‘Here Come The Bruins, Here Come The Bruins’

Three individuals and one team will be inducted into the St. Bede Academy Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony during Saturday’s Homecoming festivities.

Abbot Emeritus Philip Davey, O.S.B. ‘65, Joan Jobst, Charles Link ‘56 and the Bruins’ 1992 state baseball team will be inducted at 10 a.m.

Immediately following the Hall of Fame ceremony, the naming and dedication of Abbot Philip Davey, O.S.B. Field will take place at the softball field. Abbot Davey previously was head coach of the St. Bede softball team.

Here are the Hall of Fame biographies from St. Bede:

1992 State Baseball Team

The 1992 St. Bede Academy baseball team won 22 games in a row, appearing in the IHSA Elite Eight, becoming the 5th ranked team in the State.

During the ‘92 season, players recall how Chris Negro hit a home run off of Princeton pitcher, Matt McDonald-regarded as one of the hardest throwing lefties in the area. That home run gave the Bruins the lead and that comeback win (over Princeton) sent St. Bede to the IHSA Regional Championship.

Also referenced was how the team had to pack into gray vans on road trips, playing with family members, and making it downstate with an Illinois Baseball coaching legend, John Bellino.

The 1992 St. Bede Academy Bruins baseball team held a team batting average of .314, anchored by Neil Piacenti, who hit at a .438 clip. Their pitching staff posted a 3.17 ERA with both Piacenti (9-1) and Joe Zelenski (9-2) combining for 18 of the squad’s 24 victories.

The ‘92 Bruins finished with a record of 24-6, losing to Harrisburg in the first round of the IHSA State Tournament. The Bruins are one of seven baseball teams in school history to qualify for the state finals.

Team members are Jason Bernabei, John Donahue, Pat Dooley, Christian Gimochio, Tim Maciejewski, Dave McGunnigal, Daryl Micheli, Kevin Micheli, Chris Negro, Jim Payne, Mike Perona, Neil Piacenti, Sean Riordan, Andy Zelenski, Joe Zelenski and coaches Randy Gunia & John Bellino.

Abbot Emeritus Philip Davy

When Philip Davy stepped onto the campus at St. Bede Academy as a freshmen day student in 1961 and to this day, continues to walk the campus. Now, Father Phillip, can be seen in the mornings (as well as the afternoons) walking the lane, often greeting staff as they drive in for work.

Father Philips states “One of my first memories of St. Bede was back when we had mostly boarding students. We would take three or four buses and as we are driving through a town for a game, one of the students stands up and says ‘windows down, right now!’ and then everyone starts singing ‘Here Come The Bruins, Here Come The Bruins’ the whole rest of the way!”

Father Philip consistently takes the focus off of records, victories, or championships, choosing rather to concentrate on how coaching softball allowed him to recognize each child’s gifts and talents. He explained; “It was about helping people to be as good of a person (and athlete) as they could be. Helping them become the best version of themselves. And then recognizing those efforts and being proud of their accomplishment.”

Father continued “I really appreciated the fostering of relationships with the students and families. When we would travel down to Tennessee for a tournament, the families would all go. We would have a team mass and then a cookout. It was a wonderful way to connect with others and really build that comradery.”

St. Bede Academy was well regarded in Tennessee with Father explaining that after the first season, even though the team didn’t win a game, an organizer approached him, saying that other coaches and teams had nothing but the highest level of respect for the kids, coaches, and families. “He said ‘St. Bede was welcome to come back whenever they wished.’ And we did go back! And we played much better because we knew what the competition would be like. We were more prepared.”

Father Philip coached the St. Bede Academy Lady Bruins softball program from 1986 to 2010. He positively impacted the lives of many students and continues to inspire others. The softball Field at St. Bede Academy will be dedicated in his honor following the Hall of Fame ceremony

Charles “Bucky” Link

As a student, Charles Link first entered the halls of St. Bede Academy in 1952. As a Catholic young man, he knew attending St. Bede was the right choice. He states, “I knew I would get a better education and (being Catholic) it was the right decision for me.”

From an early age, Charles was known as “Bucky” to his friends, classmates, and team members. “Only my mom called me Charles. To everyone else, I was Bucky!” he said. In fact, Charles said whenever his name appeared in the paper it was always listed as Charles “Bucky” Link.

During his time at St. Bede, Charles enjoyed his classmates, and mentioned that several of them helped him through school. “Back then, we were all boys, with more boarding students than day students. And some of the guys really helped me with my studies, kept me in line,” he said.

Often arriving a week or so earlier than other students to begin football practice, he recalls something that stood out to him at St. Bede. “I have never felt closer to Heaven than when I heard the monk’s singing in the morning and at night,” he recalls. “It really was special and, honestly, I didn’t understand the religious aspect of what was taught to me until I was out of school. Then it all came back to me,” he said.

During his time at St. Bede, Charles played both football and basketball, but eventually concentrated on football. Charles played both full back and defensive end. He explains, “I played every snap; I never came off the field. I averaged 5 yards a carry during my high school career.”

His participation earned him a special mention All State award.

After graduating in 1956, Charles attended Monmouth College where he played football for two years until a back injury caused him to step away. “Our freshmen squad could have knocked the socks off the varsity team!” said Charles. “But back then, the freshmen only got to practice.”

After college, Charles studied in Chicago to become a brew master, eventually moving to San Antonio, Texas and working for Pearl Brewing Company. “They were the largest and top brewery in that area,” he said.

Charles got married in 1960 and started a family while in Texas. Eventually, he moved to the St. Louis area and retired after 30 years working for Anheuser-Busch. He has three children and five grandchildren. Charles gets excited when he speaks about his kids and grandkids.

“My son was a heck of a football player and my one daughter played softball at the University of Missouri. My other daughter is a journalist and my grandson has both an athletic and academic scholarship at Quincy University.” he said.

Joan Jobst

Joan Jobst first started working as an English Teacher at St. Bede Academy in 1996 and soon after dedicated herself to serving others within the school community.

She began coaching JV softball in 1997 and, alongside head coach Abbot Emeritus Philip Davy, assisted in building a respectable program guiding several teams to great success. She laid out the foundational pieces which allowed students to be prepared for varsity competition, thus achieving greater success at the higher level.

Not only did Joan coach softball (1997-2011), she also coached students competing as independent swimmers, on and off through 2021. She contributed to other extra-curricular activities by reading for scholastic bowl meets and supporting all student-athletes through her ongoing attendance at extra-curricular events.

She took a lot of pride in being a faculty member of St. Bede Academy. A former student explained; “she built our confidence as students, starting each class period with prayer and finishing with ‘Mary Queen of Victory’ on game days. She was a major influence to many students.”

In 2021, Joan stepped away from St. Bede Academy in order to concentrate on herself. She made it a point to attend the volleyball sectional last season and the football team dedicated their 2021 playoff run to her.

A former student continues; “students recognized her at the meets, games and matches. That’s what she meant to us. Whether it was on the field or in the classroom, Mrs. Jobst left an impact on others. She continues to be an inspiration…..she is the Spirit of St. Bede!”