Always Learning
12-26-2014, 02:05 PM
No, this is not off topic (XU Basketball) because Tom Ballaban in his life made great contributions to our program, as a recruiter, athletic board member, Musketeer Club President, so ......
f there ever was a man who bled blue more than Ballaban, I know not of him.
He was one helluva football coach, one helluva teacher, and a great friend to me personally, and to Xavier athletics in particular.
I never knew anyone with a greater sense of humor that he had.
Allow me to share a couple of his quick wit.
Tom was a typical Catholic school employee, and that means he loved what he did at St Xavier High, but it also meant that his paycheck was rather thin vs what public school football coaches took home, so he had second, and even third jobs.
One was as a college basketball official, and he was a great one. Great because he was a “jock” and he appreciated players, and coaches respected him. It may have happed, but I never knew of him calling a tech on anyone.
Well, “Bal” was a Big Ten official and one night was working a Marquette game when they were #1.
At the ready for the tip off, Al McGuige gave his best intimidation shot by patting “Bal” on the butt and saying, “this is a big game, you up to it?”
“Bal” never batted an eye, just calling back to Al as the game started, “hell, if you can coach it, I sure as hell can referee it.’
McGuire loved to tell that story.
“Bal” was also the Chief Usher in the
Clubhouse at River Downs, and along with yours truly, used to see that other GCL coaches , and players from both UC and XU (OK, we were a little heavy on XU players) got the summer jobs as
Ushers, gatemen, parking lot attendants etc.
One afternoon Tom made a wager on a nag that got beat by another one in a six furlong race with a ridiculous time of 1:16.2.
Outraged, and in a loud voice heard throughout the second floor box seat area, he yelled, “My God, I have three ushers working here who can run six furlongs in 1:16.2.” The place erupted in laughter.
He and his wife Clair had all girls, and
To listen to him talk about his home life of trying to get time in their one bath to shave, and work his way thru the hanging slips, hose, etc would be a top stand-up comic act.
But my fav story is when Jerry Faust took the job at Moeller, as their first football coach. Tom got him a job as a cash messenger at RD which meant he was going back and forth from the money room to the clubhouse.
One afternoon he stopped by my office and asked me if working for Moeller did they expect him to win right away.
I knew Bal was behind this so I said that they would give him at least a year, but then he would have to win big or be gone.
Moeller played St. X like the second game of the year, a mismatch, but damn if Moeller didn’t win.
I called Bal that morning after the game, and told him, “Bal, we may created a monster, and he said he was
afraid so too.”
We all know the rest of the story, don’t we.
There wasn’t a GCL coach that Tom didn’t respect, and likewise.
He was the kind of man that had everyone’s respect, he was my friend, he was everything that I love about Xavier.
Pace Domini “Bal” you made us all who knew you better people.
f there ever was a man who bled blue more than Ballaban, I know not of him.
He was one helluva football coach, one helluva teacher, and a great friend to me personally, and to Xavier athletics in particular.
I never knew anyone with a greater sense of humor that he had.
Allow me to share a couple of his quick wit.
Tom was a typical Catholic school employee, and that means he loved what he did at St Xavier High, but it also meant that his paycheck was rather thin vs what public school football coaches took home, so he had second, and even third jobs.
One was as a college basketball official, and he was a great one. Great because he was a “jock” and he appreciated players, and coaches respected him. It may have happed, but I never knew of him calling a tech on anyone.
Well, “Bal” was a Big Ten official and one night was working a Marquette game when they were #1.
At the ready for the tip off, Al McGuige gave his best intimidation shot by patting “Bal” on the butt and saying, “this is a big game, you up to it?”
“Bal” never batted an eye, just calling back to Al as the game started, “hell, if you can coach it, I sure as hell can referee it.’
McGuire loved to tell that story.
“Bal” was also the Chief Usher in the
Clubhouse at River Downs, and along with yours truly, used to see that other GCL coaches , and players from both UC and XU (OK, we were a little heavy on XU players) got the summer jobs as
Ushers, gatemen, parking lot attendants etc.
One afternoon Tom made a wager on a nag that got beat by another one in a six furlong race with a ridiculous time of 1:16.2.
Outraged, and in a loud voice heard throughout the second floor box seat area, he yelled, “My God, I have three ushers working here who can run six furlongs in 1:16.2.” The place erupted in laughter.
He and his wife Clair had all girls, and
To listen to him talk about his home life of trying to get time in their one bath to shave, and work his way thru the hanging slips, hose, etc would be a top stand-up comic act.
But my fav story is when Jerry Faust took the job at Moeller, as their first football coach. Tom got him a job as a cash messenger at RD which meant he was going back and forth from the money room to the clubhouse.
One afternoon he stopped by my office and asked me if working for Moeller did they expect him to win right away.
I knew Bal was behind this so I said that they would give him at least a year, but then he would have to win big or be gone.
Moeller played St. X like the second game of the year, a mismatch, but damn if Moeller didn’t win.
I called Bal that morning after the game, and told him, “Bal, we may created a monster, and he said he was
afraid so too.”
We all know the rest of the story, don’t we.
There wasn’t a GCL coach that Tom didn’t respect, and likewise.
He was the kind of man that had everyone’s respect, he was my friend, he was everything that I love about Xavier.
Pace Domini “Bal” you made us all who knew you better people.