was made to feel part of a huge event, freshman or not.
Better still, the next day in class, when Brother Basilian made a point of making me stand up and tell the story of the game to my homeroom class mates, I knew I was at the right place; I have known ever since.
By the way, the class of 1959 is one of many classes who never lost to the "other school" in 4 years at St. Joe's. I would also note that our class dedicated our senior yearbook to that same Brother Basilian, and if you look at the picture of him on the dedication page with one of our seniors, you might just recognize that senior as the same nerdy freshman, four years advanced.
I remain, and will remain eternally grateful to Brother Basilian, for my Marauder Moment that day.
I entered St. Joe's in September 1955, a graduate of PS 22 which was around the corner from Bennett High School. In fact, I lived one block from Bennett, knew no one at St. Joe's, had no relatives that ever went there, and quite honestly had no desire to be at the place. All my friends from PS 22 and the surrounding public grammar schools had gone to Bennett.
So there I am at home in early September on a Sunday morning (pre-Buffalo BIlls days!) when one of my old buddies from PS 22 calls to ask if I wanted to go to the St. Joe's/Canisius High School PAL game that day at Civic Stadium, as he had free tickets. IT was a game I otherwise had no intention of attending, as again I knew no one from SJCI and did not understand the importance of "The Game."
So I go to the game with about 20 of my friends from Bennett, walk in the stadium, go up the ramp, and start heading off to a general admission section when I run into Brother Basilian, my homeroom brother.
He asks me where I am going, and I tell him I'm going to sit with my friends, motioning to the Bennett Brigade. He "buttonholes" me and says, "you sure are." He "gently" guided me to the St. Joe's section, but not just any part of that section; he puts me with the seniors, who I was sure wanted no part of a 5 foot nothing nerdy freshman. Little did I know.
I do not remember which of the big seniors (they were all big) advised me what to do, but he did note that we were wearing Maroon, and when the Maroon did something good I was supposed to scream...something at which I have always been reasonable adept!
I was probably hoarse for a week after the game but who cared? The win was unbelievable, the celebration afterwards was amazing, and I was made to feel part of a huge event, freshman or not.
Better still, the next day in class, when Brother Basilian made a point of making me stand up and tell the story of the game to my homeroom class mates, I knew I was at the right place; I have known ever since.
By the way, the class of 1959 is one of many classes who never lost to the "other school" in 4 years at St. Joe's. I would also note that our class dedicated our senior yearbook to that same Brother Basilian, and if you look at the picture of him on the dedication page with one of our seniors, you might just recognize that senior as the same nerdy freshman, four years advanced.
I remain, and will remain eternally grateful to Brother Basilian, for my Marauder Moment that day.