The tale of Tony Stocks and Patrick Walsh’s friendship
By Violet Daly ‘26
Patrick Walsh and Tony Stocks in their matching Kung Fu T-shirts.
Courtesy of Patrick Walsh and Tony Stocks.
The year was 2024. Two podiums stood ominously atop the Cabell stage, both lit by a spotlight. Students were seated and eager for more, as they usually are for assemblies, practically bursting at the seams with apprehension.
After an engaging speech from the Catlin Gabel School Association president and an abundance of club leader announcements, there was only one act left.
Two determined teachers approached the stage from opposing sides, preparing for the impending battle. Applause filled the theater as two humanities teachers made their way to the separate podiums. The projector turned on, and the screen behind them showed a slideshow, titled with one of the most contentious topics in science fiction history: “Alien vs. Predator.”
The two teachers stated their case for each character, putting their blood, sweat, and tears into their argument. After a gruesome verbal beat-down from the Alien defendant, the Predator defendant was left with nothing but a gaping hole in his chest.
Many teachers have formed close relationships with their colleagues, but one friendship stands out among the staff at the Catlin Gabel School (CGS). This legendary debate was a key moment in the history of a friendship between CGS English and Social Studies teachers Tony Stocks and Patrick Walsh.
Stocks recalled the first time he met Walsh about 19 years ago, remembering that “when Patrick interviewed for the history position here, Emily Jones [the former head of the upper school] invited [him] out to dinner with [Walsh],” which Stocks guessed was “to make sure that he was all right.”
During the dinner, Walsh “remembered thinking, ‘oh, this guy, yeah, this guy's cool, but he teaches all the classes I want to teach.’” Although Walsh could have been angry that Stocks was living out his curriculum dream, he was too busy bonding with Stocks over common interests to care.
They enjoyed teaching the same material and had similar perspectives and educational approaches. They share an interest in demonstrating the way that historical events are communicated through the popular culture of the period. For example, the way the “country music of the 1920s” resonated with the Scopes trial, a legal trial centered around teaching evolutionary biology in schools.
Aside from the overlap in their subjects of interest in teaching, they both enjoy the “low budget, obviously sloppy stuff that [they] used to [watch on] television in the 1970s and 1980s,” which sparked their interest in older Kung Fu movies.
“Probably most of the films that we've seen together have been Kung Fu movies, like martial arts movies, mostly from Hong Kong…from the 1970s.” They especially share an appreciation for the choreography and athleticism of the fight scenes.
Stocks has a membership at the Hollywood theater, where he and Walsh have been meeting regularly for about five years. “My wife has no interest in seeing Kung Fu movies,” he mentioned, “but, you know, I can drag Patrick along for free.”
Their enjoyment in cinema, they said, is not to be critical– they are not aiming to dissect the art or the politics of the films, but purely to enjoy the spectacle. “I want to emphasize,” Stocks explained, “that our pleasure in watching these films is not ironic. We really like them.”
Clearly, the memorable “Alien vs. Predator” debate wasn’t just about fictional creatures battling for supremacy–it symbolized something much deeper. It was the embodiment of a longstanding friendship, forged through shared passions and mutual respect.
So, what movies do Tony and Patrick watch? Below is a list of some of Walsh and Stock’s favorite films.
Stocks and Walsh's Must-See Movie List
Smokey and the Bandit
Strange Brew
Mr. Smith goes to Washington
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
The Flying Guillotine
The Drunken Master