By KEN HAMWEY, 

Staff Sports Writer

If Franklin High School had an athletic hall of fame, Tom Cargill would be a first-ballot inductee.

The 66-year-old native of Franklin was a three-sport star for the Panthers, competing as a halfback in football, a forward in basketball and a third baseman in baseball. As a senior, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder not only was a captain in three sports, but he also was the most-valuable player in all three. He also was a member of the National Honor Society and president of his class.

Before graduating in 1973, Cargill earned seven Hockomock League all-star berths and was selected as the Boston Herald’s all-state third baseman as a sophomore. He was part of Franklin High’s 32-game winning streak in football, a key cog for the Bay State Tourney champs in basketball, and a major contributor for the Hockomock League champs in baseball.

“I tried to be well-prepared, and I strived to outwork my opponents,’’ Cargill said from his home In Boynton Beach, Fla. “I had a strong passion for sports, a will to win, and, thanks to terrific coaches, I had good knowledge of the sports I played.’’

Cargill’s strengths were a high sports IQ, an instinctive nature, athleticism and leadership ability. He also was extremely coachable, often referred to as “a coach on the field.’’

Although there were many highlights and memorable moments during his tenure at Franklin High, three stand out.

“My top memories were being the 17th seed in the Bay State Tournament and winning the whole thing,’’ he recalled. “We beat Don Bosco in Boston in a game where I got my 1,000th point, then downed North Attleboro before capturing the title against Chicopee. The football winning streak was big, too. Every team came gunning for us. What made that streak amazing is that it continued from class to class. Hitting .432 as a sophomore and winning the Hock baseball title was another thrill.’’

For all his accolades and honors, he’s quick to credit his teammates and coaches. 

“I had great teammates and a great combination of coaches,’’ Cargill emphasized. “I played for Don Cotter in basketball, Jerry Leone in football and Ron Bonollo in baseball. “And, I’ll never forget how good Tom Geysen was as Cotter’s assistant. All of those men were motivators who instilled a will to win.’’ 

Cargill said that if Franklin High had a hall of fame, “It would promote the great history of Franklin athletics,’’ he noted. “It also would honor so many great athletes, and it would be such a value to the community and to the athletic program.’’

Cargill could be a hall of fame candidate for Franklin, as well as the collegiate level. His love affair for sports led to his becoming the athletic director at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla.

After graduating from the University of New Hampshire, where an injury cut short his baseball career, the athletic administration major earned his masters at Texas Tech before joining Florida State as director of outdoor recreation facilities. There, he earned an EdS degree in athletic administration. In 1988, Cargill took a major step on a journey that eventually led to his becoming a Division 1 A.D.

“I always wanted to be an A.D.,’’ he said. “When the opportunity came to interview at Florida Atlantic University as an assistant A.D., I got the post, then moved up to associate athletic director before taking the reins as A.D. in 1994.’’

During Cargill’s eight years as the Owls’ A.D., the university became a Division 1 program, six sports were added to give the school 17 varsity programs, and the university  joined the Trans America Athletic Conference. When Cargill arrived at FAU, there was no football program. That changed when FAU kicked off its grid program in 2001 led by a coach who had major drawing power.

“I hired Howard Schnellenberger for football, Sidney Green in basketball and Bob Beamon for track,’’ Cargill said. “We needed proven winners — people who could sell the programs to south Florida. Schnellenberger was Don Shula’s offensive coordinator for the unbeaten Miami Dolphins of 1973, Green was an all-American at Nevada-Las Vegas who  played for the Knicks, and Beamon was an Olympic champ in the long jump.’’

Joan Joyce, probably the most accomplished softball player in the country, also was hired to direct the softball team. “A great athlete, she also played on the LPGA tour and even struck out Ted Williams,’’ Cargill noted. 

At the helm at FAU for a total of 15 conference and regular-season championships, Cargill’s top thrills occurred in basketball and baseball.

“In 2002, we qualified for the NCAA Basketball Tournament and missed going to the College World Series by two games, he recalled. “Our basketball team was champs of the Sun Belt Conference and faced Alabama. We lost at the wire to a team that got to the Elite Eight. Our baseball team won 34 straight games, tying the University of Texas for a national record. Losing to Georgia Tech in the regionals, we fell two games short of the World Series.’’

After 16 years at FAU, time and travel burdens began to take a toll on Cargill. His son (T.J.) and daughter (Kellie) were involved in youth sports, and he also wanted to spend more time with his wife (Loraine). He stepped away from the collegiate scene in 2004 and became an administrator in Boca Raton in charge of park rangers before retiring in 2018.

When Cargill was excelling in Franklin, his mother (Clarice), who still lives in Franklin, and late father (David) rarely missed a game. “Both my parents became fans of FAU and often saw games in Florida.’’

                                              Cargill at Franklin High School in 1973.

Cargill says he learned valuable life lessons from Franklin athletics. “I learned how to overcome adversity, how to lead, how to be a good teammate and how to set goals,’’ he emphasized. “Another great lesson was learning how to handle pressure. As an A.D., I tried to surround myself with the best people possible, attract quality student-athletes and provide support and resources for them in all areas.’’

The town of Franklin played a role in building his character.

“It laid the foundation for what I became in life,’’ he emphasized. 

Tom Cargill’s career was a perfect blend of athletics and academics traveling side by side. His story is spiced with success and achievement with an emphasis on character and values.