July 4-5, 1987: Atlantis "Iron Seven" at Cape
Fear Sevens
Note of 2013: I remember this tournament as the weekend of
the "Iron Seven" Atlantis team. On a typically hot Cape
Fear weekend, seven players struggled through 6 games, winning
the first five before losing to MOB (Maryland Old Boys) in the
semi-final. Manager Bob Davis (Atlantis staff #2) was on the
sidelines running touch and ready to go in, but the
Iron Seven made it through the weekend.
Note of 2018: I sent a note to the only 4 for whom I have
email addresses - Joe Taranto, Jerry Mirro, Artie Fitzpatrick
and Bob Davis - to ask their memories of this
tournament. Joe and Jerry's recollections from 2017
follow. In 2018 Artie Fitzpatrick responded to Jerry's
comments.
Here's our roster (Atlantis number, Name, Club):
56 Artie Fitzpatrick, Rockaway
65 Matt Leonard, Life College
66 Mike May, Daytona (this is Mike May #1, Florida
Mike May, as opposed to South Carolina Mike May)
67 Joe McCann, OMEX
14 Jerry Mirro, OMEX
68 Mike Sutila, OMEX
15 Joe Taranto, Union County
Coach: Emil Signes - Staff #1
Manager: Bob Davis - Staff #2
Per
email from Joe Taranto, 1/16/17:
"I vividly remember walking back to my truck to make the
long drive back to Jersey with Emil after losing the final.
Artie Fitzpatrick was parked next to me. I watched him go
into the trunk of his car and grab a can of beer, open it
and gulp it down. He offered me one and I gladly took
it. He assured me it was as cold and refreshing
a beer as he ever had. After playing every minute of every
game together I both believed him and really craved a cold
one. In a quick motion Artie threw me a can. I popped the
top and took a big gulp.
Years later I realized Artie neither felt the urge to use
ice to cool those beers nor had the need to disclose the 120
degree temperature of his trunk to an Atlantis teammate
despite the bond of our six game grind.
I'm sorry Artie destroyed any memory of the games
played.
Best
Joe Taranto"
**********
Per email from Jerry Mirro,
2/6/17:
"I remember that it was one very exhausting weekend.
"I believe we beat the west coast team in the 5th game
that consisted of Tommy Smith and a few other Eagles, we
left all we had in the tank on the field in that game.
"We played MOB tough in the next game but just ran out of
gas.
"5 of the seven were Northeast guys: myself, McCann,
Taranto, Sutila and Artie Fitz. It was a great weekend for
all of us, we rose to the challenge of only having 7
players, and we built on it to bring all of our games to
the next level.
Very Fond Memories.
Mirro"
************
8/26/2018:
Artie Fitzpatrick adds - in a clearly Artie-esque manner -
the following in response to a 2018 request for memories:
"Emil great to hear from you. My memory is completely shot
I would’ve thought it was 1986.
"I do actually remember a little something from the
beginning and the end of each game somehow they stayed in
my brain.
"I remember the beginning of the first game Jerry Mirro‘s
hair looks perfect. And at the end of the first game Jerry
Mirro‘s hair looked perfect.
"At the beginning of the second game Jerry Mirro‘s hair
looked perfect and at the end of the second game Jerry
Mirro‘s hair looked perfect.
"I have a very clear memory of the start of the third
game: Jerry Mirro‘s hair was perfect and I clearly
remember hearing the whistle at the end of the third game
and looking over at Jerry and his hair looked amazing.
"The fourth game I clearly remember some ball movement
some tackles and tries scored.
"I remember stepping onto the field for the fifth game and
thinking how does he keep every hair in place with all
this humidity. And sure enough at the end of the fifth
game Jerry Mirro‘s hair looks perfect from every angle.
"
And in the six game believe it or not, I do remember Chris
Petrakes [Emil:
Chris was playing against us, for MOB] doing a loop play and
creating an overload to score a try down the middle.
"I could not tell you the score but I do remember being
very disheartened at the loss and was only pulled from my
near clinical depression by the beauty I saw above Mirro‘s
ears.
"I hope this was helpful in some way love to cross paths
again someday be well my brother. Arty Fitz."
(Awaiting Bob Davis' comments)
still waiting for comments on 8/26/18 ...