June 4, 2004 -- On June 4, 2004, during Brewster’s Reunion Weekend, Tony Giglio ’70 became the second person inducted into Brewster Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame for his outstanding athletic contributions during each of the three seasons he played at Brewster. Former Headmaster David M. Smith reminisced about his first meeting with Tony.
“Like me, Tony came to Brewster in the fall of 1969 – in fact on registration day he moved into Estabrook house, where I had dorm duty. When I went up to check on the students and reached the last room at the end of the hall, I discovered a couple of bags that remained unpacked. Tony, the owner of those bags, announced to me, ‘Mr. Smith, I’m not staying. This was my mother’s idea – I never was a student and I never will be – I am taking the bus back home tomorrow morning.’”
David Smith convinced Giglio to stay. “Tony became a great football player, a pretty good basketball player, and a very good baseball player. And as for his not being a student – with an equal sense of commitment Tony became a high honors scholar,” Smith said.
Pop Whalen, Tony’s football coach and coincidentally the first inductee to Brewster’s Athletic Hall of Fame, next spoke about Giglio’s accomplishments. “At the end of our season the Boston Globe not only selected Tony as the starting halfback on the all-prep team but named him to what they titled ‘The Best Eleven in New England,’” Whalen stated. “They said he was the best halfback in New Hampshire in the last 15 years.”
During Brewster’s Commencement Exercises in 1970, Giglio was given the William Lord Award as the top student/athlete, as well as the Bausch & Lomb award as the top student in science.
Giglio was recruited by Lafayette College, accepted, and continued to excel. He won honors as the football team’s most valuable player, and at one point in his junior year he led the nation in total offense. Giglio was recently inducted into Lafayette’s Sports Hall of Fame. Since his graduation from college he has risen through the managerial ranks of IBM.
In closing, Smith said, “We cheer for you today, Anthony – and from this day forward you will stand as an example at your school – an example of what it means to discover all you can be – by giving your best in all your endeavors.”
Sadly, we report that Tony passed away on October 22, 2004.
