Duffy gains posthumous honor
ORONO — A Caribou and Maine coaching legend has been honored by going into the Orono High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Former Caribou coach Gerry Duffy was inducted posthumously earlier this month, an honor witnessed by some members of his family.
“I always knew he was a great athlete but learned even more about him at this event,” said Duffy’s daughter, Cathy Duffy Cullins of Caribou. “It was bittersweet. My son Matt was really impressed, he said ‘Wow Grampy was really something.’”
Duffy graduated from Orono High School in 1948 where he was a four-sport standout. He earned 11 letters in football, basketball, baseball and track. He played quarterback for the Red Riots, was a forward in basketball and was an 11-foot pole vaulter.
Duffy was also an outstanding catcher for the Red Riots, batting .615 as a junior. He also played for the Old Town VFW team, the Brewer American Legion baseball team and, at 17, he was the youngest player ever to be selected to the Eastern Maine League all-star team.
Duffy began his teaching and coaching career at Danforth and Limestone high schools before going to Caribou in 1966.
In 1969, his Caribou Vikings won the Class A state championship on Mike Thurston’s half-court shot that beat the Westbrook Blue Blazes.
In 31 years of coaching basketball, his career record was 373-151.
Duffy, who died in 2007, has also been inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, Maine Baseball Hall of Fame and the New Brunswick Baseball Hall of Fame.
