50 years of continuous rugby at smc
Saint Mary's Celebrates 50 Years of Continuous Rugby, 1956-2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006-- Saint Mary's Men's Rugby celebrated fifty years of continuous rugby on the Moraga campus with a weekend including a golf tournament, the Pat Vincent Cup and the celebration dinner and program at the Soda Center Saturday evening. More than 300 alumni and friends attended the event, which honored the courage of those who started the program and the commitment of those who continued the tradition.
Check out the pictures from the 50th Rugby Anniversary event
The celebration weekend started with the golf tournament on Friday afternoon at Blue Rock Springs golf course in Vallejo. The golf course new that the tournament was made up of rugby alums and were not surprised so many showed up in the terrible weather conditions. The tough as always rugby alumni were in their golf carts ready to drive to their respective golf holes when it started hailing. This did not deter the courageous Gaels as they drove off with the ice pellets pounding on the roofs of their golf carts. Needless to say it didn't get much better until the group finished with golf and thawed out in the banquet room with some food and beverages.
Saturday started with the first game of the Pat Vincent Cup featuring UC Santa Barbara winning the battle with Chico St. Next, our Gaels valiantly fought and dominated Central Washington advancing to the championship game vs. UC Santa Barbara that they eventually lost.
After the 2005/2006 SMC Rugby Team's victory what seemed to be hundreds of former Gael Rugby players reminisced while they walked to the center of the Pat Vincent Field. The largest Saint Mary's College rugby team picture was taken from atop a scissors lift that is used to film the games. While most stayed to tell what was obviously more lies, over 40 of the alumni changed into their rugby gear. Some of the shorts and jerseys were a little tighter than years past, but that didn't dissuade anyone while they warmed up for what would be more of a rugby match than a social get together.
With the young forwards playing with the old backs vs. the old forwards and the young backs the game started off at a high pace. It didn't take long for the competitive juices to flow as many players ran, tackled, mauled, and rucked with the same intensity they did during their undergraduate years. The one unfortunate moment was when Jerry Kelleher '74 dislocated his him during the match. He was adamant that he would make it to the hospital on his own and there was no need to call an ambulance. The matched continued and when the final whistle blew many were happy that they played and curious to how they would feel the next day or week.
Saturday evening started with the cocktail reception in Claeys Lounge. With many team photos and other Gael rugby memorabilia displayed throughout the room coupled with the showing of the 1964 SMC vs. Santa Clara rugby game, the stage was set. With plenty of appetizers and a hosted bar it was obvious that this was going to be a special evening. The more than 300 alumni and friends eventually moved into the main dining room to a power point presentation with more that 100 action and team pictures covering the entire 50 years and an impressive display of jerseys including our Red and Blue hoops, tour jerseys and eagle jerseys.
At the start of the evening's festivities what many would consider the epitome of what a Gael Rugby player is, happened. Jerry Kelleher and his family walked into the Soda Center. Jerry's nature did not allow for much fan fare but to come straight from the hospital after getting your hip popped back in, shows what a Gael truly is. There is no wonder how Jerry took his Saint Mary's experience forward to represent our country on the rugby pitch, eventually being selected to the All World Team.
Saturday evening's program highlights included many speeches and stories, some true some exaggerated. The rugby team had competed during the 1956-57 season as an officially-recognized group, but was without a coach. The first coach of the modern era, Art Robson, made the trip from his current home in Fairbanks, Alaska to address the group. Robson coached the Gaels from 1958-1967.
Attendees also paid tribute to the late Patrick Vincent, Head Coach 1968-1984, who is credited with bringing the Men's Rugby program to national prominence. Vincent, a native of New Zealand, represented his country at the highest level as a member of the national team, the All-Blacks, who he captained in 1956.
As the evening's formal program concluded the future of rugby at Saint Mary's College was outlined. The top priority for the program is to raise the money needed to renovate the Pat Vincent Field and elevate it to a premier competition facility allowing our current and future rugby players every opportunity to compete for a national championship and beat cal…again. The next phase that includes a clubhouse and the growth of existing endowments was also introduced.
The event planning was spearheaded by a committee of rugby alumni including Marty Storti '85 (also a former coach, 1987-2000), Jim Togneri '70, Mike Boele '72, Gerald Murphy '72, Tom Wright '72 and current Gael Rugby coach Tim O'Brien.
