Hurley’s Derby Day travels, McGuire Foundation seminar
While his son Bobby’s prize horse was running the fastest half-mile time in the history of the Kentucky Derby, then fading fast in the stretch last Saturday, Bob Hurley somehow found himself thousands of miles away from Churchill Downs – like at north of the border in Canada.
You see, the respected St. Anthony basketball coach is in high demand during the off-season for lectures. Hurley maps out his schedule months in advance.
Back in February, he asked his son whether Songandaprayer, the horse that Bobby owns, had any chance of going to the Kentucky Derby.
"He told me back then that he didn’t think so," Hurley said. "So I went ahead and made plans to attend a clinic in Hamilton, Ontario on May 5."
However, Songandaprayer won the Fountain of Youth Stakes, finished fourth in the Florida Derby and ran second in the Bluegrass Stakes. Which opened the door for the appearance in the Run for the Roses.
But the coach wasn’t about to go back on his word. So while the rest of the family headed for Kentucky to sip mint juleps and experience a chance of a lifetime, the coach was teaching fundamental defense to Canadians. Such is the life of a basketball coach.
"I can just imagine the look on the face of the bartender in the airport bar, when I tell him that ‘My son owns that horse,’ " Hurley laughed. "And he’ll say, ‘Oh, yeah, then why aren’t you there?’ What can I tell him?"
It’s doubtful that the Canadian would have understood the New Jersey Hall of Fame coach’s dedication to the sport he has coached for almost 30 years.
Speaking of Hurley, the St. Anthony basketball program will hold an alumni basketball doubleheader on Friday, May 18, at the Community Recreation and Education Center on 10th Street and Marin Boulevard in Jersey City.
Friar alumni up to 1986 will play in the first game, beginning at 6:45 p.m., with alumni from 1987 to the present playing in the nightcap, beginning around 8 p.m.
Some of the more famous alumni scheduled to participate include Bobby and Danny Hurley, Terry Dehere, Jerry Walker and Mandy Johnson. More than 50 of Hurley’s former players are expected to be in attendance.
"It’s a fun night for me, because I get to sit back and watch for a change," Hurley said.
Tickets are $5 for spectators and $10 for alumni who receive a T-Shirt. Proceeds from the event will go to purchase jackets for the St. Anthony 2001 team that captured the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title.
For further information, contact St. Anthony High School during school hours at 653-3153.
Hurley will also be busy the day before the alumni game. On Thursday, the Frank McGuire Foundation, which honored Hurley as one of its premier coaches last fall, will hold a coaches seminar/Town Hall forum at St. John’s University for all coaches interested in participating. The forum is designed to help coaches who might have any problems dealing with youngsters that they would like to discuss.
Hurley will sit on a discussion panel, along with Secaucus volleyball coach Maria Nolan, who was also honored by the McGuire Foundation last year.
Some of the other featured speakers include Mets Manager Bobby Valentine, former St. John’s basketball Coach Lou Carnesecca, current St. John’s Head Coach Mike Jarvis, Duke point guard Jason Williams and CBS Announcer Billy Packer.
Admission to the seminar is free and it includes a luncheon. If any coaches are interested in attending, please contact coordinator Marion Swan at (212) 779-6621.