Hingham High School Honors Veterans Under The Lights

For  the military veterans who braved the cold night air to watch Hingham High School Football Team play Duxbury in the deciding game of the Patriot League, it was the final act of long day of remembrance.

The day had started with breakfast at the Hingham Senior Center with other families of veterans before attending a memorial service at the Town Hall where they were thanked for their service to not only their country but the town as well.

That service to the town included representing Hingham on the sports as opposed to the battlefield and, last night under the rented floodlights, the half-time break was the perfect opportunity to honor those who had served in the town colors. Thirty-two sportsmen were to be honored with the majority of them having played on several Hingham sports teams.

All of those who made their way on to the pitch had graduated from the High School and many of them had seen military service in either World War II or Vietnam soon after leaving full time education. There was also one veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, poignant reminders that war is not something confined to the history classroom. 

 The achievements of these men brought sustained applause from the large crowd that filled the bleachers for the first (and only) time under floodlights this season.

As the veterans waited on the sidelines, members of the class of 2012 walked a huge American flag into the center of the field and proudly displayed for the duration of the fifteen-minute presentation.

One by one, the veterans came forward to be honored by Hingham High School.

John Vafides (Football, Baseball) had graduated in 1939, seved in the Army from 1943-47 and had been a Prisoner of War. John “Jack” Lynch graduated in 1953 (Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey) was in the Army from 1954-56, William Quinn (Baseball, Hockey) left Hingham High in 1961 and was in the Army from 1967-68 before joining the National Guard for 24 years while Glenn Thompson graduated in 1966, served in the Marine Corps for two years (1968-69) and then returned to his alma mater to be a track coach from 1977-79.

Those who made a career out of service to their country were warmly welcomed onto the field to be honored. Jim Kehoe (Hockey), a graduate from 1959, served in the Navy for 20 years while Bob Green (Soccer, Basketball) left Hingham High in 1975 and spent 13 years in the Army. Peter Hall (Basketball, Cross Country) was part of the class of 1968, survived Vietnam from 1969-72 and then re-enlisted in 2000 for another seven years.

A total of 32 men were honored.

This was also a special night for Hingham High School Football who normally play their home games on a Saturday afternoon due to the lack of lighting at the field. Besides the veterans, this was a chance for some seniors to take their moment in the spotlight.

Before the game, the football team formed a guard of honor and applauded their senior teammates and graduating members of the Hingham High Dance Team onto the field. Accompanied by their parents, it would be the last chance for some to appear in front of their friends and family prior to a sporting event and it set the tone for a night to recognize the continued achievements of Hingham residents.

The visiting Football team provided the only sour note of the entire evening. Duxbury arrived undefeated in 22 matches and were in no mood to relinquish this winning streak. They didn’t intend to spoil the party but they took home the Patriot League Championship by winning 34- 7 over Hingham. 

Irrespective of the result, this was a night to remember Hingham’s Patriots and fans agreed football under floodlights was the perfect way to end Veterans Day 2011.