Hitchcock's Boys

If you attended Father Ryan High School from 1946 until 1969, it is very likely Father (later Monsignor) James Hitchcock was a major authority figure in your life (especially during the hours you spent on the Elliston Place campus).

As a Teacher (1946-1956) and then Principal of FRHS (1956-1969), he developed a reputation of being tough as nails, but fair. I was fortunate to never get in serious trouble with him, but I did have him as a moderator one year when I was in the Great Books Discussion Club.

His imposing presence while we discussed the classic books we were supposed to have read (and he seemed to ask good questions to see if we really had read our materials) was always a sobering reminder to stay up to speed on the readings.



As you can see from the photo above, Monsignor did show students his softer side from time to time. When I was a student, there were times I wasn't always sure he knew or cared all that much who I was (and in a way I kind of liked that). But as an adult alum, I always found him very warm, friendly and strongly devoted to Father Ryan, the school he graduated from in 1939.

Father Hitchcock will also always be remembered for his key role in helping to desegregate the school back in the mid-1950s when he was a member of the transition team during that critical period.

He was a man of great faith and convictions. But he also did at least one thing I never dreamed of until I learned of it many years after I left Father Ryan.

It was while Monsignor Hitchcock and I served together as members of the Board at St. Bernard Academy. He told me one day how he had gone for many years to New Orleans during Mardi Gras to celebrate Fat Tuesday.

That included riding on floats during the parades and throwing beads and trinkets to the crowd. And I am pretty sure during all this he was dressed up in something other than his priestly attire.

I must say this me gave me a whole new perspective about Father Hitchcock, who next to my parents was probably the strongest authority figure in my life growing up.

We lost Monsignor last December 9 at the age of 88. But he continues to live on in all us who he either taught or had as students while he was Principal at Ryan for nearly 25 years (1946-1969). May he rest in peace.

What are your memories of Father Hitchcock while we were at Ryan? Please send them to me, by clicking on the comments link below or e-mail them to me at pat.nolan@dvl.com

A 40-Year Legacy of Champions

It's a legacy of champions that now spans four decades.

The Father Ryan Class of 1969 played a major role in establishing our school as a local, regional and state-wide power in the sport of wrestling.

In fact, the wrestling program began as we came to Father Ryan as freshman in the fall of 1965. Four years later, our team was state champions! Even forty years later, that remains quite a remarkable feat and perhaps our class' greatest legacy to the school.

It's a legacy that continues to this day, as FRHS, just this past weekend (February 20-21), returned to Chattanooga, where Ryan won its first championship to claim the school's 17th state crown (both team & dual competitions), shocking top-seeded Baylor to win, much as the 1969 squad bested favored Chattanooga Notre Dame to win 40 years ago...



Several of our classmates, seen in the photo above, were key performers from 1965-1969 as Father Ryan won its first Nashville Interscholastic League (NIL) titles along with Region championships. Then, finally, during our undefeated senior season Ryan won its first state championship in wrestling. Prior to that no school outside the Chattanooga area had ever won a state title...



No wonder Coach Joe Drennan, the man, who more than anyone else, helped build the Ryan program into excellence, seemed to have tears in his eyes as he held the state championship trophy.Senior Jimmy Wilson seemed to have similar emotions as Class of '69 team member Mike Rourke joined him in savoring the moment of winning a championship....



One key to Ryan's victory 40 years ago was the team's overall excellence. While Notre Dame had more individual champions, the Irish had 10 of its 12 wrestlers place in the competition. That included two state champions (Scott Burnette and Bubba Donnelly),
two who finished second in their weight divisions (Mike Carter and Gregg Garr) and several others who finished either 3rd or
4th in their consolation competitions.

It all added up to Ryan clinching the championship before the final matches.

Reflecting back on that championship weekend in a recent TENNESSEAN article,Scott Brunette said; "We carried Joe Drennan aound the mat we were so excited. The 12 of us on the team were best friends. We could finally say that a Midstate school won a state championship in wrestling."

And, for Father Ryan its a championship legacy that continues on.

Here's the dominating record of that undefeated 16-0 season that included winning four tournaments:

Ryan 33 Red Bank 11
Ryan 34 BGA 6
Ryan 35 Maplewood 3
Ryan 54 Donelson 0
Ryan 43 Two Rivers 5
Ryan 43 Franklin 5
Ryan 36 TSB 6
Ryan 52 Overton 0
Ryan 43 Hillwood 3
Ryan 41 Glencliff 5
Ryan 28 MBA 12
Ryan 20 Notre Dame 19

Champions---Middle Tennessee Invitational--Ryan 99 points
Champions---Red Bank Invitational----------Ryan 85 points
Champions---Regional Tournament------------Ryan 143 points
Champions---State Tournament---------------Ryan 77 points

By Request: In the Garden of Eden (In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida)

Ask and you shall receive.

Probably nothing united all of us who grew up in the 1960s more than our rock and roll music.

That even includes the more "heavy" rock that became quite popular by the time we were seniors in 1968-69.

One particular hit that struck a chord with some of us at Father Ryan in those days was by a group called "Iron Butterfly."

Their 1968 smash recording of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (In The Garden of Eden) is still ranked number 19 all-time among "one hit wonders" by VH-1. The accompanying album of the same name is also ranked the 31st all-time best selling album with more than 25 million copies sold (source: Wikipedia).

So here it is, at the request of our classmate Bill Carver, and courtesy of YouTube, IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA (Part 1)....



Remember, I said Part I. Part II (making the combined recording close to 20 minutes long) also features one the greatest drum solos of all time.

When I went to Vanderbilt and worked at the radio station there, we used to like it when this recording was requested. We called it "Disc Jockey Relief" as the piece was so long (especially both parts) we had time to take a break, go to the bathroom, even get a bite to eat and still get back before the record ended.

So here it is, IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA (Part 2, beginning with the drum solo).....



If this song brings back some special memories for you of your time at Father Ryan please leave your thoughts below by clicking on the link there. One memory I have is sitting in study hall one day in the Annex Building (I think Bill Carver was there) and trying to beat out the drum solo on one of the desks. I suspect this occurred either after school was out for the day or when Father Arnold wasn't around. :)

So What The Heck Are We Going To Do?

FRHS Reunion Weekend has several activities of interest, beginning with the All-Class Reception held in the courtyard and lobby of the new FRHS Fine Arts Theatre building on Friday evening, June 5 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

All alums (whether its their reunion year or not) are invited, so its a good place for everyone to hook up and see each other(especially for those coming in early from out of town and those who have never seen the new Norwood Drive campus). After looking around and relaxing with some snacks and a drink, everyone is welcome to get together, in small or large groups, and head for dinner and some talking, reminiscing and catching up with old friends.

But before you leave campus, as an extra bonus this year, you will able to see (at least from afar) the construction of the Jim Carrell Alumni Athletic Complex and Giacosa Stadium where the Irish will be playing ther first home football games later this year. Believe it or not after all these years!



This is scale model of the stadium. Think how good it will look in person!

Reunion activities continue on Saturday morning, June 6 when the annual alumni reunion golf tournament is held if you are interested in signing up. The Lou Graham Alumni Invitational Tournament will tee off at 8:00 AM at the Champion Run Golf Course in Rockvale, Tennessee. The entry fee is $85 and you can contact the FRHS Alumni Office or the Alumni Association to register or for more details.

Saturday evening will be the main event for us: The Class of 1969
40th Reunion Party, once again hosted by our classmate, Jimmy Wilson.

Details and costs are still being worked out and we welcome your thoughts and suggestions about what we should try to do in terms of food, drink and activities for the evening.

But we guarantee you'll have a great time! So please don't miss this opportunity for all of us to get together again!

Has It Really Been 40 Years?

Actually the Father Ryan Class of 1969 was last together for a final time on Sunday, May 25,1969, when graduation exercises were held at the War Memorial Auditorium next to the State Capitol downtown.

When we had we entered school four years earlier, in the fall of 1965, we were reported to be the largest freshman class to ever matriculate to FRHS. Indeed, growing class sizes had been the major reason graduation had been moved off the Elliston Place campus and out of the Ryan gymnasium. That had occurred just a couple of years before we walked across the stage to receive our diplomas from Bishop Durick.

Even today, we remain a large group. The Father Ryan Alumni Office lists 157 as active members of the Class of 1969 (with 14 classmembers now deceased).

We'd like to have everyone attend our 40th Reunion activities, so we need to know where everyone is. Therefore, if you see your name or recognize a name on the list below, send us some contact information, so we can be in touch with all members of the Class of 1969 about our June 5-7 festivities.

Stanley Belcher
Michael Brown
Mike Byrd
James Colvert
Mike Craven
Phil "Flash" Cunningham
James Dean
Ernest Felts
John DeLozier
Ernest Felts
Phillip Felts
Joseph Formosa
Greg Garr
Mike Grant
Tony Greene
Robert Greer
William Hall
William Hemmelgarn
Tommy Howington
Dickey Kibby
Mike Lagan
Steve Luckett
Chuck McDowell
Ralph McGuffey
Joe O'Connor
Tim Quirk
Darrell Rose
Roger Rotoni
David Schmitt
Charles Smith
William Stone
Charles Walker
Paul Woodside
John Wyman
Bob Young

Again, if you see your name or know where someone on this list is, please contact me at pat.nolan@dvl.com or at (615) 780-3387 so we can invite them to the Reunion.