Dear Editor: It brings me tremendous sadness to learn of the passing of my mentor, friend and confidant, also long-time Tablet sports columnist, Bernie Beglane.
I think that’s the first time I ever referred to him as anything other than Dean. He was always my dean and I was forever his pupil.
We met in 1990. He was my academic advisor at St. John’s University, where he was also the Dean of Athletic Administration.
After I graduated in 1991, he got me my first sports writing job for SportsForm magazine in Long Island where he also was a columnist. I would later become his editor.
As life moved on, I was proud to call him a friend and mentor. We would catch up at St. John’s basketball games at Madison Square Garden where he always sat on media row next to the phone – ironic, as he would hate chitchat when one would call him.
He had a gruff exterior – truly, a Damon Runyon character – but a heart of pure gold. He would follow my career and always ask about my wife and kids. He would always preach family first. Simply stated, he was a true Catholic gentleman.
If you caught him at the right time, his stories of the good old days were epic; a best seller begging to be written.
Associated Press sportswriter Jim O’Connell, said it best: “If you could get all the people Bernie helped together, they would fill Madison Square Garden.”
Thanks, Dean, for always having my back. You will be greatly missed.
NICK VENDIKOS
Brooklyn
Editor’s Note: Nick Vendikos is the director of development for the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens | Futures in Education.
