What Good Sportsmanship is About

The story goes something like this: It was a Saturday night in February, and an Illinois and Wisconsin High School were playing a non-conference game. It was the third meeting between the two schools, who had developed a friendly rivalry.

The teams planned to get together after the game and share pizzas and sodas. But the game almost didn't take place and when it did it was a testament to both teams and sportsmanship.

Hours earlier, the mother of the Wisconsin senior captain died at a local hospital. She had been in remission after a five-year fight with cervical cancer, but began hemorrhaging that morning while her son was taking his college ACT exam.

Her son and several of his teammates were at the hospital late that afternoon when the decision was made to turn off the life-support system. The mother was just 39.

His coach was going to cancel the game, but the senior captain told him he wanted the team to play. The game started late and Wisconsin dressed only eight players.

Early in the second quarter, the coach saw someone out of the corner of his eye. It was the senior captain, who came from the hospital to cheer his teammates on.

His team had possession of the ball, so the coach called a time out. His players went over and hugged their teammate. And, fans poured out of the stands to do the same.

As the game began again, the coach asked the team captain if he wanted to sit on the bench.

"No," he replied, "I want to play."

But, there was a problem. He wasn't on the pre-game roster and putting him in the game meant drawing a technical foul that would give the other school two free throws.

It was a tight game, but the coach was willing to give up the two points. It was more important to help his player deal with his grief by putting him in the game.

Over on the other bench, though, the opposing team wasn't so willing to take the free throws. Their coach told the referees to forget the technical and let the kid play.

But the refs insisted they follow the rules. The opposing team coach asked for volunteers to shoot. One player raised his hand. His coach asked him if he understood what he had to do. He nodded and went to the free throw line. He dribbled the ball and looked at the rim.

His first shot went about two feet, bounced a couple of times and rolled toward the end line.

The second shot barely left his hand.

It didn't take long for the Wisconsin players to figure out what was going on.

They stood and turned toward the Illinois bench and started applauding the gesture of sportsmanship. Soon, so did everybody in the stands.

"I did it for the guy who lost his mom," said the shooter. "It was the right thing to do."

The team captain scored 10 points in that game and Wisconsin won 62-47.

Afterward, the teams went out for pizza, and the team captain stopped by briefly, to thank his team for their support.

His mother's funeral took place later that week, and the school turned out for her and her son. Cheerleaders came in uniform, and everyone from the principal and teachers to his classmates were there.

It hadn't been the greatest season for his team, but they stuck together through a lot of adversity.

"We have a losing record but there's life lessons going on, good ones," said the coach.

None so good, though, as the moment a team and a player decided there were more important things than winning. The Illinois team went home with a loss. But it was a trip the team will never forget.

"This is something our kids will hold for a lifetime," their coach said. "They may not remember our record 20 years from now, but they'll remember what happened in that gym that night."

And that folks, is what the game is all about.