Dear Editor: As Jim Mancari wrote (July 29) Msgr. Martin Bannan was ordained in 1956, a year that two priests from my parish in Queens were ordained. Both these priests, also adequate ball players, decided to put up their team including Bannan against our CYO team, this was in about 1959.

Obviously he was a very good ball player but the thing that struck me at the time was that he was compared to Bob Cousy. I thought that was quite a compliment.

Thanks for the article.

NICK PINTO

Via email

 

Dear Editor: When I was in the seminary in Huntington, I overlapped for three years with Marty Bannan. He was ordained in 1956; I, in 1959.

Not having attended Cathedral Prep, I hadn’t witnessed his basketball skills. What I did witness was his kindness, humility, and warm personality. He was a role model for all of us seminarians.

BILL POWERS

Chapel Hill, N.C.