Subscribe now
Gonzaga Basketball

‘I’m going to miss him’: Casey Calvary recalls Jeremy Eaton’s toughness, devotion to Gonzaga basketball

Gonzaga’s Casey Calvary battles Minnesota’s Dusty Rychart during an NCAA Tournament game in Seattle on March 11, 1999. Gonzaga’s Jeremy Eaton, who died Thursday at 45, looks on from behind. (Associated Press)
By Dave Boling For The Spokesman-Review
Gonzaga’s Casey Calvary battles Minnesota’s Dusty Rychart during an NCAA Tournament game in Seattle on March 11, 1999. Gonzaga’s Jeremy Eaton, who died Thursday at 45, looks on from behind. (Associated Press)

Former Gonzaga teammate Casey Calvary recalled one story that showed how much Jeremy Eaton was committed to helping the Zags win basketball games.

“We had spaghetti as a pregame meal every game in that ’99 season,” Calvary said. “Jeremy got a bunch of spaghetti on his shirt before one of the games and we won it, big-time. (Teammate) Mike Leasure thought that must have brought us good luck and suggested we get spaghetti on Jeremy’s shirt every game. Jeremy went along with it. Just said, ‘Sure!’ because he was a fantastic human being who would do whatever anybody thought it would take to help us win games.”

Eaton died from cancer in Boise Thursday night at age 45.

Calvary had stayed in touch with Eaton and relished reunions at the Zags’ two Final Four appearances. Still basketball junkies, Calvary and Eaton, along with Eaton’s son Sy, and friend Eric Edelstein, took a side trip during the 2021 Final Four in Indianapolis. They trekked to French Lick, Ind., just to see Larry Bird’s home.

Calvary last talked to Eaton in March to make plans to go together to New Orleans for this year’s Final Four if the Zags made it that far. They lost to Arkansas in the Sweet 16.

Eaton’s recent hospitalization surprised Calvary, considering they had been making travel plans. “He’s one of those no-quit guys,” Calvary said. “Some of the testing they did and the (cancer) drugs made him feel awful, but he wanted to be out there squeezing every minute out of life. He was such a good man. I’m going to miss him.”