Baseball & Hockey
Walter is the son of Pat and the late Walter Gilroy. Walter grew up in Woodside and attended Corpus Christi Grammar school before entering McClancy in 1995. At McClancy, Walter excelled in both the classroom and on the athletic field. His grades consistently earned him a place on the Honor Roll, and in his junior year, Walter was named as a member of the National Honor Society.
It was, however, on the ice and on the diamond where Walter enjoyed his greatest successes. A two-year starter on the varsity baseball team under Hall of Fame coach Bob Lowenberg, Walter was named to the Catholic High School Athletic Association All-Star First team in 1999. He was named as a Second-team All-City player in his junior and senior years. At the end of his glittering high school baseball career, Walter was named by Coach Lowenberg as the team’s Most Valuable Player.
Walter was one of the members of the original Crusader hockey teams. In those days, the team was struggling to fill out its roster. It was not unusual for Walter to play the entire game on defense without taking a break. Walter was named as a First-team Catholic High School Hockey League All-Star. In his junior year, he was named to the All-City All-Star second team, and as a senior, he was honorable mention. After his senior year, Walter was named Varsity hockey M.V.P.
Upon graduating from McClancy, Walter received the Student-Athlete Award, given to the varsity athlete who excels in both the classroom and in athletics. Walter also played in the C.H.S.A.A. All-star game at Yankee Stadium. Walter received an academic scholarship to Iona College. At Iona, Walter took up a new sport, representing the Gaels on the Rugby field. He graduated from Iona and took a position with Cantor Fitzgerald where he worked for two years.
Walter left Cantor Fitzgerald to become a member of the Fire Department of New York, currently serving with Ladder 26 in Harlem. He plays for the FDNY’s traveling softball “A” team and won the MVP in an 82 team national tournament in 2006.