Evening star., 1951-07-25
Tom GormIey Dies;
|Ex-Hoya Grid Star
And Coach al Gu

1IIOIIldo /. 1OI ullCy, IOI IIlcl
Georgetown University football
star and for two years head coach
at Catholic University, died al
Georgetown University Hospita
last night Of a heart ailment. He
would have been so years old ir
August. Gormley, in poor health
since the removal of a spina'
tumor 212 years ago. entered the
hospital two weeks ago.
Gormley played tackle on the
Georgetown teams of 1918. IA
and rs after transferring from
Catholic University. where he
played in 1912. He coached al
leu in 1923 and "a.
At Georgetown, Gormley, a 60
minute tackle with exceptional
speed for a 225-pounder, was as
sociated with some of the all-time
greats of Hilltop football history
coached by Al Exendine, former
Carlisle Indian star.
DUNG 1nClUent DenlcU.
Although rated among the best
Ilinemen in Georgetown history
Gormley gained his biggest head
lines from an incident in the 1915
game between Georgetown and
Army, won by the Cadets, 1910
in a bruising battle. Gormley was
reported to have bitten Jack Nc
Evan, West Points star center.
For many years the story was
widely accepted. but according to
Gormley, the incident was fiction
al. Morris Bealle, author of The
|Georgetown Hoyas. published in
I1947, said in his book:
Throughout the hullabaloo no.
body thought to ask Tom Gormley
his version Of the affair. But
III he had been given his day in
court, young Gormley would have
said, as he said to the author Of
this book:
1.-The biting incident never
happened. I was put out of the
game for clipping. McEwan was
running around squealing to the
referee that some one had bitter
him. I was feeling mean, so
said to him half jokingly: I die
1t. What the hell are you goine
to do about it?'
Challenges Entire Team.
After the game I was feeline
meaner, so I challenged the whole
West Point team to battle it out
in the dressing room. Four Of
them accepted my challenge anc
got me down under the shower
The only way the others coulc
break it up was to turn the hot
water on them.
And then I was feeling even
meaner. I called Harry Tuthill
the West Point trainer, a broken.
down pug-not worth a damr
any more. Tuthill grabbed a pain
OF sheers-and I was stark naked
He chased me around and around
the running track until he got out
OF breath. I started to jump into
the swimming pool but found out
in time there was no water in
it,"
Georgetown and Army neve,
resumed football relations.
Gormley, a native of Bridgeport
Conn, attended Villanove Prep,
For many years he was an at
torney of the Veterans Admins.
tration, retiring after his spina,
operation. In World War I he
was lieutenant in the Army. He
Is survived by his widow, Mary A
Gormley; a daughter, Miss Patri-
c1a E. Gormley, an attorney in the
Justice Department; two brothers
Martin E. Gormley, lawyer OF
New Haven, Conn, and John J.
Gormley, chief of police of Nauga-
tuck, Conn.,. and two sisters. Mrs
Margaret Morris and Mrs. John
Fitzgerald, both of Naugatuck.
Funeral services will be held at
S:45 am, Friday at st. Anthony's
Church in Brookland, with Msgr.
Edward L. Stephens of st. Mary's
Church of Alexandria officiating.
Burial will be in Arlington Gene
terry.
At Catholic University, where
he was assisted by another former
Georgetown gridder of note, DR..
John E. Hagerty, Washington
dentist, his 1928 team won one
game and lost three and that of
1924 won one, lost five and tied
two.