Boston College Athletics
Eagles Retire Jerseys of Former Football Standouts
June 21, 1999 | Football
September 9, 1998
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- As it opens its home season Saturday in its 100th year of football, Boston College will retire jerseys in honor of four players who represent nearly 90 years of Eagles history, Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo has announced.
In special halftime ceremonies of Saturdays game vs. Rutgers, BC will retire jerseys honoring Louis Urban (1916-17, 1919-20), Charles ORourke (1938-40), Mike Holovak (1940-42) and Tony Thurman (1981-85). In addition, BC will formally retire the numbers of Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie (1981-84) and Outland Trophy recipient Mike Ruth (1982-85) at halftime ceremonies of its game vs. Virginia Tech on October 8.
"As we begin the 100th year of Boston College football, it is extremely important to honor some of the individuals who have contributed greatly to our outstanding tradition," DeFilippo says. "The four men we will honor Saturday have played vital roles for several generations in the building of our football program, and Doug Futie and Mike Ruth have brought great honor and prestige to Boston College. We are extremely excited about the future of our program under Tom OBrien and his staff. At the same time, we are very proud of our past. This is our way of showing our gratitude to these men for their contributions."
A four-year BC letterwinner at end and team captain in 1920, Urban played on BC teams that compiled a record of 25-7, including the 1920 team that went 8-0 and gave the school its first "Eastern Championship." Urban was a consensus first-team All-America selection in 1920.
ORourkes BC teams compiled a cumulative record of 26-3-2. "Chuckin Charlie" helped lead BC to an undefeated (11-0) season in 1940, capped by the Sugar Bowl championship and the claim of a national championship. In 1972, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
Known as one of the best running backs in BC football history, Holovaks BC teams finished 26-5. He scored all three of BCs touchdowns in the 1943 Orange Bowl and averaged 15.8 yards every time he touched the football in that game an Orange Bowl record that stands to this day. A consensus first-team All-American in 1942, he was inducted into the NFF and College Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
Thurman was a consensus first-team All-American and Walter Camp All-American in 1984 as a defensive back and played on storied BC teams that also featured Ruth and Flutie. He still holds BC all-time records for interceptions in a game (3), season (12) and career (25).
ORourke, Holovak and Thurman will be present at Alumni Stadium for Saturdays presentation, while Urban, who is deceased, will be represented by his son, Luke.
