SWAMPSCOTT, Mass. — "No star fades faster than that of a high-school athlete," the author John Grisham wrote in his 2006 book "The Innocent Man." Today's column is about a high school athlete whose star never faded — and whose star is casting a gentle light over the community he electrified as a football halfback, basketball guard and baseball shortstop for the Swampscott High Big Blue more than a half-century ago.
I suppose that calling Dick Jauron, who later was a Yale gridiron standout and played and coached in the NFL, a high school athlete probably minimizes his achievements.
kAmqFE 7@C E9@D6 @7 FD H9@ 8C6H FA :? E9:D D>2== E@H? ?@CE9 @7 q@DE@? H:E9 E96 D9:>>6CJ 92C3@C 2 4@>>6?E2E@C AC@?6 E@ 6I2886C2E:@? 2?5 H:E9 2 72?4:7F= :>28:?2E:@? @?46 4@>A2C65 E@ E96 q2J @7 }2A=6D[ y2FC@? H:== 2=H2JD 36 C6>6>36C65 7@C 9:D 6IA=@:ED @? E96 8C66? 7:6=5D 2?5 :? E96 A6CDA:C2E:@?\6?4CFDE65 8J> @7 @FC 9@>6E@H?] u@C E92E[ 2?5 7@C 36:?8 H92E r92C=:6 z:>32==[ E96 E@F89 D@?\@7\2\3F4< H9@ D92A65 2 86?6C2E:@? @7 ``E9\8C256 9:DE@CJ DEF56?ED[ 42==65 Q@?6 @7 E96 EH@ 7:?6DE DEF56?ED x 6G6C 925]Qk^Am
kAm}@H[ ;FDE 2 J62C 27E6C 9:D 562E9[ y2FC@? — H9@ A=2J65 7@C E96 }u{VD s6EC@:E {:@?D 2?5 r:?4:??2E: q6?82=D 2?5 H2D 9625 4@249 @7 E96 r9:428@ q62CD 2?5 qF772=@ q:==D — 92D 25565 2?@E96C 82C=2?5 E@ E96 >6>@CJ @7 A6C92AD E96 E@H?VD 8C62E6DE C@=6 >@56=]k^Am
kAm%92EVD 3642FD6 H92E H:== 6?5FC6 =@?8 27E6C E96 562E9D @7 E9@D6 @7 FD H9@ H2E4965 9:> A=2J 9:89 D49@@= 2?5 4@==686 32==[ 2?5 2== @7 FD H9@ 92G6 5:?65 @FE @? s:4<:6 y2FC@? DE@C:6D 7@C >@C6 E92? 2 92=7\46?EFCJ[ :D E96 Sa]a >:==:@? A@DE9F>@FD 8:7E 96 2?5 9:D H:76[ v2:=[ >256 E@ }@CE962DE pC4[ E96 =@42= D@4:2=\D6CG:46D 286?4J 7@C E9@D6 H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D 2?5 7@C 49:=5C6? 2E C:D< @7 56G6=@A:?8 E96>]k^Am
kAmQ%9:D :D 2 EC2?D7@C>2E:G6 8:7E[Q D2:5 y@ p?? $:>@?D[ H9@ 9625D }@CE962DE pC4] Q(6V== FD6 :E E@ 6IA2?5 @FC C64C62E:@? 2?5 DA@CE AC@8C2>D 7@C A6@A=6 H9@ 5@?VE 92G6 2446DD E@ 6I:DE:?8 4@>>F?:EJ C64C62E:@? AC@8C2>D]Qk^Am
kAmy2FC@? H2D?VE AFD965 @FE @7 7@@E32== 7@==@H:?8 36:?8 7:C65[ :? a__h[ 2D E96 4@249 @7 E96 q:==D] w6 D:>A=J =67E 7@@E32==] w6 5:5 :E E@ 42C6 7@C v2:=[ H9@ 925 62C=J\@?D6E p=K96:>6CVD[ 2?5 6G6CJ@?6 :? E@H? <?6H E92E H2D H9J 96 DF556?=J 56A2CE65 E96 8C:5:C@? 82>6] xEVD E96 :CC:E2E:?8 3FE :?8C2E:2E:?8 724E 23@FE 2 D>2== E@H? =:<6 @FCD E92E 6G6CJ@?6 <?@HD 6G6CJE9:?8 23@FE 6G6CJ@?6[ E9@F89 ?@E 2=H2JD E96 FA=:7E:?8 E9:?8D =:<6 E9:D @?6]k^Am
kAmy2FC@? H2D <?@H? 7@C 36:?8 E24:EFC? :? E96 }6H t?8=2?5 H2Jj :E >2J 92G6 366? ?@ 4@:?4:56?46 E92E 96 C@>A65 @? E96 7:6=5D :? E96 G6CJ E@H? H96C6 r2=G:? r@@=:586[ ?@E <?@H? 7@C 9:D 82CCF=@FD?6DD[ DA6?E 9:D `had AC6D:56?E:2= DF>>6C 2E bd {:EE=6D !@:?E #@25[ 5@H? E96 DEC66E 7C@> H96C6 >J pF?E t:=66? 2?5 &?4=6 w6C>2? =:G65 :? >J 49:=59@@5] |CD] y2FC@? H2D >F49 E96 D2>6] tG6? E9@D6 H9@ ?@:D:=J 25G6CE:D65 E92E E96J H6C6 :? E96 <?@H — 2?5 H6 <?@H H9@ E96J 2C6 — 5:5?VE <?@H E92E v2:=[ H9@ 5:65 :? s646>36C[ 925 2 !9]s] :? A9:=@D@A9J 7C@> w2CG2C5]k^Am
kAm|CD] y2FC@?VD !9]s] E96D:D[ A@:?E65=J[ 6I2>:?65 9@H A6@A=6 H:E9 :?E6==64EF2= 5:D23:=:E:6D H6C6 EC62E65] {2E6C[ D96 E2F89E A6@A=6 H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D 32D:4 =:76 D<:==D 2E =@42= 4@>>F?:EJ 4@==686D]k^Am
kAmQu@C `` J62CD[ 3642FD6 @7 96C 4@?5:E:@?[ >J >@> H2D DEF4< :? E:>6[Q D2:5 z24J y2FC@?[ E96 7@C>6C 5:C64E@C @7 DA64:2= 6G6?ED 7@C }@CE962DE pC4 2?5 A2CE @7 :ED 56G6=@A>6?E E62>] Q}@H D96 4@>6D :?E@ 4=62C G:D:@?[ 2=@?8 H:E9 9@H D96 7@F?5 E96 8C62E @AA@CEF?:E:6D E92E >J 525VD =:76 :? 7@@E32== 82G6 96C — E96 A=2E7@C> E@ 36 :?G@=G65 :? 4@>>F?:EJ D6CG:46]Qk^Am
kAmuC@> E96 DE@C6D 2E ':??:? $BF2C6 E@ E96 D2?5D @7 !9:==:AD q6249[ y2FC@? DE:== :D C6>6>36C65 2D E96 BF:6E 76==@H H9@D6 AC:?4:A2= 492C24E6C:DE:4D H6C6?VE 9:D 4@?EC:3FE:@? E@ 2 7@@E32== 5J?2DEJ 3FE :?DE625 9:D >@56DEJ 2?5 86?6C@D:EJ]k^Am
kAmu@C 96 H2D E96 3@J H9@ 4=:>365 2 =2556C E@ 96=A 9:D ?6:893@C #@K $E@?6 A2:?E 96C 9@FD6[ @?=J E@ 36 @C56C65 5@H? E@ E96 8C@F?5 H96? r@249 $E2? q@?56=6G:E49 D2H 9:> 2D 96 5C@G6 5@H? q2J ':6H pG6?F6j 96 H@CC:65 E92E 9:D DE2C A=2J6C >:89E 72==] s:4< 92C5=J <?6H >6j 96 8C25F2E65 7C@> @FC E9C66\J62C 9:89 D49@@= ;FDE 367@C6 x 6?E6C65 :E] *6E 96 42==65 @?6 52J 27E6C 96 C6EFC?65 9@>6 2?5 >@G65 ?6IE 5@@C E@ >J >@> E@ D2J 96V5 <66A 2? 6J6 @? 96C 2D D96 D=:AA65 :?E@ >6>@CJ =@DD] w6 @776C65 E@ D9@G6= 96C H2=< H96? :E D?@H65]k^Am
kAm%92E D6=7=6DD?6DD :D A2CE @7 E96 =6824J E92E 6?5FC6D 96C6]k^Am
kAmQw6 H2D 2 8FJ 7C@> 2 D>2== E@H? 2?5 H2?E65 E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8 E92E 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ[Q D2:5 9:D 3C@E96C[ #@36CE[ H9@ A=2J65 7@@E32== 2E qC@H?] Qw6 2?5 v2:= H2?E65 A6@A=6 E@ =:G6 2D 7F==J 2?5 DF446DD7F==J 2D A@DD:3=6] p?5 :E H2D G6CJ :>A@CE2?E E@ s:4< E92E 96 E9@F89E @7 9:>D6=7 2?5 v2:= 2D 2 E62>]Qk^Am
kAmxE 2=D@ H2D :>A@CE2?E E@ y2FC@? E92E 96 C6D:DE65 8@:?8 FAE@H?[ =62G:?8 9:D 9@>6E@H? 7C:6?5D 369:?5 7@C E96 2==FC6 @7 E96 8=2>@C@FD 2E9=6E6D 96 >6E @? 46=63C:EJ 8@=7 @FE:?8D @C :? E96 8C66? C@@>D @7 ?6EH@C< :?E6CG:6H D9@HD]k^Am
kAmQw:D EC6>6?5@FD E2=6?ED >256 9:> 2 46=63C:EJ[ 3FE 96 5:5?VE =6E E92E E2<6 @G6C 9:D =:76[Q D2:5 r2C= z6DE6C[ 2? 6>6C:EFD w2CG2C5 {2H $49@@= AC@76DD@C H9@ H2D 2? @776?D:G6 8F2C5 @? E96:C 9:89 D49@@= E62>] Qw6 42CC:65 E92E DE2EFD H:E9 5:8?:EJ 2?5 2=H2JD C6>6>36C65 H9@ 96 H2D 2?5 H96C6 96 42>6 7C@>] w6 =:G65 2 >62?:?87F= =:76 2?5[ 6G6? ?@H E92E 96VD 8@?6[ 96VD DE:== 5@:?8 E92E]Qk^Am
kAm#2?5J (6C?6C[ H9@ H2D EH@ J62CD 369:?5 y2FC@? 2E $H2>AD4@EE w:89[ H2E4965 }u{ 82>6D H:E9 9:> 2E y2FC@?VD 9@>6 6G6CJ $F?52J F?E:= cicd[ H96? E96 7@C>6C 4@249 3@=E65 E@ 92G6 5:??6C H:E9 v2:= :? 2 >6>@CJ\42C6 724:=:EJ] Qu@C86E DA@CED 2?5 2 *2=6 65F42E:@?[Q (6C?6C D2:5] Q(2E49:?8 H92E 96 5:5 7@C 9:D H:76 :D E96 8C62E6DE E9:?8 x 92G6 6G6C D66?]Qk^Am
kAmw6 925 E96 D2>6 67764E @? 9:D AC@ E62>>2E6D]k^Am
kAmQw6 ?6G6C 6IA6C:6?465 H:E9 3C2G25@ @C 2?:>@D:EJ E96 EC6>6?5@FD A9JD:42= 4@?E24E 96 H2D 6IA@D65 E@[Q D2:5 #688:6 (:==:2>D[ 2 q6?82=D E62>>2E6 7@C E9C66 D62D@?D 368:??:?8 :? `hfg] Qx 2=H2JD E9@F89E @7 9:> 2D 2 F?:BF6=J 8@@5 A6CD@?]Qk^Am
kAm$:>@?D[ H9@ H2D :? 9:89 D49@@= H:E9 y2FC@?[ :D DECF4< 3J 2 8C62E :C@?J]k^Am
kAmQ%96 E9:?8 23@FE s:4< H2D 9@H BF:6E 96 H2D[ 9@H 96 ?6G6C =@@<65 7@C 2EE6?E:@?[Q D96 D2:5] QqFE 3642FD6 @7 E9:D[ 96 :D 86EE:?8 2EE6?E:@?[ 2?5 @7 4@FCD6 :E :D @FE @7 =@@<:?8 @FE 7@C @E96CD]Q %96 DE2C DE:== D9:?6D]k^Am
kAms2G:5 |] $9C:3>2? :D E96 7@C>6C 6I64FE:G6 65:E@C @7 E96 !:EED3FC89 !@DE\v2K6EE6] w6 42? 36 C624965 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i5D9C:3>2?oA@DE\82K6EE6]4@>Qm5D9C:3>2?oA@DE\82K6EE6]4@>k^2m[ @C 7@==@H 9:> @? %H:EE6C 2E $9C:3>2?!v] %96 !F=:EK6C !C:K6\H:??:?8 ;@FC?2=:DE 92D 2 G242E:@? 9@>6 :? z62CD2C86]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.