By Tom Bowe
GLOUCESTER CITY NJ–Monsignor Edward Lucitt (Big Ed) pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish, Gloucester City, was the driving force behind the St. Marys Men’s Guild, which was started probably by Msgr. Brick during the depression. Both priests were similar in nature, great heart, passionate, and when something went wrong, they took no prisoners.
Big Ed was my first basketball and football coach in grammar school.
The men of the Guild made fishcakes on the first floor and delivered them and other food to the citizens of Gloucester City during those awful years of the depression.. During the war years, while I was in grammar school (St. Mary’s), all the fellows were in the service, and the Men’s Guild evolved into the Junior Guild. It also kept a lot of young guys out of trouble by giving them a place to hang out.. Not to mention that Big Ed also kept an eye on us and the building..
I still get my haircut every three weeks with probably the last of Annelo’s (Frank & Gentlemen’s Den), still subscribe to the GC news, and always make it a point to get gas and take a ride around the city. I must admit I feel sad when I see some of the changes, but it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better.
My era (Mooney Spencer, Ping Sheldon, Jack and fat-eye Kane, Lou McQuillen, Henny Murphy, Vince Reed, Bill Garland, Donny McMichael, Jerry Sampson, the Nolan brothers, etc.) was the last to keep the tradition alive. I went to the OLD TIMERS gathering regularly when it first started. Nanny (Ray) Ford was my high school freshman basketball coach and a family friend. The original night was composed of those who had a sports network throughout Gloucester and Camden County. My network was playing baseball in the Camden County league, the Camden Twi-night league, and refereeing high school and college football and basketball.. We all knew one another and spent the evening making better catches, scoring more points, etc., than we ever did..
As the years went by, and as was to be expected, a younger element made up much of the audience, and fellows like me knew less and less. Last time I went (about 4 or 5 years ago), I maybe knew 15 people and some of them have since died (Toper Stone for one).. I will try to get there this year, and visit what I called the Gloucester Catholic table (Joey Murphy, Bill Patton, Charlie Murtugh(sic), Joe Denoto, etc., all who are closer to my age. The “PUBLICS” also had a table with Leon Harris Sr., Jim Hagen, Toper etc..