Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, October 4, 2019 was recovering from a football injury with the Patriots. She died in 1998. Garron was recruited by coach A fullback remembered By Th e Old Sachem, Bill Stewart I f you watched the New England Patriots in the 60s, you saw a remarkable fullback, Lawrence “Larry” Garron, Junior. Garron was born in Marks, Miss., on May 23, 1937, and died in Framingham, Mass., on September 13, 2019. I was going to Boston University during this period and could pick up tickets in the Patriots’ offi ce in Kenmore Square after class. During his time the Patriots played home games at Bill Stewart The Old Sachem Fenway Park. The also played home games at Boston University Field during the early years. His family moved from Mississippi to Argo, Ill., where his father became a police offi cer. Garron was the oldest of 10 children. His mother, the former Savannah Sykes, worked at the local Corn Products Refi nery to help support the large family. Garron met LaBerta Harris when he was a multi-sports star at nearby Lions Township High and she a member of the track team. They married in 1959. The couple had three sons: Andre, John of Waltham and Arnold of Bedford, N.H. All three played football along with other sports at Framingham High School in Massachusetts. LaBerta tossed footballs to Larry in their backyard in Framingham when he Larry Saban as a three sport-star at Western Illinois University. He was the star of the undefeated and untied team of 1959, which was his junior season. He and Saban both left at this time to join the Patriots, Larry as a fullback, Lou Saban, the head coach. As a Patriot, he was famous for his 85-yard touchdown dash in Buff alo in 1961, which is still a Patriots record. Patriots legend Gino Cappelletti had this to say about his teammate: “He was an important member of those early Patriot teams; I respected his amazing talent and his character.” Garron was six feet tall and weighed 195 pounds as a Patriot, rather small by today’s standards, but in class with the times. During his eight-year career with the Patriots, he appeared in 99 season games and two playoff games. Over the seasons he ran for 2,299 yards; his best was in 1962 when he had 686 yards rushing and a single touchdown with an average yardage of 28 yards. In the playoff season of 1963, Boston played two games: an Eastern Conference and League Championship game. He also was the kick returner for the Patriots during his career. During his years with the Patriots he scored 14 rushing touchdowns and 26 pass reception TDs. Garron was an American Football League All-Star in 1961, 1963, 1964 and 1967. He was elected to the Patriots All-Time AFL (1960s decade) Team. In the off -season Garron learned and practiced various forms of martial arts, holding ranks in Kenpō (fi rst law), Hakkō-ryu Jujutsu, Gojū-ryū (hard soft system) Shintō Musō-ryū, Yoshitsune Jujutsu and Taekwondo. Garron received a bachelor’s degree from Boston State College and a master’s from Cambridge College. He became a professor at Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown, teaching marketing, writing, economics and management courses. He also taught Martial Arts after reaching the highest level and taught in Southborough and Framingham. He founded the Framingham Football organization along with teammates Ron Burton and Charlie Long. I was fortunate to watch Garron play in Fenway Park during the 60s, and quarterback Babe Parilli called him “one of the best backs at catching passes that I have ever played with.” He was inducted into the Western Illinois Hall of Fame as a fi nal tribute to a great player and a great man.
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