Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 14, 2025 ~ Malden Musings ~ Malden High School Football 1987 By Peter Levine M alden’s GOAT debate is a never-ending saga, best served with a few pints and a room full of die-hard locals. Some names are set in stone – legends whose exploits are woven into the very fabric of 02148. Willie Barron in hoops? That’s not up for discussion – it’s a given. The man could light up the court like no other. Kevin McGlinchy on the mound? His days with the late ’90s Atlanta Braves are the stuff of baseball folklore. Hockey? That’s where it gets tricky. But if you ask the town’s rink rats, they’ll tell you Mike Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 Everett Aluminum 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 Celebrating 66 Years in Business! Owned & Operated by the Conti Family since 1958 “Same name, phone number & address for over half a century. We must be doing something right!” •Vinyl Siding •Free Estimates •Carpentry Work •Fully Licensed •Decks •Roof ng • Fully Insured • Replacement Windows www.everettaluminum.com Now’s the time to schedule those home improvement projects you’ve been dreaming about all winter! Powers wasn’t just good – he was a force of nature on skates. Then there’s Timmy Carey, who made his mark on the tennis court, and Barbara McGlinchy, arguably the best all-around female athlete Malden has ever seen. And what about football? That’s where the barstool chatter gets heated. Red Harris, Johnny Salmon and Charlie O’Rourke each carved out their own legacy, but Breno Giacomino’s 11year pro career and Super Bowl ring? Without question that elevates Big B to Malden’s Mount Rushmore. So, who’s the true GOAT? The debates rage on, but one thing’s for sure: Malden has never been short on legends. Which brings us to the 1987 MHS football team. I won’t pretend to be even close to the ultimate authority on Malden High School’s greatest teams. I’ll leave that kind of debate to the true historians and lifers, the likes of Panama & Bonesy Carroll, Terry Mathews, Dom Fermano, Tommy Lubin, Buddy Arthur, (Big) Johnny Marsinelli, Al Barriss, and, of course, Steve Freker, who’s had his beak in the middle of Malden sports for over 50 years now. If anyone knows, it’s those guys. But hey, with a little help from some well-informed friends, I’ll take a crack at it. Let’s see if we can stir the pot and get the conversation rolling. So without further ado, let’s first hear from Frek with a column he wrote for the Malden Evening News in 2015. We’ll also do a sort of deep dive into this team (to the best of my limited ability) that has been talked about as the GOAT with their Hall of Fame induction in 2015. Take it away, Steve: “So, is the MHS 1987 football team, which is being inducted into the Golden Tornado Hall of Fame on November 21st (2015) the ‘GOAT’ (as the kids like to tweet and text these days)? GOAT meaning ‘Greatest of All Time.’ And in this context, we are talking greatest The 1987 Malden High School Golden Tornadoes Football Team of all time at Malden High. Well, I was actually on the coaching staff on that team and can well attest, they were the greatest high school football team PERIOD that I had seen play, using my frame of reference, which goes back to 1972. I have paid more than close attention to MHS football since 1987, 28 years later, and no team, zero, matches that 1987 team. Sooo, that means, in my honest opinion, they are at least the best MHS football team going back to at least to 1970, which tracks the last 54 years. My esteemed colleague on the GT HOF Selection Committee, Peter Carroll, can extend his frame of reference back into the late 1950’s and men like (the late) Bob Rotondi and (the very much alive) Dom Fermano take us back even further, into the 1940’s, for more reference, on those great Malden High teams of the 1960’s, 1950’s, and 1940’s, at least one, perhaps two having some national prominence in their day. The 1987 team were GBL champs, but did not make the postseason in that year’s Super Bowl system. We will consult the aforementioned good fellows and get back at you, very soon. The HOF banquet is coming, and we MUST know.” My note: I will be picking Frek’s brain soon to gather the consensus amongst the cognoscenti and the Goodfellas he mentioned to see if all agreed with Spring is Here!
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