NOTE- Joe Monago accepting his Big 30 Player of the Year Award, 1968.
I've fondly written a lot of blog essays in the last several years. Most of them have revolved around some of the legendary teams in the Olean/Bradford-Big 30 area and the players of those teams and other area squads.
Boys' and girls' basketball, American Legion and high school baseball, amateur baseball and high school football have been many of the central topics and the time period has usually focused on the late 1950's to the late 1980's.
The purpose of these writings has always remained the same. One carries an embodiment of pleasant memories for me. Those are the years that remind me of being a resident and/or an avid follower of events of my hometown area.
The other reason for these pieces is they are designed to be a tribute to the teams and players of that era, a reminder for those who lived during that period and recall those times and also for those who didn't. Hopefully, it's a history lesson and an opportunity for younger folks to recognize past achievements.
For me, it works both ways at times. How soothing it is to remember all those players we knew or read about when we were younger, many who continued playing in to college and those who reached the pinnacle of professional sports.
Dan Conners (St. Marys, Pa and the NFL), Josh Kinney (Roulette/Port Allegany and major league baseball), Chuck Crist (Salamanca, N.Y. and the NFL), Bob Torrey (Bolivar, N.Y. and the NFL) are several players who began their athletic careers in the Big 30.
The writing design has never been to shortchange those athletes whose careers ran through the last several decades and especially those who continue today to perform at the highest levels like Nate Sestina (Emporium, Pa. and professional basketball) and Cole Holcomb (who has family in Portville, N.Y. and Rixford, Pa.) for Washington in the NFL.
Different aspects of sports can capture your attention; teams, players, a particular game or event, sometimes all of the previously mentioned.
And then there's a rare instance when a circumstance(s) combines with everything else and it inspires you to learn more and in my world, tell others by writing about it.
Two or three years ago, I began an essay about a single high school football program that eventually turned in to a much larger writing about many area high school teams.
It included some lists of undefeated teams through the years and award winners like Coach of the Year and Player of the Year.
I scanned the Player of Year names and stopped at 1968- Joe Monago, Bradford High School. I was 13 years old in '68 and I clearly remember reading about Joe in the Olean Times Herald and the Bradford Era.
I believe the POY list began with 1960 and a name below that appeared, 1961- John Monago, Bradford High School. My initial thought, without verifying at the time, was if these two guys are brothers that's quite rare they both won the same award- seven years apart.
It's only a hypothesis, but I have to think they are the only siblings to be selected for that honor.
NOTE- Readers are more than welcome to let me know if my conclusion is not accurate and I will certainly make the correction.
My eventual research verified that Joe and John were indeed brothers, but I additionally discovered there was a middle brother, David, who was also a fine athlete, an all-league player like his brothers-just a different sport and year (basketball, 1965.)
Most importantly, I recognized that the Monago brothers all had stories to be told, stories of accomplishments and notable achievements that make up this essay.
Joe's organized football skills were exhibited early. Here's a game in the NY/Pa. Freshman Football League, a 6-6 tie vs. the Gators of Port Allegany. Bradford's only touchdown came on a 28 yard run by Joe in the third quarter. Greg Caskey scores for Port Allegany.
1966- Opening game, an 18-6 win over Johnsonburg. Monago leads a dominating defense and Jim O'Hargan scores two touchdowns for Bradford.
Sophomore Joe Monago
Joe ran back a punt 80 yards for an apparent touchdown to close out the first half. A clipping penalty erased the T.D. It was Bradford's only penalty of the game.
1961- John's 26 yard field goal with ten seconds remaining in the game gives Bradford a 17-14 win.
A '61 pre-game (Olean-Bradford) look at the Ed Phillips coached Bradford team that went 2-7 in 1960. But after a season-ending win (7-0) over Olean to wind up the 1960 season, and 12 returning lettermen the Owls were excited to face the undefeated Huskies.
A clip noting John's Outstanding Player in the area award and teammate, Pat Spehar, named the outstanding player in the Olean-Bradford game. Dutch Dunning of Bolivar was named Coach of the Year as he led his team to an undefeated season.
Pat Droney of Olean stands between John Monago and Pat Spehar at the Olean Times Herald Banquet, 1961. Bradford defeated Olean, 20-0 to close out the Owls' season.
The '61 season isn't finished yet, but here are some records late in the year. Bradford and Olean, both giving up only seven points a game.
A poor picture, but three good defensive linemen for the Owls. Left to right: Bill Knapp, Merle Bates and Jim DePalma.
This is a partial list of 1961 nominees for Outstanding Player of the Year. Players include Fred Kuhstoss (Otto-Eldred), John Benson (Port Allegany), Tom Mays (Smethport) and Phil Wolbert (Smethport).
Bradford High 1961 Sports Banquet. John Monago won the Howard Griffin-Frank Colestro trophy as the best lineman.
Dave scored 23 points in the Owl's opening game of the year.
For some of the Cattaraugus A-B fans and the Allegany B,C and D supporters of 1965 , here are the league all-stars representing Franklinville, Allegany, Salamanca, Randolph, Cuba, and several other schools.
A partial list of some early season scoring leaders in the Olean-Bradford area. Dave Monago is at 15.8 ppg. Players from Allegany, Franklinville, Bradford Central Christian, Wellsville, Bishop Walsh, Hinsdale and others make up a portion of the top scorers.
Photos of the '64-65 all-league team that includes in the lower right corner, the 6'0, 175 pound senior, Dave Monago.
This clip only partially details Dave's service in the military (Vietnam) after his high school graduation and subsequent enrollment in Broome Tech.
Only months before his enrollment at Broome Tech as a 21-year-old freshman, Dave Monago had faced fierce fighting in Vietnam, winning two Purple Hearts.
An 80-68 win over Cobleskill saw Dave pick up 11 points for Dick Baldwin's Hornets.
Dave Monago.
This act rivals the tale of legendary baseball player, Josh Gibson, who supposedly hit a home run over the fence and the ball landed in a railroad car. How far the ball went is anyone's guess? Who knows, maybe Dave's drive went even farther than Gibson's.
Monago runs for 146 yards in 29 carries, sets up another score with a long punt return and played all 48 minutes.
Don Gatewood- Olean High
Bottom left-Ron Stenta, Ridgway- #85 and Jim Rigas, Wellsville- #32
Pennsylvania opens season with showdown game. Bradford isn't scheduled until the next night so eyes are on St. Marys QB, Floyd Howell and fullback, Steve Eckert. Rick Polinski is a power runner for Johnsonburg, Curt Cretti is Ridgway's speedy tailback and they also have QB Mickey Buck. Kane counters with 210 pound tackle, Barry Johnson
Bradford backs: Joe Monago, Guy Colella, Danny Pascarella and Jim O'Hargan-1967
Joe was recruited by dozens of colleges including Penn State and Villanova. Early in the recruiting process, Joe thought, 'Purdue was the last school in the world I was thinking about.'
Michigan is a heavy favorite in this game
Another note about the number of Big 30 players playing college football including 16 at major colleges; Craig Lyle (Olean), Kane's Barry and Bill Johnson along with Dan Beckwith at Penn State and Mike Hubbard (Randolph) at West Virginia.
Monago and some Emporium players make the headlines.
