Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-25
FETE
BILLY MARKWARD
Veteran Cage Coach Of Catholic
Highs Title Team Honored
for 21-Year Record
"B0YS MADE. IT," HE SAYS
BY SANDY NlcNIBLICK

! OODNESS knows, as they say in
" Kensington, Billy Markward has a
host of admirers. This was proved
when his admirers played host the other
night and feted all over the place the
man who has been basketball coach Of
Catholic High for the last twenty one
years. 1t was n theatre party and a
banquet.
Th team which Billy Markward
coaches is undisputed champion of the
local scholastic floors TINS year. That
was one reason for the banquet ut
which Markward was the guest of
honor and which was attended by a
huge gathering Of alumni and promi-
nent citizens.
Another reason was that in his long
reign as court mentor at Catholic High
he has guided the Purple and Gold to
five championships, and his team has
been one Of the strongest contenders
nearly every other year. Such famous
stars as Joe Fogartf. Rubc eastman.
Jack Glascott. Tom Dunlcavy, Phf1
Douglas and Charley White were once
schoolboy basketeers under the teaching
OF Markward.
But any one sitting in on the party
would have quickly sensed that 1t was
not entirely that consistent and conscc-
utivc record they had gathered from all
parts Of the city to honor.
1t was mostly-Billy Markward.
A busy man in n busy town. he has
given up the best part of his winter for
twenty -Onc years to coaching school
| h., tln,, tn nj tp Sly 1,a
because that's his hobby. but coaching
them even more determinedly in the
game of lifc-coaching them to play the
game.
Little Cash Reward
His reward-wcll. 1t wouldn't buy
much nt the corner grocery. In fact.
! his main reward through the years has
been the victories turned in and the
thrill he gets in watching his protcges
giving everything they've got for. love
of the game. 1t comes in the sight of
one more youngSter budding into fine
manhood with the principles Of clean.
hard sport Towering in his breast as
the result of Markward's training. II
comes in such fine demonstrations rs
his nppreciativc hosts rendered the vet
cran coach the other night.
And II anything further were needed
to stamp his principles in their minds.
he supplied it himself when they called
on him for Il speech.
Il am for the boys, first. last and
all the time" he stated simply
whatever have done was for the
it to them. They have won the vic
tories for your school, not |. and |
mean it. They have pulled together.
they have fought. they have obcycd,
they have played fair. given the best
they had. and they have won. Give
them credit. It is the boys you should
bnnuuct. They deserve it,
The storm of applause was for the
sentiment expressed and for modest
man. rhry would have crowned him
with Il laurel wreath. for they we're in
tho crowning mood. but there wasn't
any laurel to be had
Harry Bergman was almost crowned
later. but that was purely accidental.
Judge Eugene G. Bonniwell was the
other official speaker of the evening.
lie praised the coach and the spirit Of
real sport as instilled into the team.
lie demanded game with the passaic
High to decide the ''world's schoolboy
basketball championship for 1922" and
that made big hit.
The stunts began hardly had he sat
down. \ basso in fine voice responded
TO storm of disapproval with some
classical dittics. and charming pianist
attracted MI eyes when she accom-
panied another singer.
The Big Act
There was II deal Of solo dancing
and things like that, but it remained
for Harry Bergman to put on the big
act.
No one will ever know what it was
all about except Harry. With some
ceremony he borrowed a chair from one
of the guests. He then solicited another,
which he placed endwise on the first,
and so on till he had chair pile reach :
ing almost to the ceiling.
To slow music he did the Dance of
the Graces around the tottcring stock
There were low salaams. There was a
moment of calculating with pencil
on the wall as to the approximate to
space between the top of the chairs
and the ceiling. The presumption was
that h" was about to leap to fame
Farcwclls were said to intimate friends
presnet.
If | should die in the attcmpt---'
he muttcrcd.
; The great indoor athlete then walked
hriskly to the corner of the room
turned his back to the chairs and went
through the stretching motions Of q
boxer before the fight.
While he was thus engaged the fear-
ful guests reclaimed their chairs.
They sat, you might say. on the act
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