(November 3, 2003) ?C John Patrick Conroy, a member of Fordham's University's original Seven Blocks of Granite, passed away on October 31st at his home in Portland, Maine. He was 95. Conroy was a three-year letterman at Fordham from 1929-31, playing for legendary head coach Frank Cavanaugh. Playing at 6'1, 190 pounds, he was quick on his feet, a jarring tackler and an excellent pass rusher. Conroy was a tackle who was converted to play end on the teams that went 15-1-2 in 1929 and 1390, with 12 shutouts, prompting Fordham publicist Tim Cohane to nickname the 1929-30 line "The Seven Blocks of Granite". He saved his best for last, picking off a pass against Jesuit-rivals Boston College as a senior in 1931 and returning it 85-yards for an apparent score before collapsing in the endzone before seeing the play called back due to a holding call against Fordham. The 1929 edition of the Rams went 7-0-2, with six shutouts, one of only two Fordham football teams to go undefeated. The 1929 squad defeated Boston College and New York University, but the two ties kept the team from earning its first-ever postseason bowl bid. The 1930 team went 8-1 with six shutouts, the only blemish being a 20-12 loss to St. Mary's (CA) while the 1931 team went 6-1-2 with only loss coming in a 14-13 decision to Bucknell at the Polo Grounds in the last game of the year to keep the Rams out of postseason play. The 1936-37 version of the Seven Blocks of Granite would overshadow the original version due to the presence of future NFL Hall of Famers Vince Lombardi and Alex Wojciechowicz. Conroy also played with the Fordham basketball team in 1930-31, helping the team to a 15-4 record. Conroy was inducted into the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame in 1980.