Todd’s Nods: Mitchell Marcus
Todd Colin Vaughan
Sports Editor
Just when you thought sports was all ego and petulance, some- thing happens to remind you why we watch and play in the first place.
On Feb. 27, at a high school basketball game in El Paso, Texas, Mitchell Marcus of the Coronado T-birds hit a shot that will be remembered forever.
Mitchell Marcus was the recipient of a pass from the opposing team. He would then sink a bucket for the first points of his life. Photo courtesy: flickr.com/mvongrue
Marcus, the Grade 12 general manager of the T-birds, was given the opportunity to suit up for the final game of the T-birds season. This was a surprise earlier planned by his coach, Peter Morales, who wanted to award his developmentally challenged manager for his commitment to the team and the sport of basket- ball.
What Marcus did not know was that he would not only suit up, but be put into the game to finish off the season.
The T-birds continually passed the ball to Marcus, in hopes that he would sink a bucket in what was already an inspiring story. Up until this point, it looked like Marcus was not going to score, especially with mere seconds left and the ball being in the hands of the opposing team.
On the subsequent in-bounds play, however, something astounding happened.
In what was an unprecedented show of sportsmanship, and something that no one could have possibly expected, the opposing team’s player Jon Montanez shouted out Marcus’ name and passed the ball to him instead of his own teammate.
Marcus would hit the buzzer-beating shot and was carried off the court by everyone in the building.
Montanez later told reporters that Marcus “deserved his chance.”
The T-birds won by the game by 11 points, meaning that Marcus’ shot did not alter the outcome of the game, but there are some victories in this world that are bigger than wins and losses in sports.
Marcus’ mother later remarked that she would “cry about this moment forever.”
Indeed, the moment is one that is hard not to shed a tear over. Check it out on Youtube.
Todd’s Nods is a reoccurring column that is open to suggestions from the public. If you know of a sports story that is worth the nod please tweet @toddcvaughan.
