Tivnan teams excelled at Lake.

• Position: SPORTS

Byline: Nick Manzello

COLUMN: SPORTS STREET

Last week, I ran into Grafton Hill's Mike Fontaine, who was a big follower of St. Stephen's High baseball back in the '50s and '60s.

"I miss those great games at Lake Park on Saturday and Sunday afternoons when St. Stephen's would play some of the top teams in the state before crowds of four and five thousand," Fontaine said. "I can remember Tony Conigliaro playing here, as well as some other future major league players. What I remember most is St. Stephen's winning the state championship in 1958 and a few of the players going on to Holy Cross."

Four of the players who were members of the state championship team received baseball scholarships to Holy Cross. They included first baseman Bobby Arena, second baseman Billy Prizio, shortstop Paul Morano and pitcher Don Reidl. St. Stephen's was coached by Holy Cross Hall of Famer John Tivnan. Paul Cantiani was the catcher and captain of the team. He later went on to Leicester Junior College and Assumption. ... Sports Street: Still buzzing over Tantasqua winning the state Division 2 boys' basketball championship, 64-58, over Catholic Memorial, and Holy Name dropping a 56-52 decision to BC High in Division 1. ... Where are they now? Tim Connolly, the former Assumption basketball player, is a member of District Attorney Joe Early's staff. Fran Winslow, a former North High athlete who played semipro baseball and football, is a retired teacher who spends his winters in Florida. ... Bob Sansoucy, St. Peter-Marian's two-way football player, is headed to Assumption.

Don McMahon passes

Recently, while watching the television show "Law and Order," Rick Eid's name appeared as co-producer. Rick played high school sports at St. John's High and is the son of Dick Eid, the former Classical High, Worcester Academy and UMass baseball and basketball player. ... Sports Street lost a regular last week with the passing of Don McMahon, a former North High athlete, in Arizona. Don played baseball at Worcester Junior College. ... Ralph "T.J." Thomas, former Commerce High athlete of the '50s, phoned to tell Sports Street that he is a retired social worker living in Ohio and was in attendance when Holy Cross lost to Southern Illinois in a first-round NCAA game. ... Paul Mahoney, a former semipro football player with the Lake View Golden Bears, is back walking Sports Street following hip replacement surgery. ... Two Sports Street regulars, Norman Goyette and Fred Porter, are on...