February 2008 is Fordham Month at AGS!

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FORDHAM RAMS QUICK FACTS
Location: Bronx, NY
Founded: 1841
Conference: Patriot League
Stadium: Jack Coffey Field (Seats: 7,000)

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History
Fordham University is an independent university in the Jesuit tradition. It was established as St. John's College by the Right Rev. John Hughes, Coadjutor-Bishop (later Archbishop) of New York, on old Rose Hill Manor in the village of Fordham, then part of Westchester County. The name Fordham is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words "ford" and "ham," meaning a wading place or ford by a settlement. Rose Hill is the name given to the site in 1787 by Robert Watts, a wealthy New York merchant, in honor of his family's ancestral home of the same name in Scotland. The College, which opened with a student body of six, was originally staffed by diocesan clergy. In 1846, the year the New York State Legislature granted the School a charter, Bishop Hughes recruited five Jesuits from St. Mary's College in Kentucky and other communities, and the Society of Jesus then assumed the administration of the College. The name was officially changed to Fordham University in 1907. In 1969 the board of trustees was reorganized to include a majority of non-clergy members. President
The Reverend Joseph M. McShane, S.J.

Enrollment (Fall 2007)
Fordham's 10 schools enroll 14,448 students. There are 7,652 undergraduates, of whom 3,842 live in University-managed housing either on-campus or in the local community. The entering class includes 1,784 traditional full-time freshmen.

Demographics
(All Undergraduates, Fall 2007) Men 43% Women 57%
Minorities 24.6%: African American, 5.6%; Hispanic, 12.3%; Asian, 6.4%; American Indian/Alaskan, 0.3%
Geographical origins: 48 states, DC, PR, Guam, The Virgin Islands and 58 countries.

Degrees Conferred (2006-2007) 4,238
Doctor of Philosophy 102
Doctor of Education 14
Juris Doctor 495
Master of Arts/Science/Education/Law/Philosophy 875
Master of Business Administration 453
Master of Social Work 558
Graduate Certificate or Professional Diploma 71
Bachelor of Arts/Science 1,670

Tuition 2007-2008
Undergraduate: $31,800 (for most programs).

Graduate schools: $625 to $995 per credit.
Law (Full-Time) : $38,900

Varsity Sports
With 22 men's and women's varsity sports teams, the Fordham Rams are members of the NCAA Division I and compete in the Atlantic-10 conference in all sports except football (Patriot League, NCAA Division I FCS).

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2/3

SEVEN BLOCKS OF GRANITE

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/6/61/Fordham_football.jpg

The Seven Blocks of Granite was a nickname given to the 1936 Fordham University football team's offensive line. The Seven Blocks of Granite were: Leo Paquin, Johnny Druze, Alex Wojciechowicz, Ed Franco, Al Babartsky, Natty Pierce, and Vince Lombardi. The nickname was also commonly used to referred to the Fordham lines of the 1929, 1930, and 1937 teams but it is the 1936 line which is today the best known of these lines.

In the 1930s, Fordham University was a college football power, as they were consistently a nationally ranked team. In 1936, school publicist Timothy Cohane needed a nickname to spur recognition of his Fordham Rams, who were undefeated halfway through the season and on the verge of possibly their best season ever. The strength of the Fordham team was its offensive line - seven men: center, two guards, two tackles and two ends. In his columns, American sportswriter Grantland Rice had already written "The Fordham Wall Still Stands" in honor of the team and its early season success, but a catchy nickname was still needed — something to rival Notre Dame's famous Four Horsemen. The year before Cohane tried using the "Seven Samsons" to highlight the squad's offensive linemen, but it never caught on. Following on that theme and remembering the caption from a newswire photo he'd seen several years before, Cohane tried the Seven Blocks of Granite.

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Grantland Rice poem that appeared in the nation's newspapers on November 1, 1936:
Great, mighty Minnesota fell, upon a fateful day;
Both Yale and Army felt the axe and tossed their crowns away.
Big Holy Cross, an early Boss, hears no more winning bands.
Yes, strange things happened everywhere, but the Fordham wall still stands.

Once Carthage ruled an ancient coast, but where is Carthage now?
The Grecian phalanx no more wears the winning olive bough.
And where are Persia's ruling hosts that ruled all warring lands?
Their day is done by sand and sun, but the Fordham wall still stands.

Who took the brutal thrust of SMU and rolled its charges back?
Who stood the Gaels upon their heels, and broke up each attack?
Who held young Goldberg at the line with willing hearts and hands?
The answer rings from coast to coast: the Fordham wall still stands.

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2/5

Fordham’s home field is named after its legendary Director of Athletics, Jack Coffey. Coffey began his duties at Rose Hill as baseball coach and graduate manager of athletics in 1909, and remained at Rose Hill in one capacity or another until retiring in 1958. He amassed 817 wins as a baseball coach and became a popular answer to a baseball trivia question, since he is the only player to play with both Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb in the same season (1917 Red Sox and Tigers).

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Fordham is the only Division I-AA institution to have played in at least two of the four major bowl games (Cotton, Orange, Sugar, Rose), competing in the 1941 Cotton Bowl and the 1942 Sugar Bowl. They are also one of just six I-AA schools to have made more than one bowl appearance.

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2/7

The Victory Bell
Situated in front of the Rose Hill Gym is the Fordham Victory Bell, which is traditionally rung after every football victory. The bell was presented to the University by Admiral Chester Nimitz and blessed by his Eminence John Cardinal Spellman as a memorial to those who lost their lives during World War II. The bell was taken from the Aircraft Carrier Juyo, which saw action in the battles of Savo New Guinea and The Solomon Islands before being silenced by an aerial bomb at Saipan. It was first rung at Rose Hill by President Harry Truman on May 11, 1946.

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2/8

Fordham’s tremendous popularity in the 1930’s inspired National Football League owner Homer Marchman to name his fledging franchise after the “boys from the Bronx”, thus starting the history of the NFL Cleveland Rams. The Rams first moved to Los Angeles and now reside in St. Louis.

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Fordham Notable Athletic Alumni

Barry Cantrell
Former Dallas Cowboys punter
Wellington Mara
Late New York Giants co-owner
Vince Lombardi
NFL Hall of Famer
Frank Heffron
Former President and CEO of Major League Baseball International
Tom Courtney
Two-time Olympic gold medalist
Frankie Frisch
Baseball Hall of Famer
P.J. Carlesimo
Seattle SuperSonics Head Coach
Pete Harnisch
Former MLB pitcher
John Bach
Former Chicago Bulls assistant coach
Simon Gourdine
Executive Director of the NBA Players Association
David Howard
New York Mets Vice President of Business Affairs
Gene Orza
Major League Baseball Association Associate General Counsel
Steve Ryan
President and COO, Strike Ten Entertainment
Kirwin Watson
Player Personnel Consultant, New York Jets
John Wolyniec
New York Red Bulls (MLS)

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2/10

Fordham Notable Alumni

Denzel Washington
Academy Award-winner
Alan Alda
Actor
Thomas Calabro
Actor
Dylan McDermott
Actor
Mary Higgins Clark
Author
Don DeLillo
Author
Bob Keeshan
“Captain Kangaroo”
Herbert Granath
ABC International Broadcast Group

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2/11

Vincent T. Lombardi Memorial Award

Fordham's most valuable player award, the Vincent T. Lombardi Memorial Award, is awarded to Fordham's top male student-athlete.

Past award winners
1991: Joe Rowan
1992: Mark Blazejewski
1993: Ryan Reinert
1994: Aaron Torgler
1995: Joe Moorhead
1996: Lance Shaw
1997: Cory Bailey
1998: Steve O'Hare
1999: Gerry McDermott
2000: Brian Colsant
2001: Mark Carney
2002: Kirwin Watson
2003: Javarus Dudley
2004: Tad Kornegay
2005: James Prydatko
2006: Marcus Taylor

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2/12

The Macken Award

This award was established in memory of Rams’ special assistant coach Bob Macken, who passed away suddenly in June of 1992. Coach Macken was a key part of the Fordham staff for seven seasons, always handling the “little things” that are so vital to keeping a program going. He took special pride in working with the special teams, and his “Macken Pizza Party” for the top special teams plays of the year were a source of great pride for the team.

More importantly, Coach Macken epitomized the “Fordham person.” He always represented the University in a first class manner, greeting people with a smile and a firm handshake. He took great pride in being associated with Fordham and its long football tradition.

Past recipients:
1992: Mike Costanzo
1993: Randy McKee
1994: Barry Cantrell
1995: Leos Kennedy
1996: Larry Leith
1997: Barry Cantrell
1998: Dan Lofrese
1999: Bill Laforet
2000: Matt Fordyce
2001: Brian Colsant
2002: Matt Fordyce
2003: Stephen Ayers
2004: Micah Clukey
2005: Anthony DiFino
2006: Benjamin Dato

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2/13

The Lansing Trophy

The Jim Lansing Trophy, which is awarded annually to the Fordham Rams’ outstanding lineman. The trophy is sponsored by the Fordham University Gridiron Club.

The award is named for Jim Lansing, a former player and coach who was a consensus All-American in 1941. That was the same season that Fordham downed Missouri 2-0 to Capture the 1942 Sugar Bowl.

As a coach, Lansing won national club championships in 1965 and 1968, and became the school’s first varsity coach since 1954 when the program was elevated to Division III in 1970. In five club seasons and two varsity campaigns, Lansing posted a 29-20-3 record.

Previous award winners:
1993: Brian McDonough
1994: Steve Borys
Aaron Torgler
1995: Steve Borys
1996: Cory Bailey
1997: Cory Bailey
1998: Mike Shelley
1999: Bill Salva
2000: Mike Norris
2001: Mark Manno
2002: Aymen Aboushi
2003: Colby Khuns
Prince Poitier
2004: Jared Amatuzzo
2005: Edward Gordon
Michael Sabatini
2006: Jay Edwards

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2/14

The Danowski Award

The Edward F. Danowski ‘34 Award is given annually to the senior football player who through his leadership, sacrifice, and commitment to excellence upon the field of play and within the University community exemplifies the character of Danowski, a former Fordham player and head coach.

The inscription on the front of the Danowski Award reads: “In honor of a son of Fordham, in recognition of his many significant contributions to the University as one of its greatest student-athletes and most loved teachers whose love of the Lord, family, and community exemplifies in the truest sense the fulfillment of self. Fulfillment done with grace, patience, and courage; quietly with humor and humility.”

Past recipients:

1990: Charles Smith
1991: Craig Jones
1992: Mike Beier
1993: John Strauss
1994: Chris Ross
1995: Won Kyu Rim
1996: Mark Bourke
1997: Jack Pieracini
1998: Cliff Moseley
1999: Jim Walls
2000: Ray Reddin
2001: Maurice Briscoe
Tony Downs
2002: Rhamel Brown
2003: Dan McGrath
2004: NaQuinton Gainous
2005: James Caffarello
2006: Ty Hogan

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2/15

The Bill Tierney Award

In the fall of 1996, the Fordham University Football Program suffered a tragic loss when junior Bill Tierney passed away prior to the Lafayette game. Tierney suffered a cardiac arrest brought on by viral myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, on October 12, 1996 while warming up for the Homecoming football game.

The Rams have honored Bill by retiring his uniform number “28”. The Fordham Gridiron Club, the football booster club, has also memorialized Bill by creating the Bill Tierney Spirit Award that will be presented annually to the Fordham varsity player who in the estimate of his teammates, represents the spirit that Bill so unselfishly exemplified.

A special Ram award was commissioned by Ernest H. Hammer, FCO ’55, and created by David Hacker (a New York artist and a former formidable football player at California). The award is presented annually to the winner of the Bill Tierney Award. Bill was the posthumous recipient of the initial award.

Previous Award Winners:
1996: Bill Tierney
1997: Dave Scoblick
1998: Carmen Libassi
1999: Jon Piela
2000: Nick Brandemarti
2001: Chris Breen
2002: John San Marco
2003: Kirwin Watson
2004: Steve Porco
2005: Tommie Stephens
2006: Mike Melvin

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2/16

Len Eshmont Award

The annual award given to the most inspirational and courageous player of the San Francisco 49ers - the Len Eshmont Award- is named in honor of Fordham Hall of Famer Len Eshmont, who played for the 49ers from 1946 to 1949.

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Three Fordham alumni have been inducted into the National Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

The first Ram to be inducted was Alex Wojciechowicz ‘38, who was enshrined in 1968.

Wojciechowicz was a two-time All-American at Fordham and was the center of the famed “Seven Blocks of Granite”. He was the number-one draft choice of the Detroit Lions in 1938 and played eight years on both sides of the ball for the Lions before later playing with the Philadelphia Eagles.

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The second of the three Rams to join the Hall of Fame was Vince Lombardi ‘37, who was honored in 1971. He was also a member of the famous “Seven Blocks of Granite” at Fordham and went on to fame as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. Lombardi coached the Packers from 1959-67 and compiled an 89-29-4 career record along with five NFL titles and two Super Bowl crowns. He then coached the Washington Redskins in 1969 and led them to their first winning season in 14 years.

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The most recent of the three Hall of Fame inductees is the late Wellington Mara ‘37, inducted in 1997. Though he never played football at Fordham, he was a mainstay with the New York Giants.

Starting out as an Assistant to the President and Treasurer in 1937, Mara rose through the ranks to become President of the team in 1966. The Giants won 14 divisional titles and four NFL titles, including two Super Bowls, under Mara’s tenure.

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2/15

The Bill Tierney Award

In the fall of 1996, the Fordham University Football Program suffered a tragic loss when junior Bill Tierney passed away prior to the Lafayette game. Tierney suffered a cardiac arrest brought on by viral myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, on October 12, 1996 while warming up for the Homecoming football game.

The Rams have honored Bill by retiring his uniform number “28”. The Fordham Gridiron Club, the football booster club, has also memorialized Bill by creating the Bill Tierney Spirit Award that will be presented annually to the Fordham varsity player who in the estimate of his teammates, represents the spirit that Bill so unselfishly exemplified.

A special Ram award was commissioned by Ernest H. Hammer, FCO ’55, and created by David Hacker (a New York artist and a former formidable football player at California). The award is presented annually to the winner of the Bill Tierney Award. Bill was the posthumous recipient of the initial award.

Previous Award Winners:
1996: Bill Tierney
1997: Dave Scoblick
1998: Carmen Libassi
1999: Jon Piela
2000: Nick Brandemarti
2001: Chris Breen
2002: John San Marco
2003: Kirwin Watson
2004: Steve Porco
2005: Tommie Stephens
2006: Mike Melvin
One of the tragic ironies of the Tierney award is that Nick Brandemarti, who won the award for the Class of 2001, also died young -- a victim of the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center, less than four months after he graduated. He was only 21.

Nick Brandemarti was one of two members of the Fordham football family who lost his life on that day. The other was former QB Kevin Szocik, Class of 1997.

http://cf.newsday.com/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=355

http://cf.newsday.com/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=259

xbowx This post was written by and posted with his permission by AGS member, Joltin Joe. He requests that AGS members follow the links provided to learn more about who these gentlemen were.xbowx

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2/21

Did you know that the Rams actually received a bid to play in the Rose Bowl and turned it down?

After the last game of a very successful 1941 season, Fordham Coach Jim Crowley informed the team that they had received a bid to play in the Granddaddy of all bowls. The players all cheered until they learned that if they accepted the bid, the game would be played in New York City and not on the West Coast for fear of Japanese bombing. The team opted to take a bid from the Sugar Bowl instead.

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2/22

The Yankees are not the only team that enjoyed success in “The House that Ruth Built.” From 1932-42 Fordham teams went 11-1 at Yankee Stadium, losing only the 1936 finale 7-6 to NYU. However, that game may be the most remembered game of any of the 12 because it cost Fordham an unbeaten season and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Hall of Famer Vince Lombardi later called the loss “the most devastating loss of my life.”

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2/23

Fordham has won nine of the last twelve match-ups with Jesuit rival Holy Cross, which means the Ram Crusader Trophy has been housed at Rose Hill for nine of the last twelve years.

The two schools play each year for the trophy, dedicated in memory of Major Frank W. Cavanaugh, an outstanding figure in the football coaching annals of both schools.

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2/24

Today’s varsity owes a great deal to the students who revived football on a club level at Rose Hill in the 1960’s. From 1964 to 1969, a group of well-organized and adventurous students planted the seeds for Fordham’s eventual return to Division I football.

During those six seasons, the Rams were a student-run club team, without any backing by the athletic department. The fact that they were able to thrive proved to the administration that football could prosper at the University and led to its eventual return to its present level. The Rams boasted a 23-13-1 record (.635) during those six seasons and were consistently ranked among the top club teams in the country, including taking national club titles in 1965 and 1968, leading to the return of the program to varsity status and the Division III level in 1970.

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2/25

Fordham was the third school in NCAA history to make the jump from Division III to I-AA. The two schools that preceded the Rams in the move were Georgia Southern and Villanova. Fordham started playing a full I-AA schedule in 1989.

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2/26

Former Fordham Hall of Famer Steve Filipowicz is one of a handful of athletes who made it to the “big time” in football and baseball. Flip was the starting quarterback for the New York Giants in the 1946 championship game with the Chicago Bears, and he also played some outfield for baseball’s New York Giants in the mid 1940’s.

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2/27

Former Fordham quarterback Kevin Eakin was the number two ranked quarterback in 2005 NFL Europe playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy and that he returned to help the Galaxy to the 2007 World Bowl.

For the 2005 season, Eakin completed 105 of 180 passes for 1,299 yards and 11 touchdowns for 89.6 points. The only quarterback ahead of him was Berlin’s Dave Ragone (Houston) who had 97.5 points and was named Offensive MVP of NFL Europe.

In 2006, he was a final cut of the New York Jets and then played with the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL), playing with former Fordham teammate Tad Kornegay. In 2007, he signed with the Buffalo Bills.

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2/28

Matt Fordyce, Fordham’s record-setting placekicker and punter, signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL in 2005.

Fordyce, who graduated in 2003, kicked an NCAA I-AA playoff record five field goals in the Rams’ I-AA playoff win over Northeastern University. Fordyce finished the season with a school and Patriot League record 18 field goals. He became the first player to be named First Team All-Patriot League as both a placekicker and punter in league history.

As a punter, Fordyce averaged 38.5 yards/kick his senior year, second best in the Patriot League, and he placed 21 of his 57 punts inside the opponent’s 20.

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2/29

Former Ram back Warren Mulrey inspired the stiff-arming Heisman Trophy statuette. Mulrey played for Fordham from 1934-36 and served as the model for the famous trophy.

To create this trophy, a well known sculptor and National Academy Prize Winner, Rank Eliscu, was engaged. He set to work at once selecting Ed Smith, a leading player on the 1934 New York University football team, as his model. In due course, Eliscu prepared a rough clay model. It was approved by the DAC Committee and sent uptown to Jim Crowley (one of the legendary Four Horseman of Notre Dame), then Head Football Coach at Fordham, for his inspection. He showed the replica to his players who took various positions on the field to illustrate and verify the side step, the forward drive and the strong arm thrust of the right arm. Sculptor Eliscu closely observed these action sequences and modified his clay prototype to correspond. The result was a truly lifelike simulation of player action.