Knights Of Columbus Free Throw Retrospective-FT IV And FT V

This Annual Event has taken place since 1992, for Msgr Sherman Council #5103, tomorrow being the 17th Contest:

There was an interruption in 2002, being shut down by some Past Grand Knight, who has since transferred to a Council in Eastern Queens, and was caught in a lie, over the contest;

Two Contests are being commemorated here, both with interesting histories;

FT IV took place on Saturday, January 7th, 1995, at Resurrection-Ascension, in Middle Village, Queens. It was an interesting night and the last of the "Come One-Come All" Contests.Over 60 Contestants showed up;

A 10 Year Old Girl, Tess Mc Cloud, was Long Island Champion in The Contest that year. There was also the cry of "Why are the Champs from Other Regions? They should ONLY Come From Glendale". She went to West Point for The NY State Championship;

James Lynch, 13 Year Old Boys, was the Queens County Champion;

But, in that Contest, a 12 Year Old Boy named Danny Champoli, shot at the Foul Line. Five and a Half Years Later at Shea Stadium, a Seminarian from Douglaston, Queens, sat next to me in Shea Stadium Loge. That Seminarian mentioned Danny Champoli's Name, as a Good Kid in Need of Financial Help;

Danny is now The Reverend Deacon Daniel Champoli, studying at the North American College In Rome, recently ordained a Transitional Deacon, for The RC Diocese Of Brooklyn. His next step is to be ordained as a Priest, which should occur in May or June, 2009;

That's a Great Little Side Story, from FT IV;

The Original Plans for FT V, were announced at the 1/7/95 Contest, with Our Lady Of Hope, on Eliot Avenue, as Host Parish.In April, 1995, the Deputy Grand Knight approached me with this story, that he was approached by Sacred Heart Parish Officials, requesting that the Free Throw be moved to Sacred Heart East Glendale.The Then Deputy Grand Knight was under the assumption that he was going to become Grand Knight. He, then, gave me a whole host of restrictions as per these Parish Officials, that ONLY Sacred Heart Contestants could participate, and NO ONE ELSE;

I told him "Then go run it yourself. You DON'T need me";

He ran to the then Grand Knight. That GK spoke to me and told me to move it to Sacred Heart AND INCLUDE as many Parish Organizations as I'd want in this Contest;

As for that Deputy Grand Knight, he was NOT elected Grand Knight. BTW, NO Parish Officials ever talked to him at all. He stated that it was a Secret as to who he talked to;

The Contest was expanded and followed the Rockaway Council #2672 Contest System. My Co-Chairman, Ed, who saw the Rockaway System in action, helped coordinate this contest. The Forest Hills Region came in under the new system. Sacred Heart, Resurrection-Ascension, St Pancras, Cathedral Preparatory Seminary, and Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs and Our Lady Of Mercy, were part of The New System of the Contest, which took less time to run;

The Two Queens County Champions were Mark Baranovich from Our Lady Of Mercy Recreation, who was also a Parishioner of Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs. Gloria Kim, from Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs Teen Center. Both were 14 Years Old;

At Holy Cross HS, Mark put on a 23/25 Shot "Clinic". Gloria Kim went to a 5 Shot Shootout before winning the title. When she won, a "New York, NY" Kick Line, often done to the song when "Ol' Blue Eyes", Francis Albert Sinatra, was singing it, was done to celebrate Gloria's Victory;

Gloria Kim is of Historical Significance, in that she was the 1st Non-White Queens County Champion, in 5103 History, and the 1st Contestant of Asian Bloodlines(Korean-American);

This did NOT sit well with those who felt that ONLY Glendale Contestants, especially Sacred Heart Parish-Based Contestants, should be the only ones to compete. My answer was that if they're not good enough, they can't win it;

FT V, signalled expansion of The Council beyond Greater Glendale;

Pax Vobis!