The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed us to appreciate the hallowed sports tradition of the past in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Let’s remember the great Walter Rooney, who worked his way from the basketball courts and baseball fields of Brooklyn to establishing himself as one of the most respected referees in the NBA.
Born on Feb. 24, 1927 on Seeley Street, Rooney attended the parish and grammar school at Holy Name of Jesus, Windsor Terrace. He was the sixth of seven children to Edward and Anna Rooney.
When he wasn’t attending Brooklyn Dodgers games at Ebbets Field, he played baseball and basketball religiously — so much so that he was noticed by the legendary coach Herb Hess of St. John’s Prep, Downtown Brooklyn. After a tryout, Hess offered Rooney an athletic scholarship.
As a senior in 1945, Rooney’s basketball team went an undefeated 23-0 en route to capturing the CHSAA city championship. The miracle run included defeating the previously unbeaten LaSalle Academy, Manhattan, in the first-ever high school night game played at the old Madison Square Garden. All five starters from that team — including future Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Al McGuire — received All-City Catholic League and All-Brooklyn honors.
Later that same year on the baseball diamond, Rooney was the ace pitcher for the St. John’s Prep team that captured the second of consecutive Brooklyn CHSAA titles. That season, he threw a no-hitter against St. Francis Prep, Williamsburg, while striking out 13 opposing hitters in a 1-0 shutout.
Though the Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago Cubs showed interest in his pitching talents, Rooney served in the U.S. Army near the end of World War II after his high school graduation. When he returned, he attended Niagara University, Lewiston, N.Y., where he played both basketball and baseball.
His 23-0 undefeated hoops season as a high school senior was a harbinger of things to come. As a senior in college, Rooney also coached the freshman basketball team, and sure enough, that team finished its season 23-0.
Coaching piqued Rooney’s interest to become an educator. When Holy Cross H.S. opened in Flushing, he was named a teacher and the school’s first-ever basketball coach.
After a year there, he began coaching at St. Agnes Cathedral H.S., Rockville Centre, L.I.
Soon he became the head coach at Valley Stream South H.S. He received a master’s degree in education from Columbia University, Manhattan, and went on to a long career as director of guidance and pupil services for the Lynbrook, L.I., school district.
Throughout his coaching career, Rooney also officiated games, starting with freshman scrimmages and Catholic Youth Organization contests. He then moved through the varsity high school and college ranks, working primarily in the Ivy League.
For many years, Rooney turned down opportunities to officiate NBA games, since he wanted to stay close to home and his young family. When the American Basketball Association (ABA) offered him a 60-game schedule instead of the NBA’s 80, he accepted and quickly became one of the top referees in the pro game.
Rooney continued officiating games following the ABA/NBA merger. He was so well respected that he was elected to the executive board of the NBA Referees Union and served one term as its president. He worked countless All-Star and playoff games throughout his storied career.
He was elected to the Niagara University Hall of Fame and the Basketball Old-Timers of America Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was awarded the NBA Spirit Award as voted on by the NBA in conjunction with the league’s 63 active referees.
At the age of 93, Rooney died on Oct. 1, 2019. He was predeceased by his wife Dolores with whom he had four children: Walter Jr., Maureen McDermott, Ed and the late Mary Pat.
We remember the sports legacy Rooney carved out over his many years, and it all started right here in Brooklyn.
Contact Jim Mancari via email at jmmanc@gmail.com.
Had the opportunity of meeting him and his beautiful wife at lunch loved Brooklyn and being from Brooklyn loved people kind and caring man.Great storyteller. A blessing in my life to have known him and be a little part of his family.🇺🇸❤️🙏
I’d like to thank Jim Mancari and the staff at The Tablet for such a good story about my Dad who was Brooklyn proud for life. This Tablet version shows a real talent for writing.
Shout out to teammates [and surviving family] in photo. L to R: Joe Della Monica; Gerry Griffin; Billy Smyth; Coach Herb Hess; Wally Rooney; Bob Hurley; and Al McGuire.
There were many Parade Grounds memories as well from “semi-pro” games back in the day that emphasized the great all around proud Brooklyn atmosphere and lifestyle many enjoyed. “The greatest generation” it certainly was.
Niagara included playing for a very good NIT bound team in hoops; made up mostly of NYC players; along with coaching that NU undefeated frosh team [that featured future NBA player and championship coach Larry Costello]. Dad also transformed his baseball pitching game into a hard hitting 3rd baseman; that also drew pro interest during those years.
He gave back to his community in Rockville Centre LI coaching baseball at all levels; lectured at mass; was elected to the St Agnes Cathedral parish council; and taught religious education at home with his wife Dolores {Nolen} and they continued to donate their time, effort, and more to help charities and others as years went on.
His youngest sibling Helen Walls still lives in Brooklyn with many other extended family members. He was predeceased by his parents mentioned above; siblings Kaye Connors; Anna Delaney; Edward Rooney; James Rooney; and Mary Kelly.
Thank you,
Wally Rooney Jr.
PS: Following the advice of an old sage to “not let the truth get in the way of a good story” I hesitated to add to this great article by the excellent staff at The Tablet.
The undefeated 1945 St Johns Prep Brooklyn team actually finished 26-0. The third annual Lieutenant Frank Haggerty Memorial Tournament sponsored by Chaminade high school and held at Madison Square Garden; closed out the season. The hero Haggerty name {KIA} is still very prevalent in basketball circles with the Haggerty Award given to the best college player in the Metro NYC area every year as voted on by the media.
The Haggerty Tourney’s championship game was held at Madison Square Garden; featuring St. John’s Prep versus Cardinal Hayes of the Bronx; which in ways was a rematch of the previous year’s 1944 CHSAA NYC Finals won by Cardinal Hayes at Fordham Univ. That 44′ Cardinal Hayes team was ranked as one of the best hs teams in NYC history in recent years by a panel of NYC hoop historians.
St. Johns Prep winning the Haggerty at MSG in 45′ over Cardinal Hayes; [somewhat avenging the previous year’s 44′ CHSAA title game loss]; came just a few days after winning the 45′ CHSAA title in that battle of previously undefeated’s beating LaSalle of Manhattan; added a special twist to the “little redmen” at the time; finishing 26-0 and praised as “the only undefeated scholastic basketball team in the NYC metropolitan area and worthy of rating with the best schoolboy aggregations of all time” as printed in the press.
The prominent names in all of the articles that my grandmother Rooney saved are a who’s who of famous men [and women] who did it all in their chosen careers and at all levels throughout their lives. Most, if not all of whom served in the United States Military during WW2 and beyond.
With all of the success’ and great reputation St. Johns Prep, Brooklyn had before, during, and after my Dad’s time there {where he earned 6 Varsity letters}; the proudest moment for my grandparents was when at graduation, my Dad was awarded The Doctor Casey Medal in 45′ given to the “Senior Athlete Typically Representative of St. John’s Prep” at graduation.
The US Army approved of his graduation ceremony attendance at my grandmothers strong request; along with her brother’s; Walter Prendergast; chief investigator for the Brooklyn DA’s office and whom my dad was named after}.
Dad was within days; then shipped out to the US Army to join his brothers Edward and James; whom were already serving in the Pacific and European theaters at that time.
Hopefully readers can remember back then; and/or had family members involved in the stories here and can relate them as they remember to their own proud families and traditions.
Thank you.
I went to Niagara University basketball camp 1974-1976 and Wally always officiated our games. Me and his son Ed were on the same team one year and we became friends. As an adult, I went to an Orlando Magic game that Wally was officiating and I made my way down to the court to say hello and he remembered me. He was a great guy. RIP Wally.