Bullies are still trying to eliminate the competition

Darien, Connecticut is the nation's sixth richest community, with median household incomes at $208,906, and the average price of a home at more than $1.2 million. "Median" is a way of measuring the average by listing all the numbers in a data set and picking the middle number. New Canaan's household earnings are the second highest in Fairfield County. The median income of a household in town is $180,434 and home prices average more than a $1 million.

New Canaan’s 27-0 win over No. 1 Darien was the shot heard round Connecticut Thursday morning as the Rams clinched the eighth and final spot in the Class L playoffs and won their first Turkey Bowl in five years. Darien’s winning streak ended at 34 games.

Darien Times:

The game took a turn on Wednesday night when Darien quarterback Jack Joyce and safety/receiver Brian Minicus were arrested on charges stemming from an assault earlier this month, rendering them unavailable for the game. The Blue Wave were also without the services of LB/WR Nick Green, but coach Rob Trifone offered no reason for his absence. New Canaan Police made the arrests early evening of Wednesday, Nov. 22, resulting in Minicus and Joyce not playing in the Turkey Bowl. Police also said that when questioned, Joyce provided false information.

A 17-year-old, who was not identified because he is legally a minor, was charged with conspiracy to commit third-degree assault and second-degree unlawful restraint. The incident in question involved Minicus and the 17-year-old going to a house on Old Kings Highway around 11:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, and assaulting a New Canaan juvenile. Minicus put the New Canaan teen in a headlock, while the Darien 17-year-old held him down. Police said Minicus then began punching the New Canaan teen in the head and face until a friend of the victim pulled Minicus off.

In March of 1969, the Charlestown High School basketball team lost a heartbreaking “Tech Tourney” game to Somerville High School at the Boston Garden. Shooting sensation Billy Endicott was the game’s leading scorer and primarily responsible for Somerville’s thrilling victory. In what turned out to be a very black eye for Charlestown, a group of young adults used their disappointment to inflict a post-game beating on the unsuspecting Endicott. The incident served to cement pre-existing negative stereotypes about “Townies.”

With numerous bruises and two black eyes, Billy Endicott was ineffective in the following Class A Tech Tourney game. He was held to four points, and prevented Somerville from winning its eighth state title in 25 years.

Charlestown Patriot-Bridge:

The word on the “street,” however, was that gangs were coming to Charlestown that night from every direction to exact revenge for the Endicott battery. The Somerville gangs were supposed to come through Sullivan Square, Everett and Chelsea rioters were to cross the bridge at “The Neck,” and North End groups would come over the Charlestown Bridge into City Square.

A week later, at the Somerville Knights of Columbus, there was a benefit function for Billy Endicott. Frankie Fontaine was the Master of Ceremony and Jackie Gleason, the Guest of Honor. In the middle of them was Billy Endicott, who was sitting in a wheelchair and still showing the effects of the assault. The prevailing theme was to apologize to him on behalf of Charlestown. Billy smiled gently and continued to listen to the adults who were fawning over him.

For the next few years, I kept track of Billy Endicott’s basketball exploits. He went on to enjoy a spectacular career at UMass-Amherst and played alongside teammates Rick Pitino and Al Skinner. I’m guessing he probably got to watch, and maybe even practice with, Julius “Dr. J” Erving. Today, Endicott continues his legacy as an AAU youth basketball coach, as well as instructing and mentoring local “hoop” prospects. His is a remarkable story of perseverance and accomplishment, one that I will never forget.

The New Canaan-Darien altercation started because of trash talk on Snapchat. The rich kids from Darien used their war of words to inflict a beating on an unsuspecting juvenile. Charlestown used their fists. Somerville and Charlestown have patched up their differences.

Let's hope that the privileged from the seventh safest state don't get worked up over a nickname.

According to Webster’s New International Dictionary, 1993, a person who is a native or resident of Connecticut is a “Connecticuter”. There was the “Connecticotian” by Cotton Mather in 1702, the “Connecticutensian” by Samuel Peters in 1781 and the “Nutmegger” since 1800. It is derived from the nickname, the Nutmeg State, based on the practice of the Connecticut peddlers who traveled about selling nutmegs.

I think I'll take the beating.




Paul Murphy


Follow me on Twitter at @_prmurphy