Guido: Tragic death 90 years ago nearly ended A-K Valley football programs

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, October 10, 2017 | 10:51 PM

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Tragedy visited Alle-Kiski Valley high school football 90 years ago this week.

A Har-Brack High School football player's death caused from an injury during a game led that school and others to consider canceling the remaining games that season and discontinuing the sport altogether.

On Oct. 15, 1927, senior quarterback Henry Borski led the undefeated Har-Brack team into a crucial road game against similarly-undefeated Turtle Creek. Fans packed Turtle Creek field to the point where the bleachers overflowed and spectators gathered along the sidelines.

There were no WPIAL playoffs at the time. Instead, the Western Pennsylvania chapter of the Syracuse University Alumni Association chose the WPIAL champion and awarded the designated team what was called the Syracuse Cup.

Surely, the winner of the game would impress the alumni committee.

Har-Brack, in just its fourth season of existence, had quickly become a football power. In 1926, Har-Brack posted the Allegheny Valley area's best record, and Turtle Creek had lost just two games the previous seven seasons.

Fans organized what was called an “automobile parade,” a caravan that allowed fans to take the same route to Turtle Creek. The game was played on a Saturday afternoon — no local team would play night football until Parnassus two years later.

Turtle Creek scored the first touchdown and the subsequent extra point.

After a possession change, Turtle Creek fumbled on its 6, and George Barclay grabbed the loose ball and scored a touchdown.

Har-Brack set up for the conversion, worth one point at the time. Borski took the snap and lateraled to fullback Frank Murdock for the score.

On the play, Borski made a diving block for Murdock. He was struck with a knee to the abdomen when Turtle Creek players fell on him. After a brief stoppage of play, Burski insisted he was fine and continued to play.

Two plays later, Borski collapsed and was rushed to the hospital and treated while Har-Brack was in the process of a 19-7 victory.

He was transferred later that day to Allegheny Valley Hospital. Doctors performed emergency intestinal surgery Sunday morning, but to no avail.

Before slipping into a coma, Borski absolved Turtle Creek players “of any wrongdoing.” Only coach O.D. Williams and team captain Cliff Montgomery were permitted to visit Borski, where the injured player “vowed to be in the lineup” for the next game against Parnassus.

The Tarentum Valley Daily News described a teammates' vigil outside Borski's hospital room eventually “swelling to 150 people.”

Friends and family received the bad news at 8 p.m. that Henry had died. The Allegheny County coroner ruled the death an accidental “intestinal rupture” following an inquest.

The community was so grief-stricken that the Har-Brack Union school board met to consider not only calling off the remainder of the season, but to do away with the sport entirely. Neighboring Tarentum High School was considering similar action.

But Borski's father, Emil, spoke to the school board, saying the program should continue. The school board voted unanimously to keep football.

Tarentum superintendent A.D. Endsley said his school would continue football “unless pressure was brought to bear.” None was forthcoming.

Only three families pulled their sons from the football team, as Williams requested his players discuss the matter with their parents.

Hundreds of well-wishers visited the family home on Spruce Street in the Natrona section of Harrison Township to view the young man's body, a common practice at the time.

Har-Brack, Tarentum and New Kensington all called off school for Borski's funeral. Undertaker W.W. Rusiewicz — the title given to funeral directors at the time — asked auto dealerships in the Allegheny Valley to donate cars for Borski's funeral procession.

On Oct. 18, 1927, six teammates served as pallbearers, carrying Borski's casket from his home to St. Ladislaus Church. The procession to the St. Ladislaus Cemetery was described as “one of the longest Natrona has witnessed.”

Later that week, Har-Brack tied Parnassus, 0-0, before one of the largest crowds of the era. Proceeds went to the Borski family to help pay funeral expenses.

Though Har-Brack didn't lose any games, it was eliminated from WPIAL title consideration with the tie, and Greensburg was awarded the Syracuse Cup.

George Guido is a Valley News Dispatch scholastic sports correspondent. His column appears Wednesdays.