John Mooney would have bet on Marist. Despite facing bigger teams with better records, he and his teammates always performed well. John helped build Marist’s emerging baseball and football teams.
A baseball and football standout, he remembers the camaraderie of players, the very long football practices, and the fun baseball practices. In his senior year, two weeks into the season John led all Prep League (230 schools) hitters with a .687 average; John finished the season compiling a whopping .618 league leading batting average. As a third baseman, he led Marist’s team to third place in the Chicagoland Prep League. To cap off his senior year John was named to the Chicagoland Prep League All-League baseball team. He received the same honor for his accomplishments on the football team.
John was also an accomplished student, who was ranked third in the class of 1968. He was awarded an academic scholarship to the University of Notre Dame, but ultimately headed for Maryland when we received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he majored in electrical engineering.
John continued his baseball career at the Naval Academy, hitting .394 in his senior year, the second highest average in the Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League. He also led the team in stolen bases.
Upon graduating in 1972, John entered the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a Huey Gunship Pilot until his service in the Marine Corps concluded in 1978. While serving, he earned a Master’s of Science in systems engineering from The University of Southern California, and went on to obtain an MBA form Stanford University in 1987. His post-military career has included stints with known companies such as IBM, Goldman Sachs, UBS and others.
During a visit back to Chicago in 2014, John spoke to Marist’s football team, emphasizing the importance of what is learned in the classroom and on the field. He encouraged the players to work hard and to set ambitious and worthwhile goals.
John now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Suzanne. John has five children, with whom athletics has been a way to connect. Over the years, John coached baseball, basketball, and flag football for them. They also enjoy professional sporting events together.
Nominated by State Sen. Patrick J. O’Malley (Ret.), Timothy Richardson, and James McKevitt.
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