Reading High star to be inducted into BC Hall of Fame

Steve Langone looks back at his numbers and comes to the conclusion that he had a pretty good baseball career at Boston College. Hall of Fame good, though, he wasn't sure, and he admits he "wouldn't give it a second thought" if the Varsity Club Hall of Fame never opened its doors to him.

But his numbers - among the highest in the BC record book - were good enough and today at the Westin Waltham Boston Hotel, Langone will take his place among Eagle giants. Langone and seven other inductees were to be recognized yesterday at halftime of BC's football game against Central Florida.

"Looking back, I knew I had a good career, more than what I ever could have hoped for," said Langone, who cut his teeth at Reading High. "But the last thing you think about is the Hall of Fame. It's an honor, to be sure, but I wouldn't be disappointed if I wasn't selected.

"After finding out I had been chosen, it didn't sink in right away," added Langone. "I thought about the magnitude of Boston College athletics and the great athletes that played there and to be included in their company is truly humbling."

Langone excelled both as a pitcher and as a designated hitter, and captured All-America and All-Big East accolades for his skills.

On the mound, the right-hander won 24 career games - the most in BC history - and in 2000, his senior season, he was 8-2 while leading the nation with an eye-popping 1.54 earned run average. When not pitching, Langone was the DH and occasional first baseman. He had a career .356 average with 30 home runs - second most behind Sean McGowan of Burlington, who swatted 53. Langone's 117 RBIs, 151 runs scored, and 191 hits in 154 games all rank among the top seven in BC's record books.

The Dodgers were impressed, selecting Langone in the second round of the entry draft. But he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2003, a major setback. He subsequently was signed by the Red Sox, and then the Phillies, and while pitching in their farm system in Pennsylvania suffered a career-ending shoulder injury. When he got hurt, his ERA was 0.00.

"Had I stayed healthy, I think, without a doubt, I would have had my shot," said Langone. "My numbers were good at all levels before the injuries."

Langone cites two moments - one personal and one team-oriented - as his most memorable at Boston College.

"On a personal level, I'll never forget the two home runs I hit at Fenway Park in the Beanpot final against UMass in my junior year in 1999," he said. "One went over the Green Monster and the other into the screen. We won, 4-2, and I was named Beanpot MVP. What a thrill that was. My favorite team moment was my senior year when we beat Notre Dame in the Big East Tournament. It was BC's first win ever in that tournament and Notre Dame was one of the higher seeds. I pitched all nine innings and Mike Quirk hit a two-run homer with two out in the ninth and we won, 4-3. Those are lasting memories."

Langone, 30, now runs baseball camps and clinics at Full Count Sports Academy in Woburn and has developed a long-toss program for high school athletes at Athletic Evolution, also in Woburn.

Merrimack, which opened its men's cross-country season by winning the Amherst Invitational, followed up with victory in the Shacklette Invitational in Manchester, N.H. Adam Holmes of Abington and Jefferson Welch of Haverhill finished one-two. Chris Stanwick of Chelmsford was 20th. The Warriors go for their third straight Saturday in the Codfish Bowl.

University of Massachusetts at Lowell captain Anthony Gallardo of Methuen carded consecutive 72s to finish T21 in the Rutgers University Invitational. The field included 125 golfers from 24 Division 1 and 2 schools. . . . Josh Solomon of Acton scored the tying goal late in regulation to help Wheaton salvage a 2-2 soccer tie with Keene State. . . . Julia Atwood of Concord and Brooks had a pair of goals in Wheaton's 6-1 field hockey win over Lasell.

Fans of the Lowell Devils have a chance to meet their favorite players Saturday when the American Hockey League team hosts "Fanfest '08" from 1 to 3 p.m. at Tsongas Arena. Admission is free. Call 978-458-7825 for details.

Congrats to Brooks School girls' soccer coach Bob Morahan on his 300th career win at the North Andover school. Morahan is 300-100-57 in 28 years at the helm. . . . Salem has never lost a match in winning three straight New Hampshire boys' volleyball state championships and the Blue Devils just keep rolling along. They opened the season with five wins to run their consecutive-match winning streak to 79. The latest conquest came in straight sets against Keene behind Dan Tiner, who had 14 kills and eight blocks, and Chris Barnes, who had 31 assists, seven kills, and four blocks.

Send items to JohnPVel@aol.com.