Honoring one of their own on the gridiron

September 18, 2001

The Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Maine Maritime Academy football teams stood silently, helmets under their arms, as a bagpiper played "Amazing Grace" before their game last weekend. Along with their game programs, fans clutched flyers asking for donations to a memorial fund in the name of Massachusetts Maritime alumnus John "Jay" Corcoran.

Corcoran was on United Flight 175 from Boston when it crashed into the World Trade Center Sept. 11. The father of two teenagers was headed to Los Angeles to work on a container ship going to the Far East. His good friend, Mike Saganey - who had taken a different flight, planning to meet Corcoran in L.A. - was at the football game Saturday.

"I think the game should be played," Mr. Saganey said. "Get on with normal lives."