The first Monday in July was a tough one. Not only did the mercury flirt with triple digits, it also centered around some sad news. In the morning we found out long time AP basketball writer Jim O’Connell passed away.
O’Connell had not been doing well as of late. His condition worsened in recent weeks before his passing. O’Connell was known as ‘OC’ to those who were fortunate to know him.
We first met when he was an SID at Fordham in the Seventies. It was at Rose Hill he met his future wife Anne Gregory, a star for the Fordham women’s team. After a brief time at Fordham OC joined AP as a basketball writer. The rest, as they say, is history.
He had the prime press row seat for the big events at Madison Square Garden. St. John’s (in their heyday), the Big East Tournament, NCAA, NIT and on. Regardless, there was not an air of pretension about him. In addition one could just as easily find OC at West Point, LIU or St. Peter’s (as in the 6 a.m. game in 2009, part of the ESPN Tip-Off Marathon).
He would always come to the games neatly attired, suit and tie. In these days of many journalists arriving casual, OC stood out. It was his belief that for a night of work you dressed appropriately. As the old adage said, “dress like you own the gym not like you sweep the gym”.
OC also believed it was not mandatory for the press to be fed at an event. Truthfully, I cannot remember him partaking of anything beyond a coffee or soda at a game.
OC was not just a friend but mentor to so many coming up the ranks. Whether it be someone in media relations, a print or Internet writer- OC was open to lend a helping hand.
He wrote a book on St. John’s, his alma mater. In the name of fairness and objectivity he would call out that same alma mater, for any transgression, if need be.
A deep love of basketball history was another trait of OC. When my NIT history book came out in 2006, he reviewed it. Obviously, I was honored to get a favorable review for the history, and from one who knew his basketball history and really appreciated its significance in the game.
A pleasant free flowing style of writing was evident in his work. Interestingly, as far as ‘work’ was concerned he would often joke that covering basketball as a full time job, “beats working for a living.” But work he did at his craft and profession.
The Naismith Hall of Fame, USBWA Hall of Fame, Final Fours, Olympics – OC had a lengthy list of honors and accolades. Knowing OC you get the feeling he was just as enthusiastic and enjoyed a good mid-major matchup at a cozy venue devoid of television coverage.
A great storyteller with an outstanding sense of humor, OC could be critical, on less than frequent occasion, but never in a disparaging or hurtful way.
Son Andrew is involved in media relations and you can see dad’s professionalism and friendly nature dealing with him. This upcoming season, walking into MSG that familiar seat OC filled will be empty. Actually, someone will fill it, but not having OC in the house will feel as if a close friend is missing.
Later in that same Monday, Terry Kelleher posted on social media his dad Danny, age 77, had passed away following an illness of several years. Danny was a fellow alumnus of Saint Mary (Saint Mary’s back in the day) High School in Rutherford (NJ). He attended and starred on the basketball team about a decade before yours truly.
Danny spent nearly three decades in education and coached basketball on the side. We first met my senior year at St, Mary’s as I was a team manager and Danny was coaching Freshman basketball. He had an excellent player, Wayne Meyer, who later went on to a nice career at Siena. Wayne was a relative but not singled out for preferential treatment by coach Kelleher. Danny spoke about a time in those early years he faced East Rutherford High School in Freshman ball. The Freshman coach for East Rutherford was unavailable, so the varsity coach, one Richard “Dick” Vitale, took over. “We lost,” Danny remembered, “but it is something seeing Vitale on TV and realizing I coached against him.”
Danny later moved up to coaching JV at St. Mary”s. During breaks from school, I would keep the scorebook for some of his games. He later coached sub varsity at Montville High School, where he worked as a guidance counselor. He finished his time on the sidelines coaching CYO at St. Clare’s in Clifton (NJ).
On the officiating front, I worked a number of his games at St. Clare’s. He was always fair and a pleasure to work for. Part of that was due to his nature and a greater part due to the fact he officiated football, soccer and umpired softball as well. He knew what those of us wearing the stripes were faced with.
At 6’6” he cast an imposing figure but was very approachable, friendly and quick-witted. He told the story of a very good St. Mary’s team running into Roderick Rhodes and St. Anthony’s in a state tournament game in the early Nineties. Rhodes and Co. drilled the Gaels. Fast forward to 2005. Danny is at a book signing for “The Miracle of Saint Anthony’s” and meets Bob Hurley saying , “I was at the comeback game.” Hurley looks puzzled, to which Danny adds, “the game St. Mary’s scored the first basket. Then you scored about 30 straight points.” That was Danny.
He was a devout Seton Hall fan. Danny and several friends had season tickets, and before covering a Hall game it was a tradition to visit them in their area at Meadowlands Arena. Seton Hall game notes and stats were delivered dutifully and we always got into basketball discussions that took us to tip off. By the time the Hall relocated to Prudential Center, Danny retired and moved South to Toms River. He followed the Hall but not at the Rock following retirement.
The sound of the ball bouncing on hardwood or black top was in his DNA. Danny loved the game and its nuances and different strategies. Coaching kept him as close as possible to the game once his playing days were over.
OC and Danny never met each other. Undoubtedly Danny read OC’s outstanding work and many a night both were in either Meadowlands Arena or MSG, but the two paths never crossed. In the company of our Lord one can imagine the two meeting, hitting it off and immediately exchanging stories.
Friends and family lament the loss of OC and Danny. Those of us fortunate to know either, or in this particular case both, find our lives were enriched and all the better for being able to call them friends. .
