Three generations: The basketball legacy of Phil McGivney and his progeny lives on in the 21st Century

Joey, the third generation, Fox Chapel High School

Part 1

On this date in 1941, eighty-five years ago today, a young boy was born into a family of educators, of mentors, of hard workers. That youngster was arrived in Brooklyn, New York, but he was raised in an area outside Lilly, Pa. that still affectionally carries his maternal family name: Scanlon Hill.

Phil McGivney followed the path etched by his mother, Margaret, and his aunt, Ruth Scanlon, into the education profession. He taught for more than three decades, and he lived with the Scanlon family on their farm on the hill named affectionately for them.

Phil was a mentor, a teacher, a coach — and a leader -- for many years. However, he engaged in an avocation, basketball, which led him into coaching. He was a member of the 1959 Lilly-Washington High School basketball team that battled for the PIAA Class C state championship in his senior season of 1959 and he mentored young men on the court, the football field, and even the diamond for the better part of four decades.

The Two Phils -- On the Lilly Level, where Phil II learned the rudiments

However, what is amazing today is that if a basketball fan perused the newspapers in Pittsburgh during the past season, the name “McGivney” was featured prominently for one of the premier WPIAL teams in the hunt for title. 

While the grandfather passed away a little more than a year ago, his legacy lives on in the 21st Century.  

His name is Joey McGivney, and if Phil had been alive during this basketball season, he would have seen headlines like this that would have pleased him tremendously,

Joey McGivney led Fox Chapel with 22 points in their, 60-48, victory against North Hills.

Joey is the son of Phil J., Phil T.’s son who carried his father’s love of the game to the next generation. The younger Phil has his own legacy, which I will detail later.

Today, three generations of McGivney’s are enjoying the love of something that young Phil T could have only dreamed for as a young athlete on Scanlon Hill.

I am writing about people and families who have accomplished a great deal, and this story was one that I loved. More like this will follow, but this is Part 1, the early legacy of Phil McGivney.

The 20th Century

Back in the mid-20th Century, sports were growing in popularity so much that every young child wanted to pick up a basketball, football, or baseball. It was post World War II, and during that time, sports had fallen in popularity.

The 1950s saw a rebirth of the love of athletics, and a young boy from an area of Cambria County known as Scanlon Hill — named after his ancestors — emerged to become a popular athlete.

Phil McGivney touched the lives of many people, but it started in a small high school named Lilly-Washington. However, the Raiders as they became known actually started their basketball program in the 1920s and experienced great success. During those early years, Phil’s ancestors were part of a very successful basketball history.

And then Phil’s high school team made its own history by reaching the highest state pinnacle in the school’s history.

What is interesting in Phil’s narrative is that as a teacher and coach, he is still remembered fondly for developing and encouraging young athletes.

In fact, it went beyond athletes. A friend of mine who earned a prestigious college degree said that he attended Notre Dame only because of the influence of Phil McGivney.

This is a look at how that legacy began — and continues more than a half century later.

Leading scorer this night

Education

After graduating from Lilly-Washington, Phil matriculated at St. Francis, where he earned a degree in education. He then taught for a few years before taking a job at Cresson Joint High School. He remained there after it became Penn Cambria and taught for 32 years.

He coached primarily basketball and football, along with track, but what he developed so effectively were his communication skills. His former players today will talk about what an influence he had on them.

Phil married Carol Kunrod from Portage, and together they had two children, Phil and Chrissy. The father carried the love of basketball to his son, and from the son to the next generation. What an influence!

That will be part 2 and maybe 3 of this story, how one Phil carried the message to his son, and how the younger Phil then influenced his own son to love the game and become an outstanding player are he is right now as a high school junior.