Coaching great Jack Curran dies, 82; spent more than half century at Archbishop Molloy High

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In this Jan. 18, 2000 photo, Archbishop Molloy basketball coach Jack Curran coaches his team during a timeout against Monsignor McClancey in Briarwood, N.Y. Curran, among the nation's winningest high school coaches in basketball and baseball, has died. He was 83. His death was confirmed Thursday, March 14, 2013 by Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, where he coached for more than a half century. (AP Photo/Newsday, Kathy Kmonicek) NYC LOCALS OUT

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Jack Curran spent more than a half century compiling records in high school basketball and baseball that might never be toppled.

The 82-year-old coaching great from Archbishop Molloy High School died Thursday, the school said. He had been weakened by lung and kidney problems, undergoing dialysis three days a week the past few years. Still, he rarely missed a day at school, let alone a game or practice.

When former players, opponents, friends and colleagues spoke of him, the wins and titles were secondary to the character of the man.

"He was one of the true saints in scholastic sports," said Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca, whom Curran succeeded at Molloy. "I can't think of anyone with a better record for two sports than Jack. His records will always stand and be tough to break. However, it's what he did for kids that was more important and not necessarily just athletes from Molloy but from the New York area."

Curran's teams won five city championships in basketball and 17 in baseball. No other New York City coach has ever won a title in both sports in the same year. Curran did it four times — 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1987. His record was 972-437 in basketball and 1,708-523 in baseball.

"Those marks will never be broken," Molloy President Richard Karsten said. "He had the respect of so many young players and the older players would come back to see him."

Those former players included some of New York City's biggest names in high school basketball — 1972 Olympian Kevin Joyce, Brian Winters, Kenny Smith, Kenny Anderson and Russ Smith, who scored 28 points for Louisville in a 74-55 victory over Villanova on Thursday night in the Big East quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.

"I'm going to miss him. He was everything to me, and to my mom, my family. He treated everyone with respect. He taught me a lot of things," Smith said. "Today was definitely Coach Curran day for me, and it will be the rest of my life."

Anderson, who went on to play at Georgia Tech and in the NBA, tweeted: "I lost my favourite coach, mentor and just a great soul Jack Curran you will be missed, I will have you in my thoughts every day I live Thank U."

Louisville coach Rick Pitino also called Curran a good friend.

"I went to his camp for three years," Pitino said. "He had all the great traits of a great leader. Very humble, great teacher, very wise man. It was always about the players with him. He had a lot of what I witnessed with Coach (John) Wooden. They were very similar personalities. They were great teachers. Although he was a great basketball and baseball coach, he probably was even a better gym teacher. He was just a great teacher and a great person. Never lost his passion and love. I don't know how he did it. He led a blessed life, and a lot of people are going to miss him greatly."

New York Mets outfielder Mike Baxter played for Curran from 2000 to 2002 and remembered him not only as an "incredible storyteller" but someone who always had his players' interests at heart.

"He was the most selfless man I knew," Baxter said from spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla. "He was so faithful and he just cared so much about the kids on his team, both on and off the court and the field. It really separated him, whether you were playing for him as a junior or senior or whether you were in college or looking for jobs. He would make sure to help you anyway he could. That never stopped to the last day."

The praise extended far beyond the big leagues.

"I'm not sure in my life there is anybody who has more of an impact on my life than Mr. Curran," said Whitey Rigsby, a member of Molloy's city championship basketball teams in 1973 and 1974. "I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that."

Rigsby was raised a Protestant but encouraged by Curran to attend the Catholic high school.

"There were 1,599 Catholics and me," said Rigsby, who went on to play at Villanova and still works in athletic development at the school. "I have five sons and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't quote something Mr. Curran told me 40 years ago. That will never change."

Howard Garfinkel, the longtime high school scouting guru, called Curran "the greatest two-sport high school coach in the history of sports."

Molloy athletic director Mike McCleary, who worked with Curran for 15 years, said the coach "carried himself with class."

"He taught everybody how to behave by example," he said.

Curran is the only high school coach in the New York state Hall of Fame in both basketball and baseball, Karsten said. He is the only coach to be selected national coach of the year in two different sports.

He was honoured as CHSAA Coach of the Year 25 times in baseball, 22 times in basketball and won city championships in three decades. Curran has been elected into nine different Halls of Fame, including the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame

Curran, who grew up in the Bronx and lived in Rye, N.Y., played minor league baseball for the Dodgers and Phillies.

"He always said he learned how to play baseball the right way in his years with the Dodgers," Carnesecca said. "That speaks for itself."

There was no immediate word on survivors.

Funeral arrangements were not announced.

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AP Sports Writers Melissa Murphy and Mike Fitzpatrick in New York and AP freelancer Laurel Pfahler in Port St. Lucie, Fla., contributed to this report.