Notre Dame pitching coach Chuck Ristano can’t remember exactly which parts of the story are true and which parts have been exaggerated by the telling and retelling of the tale about his former player, Pat Connaughton.
The fable goes something like this: When the Fighting Irish basketball team played in the Big East tournament, Connaughton would arrive at Madison Square Garden with a glove tucked under his arm and play catch with a manager.
He was working on his fastball or his curveball, trying to perfect his arm before baseball season started and he would be off the basketball court pitching for the Irish.