SHS tennis courts named for Herlihy
Published on January 3rd, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - One section of the Stoneham High School tennis courts will soon be dedicated to the memory of a long time Stoneham resident who brought the game of recreational tennis to hundreds of his fellow citizens, many of whom came to consider him a friend.
In an uncustomary move last month, the School Committee voted in favor of dedicating court one at the Stoneham High School tennis courts to Mr. Leo Herlihy whose passion for the game of tennis spread like wildfire in town beginning in the 1970s. Herlihy was a Stoneham resident since 1957 and the father of five Stoneham High School graduates. He passed away in 2004, after leaving a legacy in town.
But School Committee approval for naming a structure or part of a structure in honor of someone is no easy feat. School Committee Vice Chairman Maureen Soley explained that the School Committee is governed by a policy book that speaks to the issue of naming of any school building or parts of buildings, and any such a dedication should entail some educational significance.
"This is a little bit broader than the policy speaks to," Soley said, but agreed with her board that dedicating a bench on one of the courts to Mr. Herlihy would be an appropriate honor, particularly in light of the fact that the Bronze Star recipient promoted tennis as a recreational sport in Stoneham for over 30 years.
"Each week end, he would encourage people of all ages and abilities to utilize the Stoneham tennis facilities. He organized informal tennis matches...He willingly taught generations of Stoneham youth about basic tennis technique," School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly said of the man whose friends and family had pursued this dedication for over a year.
Connelly also noted that Herlihy was a decorated World War II veteran, having received a special citation from the French Government for his role in the Battle of the Bulge in addition to the Bronze Star.
"Mr. Herlihy certainly influenced in a positive way the lives of many Stoneham recreational tennis players for several generations," Connelly reported. "I found the delegation of citizens supporting the naming of the Stoneham tennis courts in honor or Leo Herlihy to be sincere and extremely well meaning...I find this request for a school facility to be named in honor or Leo Herlihy to be deserving of School Committee consideration."
According to Herlihy's eldest son, Tom, Leo Herlihy loved the sport of tennis, played it in high school and took it up again around 1974, playing every weekend until his retirement when he hit the courts nearly seven days a week.
The idea of a dedication in Herlihy's name came from a group of his tennis pals, including Stoneham residents Vincent Coco and Joe Terrasi. It wasn't for another year that the family got involved in the petition, since twelve weeks after their father died, the Herlihy boys lost their mother, Elizabeth.
"It would lend integrity and stature to the high school tennis courts if it was dedicated to my Dad." Tom Herlihy said.
"Leo was a strong recreational tennis player," said his friend Terrasi. "He wasn't a pro by any means. But his strength was the fact that he encouraged people to play."
Terrasi added that in the 70's when he was looking for a place to play tennis, he was told that there was always something going on that the high school courts, thanks to Herlihy.
"Leo had a tremendous passion for the game of tennis, so much so that I believe he played tennis almost up until the day before he died. I know I was playing with him two weeks before he passed away. I marveled at the strength that that man had."
While the School Committee stopped short of naming the tennis courts after Herlihy, it did support a modified request of the petitioners' and approved the dedication of a bench on the first court to the memory of Leo Herlihy.
"Mr. Herlihy certainly sounds like he was a remarkable man and the kind of person the community should take pride in forever after," Soley said.
"We just want to thank Vinnie and Joe and my father's other friends in tennis. If it wasn't for them this wouldn't have come about," Tom Herlihy said.
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