Tulane Family Mourns the Passing of M.L. Lagarde
Jan 23, 2011 | General
Jan. 23, 2011
New Orleans - Legendary Tulanian M.L. LaGarde, a former TU student-athlete and long-time Green Wave administrator, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 22. He was 82.
Born September 8, 1928 in New Orleans, Lagarde was a fixture in his native city and around Tulane University for 31 years, first as the school's sports information director and later as assistant athletic director, associate athletic director and special assistant to the athletic director, before retiring in June 2005.
"We are saddened to learn the news of the passing of M.L Lagarde," Tulane Director of Athletics Rick Dickson said. "He was beloved by Tulane student-athletes, coaches and administrators for many generations, and was always a true friend to all. We have lost a good friend."
Lagarde graduated from St. Aloysius High School in 1945 and moved on to Tulane, where he became a part of Emmett Pare's nationally renowned tennis program. Health issues limited Lagarde to play just one season at Tulane, but before his playing career was halted, he was named to the U.S. Junior Davis Cup team and was nationally ranked among junior players.
Lagarde earned his bachelor's degree in history from Tulane in 1952 and went on to earn a master's in education from Loyola University. While still in college, he began a successful high school coaching career as a high school basketball, baseball and football coach at St. Aloysius and Jesuit high schools. In all, he was a part of six city and four state championships in baseball, four city and state titles in basketball and two city championships in football.
In 1959, Lagarde retired from coaching to open Lakewood School, where he served as headmaster for 15 years. During that time, he also covered Tulane athletics and high school sports for the Times-Picayune. He also co-founded the Catholic's Youth Organization and New Orleans Recreation Department's tennis programs.
His life's journey led him back to his alma mater when he joined the Green Wave staff in a full time capacity in 1974 as the sports information director and served as the SID for 10 years before being named an assistant athletic director in 1984. He was later promoted to associate athletic director in 1992.
Lagarde's work at Tulane did not go unnoticed by his peers. He received the Mac Russo Award from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association in 1984 and earned the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award in sports journalism in 1993. Lagarde received the Scoop Hudgins SID lifetime Achievement Award from the All-America Football Foundation in 1999.
He coordinated media and press box activities for the Sugar Bowl for 12 years, spent 10 years on the NCAA Final Four's media committee and another four years working with CBS' coverage of the event. He also served as media coordinator for the first Final Four in the Superdome in 1982, part of his role at Tulane. On Tulane's behalf, Lagarde worked behind the scenes to secure legislative approval of the New Orleans Arena in 1993.
He was elected to the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
Lagarde is survived by his wife, Jean, and two sons, Mel and Gary. The family has requested a private funeral service and asks that donations be directed to the American Heart Association and correspondence to rememberingml@gmail.com
