Archive Video Footage

(Ed. Note -- This story originally appeared in June but now includes video archival footage provided by Larry Bossidy '57.)

HAMILTON – Colgate fans and baseball fans enjoying this week's NCAA College World Series might be interested to know that the Raiders were part of the elite playoff field back in 1955.
 
That's right, Colgate Baseball made it to Omaha!
 
Colgate that year went 14-6-1 in the regular season and earned a spot in the NCAA District Two Playoffs in Allentown, Pennsylvania. There, the Raiders knocked off Penn State 7-4 and Ithaca 7-6 to advance to the College World Series in Omaha.
 
Colgate opened with a tough-luck 1-0 loss to eventual champion Wake Forest. (Fun Fact: Wake Forest was the only ACC member to win a national baseball championship until Virginia followed suit in 2016.)
 
Larry Bossidy pitched a two-hitter for the Raiders that afternoon, striking out nine. He held the Demon Deacons without a hit for five innings but then was forced to wait out a one-hour and 18-minute storm delay. The first hit off Bossidy came in the sixth and the second one drove in the game's only run in the eighth.

Click HERE to view archival video footage from that Colgate-Wake Forest matchup.
 
Colgate bounced back to defeat Southern California 6-4 and send the Trojans home on a rare two-and-barbecue exit. Colgate's elimination followed a 4-2 loss to Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State).
 
"Larry was a great one," said Chuck Garivaltis '57, who had a pair of hits in support of his friend and teammate in that nail-biter against Wake Forest. "Imagine Colgate beating Southern Cal. Who would have believed it? Great stuff."
 
The Raiders finished 17-8-1 for the most wins in program history, and it's a record that still stands. The program was ended after the 1996 season.
 
Special thanks to Chuck Garivaltis '57 for contributing the above information, photos and video.