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the voice of the abingtons abingtonsuburban.com | march 30, 2017
The Abington Youth Basketball league had a strong season |PAGE 5
“Look good/feel good day” at Clarks Summit Senior Living |PAGE 6
The Comets had a winning post-season run |PAGE 8
For thE LovE oF thE GAmE
A Waverly pickup basketball game has been going on for a quarter century
by Linda Scott
SPEciaL to tHE abinGton SUbURban
George H. W. Bush was the president. The New York Yankees won the World Series and the Washington Redskins won the Super Bowl. It was a leap year in 1992 and this was the year a group of men got to together to play basketball and form friendships. “The original group was employed by the same company, MetLife IT Installation, on Morgan Highway. We had played basketball on an outdoor court during the summer of 1992,” said the founder of the group, Mike Brislin, who still plays. “When we began to run out of daylight during the fall of the year, we started to look for an indoor court. Someone in our group suggested the Waverly Community House and we contacted the “Comm” in October of that year.” The group has been playing there ever since on Monday nights from 5 to 7 pm. from October to the end of April. This means the league has been playing for 25 years.
TS_CNG/SUBURBAN/PAGES [S01] | 03/29/17
There are 14 active players. That number of players varies from week to week and sometimes there are only eight or nine. There are 2 players still playing from the From left, front row: Dan Grotzinger, Sal Cortese, Doug Heller, Matt Grotzinger, Tim Pryle and John McClurg. original group. Back row: Frank Boniello, John Baldino, Tom Stefursky, Mike Brislin, John Kopcho and Chris Thomas. Mike The ages of the Poremba and John Farley also play. players range from mid-30s guys have retired, Monday night basketenjoy playing for the love of the game. to late 60s. Over the years, three sets of ball is a good venue for us to get together Playing basketball for 60 years is hard fathers and sons have played; there is one to give up despite the bumps, lumps once a week and get some exercise as set currently. Four of the players began well.” and bruises. One of the most gratifying playing basketball in the mid 1970s in “The reason we’ve been playing this aspects is continuing the friendship and leagues or during pickup games. long is solely the group of guys we have. camaraderie with former Met Life coThe games are played following the workers as well as developing friendships This group’s dedication has been the “unwritten general rules of pickup basket- with new players.” driving force behind our success,’ said ball,” Brislin said, There are no referees. Brislin. “The largest part of this group has I started playing basketball in grade Players call their own fouls and they do school and was fortunate to have a coach been playing 15 to 20 years. One of the not shoot foul shots. The team who is benefits derived from playing this long is that made basketball a lot of fun to fouled gets the ball. The game is played we have all become friends so there is a play,” said John McCIurg who worked at without a timer and whichever team social aspect to Monday night basketball. MetLife for 40 years, is now retired and scores 11 baskets first wins. has been playing with the group since the We have always tried to keep it simple. “I have been playing Monday night This has never been anything but playbeginning. “I still enjoy the competition basketball for 23 years. Age wise, I’m the and the game. The most important reason ing basketball. There is nothing at stake. senior on the team with no intention There are no contracts or scholarships I am still playing is the great bunch of of announcing my retirement any time guys who show up each week for Monday and definitely no fame and fortune. Just soon,” said John Kopcho team player. “I bragging rights.” night basketball. Since most of the older
10:50 | CORNELLCHR