Richard Lapchick
- Thread starter jerseyshorejohnny
- Start date
I read the article and before that I knew something about Richard Lapchick, but not the story about him being brutalized, wow, that was very scary to read!
redmen1969
Active member
Richie is a class act. He learned from the best.
beast of the east
Active member
Great article. thank you JSJ for posting it. It's funny how someone like that can spend a lifetime fighting for change, and receives no acclaim for it. In his graphic description of how he was assaulted, its a little disappointing that the woman who commented chose to focus on a word that was carved into him, and not on the courage of the man who told the story.
Mandatory age retirement.
Got to know Rich a bit when we were both undergraduates at StJ -- we had a very good mutual friend. I was probably in awe of him, given that he was the great Joe Lapchick's son and had quite a presence in his own right, but he was just a terrific, intelligent, genuinely down-to-earth nice person, and I've followed his career all these years. Always good to hear about him (not counting the horrible attack he endured). He's someone whom we all, as alums, should be proud of -- a credit to the Lapchick name and tradition, and a credit to our university.
I would recommend Gus Alfieri's book, LAPCHICK, to fully understand the environment in which Richard and Barbara, his sister, grew up. Coach Lapchick was totally color blind as a coach. His regard for and actual protection of the Rens, his all-black travel competition team back in the 30's and 40's with the Original Celtics is good reading. The kids (Richard is a fraternity brother) learned well from the man who was criticized for getting the StJohn's job without havng an extensive formal education; what he lacked in formality, he made up in street smarts and humanity. Richie is a very important educator at UCF these days.
beast of the east
Active member
I had never heard that either. Funny, Len Elmore's brother went to my high school, and played center. Frank Mulzoff recruited two of our forwards, a guy named Pat Kearny and another guy named Bob Kaible. Kaible turned down SJU because he didnt think he'd get any run, and instead set scoring records at Dowling. Kearny took the scholarship, but when Carnesecca returned, was told he wasn't SJU caliber player, and was allowed to help coach the JV team for his schollie. Elmore went on to play at Wichita State and was a decent starter, who died from a drug overdose. Len Elmore at SJU would have been great, and he belonged here instead of Maryland.
Where did Elmore go to law School, I do not think it was St. John's??
tom in salem
Well-known member
Harvard.
Impressive.
beast of the east
Active member
I think being a pro basketball player helped his application just a little, but Elmore has always carried himself with class. Maybe he should have been President - maybe someday he will be.