Harry Agganis
1929–1955
Lynn; Boston
Harry Agganis grew up in Lynn, where he became a standout athlete at Lynn Classical High School. The son of Greek immigrants, he was celebrated by fans as the Golden Greek. At Boston University he excelled in football and baseball, then chose a professional baseball career with the Boston Red Sox. His promising career ended when he died in 1955 at age twenty-six. Scholarships, local sports events, and Boston University's Agganis Arena help preserve his memory. His story connects neighborhood pride and immigrant family life with the opportunities and uncertainty of national sports.
You can use your device’s reading tools or read with a partner.
Find a detail. Build an idea.
- What did this person or group do? Point to a detail in the reading.
- How can sport reveal questions about teamwork and equal opportunity?
- What would you like to find out next? Which kind of source could help?
“Harry Agganis mattered because ___. A detail that supports my idea is ___.”
Grades 6–8: dig deeper
Why might a community choose scholarships or youth sports events as a way to remember an athlete?
Follow the evidence.
This short reading is an original classroom summary. Open the source with your teacher to check details and learn more.
Read the source: bu.edu ↗Ask: Who made this source? What can it tell us? What might it leave out?