Desire and talent are among the necessary elements needed to be a great athlete.\u00a0 For 1994 Branford Sports Hall of Fame, inductee, Henry \u201cHank\u201d LaCroix, courage can be added to that list.\u00a0 After battling back from a compound leg fracture which required the insertion of a silver plate to prevent a lifetime of living with one leg shorter than the other, LaCroix became an outstanding basketball player for Branford High School during the 1930\u2019s.\u00a0 A three sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball, LaCroix, born in Branford on January 17, 1918, assisted the Hornets basketball squad during the 1934-35 season to a second place finish in the Housatonic League as a center as well as being selected to the First All-Housatonic Basketball team.\u00a0 Playing under the tutelage of 1988 Branford Sports Hall of Famer Coach Johnny Knecht, Jr., LaCroix and the Hornets won 16 games and lost seven.\u00a0 That year, Branford played 10 of its games with Class B schools and won them all while winning three contests against Class A schools and was considered the best team ever to don the Hornets uniform.\u00a0 Branford exhibited its finest play during the Class B tournament defeating Naugatuck 41-26 behind LaCroix\u2019s 16 points, then foiling Norwalk 36-18 before bowing to Meriden 32-37 in the semi-finals of the Class A-B tournament.<\/p>\n
In LaCroix\u2019s senior season, he was named the team captain and for good reason.\u00a0 After losing its first three games, coach John Knecht Jr. made some line-up changes and allowed LaCroix to lead the way.\u00a0 What followed was a seven game winning streak, including a 14 point victory over Lyman Hall, giving the Hornets a tie atop the Housatonic League with the Wallingford team.\u00a0 In the game, LaCroix netted a game high 13 points.\u00a0 A few contests later, the Hornets took sole possession of the Housatonic crown, beating Lyman Hall on their own home turf, 35-19, where 1993 Hall of Fame inductee Joe \u201cButch\u201d Naimo scored 12 points and LaCroix added nine.\u00a0 The Hornets went on to win the Housatonic League championship and the Class B championship for the State of Connecticut.\u00a0 LaCroix, in addition to playing basketball, participated in football as an All-Housatonic League back, a Branford Laurels fullback and as a baseball outfielder, where he hit .449 in his senior season.<\/p>\n
Off the playing field, LaCroix contributed to his school by acting as Class President, Junior Prom Committee Member and Class Book Committee Member as well as being voted as Most Athletic Male and Best Dancer.<\/p>\n
Married to Betty Boldtman, LaCroix was the father of four children: Cheryl, DeeDee, Dana, and Henry (Jay) Jr.\u00a0 LaCroix passed away on January 12, 1977.\u00a0 \u201cWe are so proud of this award.\u00a0 We can see him smiling if he was still alive today to accept it.\u00a0 It is truly an honor to accept this award on his behalf,\u201d said one of his daughters, DeeDee.<\/p>\n
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