Gola & local parish leader
named to CYO Hall of Fame

A local basketball legend and an area parish leader were among four people inducted last week into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Catholic Youth Organization Hall of Fame.
The local inductees were Tom Gola, a former college and professional basketball star, and Sister Margaret Maura Kirby, stewardship coordinator at St. Timothy Parish.
Gola was unable to attend the 12th annual awards dinner, which took place on March 16 at the Springfield Country Club in Delaware County, as he continues on the long road to recovery from a serious head injury. His medical woes began in July 2003 when he hit his head on a curb after a fall.
An Olney native, Gola led Incarnation of Our Lord School to the Eastern States CYO championship and La Salle High School to a city title. At La Salle College, he helped the Explorers capture NCAA and NIT championships.
He also played for the Philadelphia Warriors when the team won the NBA championship in 1956. When he finished playing, Gola coached La Salle College for two years.
After his basketball career, Gola, a Republican, went into politics and served two terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and one term as Philadelphia’s city controller. He also waged an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 1983.
He and his wife, Caroline, live in the Pine Valley section of Bustleton and are members of St. Cecilia Parish.
Sister Kirby, affectionately known as "Sister Peg," was honored for her work with the disabled, poor and young. Besides her work at St. Tim’s, she is a learning strategies specialist at Mercy Vocational High School.
The other inductees were Frank Corace, a former professional basketball player who attended Monsignor Bonner High School, and Jim White, a pro-life activist from Wayne and member of a family construction business.
At the banquet, a silent auction was held to raise money for CYO programs. ••