Much so.
The greatest Joe Boy athlete is Jim McCann
A Manly lad who almost ended up at Waverley!
Thank goodness his mother had the final say.
He won premierships in the following
Rugby. 1955, 1956, 1957 (GPS 1st XV in all those years as well)
Athletics 1955, 1956, 1957 (two schoolboy WORLD records that still stand to this day. Long jump and 4 x 100yrd relay)
Cricket 1955
A once in a lifetime athlete but as well a wonderful, humble fella.
1957 AAGPS Carnival against the great Don Bursill from Scots in the 220yrd.
Here is a report from 1957 of this race.
Jim McCann, the star of St Joseph's College, again stamped himself as the greatest schoolboy athlete in Australia's history. Last year he won four events (counting the relay) and set a record in each; this year he won five events and bettered three of the records. It was an amazing performance: a feat of endurance and ability that no schoolboy had ever done before, and one that it is hard to imagine happening again.
He started his epochal day with the 220 yards event. This was to be a titanic struggle with Don Bursill (S) who had been running outstanding times for this distance. The race was run into the teeth of the strong westerly. Jim hit the lead early, but against the strong wind the strong-running Don Bursill started to overhaul Jim in the final fifty yards. By sheer strength Jim managed to hold him off and break the tape about 1 yards ahead. The time of 21.8 was magnificent considering the adverse conditions.
