Jimm Gantz: he wore number 1 for a reasn.

Freddie Paulus remembers Jimm Gantz (April 10, 2006)
Yes Jim Gantz was quite a guy! I remember the first time I met him was at a monday or tues. night practice, no equipment, after a sun. game. We were on the softball field running plays & we weren't introduced to Jim but he was playing defensive safety. Ray Petty was QB. Once Jim sized up my speed and he adjusted & stayed way back so I couldn't fly by him. I kept telling Ray, in the huddle, to just improvise & throw a short button hook to me since there was no way Jim was going to let me get past him by playing back so far. Since we didn't have a button hook pass play to me, just the wing back flank pass, in our play book, Ray never called one & Jim won that round. I believe that night he got me to chew tar that was between the asphalt expansion joints to kind of relax. I believe I complained to Jimmy Riendau that night about how can I possibly beat this new guy ( Jim Gantz) the way he's playing me so deep. He knew what what he was doing!

Gene Grandinetti contributed this story about how Jimmy came to play with Garity. (April 7, 2006)
Thought this story about one of the legions of Garity Football would be interesting. In 1959 not owning a car I would take a bus to Ridgewood from Brooklyn where I was living at the time. While waiting for the bus I was watching some kids play touch football in the street, one of them impressed me with his throwing ability.My nephew (Steve Heck) was one of the players so I asked him about this gangly kid who was throwing the ball two sewer lengths with no trouble, He told me his name and said he and his older sister had recently moved into the area. I asked him if he wanted to play tackle football on an regular team,he said sure but he had no equipment. I told him that would not be a problem.As the Garity Jr.s already had a terrific Quarterback In Ray Petty the new kid became a running back. In 1959 he won the league's Outstanding Back Award and he was Garity's Outstanding Back and Sportsmanship Award winner. In 1960 moving up to the new Sr,team Torchy Smith then Asst. coach ( Steve Thorpy was head coach) made him the quaterback The rest was history, he captained and lead the Garity Sr.s for many years winning the Garity M.V.P. three years in a row 1960,1961and 1962 In 1963 he was the League M.V.P. By now all Garity player;s coach's and follower's know that kid from the streets of Brooklyn is Garity's beloved Jimm Gantz, one of the best player 's in sandlot football history And I think all who saw him play will agree #1 in our hearts forever.