1954 Tappan Zee Boys' Cross Country Team
Although Tappan Zee was the dominant Rockland cross country team of the 1950s, winning seven County meet titles from 1952-59, nobody would have predicted them to win a state championship. No team from Rockland had done anything on the state level since the State meet’s inception in 1950. With only two enrollment classes back then, T.Z.’s small size – a student body of about 250 – would seem a liability against other much-larger Class B schools.
The Dutchies had lost only one senior to graduation, No. 3 man Gene DeLoatch, so they knew they would be decent. But state champs? “We were kids in the little town of Piermont. We never had the thought we could be state champions,” said Joe D’Innocenzo, the team’s No. 2 man behind Gene Martin. “We were thinking we could win the Rockland County title, and that would be it.”
But Coach Hugh Short had bigger plans for his harriers. He saw his team coming together during practices at Tallman Mountain State Park in Sparkill, and felt his boys could compete with the best. “He would run with us sometimes in practice,” D’Innocenzo said. “I still remember his voice. As we came out of the flat and turned to go up the hill, I remember him saying, ‘Lean forward. Pump your arms. Shorten your stride. Drive up and over the hill.’”
Easterns Showing a Prelude to State Success
Since teams at that time could compete in only one meet a week, and the County was the same week as the Eastern States championship, Short had to make a choice. He chose the Easterns. T.Z. had qualified by performing well earlier that season at the St. John’s Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, also the site of the Easterns.
Hugh Short’s thinclads rewarded his decision handsomely. Led by Gene Martin’s individual victory and D’Innocenzo’s seventh-place finish, the Dutchies took third in a field that encompassed the best 25 teams, regardless of size, from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. “The Easterns was big for us,” D’Innocenzo said. “It was as meaningful for us as winning states.”
After easily capturing the Section 9 crown, T.Z. set its sights on the state meet in Schenectady the following week. The Friday before the race, Short piled the varsity runners into his gray Plymouth station wagon for the four- to five-hour drive along Route 9W (in the pre-Thruway era). They stayed overnight at nearby Union College. No 5 a.m. Saturday morning departures for this well-prepared crew.
The team race developed into a close battle between T.Z. and Long Island power Garden City, a large Class B school. Martin climaxed his season with another individual title, covering the 2.2-mile course in Schenectady’s Central Park in 12:14, supported by D’Innocenzo’s sixth-place effort in 12:37. They were followed by seniors Harry McGillicuddy (17th) and Hugh Sullivan (26th). Through four scorers, T.Z. held a slim 50-52 edge. Freshman Dennis Martin, Gene’s brother, cemented the triumph with his 42nd place as the fifth scorer, giving T.Z. a winning tally of 92 points to Garden City’s 104.
The first state championship in Tappan Zee school history was truly a team effort. Other members of the victorious squad were senior Bill Clarke and junior Rich Hennessey.
Making Their Mark After High School
Gene Martin received an athletic scholarship to Manhattan College, where he excelled in both cross country and track. Upon graduation, he became a physical education teacher and a cross country and track coach for more than 20 years at Valley Central High School in Orange County.
Joe D'Innocenzo continued his running career at Union College. After graduating from Union, he became a history teacher and guidance counselor at Clarkstown/Clarkstown North High School. He coached at the school for more than 50 years, coaching cross country, track (1959-1978), golf and girls' basketball.
Coach Short's Impact
Both Gene Martin and Joe D'Innocenzo cited the positive influence of their coach and mentor at Tappan Zee, Hugh Short. Short led the T.Z. Flying Dutchmen to a pair of Rockland PSAL County Meet titles, in 1952 and 1953. In the latter meet, the Dutchies individually placed first, second, third and fifth, scored a record-low 22 points, and won by 61 points. They also won three straight Section 9 championships, two in Class B and one in Class B/C, and three consecutive Rockland PSAL dual-meet crowns.
Prior to coming to Tappan Zee, Short had a brilliant running career at Georgetown University, equaling the world record in the 600-yard run, 1:10.2, and contributing a leg to Georgetown's world record indoor mile relay, 3:17.2.
The 1954 cross country team was inducted into the Tappan Zee Athletic Hall of Fame in the inaugural class, 2009, and was enshrined in the Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
The Dutchies had lost only one senior to graduation, No. 3 man Gene DeLoatch, so they knew they would be decent. But state champs? “We were kids in the little town of Piermont. We never had the thought we could be state champions,” said Joe D’Innocenzo, the team’s No. 2 man behind Gene Martin. “We were thinking we could win the Rockland County title, and that would be it.”
But Coach Hugh Short had bigger plans for his harriers. He saw his team coming together during practices at Tallman Mountain State Park in Sparkill, and felt his boys could compete with the best. “He would run with us sometimes in practice,” D’Innocenzo said. “I still remember his voice. As we came out of the flat and turned to go up the hill, I remember him saying, ‘Lean forward. Pump your arms. Shorten your stride. Drive up and over the hill.’”
Easterns Showing a Prelude to State Success
Since teams at that time could compete in only one meet a week, and the County was the same week as the Eastern States championship, Short had to make a choice. He chose the Easterns. T.Z. had qualified by performing well earlier that season at the St. John’s Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, also the site of the Easterns.
Hugh Short’s thinclads rewarded his decision handsomely. Led by Gene Martin’s individual victory and D’Innocenzo’s seventh-place finish, the Dutchies took third in a field that encompassed the best 25 teams, regardless of size, from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. “The Easterns was big for us,” D’Innocenzo said. “It was as meaningful for us as winning states.”
After easily capturing the Section 9 crown, T.Z. set its sights on the state meet in Schenectady the following week. The Friday before the race, Short piled the varsity runners into his gray Plymouth station wagon for the four- to five-hour drive along Route 9W (in the pre-Thruway era). They stayed overnight at nearby Union College. No 5 a.m. Saturday morning departures for this well-prepared crew.
The team race developed into a close battle between T.Z. and Long Island power Garden City, a large Class B school. Martin climaxed his season with another individual title, covering the 2.2-mile course in Schenectady’s Central Park in 12:14, supported by D’Innocenzo’s sixth-place effort in 12:37. They were followed by seniors Harry McGillicuddy (17th) and Hugh Sullivan (26th). Through four scorers, T.Z. held a slim 50-52 edge. Freshman Dennis Martin, Gene’s brother, cemented the triumph with his 42nd place as the fifth scorer, giving T.Z. a winning tally of 92 points to Garden City’s 104.
The first state championship in Tappan Zee school history was truly a team effort. Other members of the victorious squad were senior Bill Clarke and junior Rich Hennessey.
Making Their Mark After High School
Gene Martin received an athletic scholarship to Manhattan College, where he excelled in both cross country and track. Upon graduation, he became a physical education teacher and a cross country and track coach for more than 20 years at Valley Central High School in Orange County.
Joe D'Innocenzo continued his running career at Union College. After graduating from Union, he became a history teacher and guidance counselor at Clarkstown/Clarkstown North High School. He coached at the school for more than 50 years, coaching cross country, track (1959-1978), golf and girls' basketball.
Coach Short's Impact
Both Gene Martin and Joe D'Innocenzo cited the positive influence of their coach and mentor at Tappan Zee, Hugh Short. Short led the T.Z. Flying Dutchmen to a pair of Rockland PSAL County Meet titles, in 1952 and 1953. In the latter meet, the Dutchies individually placed first, second, third and fifth, scored a record-low 22 points, and won by 61 points. They also won three straight Section 9 championships, two in Class B and one in Class B/C, and three consecutive Rockland PSAL dual-meet crowns.
Prior to coming to Tappan Zee, Short had a brilliant running career at Georgetown University, equaling the world record in the 600-yard run, 1:10.2, and contributing a leg to Georgetown's world record indoor mile relay, 3:17.2.
The 1954 cross country team was inducted into the Tappan Zee Athletic Hall of Fame in the inaugural class, 2009, and was enshrined in the Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.