Home Updates Update: 10-17-2012
Update: 10-17-2012 E-mail
Thursday, 18 October 2012 20:54

Lou Montgomery Initiative Update

Since the launching of this website, Boston College has taken a limited action to honor Lou Montgomery. Seeing itself obligated to respond in some way to this website, in an interview by Boston Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham, an unnamed staffer in the BC Office of Public Affairs told Ms. Abraham that while the university had no plans to rename Alumni Stadium in Lou's honor, it would retire his jersey.  This involves hanging on the south wall of Alumni Stadium a larger-than-life replica of a Boston College football jersey, with the name "MONTGOMERY" across the upper part of the jersey.

BC retires both named jerseys and numbered jerseys (the higher honor).  Only two jersey numbers have ever been retired:  Doug Flutie's #22 and Mike Ruth's #68.  Seven other "named" jerseys have been retired: those belonging to all-time BC football greats Arthur Donovan, Gene Goodreault, Bill Flynn, Mike Holovak, Louis Urban, and Tony Thurman.

Ms. Abraham's article on Lou Montgomery's story, as told by this website, was carried at the top of Page 1 of the Boston Sunday Globe on April 28, 2012.  I was subsequently contacted by members of Lou's family, a daughter Joanne and a granddaughter Tracey. These, and other family members (Lou Montgomery had three children - all alive and living in California) admitted they were thrilled to finally see Lou's story being fully told and widely publicized.  While they also fully supported this website's proposal to change the name of Alumni Stadium to Lou Montgomery Stadium, they were also in favor of the jersey retirement.

BC paid for four members of the family to travel to and to stay in Boston for the jersey retirement ceremony, which was held at the beginning of halftime during the BC - Miami football game, September 1, 2012.  Many other family members, including contingents from the District of Columbia and Connecticut, also came to Boston for the event and were seated together for the game in Sec. C. Six family members and myself were on the field for the event.  It was emotional for all directly involved, and was warmly received by the near-capacity crowd in attendance.

In the time since, there has been some preliminary discussion among family members and supporters of the original Lou Montgomery Initiative to try and build upon this limited success, perhaps in the form of a scholarship program, a foundation, or an award in Lou's name and memory.  Any ideas, suggestions, or support of such an effort are encouraged.  Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .


Regrettably, Boston College continues to try and perpetuate the idea that it is entirely blameless in the Lou Montgomery matter.  Spokespersons choose to try and explain it all away as simply indicative of "the times"; of the Jim Crow-based attitudes and values of southern university officials; and argue that they really had no choice.  Even worse, on thewww.bceagles.com official B.C. athletics website, the official line on Lou's mistreatment acknowledges only that he was kept from playing in football games in the South, where in reality B.C. consistently went along with the requirements of its southern opponents, and benched Lou in all of its home games against these teams as well.


"Ever to Excel"?  "Never to Take Responsibility" would be a school motto that more truthfully describes this particular segment of Boston College history.

Last Updated on Saturday, 20 October 2012 23:14
 


Login | 2012 | Lou Montgomery Legacy | Powered by Boston Web Group.