Thomas "Danny" Santos
Graduating class: 1957
Inducted into Hall of Fame: 2010
Hall of Fame Category: Athlete
Danny Santos earned nine varsity letters in football, track and baseball in his three years at Fairhaven High School and still found the time to stay active on CYO teams from St. Mary’s in North Fairhaven. He attended Sacred Hearts Academy in North Fairhaven and his brother proudly proclaims that “he was one of the top seven students, in a class of seven.”
Danny came from a football family where his brothers Armand and Mike were outstanding players in their own right for the Livesey Club and the Varsity Club. It had an effect on Danny as he started for the F.H.S. varsity team in his sophomore year at offensive guard and defensive tackle. In his junior and senior years he continued at the guard position and moved to linebacker on defense earning a spot on the All Bristol County team in 1956 and proving to be one of the finest linemen in Fairhaven Football’s celebrated history.
He started his high school baseball career in the outfield and filled in as catcher in his sophomore year. He earned the starting position as catcher for both his junior and senior year while batting near .300 each season. Danny also competed in Track & Field in the shot put event.
Danny’s mother passed away in his junior year and his neighbors and family friends Roger and Edna Demanche took him in and provided Danny with the support and encouragement to continue his education. As a result Danny continued his education at the University of Massachusetts where he captained the football team and earned a degree in food management.
In 1962 Danny enlisted in the U. S. Army and was stationed in Germany. Upon his discharge he settled in England Hendon College of Technology near London where he met his lovely wife of over 40 years, Jane.
It was while in England that Danny fell in love with the game of Rugby and taught his British counterparts the finer points of American baseball. Danny now resides in New Zealand where he supports the local rugby team, plays golf and takes great pleasure in the lives of his three children and two grandchildren.