The mass was beautiful and reverent, as you would imagine. The altar was filled with priests concelebrating with Father Shanley. Looie might have quipped, "There was no one in Queens to hear confessions - they were all here!" Father Rock was the homilist, Father Maher made the trip down from Niagara, and with Bishop Brennan (himself an SJU Alum) saying two funeral masses for priests today, was only able to attend the wake. Billy Schaeffer delivered a warm eulogy.
The former players in attendance took up a lot of the church. I was seated near Bruce Beck, himself visibly moved by the loss of his dear friend.
The words spoken echoed Coach's rules of life. " Friends sit at the kitchen table. Guests sit in the living room." "Don’t wear too big a hat." And so on.
Red.fans well represented. Nice to see many of you. Many other friends too.
It's natural to feel the void left by Looie's passing. He might scoff at that notion, and warmly say, "Loss, what loss? I left you with a lot. Look out for each other, take care of each other, especially those who need the most help. That's what the Vincentians taught us!"
Maybe Joe Lapchick needs an assistant. I hear Joe works for St. John up there, with no mandatory retirement age.