Congratulations to the February Alumnus of the Month, Jay Gore.
When did you play?
1974 to 1976
What position did you play?
Hooker
Other teams played for?
Princeton University, Princeton Old Boys, Sudamericano (Washington, DC), Temple Medical School, Houston Old Boys, Pittsburgh Rugby Club, and Pittsburgh Old Boys
Special Honors?
Captain: Michigan, Sudamericano, and Pittsburgh
Select sides: Potomac Rugby Union (Washington, DC), Houston Area Rugby Touring Side (HARTS), and Texas Rugby Union
Favorite memories of the club?
I was attending Michigan to obtain my MBA, and was elected captain at Michigan prior to playing a single game. Terry Larrimer had preceded me at Michigan by three years, and had also played at Princeton, so I guess they thought that I had a pretty good pedigree. My first year we struggled, placing last in the Big Ten tournament following a loss to Northwestern! However, we bounced back later that spring and beat a pretty good MSU team that was quite surprised by our improvement.
The following year, a number of old timers were joined by some strong new blood. The old timers included Rory O’Connor, Tom Raboine, Cleland Child, Bruce Kingsbury, Walt Holloway, Quint Lawson, and Pete Maglocci. Some newbies included Keith Stone, Dave Webber, Billy Chung, and Al Markham. (My apologies for anyone—old or new—that I may have overlooked.) We rebounded in the 1975-76 season to finish second in the Big Ten tournament, losing in the final to a huge Minnesota team (or maybe it was Wisconsin…I killed off long ago the brain cells where that memory was stored). We also beat MSU three times over the fall and spring seasons in some very physical games.
I had toured England twice before attending Michigan. Most of the English teams had crests, so in the spring of 1975 I set about designing a crest for U of M rugby. I took poetic license with the University seal, and came up with the crest that I now see prominently displayed on the Website, the Facebook page, and all of the U of M rugby attire. I am glad it took hold. I still have the fundraising poster where it first appeared, and will bequeath it to the club.
This is the fundraising poster where it first appeared.
What are you doing now?
I am retired, following a 45 year career in IT consulting and IT management. Early in my career I was assigned to multiple long term IT consulting projects where I moved to the project location; hence the number of different clubs I was able to play for. One of the great things about rugby is how anyone can walk onto a new club and have 30 instant friends, and have an opportunity to play with players of similar skill.
I live in the Chicago suburbs, and spend my summers in Michigan’s upper peninsula, known as the UP. I have 5 kids and 10 grandkids, so spending time with family is my number one priority. I enjoy golf, and I bike to maintain some level of fitness.
Again, congratulations to our February Alumnus of the Month, Jay Gore! Jay, thank you for everything you’ve done for Michigan Rugby.
1 comments
What a great story Jay! You, and many of the gents that you mentioned, are amongst my very favorites to have play the game with ever!!!! One thing that is not mentioned is that you were an excellent PAT converter and Penalty converter.
Your depth and breadth of training and skills and techniques was second only to Terry Larrimer and right up there with David Weber. You were also a Michigan Select Side player.
Your sense of humor was outstanding and your dedication to Michigan was amazing to say the least.
I did not know that anyone had any pictures of me, except for the Post Office, so thanks for sharing. I played until age 59, if playing is the right term. Just remember that the older we get, the better we were………
Your brother and Horned-back Growler.
Rory Brennan Daniel O’Connor