Inducted 2002. Helped Boys Basketball Team to Fourth-Place Finish in State. Class of 1957.
One of the most memorable seasons in Quincy Notre Dame basketball history was anchored by a pair of 6-5 towers — Bill Kurz, who eventually became the leading scorer in school history, and John Flynn, who earned an NCAA Division I scholarship.
Flynn, a 1957 graduate, was a three-year member of the football team, but he will be remembered for his basketball exploits. He scored 477 points as a junior (averaging around 17 ppg) and led the Raiders to a 24-4 record in 1956. His 42 points in a regional game against Liberty is the fourth-highest single-game effort in school history. The team lost to crosstown rival Quincy High School in the regional title game.
Flynn scored 573 points in his senior season and was named the most valuable player at the Macomb-Western Tournament. He scored 25 points to lead the Raiders past QHS 69-60 in the regional title game. QND won its next three games to reach the single-class state tournament in Champaign, and it reached the semifinals before losing to eventual state champion Herrin. The Raiders finished in fourth place with a 30-4 record. Flynn is one of only 10 players in school history to top 1,000 career points.
Flynn went on to play at Loyola University in New Orleans, where he was a starter for two of his three seasons. He led the Pack in scoring at 15.3 ppg as a senior, and he was named to the Catholic Digest All-America Basketball team. He returned to Quincy and joined the family business, the Coca-Cola Bottling Company, which he owned until his retirement in 1992. Flynn and his wife, Alana, live in Quincy. They have four children — Michael, Bridget, Elizabeth and James.
I’d like to thank the selection committee for this honor. It seems like only yesterday that Roger Trimpe, Bill Kurz, Dick Bickhaus, Bill Burmeier and I were on the court for Notre Dame. I have great memories of the games against Jacksonville, Springfield, Evanston and, of course, QHS. We weren’t supposed to win a lot of those games, but with the guidance of Coach Runde, Coach O’Driscoll and Coach Cudney, as well as the support from the fans, we pulled together for Notre Dame. I’m proud to have been a part of it. Of course, it wasn’t yesterday, but awards like this let us reach back across time and experience again some of those great memories. Some of the people from then aren’t with us today, but a part of them will always be here in the halls of Notre Dame, on the court or in the stands. And a part of them are in awards like this. Thank you again for this honor.