'01 BC High squad had talent to spare
Norm Walsh of Milton has made countless lineup cards during his 28-year career as Boston College High School's baseball coach.
But if you ask him about the 2001 squad, the lineup rolls off his lips as if they were playing a game today.
With good reason: It may be the best-ever high school team from the region.
The Eagles that spring won 22 games on the way to a state championship, and were ranked by USA Today and Baseball America as among the best high school teams in the nation.
Fourteen players went on to play college baseball, seven at the Division 1 level, and five were selected in Major League Baseball's amateur draft.
Here is a look at the starting lineup and how they fared after BC High.
Recalling the stellar squad, Walsh said, ''It was quite a team. Amazing to see that many great players together." None of it happened by design. ''It just happened. Some great players came together at the same time."
The coach said, ''Conroy didn't play for us until his junior year." He went to Scituate High School as a freshman, but did not have a good experience there, Walsh said. He then sat out his sophomore season after transferring to BC High. ''He was the best of the bunch. He was a true five-tool athlete. He could do it all. He was a pure athlete. He's been held up in the Cleveland farm system by injury problems, but he's doing well now," Walsh added.
Walsh thought Curreri would be the first of his players to make it to the majors. ''Frank played hockey for us, and hockey season always seemed to end the night before the baseball team began its season," said Walsh. ''We had some senior catchers on the team so I would let them play some of the early games, until Frank would get into baseball shape. I never asked him, but he always sat next to me on the bench. I'd be calling pitches and he would ask me why I would be calling a certain pitch. He was a student of the game."
By the time Curreri was a senior, Walsh let him call games for his pitchers. ''It's rare to let a high school catcher call the game, but he would call it the way I wanted it," said Walsh. ''I always thought Frank would make it to the majors before the rest of them. He has a terrific batting stroke, but also he has a great athletic IQ."
Walsh was impressed with the work ethic and determination of three players -- Delaney, Locke and Morgan -- who had played together for the Hingham-based South Shore Baseball Club's AAU Seadogs.
''I took Jason [Delaney] aside when he was a sophomore. I told him that if he was going to advance in this game he had to improve four areas of his game. He did it, too. Morgan was a pure hitter, but he along with Delaney had to improve their fielding. Locke was a pure hitter, and a good fielder. But give them credit. They worked tirelessly to improve defensively."
The hard-luck player on the squad was Crane, who was one of the best high school pitchers in the area.
As a sophomore Crane did not feel well during a state tournament game against Taunton. Afterward, he was taken to the hospital and underwent an appendectomy that night.
As a junior, Crane went out for practice one day and Walsh noticed a contorted facial expression that he feared might be a stroke. The diagnosis came back as Bell's palsy, a temporary disorder involving the facial nerve.
As a senior, Crane took a line drive in the face during a tournament game, sustaining a broken jaw.
''He had tremendous poise and could control a game," said Walsh. ''I remember Boston College baseball coach Peter Hughes was scouting him, and he came to our tournament game at New Bedford."
Crane struck out nine of the first 12 batters he faced. ''Peter came to see his breaking ball and all he threw were fastballs," said Walsh.
No matter, Hughes walked away impressed.
