Cusick golf tourney to benefit family
The third annual Bobby Cusick Golf Classic will take place at River Bend Country Club in West Bridgewater and Olde Scotland Links in Bridgewater on Oct. 6.
The charity tournament in memory of Cusick, who died at age 48 of a heart attack on June 16, 2005, will begin with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. All proceeds will go toward the Jackson Cusick Trust Fund, which benefits Cusick's 4-year-old son.
John Maguire, a lifelong friend of Cusick, helped establish the trust fund committee and organize the golf tournament. Maguire said the goal is to raise more than $100,000 for Jackson's future and education. Maguire said $74,100 has been raised during the first two golf tournaments and other small fund-raisers. Last year, the Cusick Golf Classic included 260 golfers and 115 sponsors, and raised more than $25,000.
"It's sad that we're having it," Maguire said. "We'd prefer not to have it and have Bobby with us."
Cusick, a 1977 graduate of Waltham High School, played hockey and football at Framingham State College. After graduating in 1984, he became heavily involved in the hockey community. He was an assistant at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School for 17 years (1978-'95); an assistant at the University of Massachusetts at Boston from 1995-2000; and spent five seasons (2000-2005) under Maguire, the head hockey coach at Waltham.
Cusick led Waltham to two Super Eight appearances. Waltham won the MIAA Division 1 state championship in the 2001-02 season.
"I was lucky enough to have him as my assistant for five years," said Maguire. "I wish I had him all 24."
Last year, Cusick was inducted into the Framingham State College Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 1999, he was inducted into the Massachusetts State Hockey High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Cusick was nicknamed "mayor" because he knew and touched the lives of so many people. He also was a longtime security guard at Fenway Park, a bartender at The Baseball Tavern (just outside Fenway), and worked at Waltham City Hall in the treasurer's office.
Once the $100,000 goal has been reached, Maguire said, the golf tournament will benefit a scholarship in Cusick's name for a graduating senior hockey player from Waltham High School and Friends of Waltham High Hockey, a booster club.
"We hope to make this the best tournament yet," Maguire said. "Bobby impacted a lot of people in his life. It's nice to see how many people come out and pay their respects to Bobby."
The tournament concludes with a dinner and an auction at River Bend.
To reserve a tee time, make a donation, or become a sponsor, contact John Maguire at maguirej@comcast.net.
Steve Crowe can be reached at scrowe@globe.com. 
