Fr. Anthony Andreassi C.O.'s Teach Me To Be Generous dedicates some pages to the history—albeit a brief history—of football at Regis. The Regis varsity football team was first fielded in 1923, but the sport would ultimately have a short life at the school, with the team playing its last season in the fall of 1930.

In the Winter 2001 edition of the Regis Alumni News magazine (Volume 66 | Number 2), an article written by Col. John M. Godfrey '30 detailed his memories of the 1929-1930 Regis football team, a squad that earned the title of Champions of the Metropolitan High Schools. Below is a reprint of that article.


Above: A picture of the 1929-1930 Regis Football team (source: 1930 The Regian)

By Col. John M. Godfrey '30 (Ret.)

Is it possible that our Alumni are not aware of the feat accomplished in the fall of 1929 by a Regis Football team? Well, our Alma Mater was named football champion of the Metropolitan Private High Schools!

While we were never known as a powerhouse on the gridiron in those early days, the picture changed when, in the fall of 1929, Ed Ryan in his first year as coach fielded a team the life of which Regis had never seen. Ed, a law student at the time, had been a halfback on the Fordham University varsity under Major Cavanaugh in the same backfield as the famous Zev Graham, but was more offense minded than the Iron Major.

The backfield was sparked by Captain Ed Malloy, Johnny Morris '31, Howie White, and Tom Gaine '31. The mainstays on the line were Tom Carroll, Joe Tirdell, Mike Costello, Bill Fleming, Walter Treacy '31, Neil Regan and Jim Sullivan. Our good record was likewise attributed to the quality of our "bench".

Imagine the reaction of our student body—to say nothing of the team members themselves—when Xavier was victimized 18-14 and Fordham Prep likewise 20-0, with Ed Malloy scoring all three touchdowns. It almost dwarfed their reaction to the Market Crash going on at that same time!

While the varsity lost two out-of-town games and tied All Hollows that season, the local papers declared Regis to be the Private Schools Champion. Football scholarships to college were offered to five of our Class of 1930 team members (two of the five preferred the priesthood).

One very generous Alumnus, Harold Treanor '18, awarded miniature gold and silver footballs to all members and subsidized a post-season banquet in the gym. On that afternoon, several of the team preferred going to Proctor's 86th street Theater to await the start of the 5 p.m. banquet. This would prove to put a damper on an otherwise perfect evening, as the group was detained at the 102nd Street station house. This came about when some clown, claiming interference, tested the defense of our heroes in the balcony of the theater, right in the middle of the matinee. This gave Coach Ryan an opportunity to practice his legal profession, but it was only After midnight that he got them sprung.

Fr. Ruppel, S.J., the able and very cooperative Moderator of Athletics and the person who supervised and approved the scheduling, awarded letters to the team. Fr. Francis Archdeacon, S.J., Prefect of Studies, supervised the evening. He praised the unique accomplishments of every member of the team, including the manager, Jack Godfrey who said he was "worth his weight in gold." (Even at 1929 prices, that was significant!)

So the Class of 1930 still points with pride at the unusual and history making feat and believes the entire Alumni membership should be aware of it. Apart from the class of 1930's football story, let it be known that out of 119 graduates, 8 entered the Society of Jesus and 2 went the secular direction. Remarkable! It is not surprising then, that this great class of 1930 became an enthusiastic promoter for the beginning of our Alumni Association.