Mike Mulvihill
Football & Baseball
Oklahoma State
St. Thomas
St. Anne’s
1950s
Mike Mulvihill is a both a friend and fellow 1956 graduate of St. Thomas High School. He was an old school good guy and terrific athlete then, and a guy today who has long deserved induction into our St. Thomas Hall of Honor for Athletics. And we are hoping to get him there when the next ballot comes up in January 2015. In our earlier parochial school days, Mike attended St. Anne’s Catholic School, located at the corner of Shepherd and Westheimer. My school was St. Christopher’s, off the Gulf Freeway at Broadway in the East End. Back in those days, St. Anne’s was our local version of the New York Yankees. Those guys rolled over just about everybody.
This morning, I found the following report on the St. Anne’s upcoming championship game against St. Patrick’s of Galveston in 1950 and just had to do this article. Mike Mulvihill, who went on to further championship experience with the Town House Buffs in baseball, state Catholic school championship glory in both baseball and football for St. Thomas, and a national championship major moment in baseball as a pitcher for Oklahoma State University in 1959, where he also played Division I football. In this November 23rd article from the Galveston Daily News, Mike Mulvihill was also prominently mentioned as the St. Anne’s leader in the upcoming 1950 championship game scheduled for Sunday, November 26, 1950.
My problem today is – I could not find a report on the outcome of this reported game through my computer research sources, even though my dime is firmly put down on the idea that the Galveston boys weren’t going to be able to do anything we other Houston schools couldn’t do to stop Mulvihill and Company from the big prize. I still don’t know the final outcome, but, as I just wrote, I would not lay a late dead man’s vote against St. Anne’s. Mike was one of those guys who could either run around or over a defender, depending on the kind of threat an opponent posed.
Mike, or anyone else, if you know who won the big game described here, please post your information below as a comment story with scoring specifics, if you have them.
Thanks!
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St. Patrick’s Greenies (of Galveston) will meet St. Anne’s of Houston here (in Galveston) Sunday afternoon (11/26/1950) in a game matching the Parochial champions of the two cities.
St. Anne’s thumped St. Christopher’s 41-0 Sunday afternoon (11/19/1950) to annex the Houston title for the third year in a row. St. Patrick’s won the local (Galveston) championship last month.
The game will mark the renewal of the inner-city rivalry which began in 1948 when St. Mary’s Rams journeyed to Houston a suffered a 7-0 setback at the hands of St. Anne’s. No game was played in 1949.
Both teams will enter the game with undefeated records. The Greenies won three league games against one tie and also took a 21-7 decision from St. Mary’s of Houston. St. Anne’s has won eight straight games without a loss, averaging about 30 points per game and allowing but 7 points all season. St. Patrick’s scored 103 points against 45 for the opposition.
Roy Garrett has paced the Greenie attack during the year, racking up 42 points to tie for high scoring honors in the Galveston loop. Raymond Valdez, St. Patrick’s quarterback, has twp touchdowns to his credit, to rank second to Garrett.
St. Anne’s will be led by Mike Mulvihill, who starred in Sunday’s game against St. Christopher’s. Rounding out the (St. Anne’s) backfield will be Jim Byman, Jim Rughstrom, and Bill Allen.
Knights of Columbus officials announced that the game will be played Sunday at 3 p.m. Sunday at Public School Stadium. Admission Prices will be 50 cents for adults and 25 for children.
~ Galveston Daily News, November 23, 1950, Page 9.
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The Pecan Park Eagle 
October 7, 2013 at 1:49 pm |
From recent e-mails, it appears that expansion of the St. Thomas campus has been placed in the hands of God. In whose hands does the Hall of Fame decision rest? How can we classmates of Mike help?
Ah, those were the days.
Rob Sangster
rob@sangster.com
October 7, 2013 at 1:59 pm |
Rob – I’m headed out the door in a few minutes, but will e-mail you soon with a report on what we, the Class of ’56, have done. Now we need to strategize our next steps in Mike’s behalf.
October 7, 2013 at 3:59 pm
Was surprised to be reading my emails this am to see this article. Thanks for the kind words old friend. As one who just turned 76 this all seems ancient history, but was rewarding and makes me feel really grateful for great friends & teammates and God’s gifts.
I remember playing a game in Galveston but don’t remember any details.
May 8, 2015 at 12:40 am |
Hi Mike,
Was surfing the internet and came across your name by serendipity. Read about your athletic success. Very impressive! It brought back fond memories of my years at St. Anne’s. I have often wondered how the lives of my classmates have played out. We are lucky to have lived into our late seventies. Many are not so fortunate. Congratulations on being inducted into the St. Thomas Hall of Fame. Hope life is good and
you’re enjoying retirement.
Regards,
Mary Jo