Coach McGee

Joseph P. McGee was born in 1902 in Providence, RI. He played football, basketball and baseball at Woonsocket High. He was a three-year starter at quarterback and was First Team All-State in his senior year in 1919. In basketball he was a forward and in baseball played all the infield positions including catcher. He went on to Seton Hall Prep where he competed in basketball and baseball. There was no football team at the school. After one year at Holy Cross (playing varsity football) he transferred to Providence College in 1921 embarking on one of the greatest athletic careers in the school's history.McGee organized and captained the Friar's first football team. He played both end and quarterback and was again captain in 1922. He also helped start the basketball program at Providence College in 1920, on an informal basis, playing forward. The team lasted 2 seasons before returning in the 1926-27 season. He was also a star third basemen for the Friar nine. He led the Friars to three New England Championships in baseball.

In his senior year in 1924 he participated in a 20-inning game between Brown University and Providence College. It gained national attention by playing in and eventually winning the longest (4 hours and 17 minutes) scoreless intercollegiate baseball game at that time. His performance at third base helped the Friars shutout Brown 1-0. After graduating he continued to play semi-pro ball for the Providence Steam Roller eleven (1924) and the Norton's Checker Cab baseball team. He also played for the Steam Roller nine and Blessed Sacrament in Tim O'Neill's Providence Amateur League. He started a long and successful football coaching career starting with the semi-pro Nickerson Tigers (1926-28) winning two state titles. He also coached the Attleboro Bears (1929) and the Pawtuxet A.A. Tigers (1930). He moved back to his alma mater in 1931 starting as the ends coach under Friar Coach Archie Golembeski. He took over the freshman team in 1932 and then the head coaching reins in 1934 through 1937. The highlight of his Friar coaching career was upsetting Boston College in 1934 by a score up 13-7 at Alumni Field in Chestnut, MA.

McGee resigned his post at Providence College after the 1937 season. Pearce Johnson, Providence Steam Roller manager, convinced McGee to return to coaching in 1938. Thus began a successful tenure as the coach of Rhode Island's pro football team. He coached the Roller till 1947 and became general manager in 1948 through 1949. Under his tutelage the Roller played in the American Football Association (1939-41) and won the New England Pro Football Conference Championship in 1947 and 1948. When the Roller returned to the pros in 1962 he was their G.M. playing in the Atlantic Coast Football League. He became a member of the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in 1981.