2000 -- H 8045

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LC02850
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S  T  A  T  E     O  F     R  H  O  D  E     I  S  L  A  N  D    

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2000

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H  O  U  S  E     R  E  S  O  L  U  T  I  O  N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF JOE MULLANEY, THE GREATEST PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FRIAR OF ALL

Introduced By:  Representatives Martineau and Watson Date Introduced:  March 14, 2000 Referred To:  Read and Passed

WHEREAS, Joe Mullaney, was born in Elmhurst, New York, and by the time he had graduated from high school, he knew that he wanted to be a basketball coach; and

WHEREAS, He attended the College of Holy Cross and played as a starter and teammate of Bob Cousey on their 1947 NCAA Championship Team; and

WHEREAS, Twenty years later looking back on that accomplishment and also showing a bit of his sharp Irish wit, Coach Mullaney stated, "I made Bob Cousey an All-American because I gave him the ball and I got out of his way"; and

WHEREAS, Joe Mullaney, upon his graduation from Holy Cross, played briefly for the Boston Celtics, was an FBI agent, and coached for one year at Norwich University in Vermont; and

WHEREAS, Beginning in 1955 and continuing on to 1969 Joe Mullaney took Providence College, a small catholic school, of 3500 students, to much national acclaim in its basketball program; and

WHEREAS, Joe Mullaney coached the likes of Lenny Wilkins, Jimmy Walker, Johnny Eagen, John Thompson, Jimmy Hadnot and Vinny Ernest, to name a few; and

WHEREAS, Few Rhode Island baby boomers will ever forget the drama and thrills given to us by the Mullaney 1960, '61 and '63 teams performances at Madison Square Garden in the National Invitational Tournaments; and

WHEREAS, Coach Mullaney established the foundation in the Providence Program which enabled future coaches Dave Gavitt and Rick Pitino to take the Friars to the Final Four in 1973, and 1987; and

WHEREAS, Joe Mullaney left Providence in 1969 to coach three of the greatest professional players in the history of the game, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain for two years with the Los Angeles Lakers; and

WHEREAS, Joe Mullaney, a resident of North Providence, was the loving husband of Jane Cuddy Mullaney and devoted father of Joseph, John, Paul, Thomas and Maryellen; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby expresses our deepest sympathies to the Mullaney Family on the passing of our greatest Friar, Joe Mullaney; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Mullaney family.

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