On deciding to become a Jesuit

It was my toughest year ever at B.C. I had Fr. Bill Leonard, one of the last of the World War II chaplains. At the time he was teaching English. Without exception, he would call his students in for a talk. So he called me in, too, and said, "What are you planning on doing?" This was '41 or 42'. So I said, "I'm going off to war, I guess." And I told him that I wanted to be a priest, but would soon be drafted into the army. He said, "Oh. You can't do that. You've got to follow your vocation. We have discovered that for MANY men who went off to war there's a good chance that you'll lose your vocation as well." So I said, "OK, then. I'll join the Jesuits." And that's how I got to be a Jesuit.

On great coaches at B.C. High

I could pick out many impressive coaches and others in athletics over the years at B.C. High. I'd have to mention Jim Cotter. He was a legendary lay coach there for many years until he recently retired. He was there for thirty or forty years! And when he retired I remember that all kinds of people came back to honor him, including his former players. He was very good at placing them in college. And the coach they have there now is just as good.