Brett Kavanaugh’s Georgetown Prep Yearbook, Explained
See also Brett Kavanaugh’s Summer 1982 Calendar, Explained. Full yearbook available at Archive.org.
The Georgetown Prep 1983 Cupola yearbook is — particularly for the classmates on the football team like Brett Kavanaugh — a record of beer-drenched parties, misogyny, beer, police run-ins, beer, vandalism, and alcohol abuse.
Sports teams
- Varsity Football 3, 4; J. V. Football 2; Freshman Football 1;
Kavanaugh was on the freshman football team, then the junior varsity team, then varsity football junior and senior year. He played defensive back. The coach of the team was the “legendary” Jim Fegan, who Kavanaugh recently reconnected with. “It was awesome.”
- Varsity Basketball 3, 4 (Captain); Frosh Basketball (Captain); J.V Basketball (Captain);
The coach was Kevin Dowd.
- Varsity Spring Track 3;
Kavanaugh ran track junior year.
- Little Hoya 3, 4;
Kavanaugh wrote for the school newspaper’s sports section.
Exploits
There is a lot of drinking involved, all of it illegal or of questionable legality. In theory underage drinking in a private residence in Maryland is legal under the supervision of a family member (not someone else’s family member) over the age of 21. Kavanaugh did not appear to do his drinking at his own house with his parents’ permission.
On July 1, 1982 the legal drinking age in Maryland was raised from 18 to 21. Note that Kavanaugh’s birthday, February 12, 1965, means that he was never of age to purchase beer in Maryland. He was 18 years old (and thus could legally purchase beer in D.C.) the latter few months of his senior year, 1983.
- Landon Rocks and Bowling Alley Assault — What a Night;
Refers to the habit of Prep students’ vandalizing the white rocks at the all-boys prep Landon School’s Wilson Lane entrance by painting them blue and using them as bowling balls before a Landon-Prep football game.
- Georgetown vs. Louisville — Who Won That Game Anyway?;
On March 27, 1982, Georgetown University beat University of Louisville (Kentucky) in the NCAA Final Four 50–46. UNC’s Michael Jordan hit a buzzer-beating shot to beat Georgetown in the final.
Also appears in the entries of Mark Judge, Chris “Squee” Garrett, Bernie McCarthy, Matthew “Moose” Quinn, Tim Gaudette, P.J. Smyth, Delancey Davis.
Kavanaugh’s explanation for this and the Orioles-Red Sox game [see below]:
[T]he point of both was, we in essence were having a party and didn’t pay attention to the game even though the game was the excuse we had for getting together.
I think that’s very common. I don’t know if you’ve been to a Super Bowl party for example, Senator, and not paid attention to the game and just hung out with your friends. I don’t know if you’ve done that or not. But that’s what we were referring to in those — those two occasions.
- Extinguisher;
Appears to refer to an incident with a fire extinguisher.
Also mentioned by Chris Garrett, Thomas Kane, Juan Carlos del Real, and Michael Vechery. Del Real’s entry lists “M.C.F.D. extinguisher,” as in the Montgomery County Fire Department. William J. Cusack III’s entry has “Beach Week ’82 (fire extinguisher edition).”
- Summer of ’82 — Total Spins (Rehobeth 10, 9 . . . );
Rehoboth Beach reference. Unknown what the “total spins” or the countdown refers to.
Thomas Kane’s entry has “Watch [Mark] Judge spin 1, 2, 3, 4; Watch Moose spin 2, 3, 4; Watch Urge [Don Urgo] spin 3, 4.” Moose is Matt Quinn.
Del Real’s entry has “Senior Spinner 4.”
Don Urgo’s entry has “The Four Tops—Honorary Spinner.”
- Orioles vs. Red Sox — Who Won, Anyway?;
Kavanaugh and a group of friends attended the August 3, 1982 doubleheader against the Red Sox. Orioles won the first game 7–2 and lost the second 7–6.
Also appears in Timothy Patrick Gaudette’s entry and Chris Garrett’s entry. Mentioned in Don Urgo’s entry as “O’s Double Header — Party in the Park.”
- Keg City Club (Treasurer) — 100 Kegs or Bust;
Other members per yearbook include Russell Aaronson III, Paul Adair, Mike Bidwill, James Buttimer II (“100 K Club”), James George Calomiris, Stephen Whitney Clark, Terrence Cleary Jr. (“100 or BUST”), Delancey “Dee” Davis, Juan Carlos “J.C.” del Real (“Vice President and Stock Broker”), Sean Patrick Feeley, Timothy Gaudette, Sean Feeley, Michael Fegan, Tobin Finizio, Chris “Squee” Garrett, Roland Goco (“200 Kegs or Bust”), Christopher Haspel, William Henry, Richard Holtz, Mark Judge, Hector Kreutz, Jim Lane, Andrew Lawler, Christopher A.A. Matonis, Philip “Schmock” Merkle, Paul Gregory Murray, J. Scott Plank, Andrew Owen Reilly, David Wayne Robinson, Richard Schoeb Jr, Don Urgo, and Michael E. Walsh.
Kavanaugh bought a lot of beer. In Wasted, Judge detailed the story of the 100-keg quest:
“‘We have to do something,’ I said. ‘They can’t get away with this our senior year.’
“‘What are we going to do?’ Shane said, laughing. ‘Drink a hundred kegs and brag about it?’
“No one laughed. For a second, no one even spoke. ‘It’s brilliant,’ I said.”
Judge and his high school buddies went on to create a newspaper called the Heretic, a riff on their school newspaper the Saint. One of the main objectives of the paper, as laid out by Judge in the book, was to chronicle “the 100-keg quest and everything that happened on the way.”
According to his book, Judge and his friends continued to publish and anonymously distribute the paper on campus, with a continued emphasis on the 100-keg quest in the pages. Judge wrote that by March of his senior year, the keg count was “into the mid-eighties.”
In the calendar released by Kavanaugh, circled numbers begin during Beach Week June 1982; by August the circled numbers are up to 16.
The New York Times has published an excerpt from the Unknown Hoya about the 100-keg quest:
Along with two classmates, [Mark Judge] wrote an underground student newspaper, The Unknown Hoya, which documented the scene. They viewed the official student paper, The Little Hoya, as too stiff.
The stapled-together pamphlet also printed a running tally of the number of kegs consumed at various house parties as the seniors pursued their 100-keg ambition. Three football players who hosted parties accounted for 14 of the 38 kegs the class had finished at one point.
- Anne Daugherty’s — I Survived the FFFFFFFourth of July;
Michael Avenatti speculated (apparently baselessly) this means “Find them, French them, Feel them, Finger them, F*ck them, Forget them.”
Kavanaugh testified it was a reference to how “Squi” (Chris Garrett) stuttered the F-word. Garrett’s entry lists “FFFFFFF” and the quote “Why don’t you all Ffffade away?”
- Renate Alumnius;
A reference to Renate (pronounced reh-NAH-tay) Schroeder, a graduate of one of Georgetown Prep’s sister schools, the all-girls Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. She later married James G. Dolphin. She is one of the signers of the letter of support organized by the Molloy sisters.
The word “Renate” appears at least 14 times in Georgetown Preparatory School’s 1983 yearbook, on individuals’ pages and in a group photo of nine football players, including Judge Kavanaugh, who were described as the “Renate Alumni.”
- Thomas Kane was “Renate Alumni” and “Renate’s Suicide Squad 1 [freshman year].”
- Delancey Davis was “Renate Club — Chairman of the Bored.”
- Phil Merkle was “Renate Alumnus — Chairman of the Board.”
- Juan Carlos del Real’s entry listed himself as “President” of Renate; he was also identified as the President of Renate Alumni in a photo of the football team (below).
- Stephen Whitney Clark: “Renate Alumni (‘I was framed at football practice’)”;
- Terrence Vincent Cleary Jr. “Renate’s house”;
- Timothy Gaudette;
- Mark Judge;
- Andrew Owen Reilly;
- Don Urgo.
- “Renate Alumnus” Michael E. Walsh’s entry includes the doggerel “You need a date / And it’s getting late / So don’t hesitate / To call Renate.”
When Ms. Dolphin signed the Sept. 14 letter, she wasn’t aware of the “Renate” yearbook references on the pages of Judge Kavanaugh and his football teammates.
“I learned about these yearbook pages only a few days ago,” Ms. Dolphin said in a statement to The New York Times. “I don’t know what ‘Renate Alumnus’ actually means. I can’t begin to comprehend what goes through the minds of 17-year-old boys who write such things, but the insinuation is horrible, hurtful and simply untrue. I pray their daughters are never treated this way. I will have no further comment.”
- Malibu Fan Club;
Unknown. Plausibly a reference to Malibu rum.
- Ow, Neatness 2, 3;
Unknown reference to junior and sophomore years. Thomas Kane has the same entry.
Chris Garrett’s entry has “The Neat Ones.” J.C. del Real’s has “Nuke the Neatnesses 4.” P.J. Smyth has “Nuke the Neatness.”
- Devil’s Triangle;
Potentially slang for a male-male-female threesome—likely not.
Kavanaugh testified this was a version of the drinking game quarters. Roland Goco; Paul G. Murray “Devil’s Triangle 3”; Bernard McCarthy’s entry lists “Devil’s Triangle (founder of the name)”; Juan Carlos del Real “Lost in Devil’s Triangle 3, 4.” Richard Schoeb Jr.: “Devil’s Triangle(participant).”
On October 4, 2018, Delancey “Dee” Davis, Bernard McCarthy Jr., Paul Murray and Matthew “Moose” Quinn sent a letter to Senate GOP averring it was a drinking game. None of these classmates of Kavanaugh’s were interviewed by the FBI.
- Down Geezer, Easy, Spike. How ya’ doin’, Errr Ah;
Looks like a binge-drinking or fighting reference.
Thomas Kane’s entry has “Down, Spike” and “Easy, Squee, easy easy, Squee, easy.” Garrett’s entry has “Think You Have Enough Empties? Down Gizer.”
- Rehobeth Police Fan Club (with Shorty);
Likely a reference to Rehoboth Beach. Incident unknown. Mark Judge’s entry has “Rehobeth Police Dept. Fan Club 2.” Thomas Kane has “Rehobeth Beach Police Department” and several references to “Shorty.” And he was not tall; it is probably his nickname.
- St. Michael’s . . . This is a Whack;
Kavanaugh’s parents had a beach house in St. Michael’s, Maryland. “Whack” is unknown.
- Wendy Whitney Fan Club;
Wendy Elizabeth Whitney Taylor (Georgetown Visitation ’84; Brown University ‘88), older sister of hedge-funder Meredith Whitney (Madeira School ’87, Brown ‘92).
Chris Garrett and Thomas Kane also listed themselves as members.
- Judge — Have You Boofed Yet?;
A message to classmate (and accused fellow assaulter) and Michael F. Judge, possibly a reference to an alcohol enema.
Kavanaugh testified it was a reference to flatulence. Judge’s entry has: Bart — Have You Boofed Yet?
- Beach Week Ralph Club — Biggest Contributor;
He vomited the most during Beach Week. There were other “Beach Week Barf Club” members.
Mark Judge’s depiction of Beach Week ’81 from Wasted:
“Now I had an opportunity to make some headway [with girls]. Most of the time everyone, including the girls, was drunk. If you could breathe and walk at the same time, you could hook up.”
- Maureen — Tainted Whack;
Probably a reference to Soft Cell’s cover of Tainted Love, which charted in 1982. The “Maureen” is unknown, though may be Maura Molloy Kane, who attended the all-girls Georgetown Visitation Prep ’83, and dated Kavanaugh in high school. She later married Kavanaugh’s classmate Thomas L. Kane.
Maura’s younger sister Meghan Molloy McCaleb ’84 organized a letter of women in support for Kavanaugh after Blasey came forward. Meghan married corporate lawyer Scott McCaleb, Gonzaga ’84.
Their sisters Meredith “Molly” Molloy Franke ’87, realtor Monica Molloy Mastal ’88 (husband John), and McNevin Molloy Morris ’98 also attended Georgetown Visitation. McNevin is now Assistant Director of Admissions at Georgetown Visitation.
- George Hyman;
George Hyman Construction Company was a local construction company owned since 1968 by DC-area construction magnate A. James Clark. It merged with Omni Construction to become Clark Construction Company in 1995. Clark, like Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford’s fathers, was a member of the Burning Tree Club. Maybe a reference to an incident. This may also be a puerile joke about hymens. Chris Garrett’s entry lists him as “Chief Foreman of George Hyman.”
- Beach Week 3–107th Street;
Junior-year Beach Week in Ocean City, Maryland. See also Timothy Gaudette’s reference to The Quay, a vacation-rental highrise on 107th.
- Those Prep Guys are the Biggest . . . ;
Also in Chris Garrett’s entry. Tim Gaudette’s has “You Prep guys are always so . . .”
- GONZAGA YOU’RE LUCKY.
Reference to Gonzaga College High School, the rival Jesuit all-boys prep school. Real-estate scion Mark C. Matan, who married doubled-down Kavanaugh defender Suzanne Hohman (Holy Child ’84), was class of ’84 at Gonzaga.
Also appears, in some variant, as one of the last items in the entries of Chris Garrett, Delancey Davis, Juan Carlos del Real, P.J. Smyth, Thomas Kane, Phil Merkle and others.
Quotations
- “He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows, nor JUDGE all he sees.”
Another clear reference to Mike Judge. A quotation from Poor Richard’s Almanack by Ben Franklin.
- “Down the Hatch!”
Squee
Another drinking reference, probably. Christopher C. Garrett ’83 (whom Martin Edward “Ed” Whelan III ‘78? posited was Kavanaugh’s doppelganger assaulter) is “Squee” or “Squi,” Kavanaugh confirmed in testimony. Garrett’s yearbook entry includes the same phrase, Down the Hatch.
- “You know, it’s the man in the arena . . .”
Bro. Carson
A reference to the Theodore Roosevelt speech. Brother Robert L. Carson taught art.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
Mark Gauvreau Judge’s page
- Cupola 3,4 (caption editor)
Judge is responsible for the misogynistic, beer-soaked humor in the yearbook.
- Unknown Hoya 4(co-founder)
Judge and his high school buddies Brooke Anthony Beyer Jr (Editor of the Unknown Hoya 4), William Glenn Geimer (The Unknown Hoya 4 (Co-Editor in Chief)), Richard Simeone Jr. and John Andrew Gibbons created a newspaper called (in Wasted) the Heretic, a riff on their school newspaper the Saint. One of the main objectives of the paper, as laid out by Judge in the book, was to chronicle “the 100-keg quest and everything that happened on the way.”
According to his book, Judge and his friends continued to publish and anonymously distribute the paper on campus, with a continued emphasis on the 100-keg quest in the pages. Judge wrote that by March of his senior year, the keg count was “into the mid-eighties.”
In another book published by Judge — — “God and Man at Georgetown Prep” —he writes of a bachelor party that he and friends threw for their teacher: a keg of beer and a stripper provided the entertainment at someone’s house for the high school students. There was even a “pictorial essay” printed in a student-published paper called the Unknown Hoya — aka the Heretic — of the party, including an image of the stripper.
The Daily Mail gives more details:
Judge described how his senior class hired a stripper for an impromptu bachelor party for his music teacher [actually the PE teacher].
Photos of students vomiting at the party and posing with the stripper were posted in an underground student newspaper called the Unknown Hoya.
‘Senior year, we threw Mr. Maud [a pseudonym] a bachelor party when he announced he was getting married. A guy whose parents were away volunteered his house, and we got a keg of beer and hired a stripper,’ wrote Judge.
‘We took pictures — of guys throwing up, drunkenly jumping into the swimming pool, mooning the camera.
‘There were a lot of shots of Mr. Maud [sic] — chugging a beer, surrounded by a group of us with raised mugs, and sitting down while being entertained by the stripper.’
‘We covered the party with a “pictorial essay” — i.e. several pictures pasted onto a few pages — in the Unknown Hoya,’ added Judge. ‘Under the picture of our music [sic] teacher, staring the stripper in the chest, we couldn’t resist adding the caption, “That’s definitely not a B flat.”’
Again, the “music” teacher was actually the physical education teacher.
- Alcoholics Unanimous(Founder)
Other members: Brook Beyer Jr., Michael Fegan, Timothy Patrick Gaudette, John Andrew Gibbons, Roland Nicholas “Nicky” Goco, Thomas “Shorty” Kane, Matt “Moose” Quinn, Philip “Schmock” Merkle, Gregory E. Pappajohn.
- Rehobeth Police Dept. Fan Club 2
Kavanaugh’s entry has “Rehobeth Police Fan Club (with Shorty).” Incident unknown.
- Renate Alumni
See above.
- Bart, have you boofed yet?
See above. Judge replies to Kavanaugh.
- Urgo’s summer mooch camp
A reference to Brett Kavanaugh’s “what happens at Georgetown Prep” friend Donald Joseph “Don” Urgo Jr.
- Phil’s Homecoming Date Service (YEAH boy)
Probably a reference to “what happens at Georgetown Prep” friend Phillip Merkle.
- New Year’s Eve at Beccy’s
Probably a reference to Beccy Moran Jackson (Holy Child), one of Kavanaugh’s supporters.
- “Certain women should be struck regularly, like gongs.” —Sir Noel Coward
Not Mark Judge’s only misogyny by a long shot. The Unknown Hoya contained this choice passage about Holton-Arms:
Timothy Patrick Gaudette’s page
- Alcoholics Unanimous (member) 4-ever;
Mark Judge’s entry lists Judge as the “founder” of Alcoholics Unanimous.
- Oriole’s vs. Red Sox, who won anyway?
See Kavanaugh’s entry.
- 100 Keg Club
See above.
- “Mexican” War Walking Wounded
Mexican is a classic drinking & dice game.
On September 7–9 2001, Kavanaugh and friends went on a boating trip during which they played dice games.
“Excellent time. Apologies to all for missing Friday (good excuse), arriving late Saturday (weak excuse), and growing aggressive after blowing still another game of dice (don’t recall). Reminders to everyone to be very, very vigilant w/r/t confidentiality on all issues and all fronts, including with spouses.”
- Go-co’s Party Van
Reference to Nicky Goco.
- The Quay Penthouse
The Quay is a vacation rental high-rise on 107th St. in Ocean City.
- The Shmidt’s Summer of ’81
- Swaggs, Bill, and Gussles
- Renate Alumni
See above.
- Keep the Fire Burning 4
- Rat Stomp
- Dingle Does Dallas
- 5/22/82 — good party
Kavanaugh attended(?). He may have been grounded at the time.
- WE HATE ROCK SPRINGFIELD 1,2,3,4
- You’re Just a wink
- SO?! Etc . . .
- “You Prep guys are always so . . .”
- BYADIFUL
- F.M.
- Thank you, Bernie
Bernard M. “Bernie” McCarthy Jr.
- Donny, What Did I ever do to you?
Don Urgo Jr.
- Big D, little a, double l, a, s
Other Pages
- “I know Rachel’s good looking, but control yourself”
Mark Judge’s caption “I know Rachel’s good looking, but control yourself” may be a reference to Kavanaugh supporter Rachel Buchanan O’Hare (Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart ’83). She, her husband James P. O’Hare (Gonzaga ’83), and partners redeveloped the Schooner Inn building in Lewis, DE. Mr. O’Hare was a longtime partner at McGuireWoods and is now a real-estate developer.
- “I knew he couldn’t handle quarters!”
Quarters is a drinking game. Kavanaugh has testified that “Devil’s Triangle” was a variant.
Killer Qs
Kavanaugh’s friends mention “killer Q’s” in their yearbook entries, particularly associated with Beach Week 1982. Could be a reference to quaaludes, though more likely Killer Quarters, the drinking game also known as Chandeliers.
- Phil Merkle: Revolving Rooms (Beach Week ’82) Roach Motel Fan Club; …Killer Q’s Club 3, 4
- Donny / Urgo = Don J. Urgo Jr.: Roach Motel — Survivor, Just Drifting, Killer Qs and 151
- Juan Carlos del Real: Roach Motel — Beach Week 3; Killer Q’s at Shmocks . . . great breakfast
- David Wayne Robinson: Q’s Club 2, 3, 4; SO Club(President); Cockroach Motel (visitor); O.C. Terrorists 3; Nasty Bo’(contributing drinker)
- James George Calomiris: Revolving Rooms 3; Nasty Bo Investor 3; Roach Motel 3; Bacardi Brothers 3 . . . Killer Q’s at Phil’s
“Killer Qs and 151” is probably a reference to the drinking game and Bacardi 151 (or Everclear 151 or other 151-proof alcohol). Merkle and Urgo were two of Kavanaugh’s friends mentioned in his “what happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep” speech.
Also:
- Tobin Finizio II: Killer Q’s
