Compiled by Joseph Staszewski
“While Jack was known for basketball and baseball victories at Archbishop Molloy, his even more impressive achievement was helping to shape the lives of the thousands of students he taught over the past 55 years.”
– Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly
“I can’t think of anyone in high school sports that had the record that he had in both baseball and basketball. The individuals that he produced at Molloy form an outstanding group, and he went out of his way to help so many over the years that were not from Molloy. Jack Curran was a giant of scholastic athletics, and that is an understatement.”
– Former St. John’s Coach Lou Carnesecca
“His passing will not only be felt by today’s students, faculty and staff, but generations going back over 50 years.”
– Molloy President
Richard Karsten
“I really have no words, but I miss him a lot. 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…”
– Louisville guard
Russ Smith
“The only coach from Brooklyn/Queens to call me and congratulate me after we won the state [Federation title] was Jack Curran. It’s incredible that he would actually do that. I hope that when I’m doing this as long as he was doing it I’m as humble and classy as he is because boy does he really, really teach you the right way to act.”
– Christ the King
Coach Joe Arbitello
“He made an everlasting impression, not merely on the athletes of Molloy, but on every student, past and present, who has walked through its doors”
– State Sen. Joseph Addabbo
“If you really watched Jack he was as good a coach at 80 as he was at 50,”
– Xaverian coach Jack Alesi
“He really was a soldier these last couple of years, just a tough, tough guy. When you look around the league there are less and less guys like Jack Curran around.”
– St. Francis Prep Coach Tim Leary
