Lou Montgomery

Lou Montgomery

Lou Montgomery taught and coached track, cross country, and hockey at Bennett from 1929 into the late 30’s.

Before he arrived at Bennett, he was a radio operator on submarine L-6 during WWI. After the war Lou entered Indianapolis College. After graduation he taught physical education in Michigan for a few years before coming to Buffalo. He spent a few years teaching in Buffalo elementary schools before taking the coaching reins at Bennett. Although his hockey and cross country teams were successful, his track teams were legendary.

Montgomery left Bennett in the late 1 930’s with an undefeated string of Scalp & Blade championships. He transferred over to the new Kensington High School and started another undefeated string of championships there.

Upon leaving the city of Buffalo, Montgomery became a very successful college track coach at Cornell University. His stops included a stint as a coach with the U.S. Olympic track team. He later returned to Buffalo where he became director of the Buffalo Athletic Club.


Lou retired to California, having left a legacy in Western New York track and field.

Paul Swartz

Paul Swartz

Swartz was one of the finest all around athletes of his era. He was a strong-armed third baseman with outstanding power. He played three years of varsity baseball from ’35 to ’37, achieving All-High status in 1 936 and 1 937. He was also All-High in football in 1 935, when Bennett won the Harvard Cup, and in 1 936.


In football, he was a genuine triple threat. An elusive halfback, he could throw the ball with great accuracy and also kicked the extra points.


After graduation, Swartz earned an athletic scholarship to Colgate University, where he played football and baseball.


Swartz was a U.S. Marine veteran. He later returned to Buffalo where he became a swimming official and baseball umpire with the Western New York Umpires Association.

Robert Baker

Robert Baker

Baker was a three year track and cross county runner for Bennett. He achieved All-High honors in track three consecutive years with the 880 yard relay team. In his senior year he was All-High in the 1 00 and 220 yard dashes, and was on the Scalp & Blade champion 1 962 squad.


Unanimously recognized as one of the greatest runners in the annals of Bennett High track and cross country, Baker earned a scholarship to Southern University for his outstanding track achievements.

Tom Smith

Tom Smith

Smith was a basketball and baseball star at Bennett in the early 1 950’s. He was a four year starter on the varsity baseball team, and led Bennett to the Cornell Cup title in 1 955. A left handed pitcher, he threw two career nohitters, one in his junior year and one as a senior, exhibiting a wide array of pitches.

In basketball, Smith was a three year varsity player and a starter in his senior year. During his sophomore year Bennett won the Yale Cup, symbolic of basketball supremacy in the Buffalo Public Schools.

After high school, Smith signed a professional baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. After his pro career, Tom played MUNY baseball locally for many years and was part of an AA championship team.

Vince Cechini

Vince Cechini

Vince Cechini was an all around athlete who starred in three sports at Bennett in the early 50’s, earning letters in football, basketball, and track. His main sport was football, a sport in which the powerful running back literally bowled over opposing linemen. He was the All-High fullback in both his junior and senior seasons in the Buffalo Evening News and Courier Express- an incredible accomplishment. Cechini was co-captain of the 1952 Harvard Cup champion Tigers.

He lettered three years in track where he was a high jumper. He also played varsity basketball during his junior and senior seasons. The 1 953 basketball team was the Yale Cup champion.

After graduation he attended Syracuse University on a football scholarship. Unfortunately, his college career was cut short by a knee injury. Vince is a retired Wall Street vice president and now lives in Lakewood, New Jersey.