Tickets are almost entirely sold out for the game where all-time Holy Cross basketball greats George Kaftan ’49, Bob Cousy ’50, Togo Palazzi ’54, and Tom Heinsohn ’56 will have their jerseys lifted to the Hart Center rafters, a first for any former student-athlete.
The former basketball standouts, all of whom also played for the Boston Celtics, will be honored on Sunday, Nov. 16 during the halftime of the men’s basketball game against St. Joseph’s, scheduled to tip-off at 4 p.m. These men are the only four basketball players in school history to earn first team All-American honors twice. Each of the former Crusader standouts also played on a Holy Cross national championship team.
Athletic Director Richard M. Regan, Jr. will emcee the halftime ceremony. After each of the four players is escorted to center court, their jerseys will be raised to the ceiling of the Hart Center. Regan emphasized in his announcement of the event how important it will be in Holy Cross history. “These four men were not only accomplished basketball players, but also serve as outstanding representatives of the College,” said Regan.
While the jerseys of the four players are being lifted to the rafters, their numbers are not officially being retired. While at Holy Cross, Kaftan wore #12, Cousy wore #17, Palazzi wore #22 and Heinsohn wore #24. Current Crusader junior Adam May will be wearing #12 this season, while sophomore Andrew Beinert wears #22. Cousy's number is no longer eligible to be being worn at the collegiate level, as it is an illegal jersey number per NCAA regulations established in 1957.
The women’s and men’s basketball teams will try to uphold the tradition of celebrated excellence in their weekend home-openers.
The men’s opener on Friday, Nov. 14 will be against Sacred Heart at 7 p.m. in the Hart Center. The team was recently ranked third in a preseason poll behind American and Lehigh. The purple Crusaders will be led this year by senior captains Alex Vander Baan, Pat Doherty, and Colin Cunningham.
The women’s opener will be the following afternoon against Yale at 1 p.m. in the Hart Center. The Lady Crusaders were ranked first in a preseason poll, with Briana McFadden, ’10, picked as the preseason player of the year and McFadden and Bethany O’Dell, ’10, both named to the preseason All-League Team. The team will be led by its two seniors, Jessica Merrihue and Jessica Pearson.
To celebrate the start of what looks to be an exciting season, Sader Nation is hosting “Black Out the Hart” for the men’s and women’s openers. Special black Sader Nation t-shirts will be available for $5 each, which students can pick up at a Hogan Lobby table before the weekend. Students will also be able to pick up tickets for Sunday’s men’s game against St. Joseph’s
Whether you choose to wear green, black, or purple to the games, this weekend promises to be a colorful and exciting weekend in Holy Cross basketball and the College’s sports history.
By Alicia Lincoln ’09
Related Information:
- Holy Cross Athletic Headlines
- Team Spirit: The Man Behind the Purple
- Holy Cross to Honor Four All-Time Basketball Greats at Halftime Ceremony
