Imagine being appointed to a head coaching position in a high school but without a schedule, a conference to compete against our facilities to train. Back in 1933, Tom Duffy accepted this challenge, Tom Duffy accepted this challenge. Over the next 27 years at Rindge Tech, Tom developed talent that dominated at the dual meet, state meet, national and Olympic levels. His athletes remembered him as a highly organized coach that planned workouts for every level of competition. Although workouts met the needs of athletes of different abilities, each athlete felt empowered. Each of his teams was prepared to win. Tom could creatively switch talents and events to ensure teams success. On the Friday before a Saturday competition, he would address each member of the team and let the individual know what was expected of them the next day. Charles Jenkins ‘53 credits Coach Duffy for helping him to be successful on track but also stressing that track should work for him to study economics at Villanova. Charlie’s selection of Villanova started a strong connection between Rindge Track and Jonbo Elliot, a track coach at Villanova. Dr. Charles Jenkins won gold medals at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 in the 400 meters and the relay. Ed Collymore ‘55 remembers Coach Duffy for helping him train for the Olympic Trials well after Rindge and Villanova. Ed had recently served two years as a Marine and needed training for his Olympic pursuit. Coach Duffy found space at Brandeis and Northeastern to continue his training. John Thomas received Olympic medals in 1960 and 1964. Thomas credits Coach Duffy with switching his jumping style, changing the traditional belly roll to a straddle as a junior at Rindge, he cleaned 6 feet. After a year of closely supervised training, John cleared 6’8 ½” to establish a national schoolboy record. The decade of the 1950s became the proudest moments for Rindge track. They dominated the Metropolitan League dual meets, Bowdoin College Invitational, BAA and state meets. Trips to Madison Square Garden and the Penn Relays put Rindge Track on the national stage. Coach Duffy was inducted into the 1976 to the Massachusetts State Coaches Hall of Fame. In 1970, the College of the Holy Cross awarded its 1920 graduate with a similar honor for his outstanding work as track coach at Holy Cross. He was also selected Ringde Man of the Year in 1958. Fittingly, the new track at the C.R.L.S. field house was named in his honor. It is with great pride that we induct COach Tom Duffy posthumously into the cambridge Athletic Hall of Fame.
Inducted: 1976