communications Reitnour

2008 CANISIUS COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Athletic Tradition
These Men and Women Wore the Blue & Gold
Ed Book (‘92) Men’s Basketball Member, 2004 New Zealand Olympic Team
Mike Buczkowski (‘86) Ice Hockey Vice President, Buffalo Bisons (IL)
Gina Castelli (‘86) Women’s Basketball Head Coach, Siena College
Dr. Mike Christel (‘83) Men’s Cross Country Scientist, Carnegie Mellon University
Darren Fenn (‘01) Men’s Basketball Pro basketball, Belguim
Karen Freeman (‘83) Women’s Basketball Exec. Vice President for Biologics - Former Wake Forest Head Coach
Greg Gabriel (‘74) Football Director of College Scouting, Chicago Bears (NFL)
Pat Gallivan (‘82) Men’s Soccer Former Sheriff, Erie County
Gene Jankowski (‘55) Baseball Former President and Chairman of CBS Broadcasting Company
Tony Masiello (‘69) Men’s Basketball Mayor, City of Buffalo, 1994-2005
Micheal Meeks (‘96) Men’s Basketball Member, 2000 Canadian Olympic Team
Jeff Nix (‘80) Men’s Basketball Assistant General Manager, New York Knicks (NBA) - 1992-2007
Henry Nowak (‘57) Men’s Basketball US House of Representatives (Retired)
Ron Raccuia (‘93) Baseball President, Integrity Distribution; Founder, Ad Pro Team Sports
Mary Beth Riley (‘91) Women’s Cross Country 1991 NCAA Woman of the Year
Mike Smrek (‘85) Men’s Basketball Member, World Champion Los Angeles Lakers (twice)
Ryan Stewart (‘97) Ice Hockey Video Coach, Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
Ann Woloszynski (‘90) Softball Vice President, M&T Bank
what is a griffin?
The Griffin is a mythical creature of supposed gigantic size that has the head, forelegs
and wings of an eagle and the hindquarters, tail and ears of a lion. They are well known for
their speed, ability to fly and having eyes like an eagle as well as the strength and courage of
a lion.
Griffins have been known for centuries as symbols of strength and vigilance, have been
called “The Hounds of Zeus” in Greek mythology and are said to have mastery of both the
land and sky.
They are thought to be from India, where the natives of the land made their talons and
claws into drinking cups because the talon of a Griffin was said to detect poison in a liquid.
Griffins would find gold in the mountains and line their nests with it and as a result, were
forced to become great guardians of the nests to keep the hunters away.
According to Charles A. Brady in Canisius College The First Hundred Years, “Though
the problems of when and where the Griffin began his reign as King Herald of the Canisius
College of Arms are not easily settled, the whence is simple to establish. Our Griffin flew to
us from the prow of LaSalle’s lost Griffon, the Flying Dutchman of the Great Lakes, which
disappeared after making a safe voyage from the Niagara River to the Strait of Detroit.
LaSalle’s ill-fated caravel, the first ship ever built on America’s inland seas, with its 45 tons
and five cannons, had its beakhead adorned ‘with a flying Griffin, and an eagle above it,’ in
honor of the two heraldic beasts on the armorial bearing of the great Frontenac.”
The Griffin became the symbol for Canisius athletics in the mid-1930s. Steve Weller
wrote in The Buffalo News Jan. 22, 1962, “You can have your Chihuahuas, Piranhas, Horned
Frogs and Iguanas. The best all-around athletic mascot in business today has to be the beast
adopted by Canisius College – the Golden Griffin.”
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