Hockey Team Honors Monbouquette

Bill Monbouquette and his wife Josephine pose for a photo with MHS Hockey captains Brett Cavallaro, Steve Servideo, Josef Danilchuk, and Steve Mearn before the GBL Jamboree at LoConte Rink on December 13.   Monbouquette is battling leukemia.  Photo courtesy MHS Boys Hockey.

Team Dedicates Winter Season to Hometown Hero

Story Updated 10:53AM Monday, December 15, 2008

– Allison Goldsberry

The Medford High School hockey team dedicated its 2008-2009 winter season to former Major League Baseball player Bill Monbouquette before the team hit the ice this weekend in their annual Jamboree tournament at LoConte Rink.

“Every year, we dedicate the season to someone…One of the captains suggested Bill and I spoke with him a couple times about it, so it was a good choice….He’s a tough guy. He thought it should go to someone else. But that’s who he is, he’s humble. He’s in the Mustang Hall of Fame, he played for the Sox, he has a lot of history here,” Medford High Head Hockey Coach Chuck Allen said to the Boston Globe.

Monbouquette enjoyed a successful ten years in the game, playing alongside greats such as Ted Williams and Micky Mantle and once pitching a no-hitter for the Red Sox. The four-time American League All-Star spent eleven seasons in the Majors, playing for Red Sox, Yankees, and Detroit Tigers.

Monbouquette spent 50 years in baseball, forty of them coaching. Before his Major League career Monbouquette pitched for the Mustangs and also played hockey.

The 72-year-old Medford native is battling leukemia and was recently recognized by the state legislature for his efforts in raising awareness for bone marrow donations.

Medford beat Somerville, 3-1, on Saturday, with goals by Servideo, Mearn, and Greg Wilson.