They’re the best of
the best at Father Judge

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

Father Judge students carrying a cross, flags and sabers led seven men — seven Crusaders — to the school stage last week during induction ceremonies for the school Hall of Fame.
Six alumni were inducted to the hall: Michael J. Moore, Class of ’88; Anthony D. Ricci Jr., Class of ’73; Francis J. McDonald, Class of ’65; and Edward Mooney, William D. Fox Jr. and Joseph T. Ashdale, Class of ’74.
Another member of the Father Judge family, the late Rev. Matthew J. McVey, was inducted posthumously. Michael Wallace, a 1959 graduate who nominated McVey, took part in the ceremony.
"It’s a great honor to be here on behalf of Father McVey," Wallace said.
He then explained to those in attendance the impact "the little leprechaun of a priest" had on his life.
An oblate of St. Francis DeSales, McVey was a Spanish teacher and guidance counselor at the school on Solly Avenue from 1956 until shortly before his death of a heart attack on Feb. 21, 1965. McVey was 45.
Wallace paid tribute to McVey for taking an interest in the "misdirected kid with an attitude from Wissinoming who didn’t listen to anybody and was on the road to oblivion."
"I had a chip on my shoulder the size of a railroad tie," Wallace recalled.
Despite scoring high on a school placement exam during his sophomore year, Wallace chose the commercial-course route of bookkeeping and typing instead of academic courses.
"I had no real dreams of attending college and no real hopes of doing anything other than making my mother happy by completing high school," he said.
That decision led to his first encounter with McVey, who not only suggested that Wallace switch to academic courses but offered to speak to the school’s varsity coaches if he had an interest in the athletics program at Judge.
"He had a very strange way of counseling. He’d yell at you for ten minutes and then softly go into what he wanted to talk about," Wallace explained. "He stayed on my back when I had him for Spanish and made every attempt to get me on the right path. I resisted him up to the day I walked into my Baccalaureate Mass."
McVey grabbed him one day in the school’s hallway during Wallace’s senior year, handed him a college entrance study book and told him to memorize it.
To pacify McVey, Wallace did more than study the book — he took the test and did well. Thereafter, when McVey would regularly ask if he’d sent his transcripts to colleges, Wallace always answered, "Tomorrow, Father."
McVey cornered Wallace for the last time while the student was walking to the auditorium in his cap and gown.
"First thing tomorrow," Wallace told him once again.
McVey told him to forget it — he’d already sent Wallace’s transcripts and an application, along with the fee that he paid, to La Salle College.
Shortly after Wallace had talked with a recruiter that summer about entering the Marine Corps, he received a letter of acceptance from LaSalle.
He embarked on the path McVey established for him, then went on to Villanova Law School. Wallace later became Mayor Frank Rizzo’s deputy mayor for five and a half years, and was elected to two terms as a Court of Common Pleas judge.
The attorney told attendees at last week’s ceremony that he was relating his accomplishments simply to pay tribute to the guidance of McVey, "who had a right hook and a left you couldn’t imagine," Wallace said.
He presented the induction award to McVey’s family after the ceremony.
Another Judge teacher was honored, as well. Ed Mooney, who taught at the school for 40 years, also was recognized with a Red and Blue Award. Like McVey, he served as a guidance counselor at the school.
Mooney also was the forensics coach for 20 years, moderated the Crusader tutoring program for 12 years, and established and directed the school’s Achieve program. He also set up a weekly TV show, Moon’s Corner, to highlight students’ achievements.
"The only Crusader that fails is the one who drops the sword and doesn’t try," Mooney said.
He also was recognized by Drexel University in October as a 2007 Behind Every Graduate honoree for excellence in secondary education.
The awards continue to roll in for another Judge alum, Bill Fox, who retired from the high school in 2006 after 29 years of coaching basketball there.
In March, he was inducted into the CYO Hall of Fame.
"I’m a lucky guy," Fox said. "It also means I’m getting older."
Fox was 23 when he started his career at Judge as the youngest head coach in the Philadelphia Catholic League. He took the Crusaders to PCL championships in 1975, ’77 and ’98, becoming one of the winningest coaches in the history of the PCL. His 545-269 record was just recently surpassed. At the conclusion of the 2004-05 basketball season, Father Judge named its gymnasium the Bill Fox Gym in his honor.
Also recognized for his contribution to athletics was Michael Moore — the only Father Judge graduate to become an Olympian.
While at Judge, he was a member of the crew team and president of the National Honor Society in his senior year. Moore and the team, under the guidance of coach Phil Roche, won the Catholic League championship in 1987. He went to Temple University with a full athletic scholarship.
Moore told the seniors to be prepared to take some chances.
"Be prepared to say ‘yes.’ That yes might stretch you, challenge you and make you feel uncomfortable," he said.
During his senior year, Moore was invited to join the United States Junior National Team in the World Rowing Championships in Milan, Italy, after graduating that summer.
If he went, he’d risk alienating his girlfriend.
Moore said yes.
During his time at Temple, he competed in the world championships in Prague, the Czech Republic and Vienna, Austria.
In 1992, he competed in the eight-oared shell for the Barcelona Olympic Team, which placed fourth. Today, he works for the Telegraph Media Group in London.
Anthony Ricci was inducted into the Father Judge Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in the business world.
"It all began here at Judge," Ricci said.
After receiving an accounting degree from Spring Garden College, Ricci worked in the accounting department of SKF Industries Inc. until 1984, when he joined Commodore International Ltd. He was appointed the vice president and corporate controller in 1990.
In 1993, he was employed as chief financial officer for Greenwood Racing Inc., the owner of the Philadelphia Park racetrack, and last year was appointed to its board of directors.
Ricci also served on Father Judge’s board of directors from 2002 to 2005 and helped kick off the Educational Tax Credit Program. Since 2002, more than 20 corporations have participated, with more than $5 million raised to help financially challenged families afford the school’s tuition.
"I’m deeply appreciative for this tremendous honor," Ricci said.
Francis J. McDonald, whose career has encompassed a staff sergeant in the military, teacher and sales engineer, was recognized as an outstanding alumni and for being Judge’s biggest fan, with an almost flawless record of attendance at school sports games.
"Because of his continued interest and obvious love for Judge, it is certainly fitting that Frank be inducted into our Hall of Fame to receive the Alumni Award," said emcee James McDonald.
The Crusader Award, which honors a nominee who has achieved a level of distinction within his profession and has brought extraordinary benefits to Father Judge, was presented to Joseph T. Ashdale, the secretary/treasurer of Glaziers District Council 21.
Ashdale also serves on the Father Judge and St. Hubert High School advisory boards, the Mayfair Community Development Corp. and is chairman of the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
He spoke of the friendships that began in the hallways of Father Judge and have continued through the years.
"There’s an awful lot of talent that comes out of this school. I’m very honored. Go Judge!" Ashdale said. ••