Family Lore
Well, here it is from my Dad's 1918 Roman Catholic High School yearbook. See quotes below.
And after the article is a picture of the track team, the original of which I have on my wall:
From the article, page 53: "Hampered by the fact that no coach could be procured, a band of inexperienced boys composed the cross-country team representing R.C.H.S. this season....From this number "Heck"* Byrne, hitherto unknown, developed himself into one of the best cross-country runners Catholic High has seen in many years....(Others)...helped Byrne bear the bulk of the races....only two dual meets were held...The first...Taylor, the colored flyer, won the race, and Byrne finished a close second....Next came the All-American Scholastic Champs...Catholic High sent but one man to represent the institution, and, may it be said to his credit, he did all that was necessary to uphold the Purple and Gold. Byrne was the man sent; he finished tenth, and was the third Philadelphia runner to cross the line...two of Catholic High's best performers...did the entertaining that day at Franklin Field. Byrne, of cross-country fame, finished third in the mile...."
Page 54: "...we met Trade School in the initial dual meet of the season...The mile was won by "Heck" Byrne*.... (At St. Joe's)...Byrne finished third in the 330 yards (race)...Byrne again showed himself worth while (sic) when he won the mile event, leaving the St. Joe's man a half lap behind...On May 28th, the following men received their 'C's' for faithful services during the season...Byrne...."
It's interesting how many of his descendants followed him, so to speak, into the sport of running: my own daughter and son, several nieces and nephews, and some of the great-and great-great grandchildren, too.
When I was 13, he was killed in a tragic accident at 51--a man I never knew.
*I'm not sure why my father is referred to here as "Heck." Either the writer didn't know he was called "Seth" or else he had two nicknames.
2 comments:
How R U related to John Byrne? So sad to have lost your Dad at such a young age...for you and him. BTW, in that photo your brother Frank looks just like him. I see you there too.
John Byrne is my first cousin, son of my father's brother, my Uncle Edmond. Yes, I do resemble my father's side of the family. As for Frank, there may be some resemblance, certainly in coloring, but he's very much more like our maternal grandfather Figenshu otherwise. I'll post a picture of him on tomorrow's entry.
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