April 19, 2017

Six Friar greats honored as ‘Legends Forever’

BASKETBALL: Doris Burke ’87, ’92G, & ’05Hon., Bruce “Soup” Campbell ’78 (deceased), Otis Thorpe ’84

By Brendan McGair ’03

The value of the Providence College experience was made clear to Doris Burke ’87, ’92G, & ’05Hon. during her senior year with the Friar women’s basketball program.

It’s a story that featured a hard lesson, and is one that Burke has told before, including at the Friar Legends Forever Tradition dinner during Alumni & Family Weekend in February.

Burke told the audience that filled a ballroom at the Omni Hotel in Providence that the first and only time she did not start a game during her college career was the penance she received for missing a class. Compounding matters, she would have to come off the bench before the home fans at Alumni Hall. That meant her absence from the starting five would be noticed by many, including the late Rev. John S. Peterson, O.P. ’57, a staunch supporter of Friar athletics and a longtime administrator at the College.

The next day after PC played a game with its starting point guard serving in a reserve capacity, Burke was stopped by a security officer while heading to her room at McVinney Hall. The officer pointed to a bouquet of flowers and said it was for her.

Included with the beautiful arrangement was a note from Father Peterson. It contained a simple, poignant message: “We expect better. You are better. When I see you next on the basketball floor, you will be the person we expect you to be. You will be the teammate we expect you to be.”

Burke said the rebuke made her realize that PC is a place that wants you to think, to care, and to be the best possible person. Accomplish all three and what you have is a foundation that makes certain you never forget where you came from.

“I’m so indebted to this place and thankful,” she told the audience. “I always felt the hand of Divine Providence was on my back, pushing me along to the places I need to be in life.”

Burke was one of six stars from yesteryear to be welcomed into the Friar Legends Forever Tradition. For the first time, alumni from the men’s and women’s ice hockey ranks were honored, joining men’s and women’s basketball.

Besides Burke, the honorees included Otis Thorpe ’84, a 17-season National Basketball Association veteran (men’s basketball); the late Bruce “Soup” Campbell ’78, the flashy Friar forward (men’s basketball); Cammi Granato ’93 & ’12Hon., a two-time U.S. Olympian (women’s ice hockey); Lou Lamoriello ’63 & ’01Hon., a National Hockey League general manager with three Stanley Cup championships to his credit (men’s ice hockey); and Ron Wilson ’77, an NHL head coach for 18 seasons (men’s ice hockey).

Banners bearing their names and uniform numbers will forever hang in the buildings where they produced many a Friar moment. Thorpe’s No. 33 and Campbell’s No. 23 are on display at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, while Burke’s No. 11 can be viewed at Alumni Hall’s Mullaney Gymnasium. Granato’s No. 21, Lamoriello’s No. 14, and Wilson’s No. 4 are displayed at Schneider Arena .

HOCKEY: Cammi Granato ’93 & ’12Hon., Lou Lamoriello ’63 & ’01Hon, Ron Wilson ’77

“It’s an honor to be a part of the elite,” Thorpe said. “It’s one of those things that I can cherish for the rest of my life. After my time has expired, that will still be there.”

“There are certain giants at PC, and the people going in are truly extraordinary,” said Burke, the longtime basketball analyst on ESPN. “They’re sort of the soul of Providence College. They have meant so much to what is a very small school.”

That same “small” school provided Thorpe — a two-time AP Honorable Mention All-American and a three-time BIG EAST Conference honoree — with a strong sense of commitment. For the native of Lake Worth, Fla., PC became his second home.

“That period of four years allowed me to grow and become the man that I am today,” Thorpe said. “My teammates were my family, and I cherish the moments l spent with them.”

A native of New Haven, Conn., Campbell brought an array of skills to the hardwood for the Friars. He was an Honorable Mention All-American as a sophomore and to date ranks ninth all-time in scoring (1,809) and rebounding (949).

Away from basketball, Campbell “had a zest for life,” said John Nolan ’80, who spoke on the Campbell family’s behalf.

Granato’s path to women’s hockey at PC was straightforward. Either the program’s all-time record-holder in points (256) and goals scored (139) was coming to join the Friars or she was going to play soccer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fortunately for Granato and PC, she seized the opportunity to lace up her skates.

“The years I spent at Providence were so influential and memorable,” Granato said. “To play hockey every day for four years for the Friars was a dream come true.”

In many ways, it was fitting that Lamoriello and Wilson are the first men’s hockey recipients of the Friar Legends Forever Tradition.

After a Friar hockey career that saw him finish with 118 career points in 64 games, Lamoriello served as the program’s head coach for 15 seasons — 11 of which saw his teams qualify for postseason play.

One of his charges was Wilson who, like Lamoriello, is a native of Rhode Island. An All-America selection twice, Wilson was a dynamic talent who still holds the record for career points by a defenseman (250). Like Lamoriello, he made a splash as a pro. He served as the head coach for the Team USA entry that captured gold at the inaugural World Cup in 1996. In 2010, Wilson piloted the U.S. to a silver medal at the Winter Olympics.

“It’s a long overdue honor for him,” said Brad Wilson ’78, who accepted the honor for his  brother, who missed the event due to health reasons.

Lamoriello also missed the dinner, as his general-manager duties with the Toronto Maple Leafs called him back to the NHL team’s office. He did provide a video for the occasion.

“It’s a complete honor to be recognized by Providence College,” Lamoriello said. His sentiments were no doubt shared by his fellow “Friar Legends,” who on this night made the light shine a little brighter on PC’s rich athletic history.