Abington High School - Oracle Yearbook (Abington, PA)

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During the second half, the lead saw- sawed back and forth. In the closing minutes of the fourth quarterf Tommy, who had been sparking the team, put us ahead with a driving layup, As I started down court on defense, I heard a thud. Turning around, I saw Tommy stretched out cold on the court. They carried him out, and the game went on. It wasn't till later in the dressing room I heard the full story. Tommy had cracked his rib in the second quarter and played the rest of the game in intense pain. On the way home, I thought to myself, Why didn't he take himself out? The pain must have been ter- rible. The next day I asked him why he stayed in there, and the only answer I got was that he didn't want to let the team and the school down. Afterwards l thought to myself, He endured all that pain just for the sake of a basketball game. How sillyln But the more I thought about it, the more I thought there might be something to this school spirit after all. During the next few days, the whole school began preparing for the annual Glendale-Coaltown basketball game. Post- ers and placards were posted everywhere while preparations were made for the an- nual dance afterwards. Students held booster meetings, and school spirit went up one hundred per cent. The day before the big game, the school held a tremendous pep rally in the gym. Cheerleaders went about their duties with extra vim and vigor, everybody seemed to get in stride with the spirit of the occasion. That is, everybody but me. Don't get me Wrong! I wanted to win the game just as much as anybody, but all this school spirit was go- ing too far. I will admit, however, that I enjoyed hearing the words of one fellow student who said, Yes, sir, that Dicky Thompson is a very fine basketball player. Too bad he doesn't have more school spirit? School spirit, school spirit-that was just what the coach had said. On the night of the big game, the stands were packed a half hour before game time. We were underdogs, but you wouldn't have known it from the sound of the cheer we received as we trotted on court for our warm-up shots. At the start of the game, I controlled the tap and passed it to Tony Williams. He took two dribbles and passed it off to Tommy. Spotting an opening, I cut ,down the center lane and laid Tommy 's pass in for a two-pointer. The crowdlet out a tremendous cheer, and I felt pretty good myself. After a tight first quarter, the Coaltown forewards went into high gear, and we trailed at halftime, 41-31. As I walked toward the dressing room, NAN DiVALERlO, '51 'mu

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It takes teamwork to produce '7!w W' I had just dribbled in for a layup when Coach Irving said, All right, gang, that ls enough practice for toda.y. Don't forget to take warm showers and get to bed early. We 'Ve got a long week ahead of us. As I walked toward the showers, my teammate and buddy, Tommy Jackson, fell in with me. You certainly are improving your play around the foul circle, he said. If you do11't watch out, you're going to become a good basketball player. I was just about to answer him when Coach Irv- ing motioned to me to follow him into his office. Once inside the office, he turned to me and said, Your playing is improving, Dick, but you seem to lack drive and spirit. Is something bothering you? If so, tell me, a.nd maybe I can help you? No, there is nothing wrong, I replied. I guess I'm just tired. But deep down inside me, I said to myself, He's just like all the rest. Who cares about spirit and drive? Spirit doesn 't win a basketball game. Well, get some rest. You'll probably feel better by morning, he said. After I showered and dressed, I met Tommy outside the gym. Hurry up, slow poke, I'm already late for dinner, he said. As we walked along through the December twilight. he talked about the big game next week and the dance afterwards. While he talked on, I thought to myself, What's he so pepped up about? Of course, I want to win, but what's all this enthusiasm about? It 's just another school game. School spirit, school spirit, that's xv NAN DIVA LERIO, '51 all I hear, School spirit doesn't win games, school spirit doesn't score pointsg the basketball players do. When we reached my house, Tom and I said goodbye, and I went in to eat. Two nights later we played Midvale in a home game, and it was in this game I got my first taste of real school spirit. The stands filled up rapidly as we warmed up, and I thought to myself, Why does every- body come dressed up with school signs and decorations? It's just another basket- ball game. The first quarter was tight, and we led only 21-20 at the buzzer. During the second quarter there was a scuffle for a rebound under our backboard, and I saw Tommy get an elbow in the ribs. It must have hurt because of the wayihe winced. We called time out, but he said he was all right and the game was resumed. After a hard fought second quarter, the half ended with us holding a slim 39-38 edge..

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I heard somebody shout, Thats the way to play basketball, Glendale. Keep. fight- ing. While I sat in the dressing room, I thought to myself, Who cares if I play a good game or not? No matter how I play, if the team wins, I'1n a hero, and if they lose, I'm a bumf' In the opening minutes of the second half, I managed to give off some very nice passes, and we cut the margin down to two points. It remained that way until the fourth quarter. I opened the final period by making a beautiful one-hander to tie the game and followed that up by sinking a long set shot, which brought the crowd screaming from their seats. Suddenly I saw a momentary pause by my opponent and took the opportunity to intercept a pass intended for him. I dribbled down court and laid it up for two points. The crowd went wild, and all of a sudden it hit me! These fans weren't cheering because I was scoring, they were cheering because the school team was winning. They didn 't care who scored as long as the team was winning. Every fan in the gym was play- ing that game, not just the ten men on the court. Well, the lead soon disappeared when the Coaltowners came roaring back, but I matched them, point for point. One-hand shots, set shots, impossible shots-I made them all. I wanted to win, not for self glory but for the school. I was filled with the thing they call school spirit. Then it happened. With twenty seconds remaining and the score tied, I fumbled away an easy pass. An alert Coaltown forward grabbed the ball and raced down court for the win- ning score. In the dressing room after the game, l was almost in tears. I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Tony standing there. Expecting words of anger and disgust, I was surprised to hear him say, You played a swell game, and you didn't deserve to fumble that pass, but we're not holding it against youf' He was smiling as he said this and, as I looked around, the others were smiling, too. l thought to myself, You won after all. The team lost the game, but you got some school spirit, and that was more i111- portant. ROBERT GOLD,51 CHRISTMAS Christmas comes but once a year, When it 's gone, we'll shed no teaxr. Working to hafve everything that will Dazzle Wearing ourselves to the very last Fraezle Frantically rushing for last minute Necessities- We-arily hoping for no more Compleazities- Reading the story of good old St. Nick- To children so excited, we fear they'll be Sick- Struggling with the tree, to set it just Right- . Trimming it with balls and bright electric Ifight- Wrapping the presents, trying hard to be Original- Comes the day of great Expectations With big, luscious turkey, and gift Creations Forgotten is our weariness of the month 's long Pull. Christmas- Isn't it wonderful! BEVERLY DEAN,53