In March 2001, Catholic University won the national championship of Division III men's basketball. Cate and Elizabeth drove down from Reston, Va., on game day to see them play in the title game, which I was in Salem covering for D3hoops.com. They got there just before tipoff and cheered us on as the Cardinals beat William Paterson.
After the game, pyrotechnics blew from the ceiling and confetti poured down on the floor. There was jumping and celebrating, net cutting and the whole 94 feet. Or nine yards. Since I was working, I was there long after the game, and Cate and Elizabeth were, too, with Elizabeth walking around the floor, picking up the colored strips of paper and stuffing them in a popcorn box.
It's her only memory of the game. She was not quite 3-1/2.
The following November, the Harlem Globetrotters came to Catholic University for an exhibition game, part of the spoils of victory. It was a packed house, and I was sitting on the floor, taking pictures. Elizabeth, at times, was sitting next to me. So was Jack Lonergan.
Jack is the son of then-Catholic U. coach Mike Lonergan. He is a little over a year younger than Elizabeth. But of course, he's in the gym all the time. That's his second home.
J.J. Jumper, the official mascot of NCAA basketball, was there entertaining the crowd. At one point, he was tossing out shirts to the crowd. Elizabeth was just about to turn 4. She was dying for a shirt, and supplies were running low.
Jack, Elizabeth and I were sitting on the sidelines near center court and at one point J.J. turned his back and Jack bolted for a shirt. You know, as much as a 2-year-old can bolt.
Elizabeth turned to look at me and I told her, "Go ahead!"
I mean, she was running out there with the coach's son. Who was going to stop her?
She got back to our spot on the sidelines, beaming, before J.J. turned around. Jack got his too. The shirt was an XL, down to her feet.
She's had it ever since, and in fact, she's sleeping in it tonight.
And seven years later, it's still big.
4 comments:
Cate reminds me that we still have the box of confetti. :)
When I emptied my desk a few months ago I found a three-inch cord cut from the 1988 Minnesota state basketball championship basket net.
She also has the JJ Jumper trading card! I almost threw it out during our last move. She had a cow and I got a lecture about being careful around her "irreplaceable souvenirs."
Elizabeth told me this morning she remembers the whole shirt-stealing incident.
Comment from the Facebook feed:
Mike Lonergan
Great story Pat. That was a great day!
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