Patrick Keenan and Frank Sacco Honored at Annual Fordham Gridiron Club Dinner

New York, N.Y. – Patrick Keenan, GABELLI '75, and Frank Sacco, FCRH '87, were honored with the Walsh Award and the Mara Family Award, respectively, at the annual Fordham Gridiron Club Dinner held at the Yale Club in Manhattan on Thursday night, September 20.
 
In addition to the awards, the Fordham 1968 National Club Championship football squad was also honored.
 
The Mara Family and Walsh Awards honor members of the Fordham football family for their dedication and contributions to the program. The Mara Family Award is named in honor of the family of the late Wellington Mara, a 1937 graduate of Fordham, while the Walsh Award in named in honor of William D. Walsh, Fordham College class of 1951 and namesake of the Walsh Athletic Training Center as well as the Walsh Family Library on the Rose Hill campus.
 
Jack Pieracini, FCRH '98, president of the Fordham Gridiron club, spoke about the club prior to presenting Sacco with the Mara Family Award. He spoke of the importance of giving back to the Gridiron Club and how the club supports head coach Joe Conlin and the members of the team through the various events sponsored by the group, including the Football Dinner, Meet the Recruits Night, and the Gridiron Golf Outing.
 
"Having grown up a New York Giants fan, I am extremely honored and humbled with receiving the Mara Family Award," said Sacco. "I'm thankful to the Gridiron Club in finding me worthy of such an honor."
 

Sacco, who has dedicated over 30 years to the Fordham football program, both as a player and member of the Gridiron Club, spoke of the significance of the Gridiron Club.
 
"I learned firsthand how important the Gridiron Club is to Fordham football," said Sacco. "From raising money to help the program to helping mentor the student-athletes, the works of the club can be found everywhere."
 
Deborah Hirsch, PAR '13, daughter of William Walsh, presented the Walsh Award to Keenan. She commented that when speaking with his former teammates they all mentioned that "he was the best teammate they ever had, bar none."
 
Keenan, who currently serves as CFO/CCO at Lagoda Investment Management, L.P., spoke of how he relied on the help of former Rams when he was on Rose Hill, including a former teammate and Mara Family Award winner (John Lumelleau) and a member of the 1968 team (Jack McMahon).
 
"John Lumelleau provided the teams of the seventies with guidance and direction," said Keenan. "There's no doubt in my mind that if not for John, I would not be up here receiving this award."
 
"I also owe a star member of the 1968 team a big shout out," continued Keenan. "Because if it wasn't for Jack McMahon, I never would have made it. Jack provided me with encouragement, and cleats, which gave me the courage to go forth."
 

John Zizzo, FCRH '69 and co-captain of the 1968 club team, spoke on behalf of the championship squad. He mentioned how, after suffering a loss midway through the 1967 season, the Rams won the last four games that year, went 7-1 in the championship season of 1968 and then won the first five games of 1969. This success spurred the school's move to return football to varsity status in 1970.
 
"Based on the success of this team it was impossible not to bring varsity football back to Fordham," said Zizzo. "Not only did we win but we attracted media attention which helped bring Fordham to the forefront and brought the community together."
 
Zizzo summed up his feelings about the 1968 team by saying "What I loved about this team is that we were all friend and we have stayed friends for fifty years."
 
Conlin closed the night talking about the 2018 version of the Rams and his vision of the program.
 
"I want a team to play inspirational football with effort and accountability, which is the way we practice every day," said Conlin. "I also want to help expand the mentorship program so that every player who graduates will find a job. I also want the team get involved in the community so when they leave Fordham the Bronx is better for having them."