| 11/06/2005 |
| Gebhart: Archmere’s Sports Hall of Fame has first Hooker in Danny Mastro |
| Ed Gebhart , Times Columnist |
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Despite its proximity
and its excellent scholastic and athletic reputation, folks
from Delaware County haven’t exactly been beating a path to
the doors of Archmere Academy. Some notables have made it across
the state line into Delaware to Archmere. The late great Judge
Joe Battle leaps to mind, as do state Sen. Dominic Pileggi (did
you know he was an All-State tackle there?), Guy Fizzano of
the widely known cinder block family, the versatile Vince Filliben,
prominent attorney Ed Gallagher and Trainer’s gift to the world
of letters, Harry Chaykun.
(I now await the onslaught of letters telling me
all about the great Archmere graduates I have missed. I’ll bet
none of them mention a certain Delaware attorney named Tom Capano.
To be fair, I’ll toss in the name of Sen. Joe Biden.)His name is Danny Mastro, the middle of five children born to the late Antonio and Anna Mastro, whose home was right off Market Street. Most of Danny’s buddies went to Eddystone High, but Mastro headed for Archmere, much to the delight of the Auks’ (more about that later) coaching staff. It’s no wonder he was inducted into the school’s Hall. The wonder is that it took so long for him to receive his due. Consider: He earned 10 varsity letters, four in basketball and three each in football and baseball. He was an All-State end and captain his senior year. In basketball, at a time when "double figures" was worth a headline, he scored 16 points in a 39-35 victory over archrival Salesianum, also served as co-captain, and was an infielder in baseball. He was known as "King of the Keystoners," a name given to Pennsylvania lads who slipped across the line to become "Auks." Following graduation, Mastro was offered a full scholarship to Villanova, but he opted to stay home and go to work at the Sun Oil Refinery, where he became an electrician. He continued to play football, however, for Marcus Hook A.A. And was a standout. Against bitter rival Lloyd A.C., he caught three touchdown passes at Lloyd Field. He played a vital role in the rematch against Lloyd, this one in Marcus Hook, in a game that has become part of the Hook’s folklore. With Hook trailing, 7-6, and time for just one play, Mastro caught a touchdown pass to win the game. As the story goes, Jack Wilson, later a great coach at old Ridley Park High, was officiating and thought he detected Mastro jumping offside. As he reached back into his pocket for the red flag, he noticed a member of the Marcus Hook constabulary (who shall go unknown) reach for the gun on his hip. "Pull that flag," the officer reportedly said to Wilson, "and you’ll never leave this field alive." Now Wilson, a Trainer lad, was a former Marine who had faced the best the Japanese had to offer on Iwo Jima and never flinched. But at Iwo, he was fighting for a cause. At Marcus Hook, it was just a game. The flag stayed in his pocket, or so the story goes. I’ve heard it so many times from so many people there must be some truth to it. Mastro’s career with the Oiltowners was as colorful as it was brief. A serious automobile accident put him on the sidelines for good. Fate wasn’t very kind to Danny. While still a relatively young man, he was stricken with cancer and was bedridden for many months. His chief caretaker was an old friend from the Hook, Josephine "Gigi" Laird. During that period, Jo’s grandson, Will Holt, became very attached to Danny and loved to hear his stories. At Mr. Mastro’s funeral in 1992, young Holt stood by the casket, an over-sized Archmere class ring dangling from his finger and his small frame swallowed in Danny’s green Archmere letter jacket. And when the Hall of Fame certificate was awarded, Holt, now not quite so young, was there to accept it for his dear friend. Now about the Archmere nickname, the Auks. I put if right up there with the Hoyas (Georgetown U.), the Hokies (Virginia Tech.) and the Cahillites (Roman Catholic High). While we may never really know what is a Hoya or a Hokie, we do know a Cahillite is someone who goes to a school founded a century or so ago by a Mr. Thomas Cahill in Philadelphia. An auk, if you didn’t know, is a short-necked black-and-white sea bird that likes to dive in northern waters and has short wings that it uses only as paddles. Why anyone would name an athletic team for such a creature escapes me. Or as Ogden Nash might say.. I never saw a short-necked auk; I hope I never see one. But I will tell you any day, I’d rather see than be one. Ed Gebhart is a retired public relations executive who works part-time in the Delaware County government public relations department. His column appears Sunday and Friday.
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