This article first appeared in the football game program for the Amherst game on Nov. 8, 2003

Solid, that’s the word that best describes John Agostini ’76. Ever since I’ve known John (over 40 years), I’ve been impressed by his quiet dedication to doing things the right way – all of the time. Most everyone who has met John Agostini feels the same way – even Amherst grads.

“John was a wonderful person to have as a law partner,” said Bill Roberts (A ’72) who worked many years with Agostini at the law firm of Cain Hibbard Myers & Cook in Pittsfield. “He has impeccable judgment and was a skilled tactician as a trial lawyer. He had an uncanny ability to devise just the right strategy to win a case. There were many occasions on which I could hardly believe he went to Williams.”

John Agostini '76

Agostini grew up on Manning Street in Williamstown, a little over 200 yards from the Williams campus. He played football, basketball, and baseball at Mt. Greylock H.S. and he knew he wanted to attend Williams since he was a sophomore.

Agostini’s trip of 200 yards to the Williams campus took a 130-mile round trip detour through Amherst, where he spent the summer after graduating from Mt. Greylock at Umass, followed by a trip across country and back. He took courses in math, history and English at UMass, before taking off with a friend to travel around the country. Returning to Williamstown Agostini worked the 11pm-7am shift at Ankin Chemical on Cole Ave. before enrolling at Williams in the fall of 1972.

Agostini’s success in athletics was due more to his commitment to being the best he could possibly be rather than to being blessed with outstanding natural athletic talents. Things did not come easily to Agostini in athletics, but he was willing to work at it until he could do what he was supposed to do on every play. You don’t just show up at the field and beat John Agostini – you have to outwork him. Many have tried and almost all have failed. “A lot of opponents with more ability have been defeated by John,” noted current Williams assistant coach John Allen who coached Agostini at Mt. Greylock. “He always found a way to beat the other guy.”

John Agostini always played like he was trying to squeeze another minute out of every contest or another at bat; regulation time was just not enough for him.

“He played to his strengths and that is why he played so much,” said Eph head coach Dick Farley who coached Agostini in the secondary at Williams. “John had the good luck and the misfortune of playing alongside one of the best DBs ever at Williams, Scott Perry ’76. The good luck was Scott Perry made everyone look good, the misfortune was that Perry made it look so easy he really stood out from the other DBs. John was as cerebral a player as I’ve seen here and his mental approach and mental toughness allowed him to make plays no one else thought he could.”

“I remember my first day of Williams football practice because it was a truly unique and special experience,” said Agostini. In the early 1970s the College had both a freshmen team and a varsity team. “Renzie Lamb took us all out of Cole Fieldhouse as a group and we walked to the back of the building overlooking the practice fields and then he made us sing “The Mountains” and “Yard by Yard.”

A year later Agostini lined up for kickoff of the game vs. Amherst and future NFL standout Freddie Scott and when the National Anthem was played it was a defining moment for him. “While the National Anthem was being played I just stood there thinking this is where I always wanted to be and this is what I always wanted to do.”

A physics and astronomy major at Williams, Agostini enrolled in the Washington & Lee School of Law after graduation. He returned to Berkshire County and worked in the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office from 1979-82.

In 1982 Agostini began a 20-year affiliation with the law firm of Cain Hibbard, where he practiced civil litigation. Agostini was such a standout in the courtroom he was offered membership in the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. Membership requires an exhaustive search of each candidate’s background, moral character, success rate in the courtroom, and the kinds of cases handled. Agostini was offered membership at the “young” age of 45. He is one of just two members in Berkshire County and of 130 in Massachusetts.

John Allen was asked to speak on John Agostini’s character the day Agostini was named a superior court judge for Berkshire County in the State House in Boston. “All great men share a common thread,” said Allen. “That thread is humility and John Agostini is one of the most humble yet successful men I know. He never talks about himself or what he has done and you can’t find anyone who does not respect him.”

Allen, who doubled as the athletic director at Mt. Greylock, had a chance to see Agostini perform in the courtroom on one occasion. Agostini represented a boy who transferred to Mt. Greylock from a prep school who wanted to play ice hockey. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) rules would not allow the boy to play. Agostini was hired by the parents to take on the MIAA and their rules. “I sat in that courtroom and I marveled at how prepared and determined John was to get this boy an opportunity to play,” said Allen. “He tripped up and tongue tied the MIAA lawyer so many times that when John was through with him people were asking what was the big deal anyway? That performance was typical of John Agostini – put your heart into the cause and be prepared.”

When I called Ag-o, as he was known in his younger days, and told him about this profile he asked, “Why me?” I don’t think he said that because he forgot that he has been a model citizen, an outstanding trial lawyer, a member of several town committees, chairman of two town committees, a devoted father and husband and last spring was the recipient of Williamstown’s highest honor --the Faith Scarborough Award.

I think he asked because John Agostini always does the right thing every time--so what’s the big deal? Well, for one the Scarborough Award is given annually at Town Meeting to a resident who has done extraordinary volunteer work for the town, and not many people live in the arena John Agostini does and not rankle or irritate some folks. He could have, however, been thinking about the photo his wife Nancy stumbled upon a few weeks ago. It was a picture of John with three teammates from their first year at Williams – three surgeons and a judge. “You really meet some special people playing football at Williams,” said Agostini. John won’t admit it, much less talk about it, but he certainly is one of them.

Agostini fondly recalls sitting around with the other DBs at Williams many a time talking about Dick Farley. Every one of the DBs was convinced that their secondary coach was special. “We all knew that Dick Farley was going to go somewhere and be a very special coach,” said Agostini. “Of course, we’re all delighted he decided to do it at Williams.” Agostini did not know it, but Farley felt and feels the same way about him. “You can’t work as hard as John did, and does, and be as dedicated to the values that he is and not be a success,” said Farley.

John and his wife of 18 years, Nancy, reside in Williamstown with their sons Andrew, Jeffrey, and Kevin.