Charlie Broderick

A legend on and off the field

Presented by: Wayne Shire

Presented to: Fitchburg State College

Charlie Broderick is a legend in Leominster who came here by tragedy. The football coach and athletic director at Leominster High School was Mr. Raymond Charles Comerford who gave his life on August 25, 1931 trying to save a 12 year old boy from drowning in the surf of Sunrise Beach in Marshfield. Mr. Comerford supported the boy while battling the tremendous current until help arrived. The boy was rescued but unfortunately Ray didn’t make it. A huge wave brought him to his death.

After the tragedy Leominster was impressed with young coach named Charlie Broderick. Leominster offered him the coaching job. He accepted and that was the start of his career at L.H.S.

Charlie Broderick was born and raised in Amesbury, Massachusetts, on June 16, 1895. He attended Philips Exeter High School and that is where his love for football began. Before Charlie was even in high school he attended as many games as possible and looked forward to the game between Exeter and Andover. This game was a very popular rivalry between the two preparatory schools.

There was one big obstacle in young Charlie’s life. His family had very little money, but this did not stop him for he collected soda bottles and sold them to pay his way for train fare to get to the football games. Even as a child he showed his future developing characteristics by being clever and possessing a strong will and determination.

Charlie came from a family of Polish descent with a total of nine children. Charlie’s parents were very supportive of him in anything he did. He said it was his mother’s sacrifices that put him through school. She worked hard which resulted in her paying high prices for his education. He was always very proud of what he could do for others and not what others could give him. He would always rather give than take.

Before coaching in Leominster, Broderick coached in Amesbury, Mass., His record there from 1923 to 1931 was 53 wins, 19 losses, and 5 ties. He turned out an unbeaten team in 1927.

While in high school he played football. After high school Broderjck attended the University of New Hampshire. He majored in History, which was what he taught in Amesbury, and in his early years at Leominster. At the University of New Hampshire he was a four-year football letterman. In the year of 1917 he was captain of his college team and he played the position of quarterback. During his college career he weighed in at only 155 pounds. While at college Charlie also played other sports. He was a three-year letterman in baseball. His favorite sport though, which surprisingly he liked more than football, was hockey. He enjoyed hockey a lot and also played while in college.

He played semi-pro football, baseball and hockey which made him an outstanding athlete. He became a member of the University of New Hampshire Hall of Fame. After graduating from college he took physical education classes at Harvard.

When he came to Leominster Charlie Broderick wanted to coach hockey but did not receive the opportunity to do so since Leominster had no team nor an arena.

He graduated from college in 1918 during World War I. After graduation he enlisted in the Navy. He played halfback while in the service and led them to the National Service Championship in 1919. Charlie Broderick received an honorable discharge from the Navy.

After the service, Broderick then went on to become a teacher at Amesbury High School. Besides being known as a legendary coach he should also be known as a legendary teacher. He was never demonstrative towards his players in a harsh way. He was a strict disciplinarian though. The great thing about him was his relationships with his players. He once said, “I love the players as though they were my own children”. He would literally fight tooth and nail for a boy’s chances to get an education by convincing the college officials that the boy he’s helping deserves such consideration. He was deeply concerned about all of his students and players and their welfare. He always set a good example for kids. An official said he never heard Broderick complain about the outcome of a game, win or lose. He never vigorously opposed a decision, and always showed the kids good manners. Charlie Broderick always treated the team like family and always invited them into his home on Thanksgiving dinner. He was always willing to help any one who needed it. Besides teaching football he also taught young people the basics of good citizenship. Most coaches are single minded about football. Charlie Broderick was somewhat different. He was only single minded during the football season. After the season was through he always admired the versatility in his players. He was very proud that his players were active in other personal interest whether it was the senior class play or music or anything else.

He was concerned about his players at all times, be it before a game or after a loss. He insisted on all the best equipment for his players. He would see to all of his players injuries personally to make sure they were all right. Charlie Broderick is the type of coach any player would be proud to have.

If you were worried that you don’t have a chance for a starting position on the team, it was not like that at all with Coach Broderick. He gave everyone a chance to prove himself on the field. He did not force anyone to play and he let the ones who earned it to represent the team on the field. Coach Broderick received excellent training in first aid so he understood a player’s capabilities when they were injured. He knew their limitations and wouldn’t risk injure them further. He gave and gave and did not expect anything in return.

When game time came he picked one captain each game. This was another tactic of his fairness policy. All that he asked of his players was they do their best. He always had very good relationships with other coaches and the game officials.

There is a funny story about Coach Broderick when he was coming to Leominster because of the offer for the coaching position there. One day Coach Broderick received a call out in Amesbury, where he was already coaching and was asked if he would accept the coaching position in Leominster. He didn’t have any idea where Leominster was located. He started out with his map and was totally confused and lost as he approached Leominster. Ironically he ended up in Fitchburg, where he finally received directions on how to get to Leominster. He spent a long time driving before he reached Leominster. What’s funny though, was that he played Leominster‘s team while he coached at Amesbury, and he still did not know where it was. Well anyway he arrived in Leominster with no one to meet him because no one from Leominster High School knew he was coming. So Coach Broderick spent his first night in Leominster all alone in a hotel located in downtown Leominster. He came to Leominster to accept a challenge and history shows that he definitely conquered it. His coaching skills were remarkable, so in 1945 the Leominster school committee, on recognizing his great achievements, named him athletic director and supervisor of physical education. This step terminated his teaching career but not his duties and accomplishments on the gridiron, as he then coached track, baseball, and basketball squads into many battles. He only coached basketball because there was no coach for it, but he still took on the challenge. He sacrificed his time to keep the basketball program going. All of his time went into Leominster‘s athletic program and the development of its youth. The record he amassed at Leominster was also an incredible one. There was a total of 192 wins, 82 losses, and only 5 ties. Two of his Leominster teams completed undefeated seasons in 1932 and 1952. During all those games he’s coached, he never criticized a player or the outcome of a game. That’s a lot of patience. His players had to learn dozens and dozens of plays and figure them out. This takes a lot of time, but Coach Broderick had a lot of patience for it. That’s definitely a good trait of a coach.

The most exciting game that he remembered coaching was between Leominster and Gardner in 1935. Amerigo Spacciapoli and Robert Flynn were two of his players that had exceptional games that day. Spacciapoli threw a pass to Flynn who was just barely in the end zone. At the exact time Flynn caught the pass, the gun signaling the end of the game went off and Leominster came through with another victory. All of his Leominster teams he coached averaged nearly seven wins a year. That’s a good way to keep his win column up. He also had more wins than losses in “The Game” on Thanksgiving Day.  During those games he tallied 18 wins, 13 losses, and 3 ties.

Coach Broderick wanted to know everything he could about coaching. Every summer, he would find a coaching institute or clinic to attend so he could improve himself in the coaching department. Some of the clinics he attended were at numerous colleges such as Harvard University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Michigan, Notre Dame, University of Virginia and Boston University. There are many more but I think you get the point. He had so much determination and drive in him that he never stopped. He once said that “If I amassed all the credits I obtained from these clinics, I could probably become a PhD.”

Believe it or not Coach Broderick did imitate some of the other coaches. Knute Rockne from Notre Dame and Lou Little were great inspirations to him. He learned a lot from their styles and systems of coaching. Knute Rockne once told Broderick to remember three things about football. In this order they are: speed, deception and power. And never overlook a small speedy player. He can really help a team. Coach Broderick never forgot this advice.

In July of 1965, the Leominster Enterprise reported “Lord Acton only claimed that the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton. While the actual truth of this statement can be questioned, its representative meaning is unchallengeable; Determination, unity and teamwork are the triple play of success. And for 30 years, it was Charlie Broderick who championed these principles to the growing generation of Leominster teenagers”. There are so many quotes and sayings about him, but this one sums him up the best.

Coach Broderick has guided many of his players in which a lot of them have gone on to play college and professional ball. Many more of them also became coaches.

Among Coach Broderick’s former players who have gone on to coach at the high school level are Warren Bently who coached at Winchendon and Leominster, Leon “Huck” Hannigan who coached at Leominster and other schools and Larry Boissoneau who is presently an assistant coach at Leominster High School. This is only a few but there are many more.

On the collegiate level of coaching there was Mike Vendetti from Nichols College and Frank Novak Sr. who coached at Holy Cross College, but later went on to coach in the U.S.F.L. His most popular player was a young man named Ronnie Cahill who played for Holy Cross College and then went on to play for the Chicago Cardinals.

There are so many people whose lives where influenced that it would be impossible to name them all. For all of the people he has turned towards football he could definitely be called the Coach of Coaches.

Besides being a great coach Broderick also had a personal side. He married a Leominster girl by the name of Margaret “Peg” Carr. She taught the first grade for 43 years. They have been married over 40 years and still are together which is very rare these days. They never had any children. His wife was very supportive of him and enjoyed it very much when they had the team over for Thanksgiving dinner. Charlie and Peg traveled all across America together including Hawaii three times. They both loved to travel which is evident since they crossed the country about twelve times. Their honeymoon was spent in Europe which is where they received a Papal Blessing from Pope Pious Xl. They have obviously have had a good life together which they both deserved. Today he and his wife reside at Fairlawn Nursing Home in Leominster.

During Coach Broderick’s life he has amassed a number of awards for his great achievements. His trophies are lined up at the Historical Society which attest to the success of him and his teams. Charlie became a member or the Massachusetts High School Association Hall of Fame. He also received the Presentation of the Association of New England Football Officials Annual Memorial Award in 1964. In his last Thanksgiving game, everyone saluted him while the marching band played “Auld Lang Syne” and “Charlie My Boy”. A more recent honoring of him was an all-star game held and named after him. The first one occurred on Saturday July 12, 1983. His impact on Leominster was so great he is still being honored today.

For my conclusion I hope you realize how complete of a person Charlie Broderick was. He was full of generosity, care and determination. From what I know about him, I wish I would have had the chance to play for him. The man will continue to prosper in honorariums for him for the rest of his physical and eternal life. A man of his type deserves the respect he so rightfully earned.