In a half-hour ceremony held underneath a white tent directly adjacent to the brand-new, 120-yard natural grass football practice field, Boston College Athletics officially dedicated the field that borders the Fish Field House to Frank Chamberlin, BC ’00, who passed away in 2013 after a battle with cancer.
Held in front of an assorted group of former and current players, alumni, and friends of Chamberlin, the ceremony featured remarks from Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond, benefactor David O’Connor, BC ’86, and Lisa Chamberlin and her three daughters, Micaela, Leah, and Brooke.
Chamberlin was a four-year member of the football team, playing a key role on both sides of the ball as a fullback and a linebacker. An All-Big East selection, Chamberlin was destined to play at the next level, but it was his commitment to academics that stood out. The linebacker was a computer science major, and after spending six years in the NFL, he became an equities trader for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, where he rose through the ranks while helping raise a family along the way.
“This is a historic day for Boston College,” Jarmond said at the start of the celebration. “We remember and celebrate a man who exemplified what BC is all about. Frank was a talented, hard-working athlete, both at BC and the NFL.
“He was an outstanding student and most importantly, was a family man—a man for others who left behind an inspirational legacy.”
O’Connor, who graduated from BC 14 years before Chamberlin, spoke of his fond memories watching him play. In an interesting twist of fate, O’Connor would eventually work with Chamberlin, and they grew to be great friends.
“Either out of luck or craftiness,” O’Connor joked, “Frank was charged with managing my account. We did a lot of business together and became friends over time. I was very proud of his meteoric rise in the business world.”
O’Connor then talked about how, after Chamberlin passed away, the BC alumni network stepped in to organize events and ensure that Lisa and his three kids would be well taken care of. He poked fun with math, joking that the college tuition payments they were contributing would eventually be addressed to Chestnut Hill.
Finally, choking up, O’Connor finished.
“Over time memories can fade,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that future and current Eagles know the legacy of Frank. I can’t think of anybody else to name such a great facility after.
“A great player, a great teammate, father, friend, gentleman, and role model. Frank Chamberlin.”
Lisa and her three daughters each took a turn at the microphone. Lisa talked about meeting Frank in high school, and despite him being younger than her, she knew that there wouldn’t be anyone like the boy that would eventually become her future husband. All three of her daughters, with the oldest being just 11, mentioned that they wear Frank’s former football numbers while they play travel soccer, and follow dreams with the same amount of passion as he did.
With the sun beating down just a day removed from heavy rain, several current football players—captains Jon Baker and Will Harris among them—assisted in pulling down a banner that revealed that “Chamberlin Practice Field” had been added to the scoreboard, while the play clock was set at 44 seconds—Chamberlin’s number at BC.
Featured Image by Bradley Smart / Heights Editor
