RONNIE!
According to Bill Doyle of the Worcester (MA) Telegram and Gazette (March 21, 2015), “Ron Perry’s athletic accomplishments stack up with just about anyone’s.”
He has been inducted into the Somerville (MA) High School, Catholic Memorial (MA) High School, Holy Cross (MA) College, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference and the New England Basketball Halls of Fame.
He’s the only college player from New England to win national championships in two sports, helping pitch Holy Cross to the 1952 NCAA baseball championship and staring at point guard for HC’s 1954 National Invitational Tournament title team.
He’s still the all-time leading basketball scorer at Somerville High with 1,154 points, 65 years after he graduated. At Catholic Memorial High in West Roxbury, he coached the basketball team to three state basketball titles and an astonishing 292–34 record.
While serving in the Marines, he was selected as the Armed Forces ‘Athlete of the Year’ in 1957.
In 2009, The New England Basketball Hall of Fame created the new “Perry Category” to honor individuals who, like Ron Perry, have achieved great distinction in two or more of the NEBHOF Honoree categories. In Ronnie’s case, five categories: High School Player, High School Coach, College Player, College A.D. and College Referee.
Ron Perry — All Opponent Team
College:
Sihugo Green — Duquesne (PA) Note: #1 pick in the 1956 NBA Draft by the Rochester (NY) Royals
Bob Pettit — Louisiana State Univ.
Don Lange U S Naval Academy (MD)
Tom Marshall — Western Kentucky Univ
Larry Costello — Niagara Univ (NY)
Military:
Ben Stewart (Villanova) — Marines
Jim Bradley (Florida State Univ) — Navy
Frank Ramsey (Kentucky Univ) — Air Force
Don Weischedel (Arizona State Univ) — Navy
Who is your team’s captain? Richie Guerin. Iona College (NY), N Y Knicks, NBA Hall of Fame, my teammate for two years with the Quantico Marines team
Ronnie’s ‘Great Memories’:
Starting point guard for the Holy Cross (MA) 1954 National Invitational Tournament Champions.
Playing against Sihugo Green (Duquesne Univ) and Tom Marshall (W Kentucky Univ) in the NIT Tournament
In 1979, being selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Silver Anniversary All American Team:
Paul Ebert — Ohio State Univ
Gilbert (‘Gib’) Ford — Texas Univ
Frank Ramsey — Kentucky Univ
Bob Pettit — Louisiana State Univ
Ron Perry — Hoy Cross (MA)
IN THE WORKS! … a feature article on the famed “Boston Six” coached by Ron Perry. A SPECIAL TREAT!! … view Ron and his 1954, Holy Cross, NIT championship team on TV’s “Ed Sullivan Show”. (click on this link)
Submitted by Maureen Baron, Creative Director of the Basketball Bugle.
