The Goldsmith house is for sale at the top of the street, the house Dick MacPherson lived in is on the sale list and we have lost another of the Bradbury Street gang.

Dick was good enough to give me a call to let me know the sad news that John “Jack” Cutliffe died recently. My thoughts and condolences go out to the family.

A celebration of his life was held this month at Maine Maritime Academy and there was much to celebrate.

Let’s back up a bit. Bradbury Street is in Old Town and I grew up there.

Dick McPherson’s family lived across the street near the Whiffle ball field that was between their house and the Dolan/Murphy house.

Maybe it was the Whiffle ball field with the home run picket fence at the back that resulted in a street full of sports interested kids.

Dick went on to Maine Maritime Academy and Air Force, coached football with the Cleveland Browns and was head coach at UMass.

He revived a Syracuse football program between 1981 and 1991, taking the ’88 team to the Sugar Bowl where they tied Auburn and remained undefeated, 11-0-1.

Most New England fans know Dick from the two years he spent with the Patriots as head coach. Through all of that, he has remained close to Maine and Bradbury Street.

Jack Cutliffe lived down the street and was an outstanding high school and college athlete. He captained the Old Town basketball team that won the 1952 state championship.

Jack went on to letter in three sports at Maine Maritime Academy, served on ships in the Great Lakes and would later receive a second degree from the University of Maine in physiology.

He worked for the university for years, serving students and becoming a familiar face on campus.

His family’s home was on my BDN paper route and I think I only broke one window pane in the front door in all those years of tossing the folded morning delivery. Jack reminded me of that.

It’s funny how the connection to the people on Bradbury Street has held up over the years.

Dick is better than anyone at making sure former neighbors know of the good and the sad news. How often that happens for others on other streets in other places one can only guess.

As time goes by, those connections mean even more. Dick and Jack were and are part of a life fabric that is miniscule in location but huge in meaning.

I’m glad that happens for those of us lucky enough to have grown up on Bradbury Street.

bdnsports@bangordailynews.net