We now introduce the second installment Pittsburgh Fever Amazing Sports Stories. Our last story was about how Bryan Fuller pitched 21 innings shutout innings in 24 hours. If your a new reader, I truly suggest reading this amazing story. If you are someone who does not believe in miracles or don't believe how God has a hand in things, I do not suggest reading this. So sit back and enjoy the emotional journey of the Summerville High School Basketball team that they had during the 2007-2008 season.
In the town of Charleston, SC there is one man who goes by two titles. Coach and Captain. That man's name is Louis Mulkey. When Mulkey is not at his day job on Engine #15 for the Charleston Fire Department, he is at the football field and basketball court at Summerville High School. Mulkey is an assistant coach for the Summerville football team, but it is basketball that was his true passion. Along with his wife, basketball and the boys he coached at Summerville was his love. Louis Mulkey did not have kids. His basketball team was his children. Coach Mulkey was such a father figure to some players that he often lent them money. If one of his kids needed to eat before a game, he would pick them up and buy them dinner so that they would have food prior to playing.
Mulkey began coaching at Summerville as the 8th grade boys basketball coach. As the 8th grade coach Mulkey made a prediction to his team. Mulkey told his team that when they were seniors in 2008, they would win a state championship. According to his wife Lauren, all Mulkey would talk about was how these boys could get a ring before they graduated Summerville High School. Mulkey preached and preached to the group that they would win state as seniors until the summer before their senior season.
June 18, 2007. There was a local furniture store that caught on fire. Mulkey and his fellow firefighters on Engine 15 were called into work. The blaze was terrible. Many described the smoke as going on for miles. Charleston firefighter Billy Perez, who was off duty, called into an engine that was on the scene. Perez heard fear in a friend's voice on the phone of the engine that he called. That man then told Perez that he needed to get on the scene. Once Perez arrived he heard what the fearful news was. Louis Mulkey was missing. At 7:32 PM, 24 minutes after the initial blaze started, a mayday call from Mulkey came over the radio from the inside of the burning building. Mulkey's final words over the radio, "Tell my wife I said I love you."
One day after his first wedding anniversary, Louis Mulkey was dead. He was only 34. In all there were 9 men, who are now know as the Charleston 9, died that day. It was the nation's worst firefighter tragedy since September 11.
Summerville basketball players were shocked. AJ Greene said, "I just couldn't believe it at first...then it just hit me and I started crying." Matt-Matt Galbreath told himself that Mulkey was only on vacation and coming back. The coach who believed in them, the coach he guided them, the man who acted like a father was gone.
Six months later, Summerville High Schools basketball team took the floor....without him. The Summerville team banded together and decided not to mourn. They found that the best way to heal was to play, and they best way to honor was to win the state title that their coach had predicted five seasons ago. The Charleston fire department had a black fire helmet with a number 15 on it. Engraved on the helmet, was Coach Mulkey. Fully knowing and understanding the whole situation, the Charleston Fire Department presented the Summerville basketball
team with the helmet so Louis Mulkey was always on the bench, right there with them.
The team carried the helmet to every single game. They placed it on the fourth seat of the bench, where Mulkey sat for every game. Summerville High School had never won a state title in basketball ever before. But by time the playoffs rolled around the Green Wave had amassed a record of 20-3, and were hitting their stride. Three straight playoff wins carried Summerville to the State Semifinals where they would have to play Sumter High School. As the game got deeper, the game got tighter. Then the crowd and the spirit of Louis Mulkey began to come alive. The Summerville faithful chanted "Lou-is Mul-key" over and over and over. Summerville fed off of the crowd and grabbed the lead, and kept it for good. Summerville had made it to the state championship game.
February 29, 2008, the biggest game in Summerville High School history. The mission: Beat Spartanburg and win the state title for Louis Mulkey. From the opening tip the game was close. Exchanging baskets, and the lead multiple times. It came down to the final minute when Summerville's Bruce Haynes gave the Green Wave the lead. Lauren Mulkey was ecstatic. She thought right there that Summerville had won state. With 1.2 seconds to go and up by 2 points, Haynes was at the free throw line shooting a one and one, with a chance to ice the game for Mulkey and Summerville High School. Haynes missed the front end of the one and one. A Spartanburg player grabbed the rebound, took two dribbles, and heaved a 65 foot shot down the court. They red light on the backboard lit up signaling time had expired. Not long after, the shot went in. Just like that, it was all over. The team who had gone through so much, got all this way and lost the state championship game. They collapsed on the court in tears, in disbelief, and watched somebody else celebrate their own miracle. The final score, Spartanburg 51, Summerville 50.
But maybe it wasn't supposed to end this way. What if there was still hope left? There was. The referees got together for a conference. And then the celebration began. The meeting was broken and one of the officials signaled that the buzzer sounded before the ball left the player's hand. Summerville 50, Spartanburg 48. As predicted five years ago, Summerville had won the South Carolina 4A state championship. The players in disbelief, shed tears of joy, together. Just minutes after the game, Lauren Mulkey came on the court to join her kids in celebration.
The season was not over yet. At 1:00 AM on their way back from winning the State Championship, there was one more stop to make. The team stopped at the grave of Louis Mulkey. They gathered around the grave in a circle and said a prayer for him. Some players even left their state championship medals at the grave with Mulkey. What happened on February 29, 2008 was more than just a game. That my friends, was a miracle
Outside the Lines did a report on this last year. It's a two part video so here are the links to watch the whole story.
Great job EddY! Go back through your story and correct the mistakes you find. Example: If your a new reader should be: If you're a new reader. All of us miss them at some time or another. In journalism school this process is known as copy reading and editing. They teach entire courses in it!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great writing and maybe you can go to Point Park for Journalism. By the way, they have a GREAT baseball program there!
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