Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Winter 2008 | Page 11

www.thorntonacademy.org

Second Class Inducted into Thornton
Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame

On Homecoming Day last October, Thornton Academy inducted a
second class into its Athletic Hall of Fame. The annual event celebrates
the long and distinguished history of sports at TA. The 2007 inductees are
Richard Grant ‘54, Donald Lester ’53, Hilary Mahaney ’21, Robert McAvoy
’46, James McGaffin, former coach and athletic director, and Robert Tims
’53.

The Athletic Hall of Fame was founded by the Alumni Association and
Board of Trustees in 2006 to
honor and recognize athletes,
coaches, teams and others affiliated with the school who have
excelled at or contributed greatly
to athletics at TA.

“Recognizing the athletic
achievements of athletes, coaches and others is another great
addition to the Thornton Academy tradition,” says Kirk Purvis
’93, chair of the Athletic Hall of
Fame Committee.

Nominations for the 2008
awards are due May 1. A nomination form may be found online
at http://www.thorntonacademy.
org/alumni/athletic.shtml or
picked up at the Alumni House.
For more information, contact
Nancy Tripp, Alumni Director, at
282-3361 x234 or nancy.tripp@
thornton.saco.org.

Thorpe, Red Grange, George Gipp, and Doc Blanchard.

Mahaney went on to Boston University Law School and was assistant
coach while in school there and head coach for the 1930 and 1931 seasons.
He later returned to Saco where he was an attorney and later a municipal
judge. He continued his love of football by officiating at Southwestern
Maine high school games for many seasons. Mahaney passed away in 1969.

Robert E. McAvoy, Class of
1946
McAvoy was twice selected
to the all-state football team as
an end in 1944 and 1945. After
playing 2 ½ years as an end, he
took his talents to the backfield.
In one 1944 newspaper article,
he is described as follows: “Bob
McAvoy’s end play against Portland Saturday afternoon at the
Stadium was as good as any we
have seen this year. The big Maroon end turned back everything
directed at his flank, and he did
a fine job on offense, too. He is
as good, if not the best, wingman
we have looked at this year.”
McAvoy was also a starter
on the varsity basketball team
his junior and senior years.
Additionally, he starred on the
1945 and 1946 track teams,
Photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette ’89
especially in the high and low
Richard H. Grant, Class of 1954
hurdles, including a win in the
On Oct. 6, Thornton Academy inducted a second class into its Athletic Hall of

Dick Grant starred in both
Portsmouth Clipper Relays in
Fame. From left to right are Eleanor Mahaney Zdanowicz ’48, daughter of inductee
baseball and basketball star.
which 13 schools from four New
Hilary Mahaney ’21; James McGaffin, coach and athletic director; Richard Grant ’54;
He was a captain of the basketEngland states competed. After
Robert Tims ’53; Donald Lester ’53; and Robert McAvoy ’46.
ball team in his senior year and
leaving Thornton, Bob spent one
was consistently one of the top
year playing football at Michigan
scorers in the box score. Grant was also captain of the baseball team in his
State, but transferred to Bowdoin College where he was named to the Little
junior and senior years and was a three-time All Telegram Team pitcher.
All-American team in 1949 under Bowdoin’s storied coach Adam Walsh.
He pitched in the longest baseball game in TA history, a 16 inning affair
McAvoy enjoyed a long career as a leader in the paper industry, eventually
vs. Portland’s Willy Greenlaw, a game that Thornton lost 1-0. He also once
becoming the first native Maine president of S.D. Warren.
struck out 19 batters in a 13 inning game against South Portland. Those

are just two of the many memorable pitching outings during his career at
Robert E. Tims, Class of 1953
TA. Legend has it that he threw the ball so hard, he forced his catcher, Don

Also known as “Big Bob”and “Red,” Tims was nominated by three differLester, to resort to using a piece of steak to help minimize the sting in his
ent people for this award. His distinguished career at Thornton began durhands.
ing his freshman year as quarterback of the undefeated and untied football

One reporter wrote: “The local Chamber of Commerce owes Dick Grant, team.
Thornton Academy pitcher, a note of thanks. Local hotels and restaurants
That year, he was chosen as the MVP of the York County Freshman Bashave reaped a handsome reward from the Thornton youngster’s baseball
ketball Tournament. In his junior and senior years, Red lettered in football,
talent for there have been as many as five scouts in town simultaneously
baseball, basketball and track. He received honorable mention in the Fifth
and their expenses add up.” After graduation, he began his professional ca- Annual National High School All-America Football Team and was invited to
reer in the Chicago White Sox organization by heading to Edmunston, New
play in the Fifth Annual High School Blue/Gray game in Memphis, a game
Brunswick, Canada before settling back here in Saco for many years.
in which Bart Starr was the first team quarterback. In his senior year, on

a football team which, at the time, set the State of Maine scoring record
Donald D. Lester, Class of 1953
and had total yardage of 4,058 yards, Tims had 1,285 total yards and was

During his yea