Bert Forgues is proud whenever he hears fond recollections about his kind and caring brother, Gerry, who went out of his way to mentor and inspire young athletes in the Lewiston-Auburn area.

Gerry Forgues passed away in 2001, but he made himself unforgettable and endearing to local athletes who still bandy about his good name to this day.

Forgues was also an outstanding athlete at St. Dominic Regional High School and Boston College as well as serving his country as a soldier in the United States Army.

Combine his athletic accomplishments and his concern for young athletes and you can see why Gerry Forgues will be officially enshrined into the Auburn-Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday, April 26 at Lost Valley.

Forgues’ stellar career on a baseball diamond, football field and ice arena began at St. Dom’s. He was a member 1947 St. Dom’s state hockey championship team his senior year and was also a member 1950 Bates Manufacturing National AHA hockey champs, which also won the World Amateur title in Europe. In 1950, they played in an exhibition game against the Montreal Canadiens at the St. Dominic Arena.

Forgues didn’t confine himself to hockey. He was a pitcher for the Auburn Asas and member of the Bates Manufacturing Northeastern champions who played in the Amateur World Series at Battle Creek, Mich. The Boston College graduate played hockey and baseball for the Eagles and he was a member of BC’s conference champion teams in 1954 and 1956. He also enjoyed a long friendship with classmate John Harrington — former CEO and part owner of the Boston Red Sox.

But after a successful career in finance in Boston, the unmarried Forgues returned home where became heavily involved in youth sports.

“He was every enthusiastic,” Bert Forgues said. “He was trying to help a lot of young athletes of any kind. He tried to encourage them. He spent a lot time in the arena. He would give out these Boston College stickers … and the kids would put them on their helmets.

“I see people today and they still talk about it. I met Katie Lachapelle. She remembers Gerry giving out these stickers. Gerry was pushing Katie Lachpelle because she was one of the first girls to play hockey. He was pushing her to go where ever she could go to college to play. He encouraged everybody.

“He would write letters if some sports guy would do well in the game he would sometimes write a note to their house and say, ‘Oh congratulations. Good game,’ or something like that.’”

Bert is nine years younger than his late brother and has always looked up to him.

‘When he was in high school, I was a kid,” Bert said. “He was a friendly guy. He loved to talk to people about sports. He had a group of guys (at the arena) come over and sit together and discuss hockey and the different players what they should do and shouldn’t do. He was a sports guy. There is no question about it. The was his life, I guess.”

Bert takes pride in standing in for his brother on Saturday night.

“It’s a long time coming. Everybody that was involved say he should have gotten this a long time ago,” Bert said. “I will be the recipient for him, so I will be there.”

That’s what close brothers do for each other.

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