St. Bonaventure Athletics mourns the passing of Brendan McCann, '57.
He was a member of the St. Bonaventure basketball team, serving as team captain in 1956-57.
With a total of 748 career points (1955-1957), McCann finished his St. Bonaventure University men's basketball career as a prolific scorer. McCann was named an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American in 1957.
He was a first round draft choice of the New York Knicks in 1957 following the completion of his Bonaventure career and played two seasons with the team.
He also coached and played for the Allentown Jets of the Eastern League for six seasons. After his professional basketball career was over Brendan received the ultimate honor when he was inducted into the St. Bonaventure Hall of Fame in 1975.
Brendan was a lifelong educator, beginning his career in the North Babylon School District on Long Island. In addition to teaching, Brendan became a Guidance Counselor, and also coached the Varsity Basketball Team, garnering Suffolk County Coach of the Year honors in 1964. Brendan finished his career after 20 years at North Babylon as Director of Guidance. During his tenure at North Babylon and while raising a very active family, Brendan found time to earn a Master's Degree from Long Island University. He also taught evening classes in the Business Department at SUNY Farmingdale, obtaining tenure as an Assistant Professor.
As his teaching career was winding down, Brendan's success and love of sports led to him being appointed as Regional Director for the Long Island Region of the fledgling Empire State Games in 1978. The Empire State Games was a multi-sport Olympic style event for New York State's amateur athletes. New York was divided into six distinct regions, and over 25 different sports were contested during the annual event, which included the Summer Games that were held in various locations around the state, and the Winter Games, which used the facilities built for the Lake Placid Olympics. The Empire State Games grew in prestige to become the largest amateur athletic event in the United States, with upwards of 30,000 athletes competing annually. Many of the Empire State Games athletes went on to compete in college, professionally, and at the Olympics. In 1982, Brendan was named Executive Director of the Empire State Games, a position he held until he retired to Florida in 1990.
Among the many accolades that came Brendan's way were induction into The Basketball Old-Timer's of America Hall of Fame in 1989 and induction into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.
Brendan was born and grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., the oldest of seven children. He attended St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, and Manual Training High School, where he played on the basketball team. He graduated from St. Bonaventure in 1957 with a BA in Accounting. Brendan credits his time at St. Bonaventure and its Franciscan values molding him into the man he became.
A mass in Brendan's honor will be celebrated on Jan. 13, 2025 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Green Cove Springs, Fla. Brendan will be buried beside his wife Jackie at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Green Cove Springs, Fla.
In Brendan's memory, contributions can be made to The Bonnies Athletic Fund through their website: gobonnies.com or to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 7190 Highway 17 South, Fleming Island, FL 32003 or the Alzheimer's Association.com.
Brendan is survived by his five daughters: Susan (Tom) Pinardo, Conroe, TX, Colleen (Sal) Baez, Pembroke Pines, FL, Erin Love, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, Eileen McCann, Holland Patent, NY, Kerry (Artie) Fredericks, SC. Also surviving are his eight grandchildren, Brendan, Shannon and Tucker Love, Mallory, Conor, Brynnan and Teagan Fredericks, Michael Pinardo, and Brendan's sister, Sheila Calabrese, Demarest, NJ.
Brendan was preceded in death by his wife Jackie, with whom he shared a loving marriage of 56 years until her death in 2013. Brendan's devotion to Jackie was unmatched, and continues to be an inspiration to all who knew them. Also preceding Brendan in death were his parents, Brendan and Margaret (Rita) McCann, Brooklyn, NY; brothers Noel, Chickie, Roger and Laurie, and a sister Terry O'Hare.
