Colonel James M. Landrigan
Wakefield Athletic
Hall Of Fame
Colonel James M. Landrigan
Memorial Field
‘Big Jim’
1923-1974
In 1974
during a Wakefield - Melrose football game the Town of Wakefield dedicated their new football field in memory of a
former Wakefield student-athlete, Colonel James M. Landrigan. In high school, he set a record which held
for 37 years by throwing the shot put 47 feet and was a tackle in football who
was elected captain for the 1940
Wakefield team. After graduation,
“Big Jim’ went on to attend Holy Cross where he was a guard on offense and a
tackle on defense, His studies were
interrupted by World War II but he resumed his education at Dartmouth College
where he was named All-East lineman plus various other second team
acknowledgements. Jim was drafted into
the National Football League by the Pittsburgh Steelers and in 1947 played for
the Baltimore Colts.
During his
career as a Marine, some of the locations he was stationed were the South Pacific, Korea, Vietnam and Moscow. He received
the Silver and Bronze Stars for ‘Gallantry in Action’ and the Vietnamese
Gallantry Cross with the Silver Star.
While in the South Pacific, he was praised by his men as being the best
platoon leader they ever had. Just
before his untimely death of cancer in 1974 at the age of 51 it was rumored he
was to be promoted to the rank of general.
Sometimes
when one encounters a landmark or place named after an individual such as the
Beebe Library, the Callahan Tunnel or the Tobin bridge it may not be
immediately known the ‘who’ or the ‘why’ behind the name. At a place in Wakefield where honor, valor, dedication, strength and teamwork
collide in fierce competition, there is no question the Colonel James M.
Landrigan Memorial Field has been perfectly named.
Selected
Milestones
1939 Set Wakefield
school record in shot put which stood for 23 years with throw of 47 feet. (#33
below 1st row 5th from right)
1940 Wakefield Warrior Football Co-Captain #23 with Co-Captain
George Morgan #18
1941 Graduated Wakefield High School
1941 Entered Holy
Cross College
(Football
guard on offense – tackle on defense)
World War 2 interrupted
his studies
1943 Entered Dartmouth
College in Marine V-12
program (Click for
description)
(Named all-East lineman and honorable
mention on All-American Teams.)
1944 Marine
Platoon leader in the South Pacific. Click link or
flag for Marine Corp.
1945 Drafted By Pittsburgh
Steelers 1945
Pittsburgh Steelers
1947 Signed with Baltimore
Colts. (Played for two years.)
1951 Landrigan
advised football coach Bruno Andruska to bring Marine Harry Agganis to Camp Lejeune
1968 Promoted to full Colonel
1974 Col. James M Landrigan Field
Dedication
Below is a copy of
actual insert within the Melrose-Wakefield Program book for the 1974 dedication
and game
1976 Col. James M Landrigan Citizens’ Scholarship
Fund of Wakefield Established
1992 Inducted into the Wakefield
Hall of Fame
Thanks to those who added the lights to
start the Friday tradition.
Back to Hall of Fame Page
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