Quinn mighty helpful to young reporter

THE FIRST and only time I met Pat Quinn, I was a college-age reporter covering a Flyers game as a fill-in for the Associated Press.

It was Oct. 11, 1981, at the Spectrum. Ilkka Sinisalo became the first Flyer to score his first NHL goal on a penalty shot.

The Flyers beat the Penguins, 8-2, but the story was Sinisalo. A large media crowd gathered around him in the postgame locker room.

However, it soon became evident that Ilkka, who was from Finland, did not speak English well. It wasn't long before I realized that if I wanted quotes, I'd have to get them from his teammates. But by then, the locker room was almost empty.

I poked around a bit until I saw an open door. There, sitting behind a desk smoking a victory cigar was Quinn.

I introduced myself, told him my dilemma and asked if I could talk to him about Sinisalo.

The coach motioned me with in with a wave of his cigar.

"C'mon in, close the door and grab a beer," he said.

I left with a notebook full of quotes and lifelong admiration for a down-to-earth guy who probably never knew how much I truly appreciated what he did.

Rest in peace, Pat.

Lauren Hill's Indiana high school had a nice surprise for her over the weekend.

Hill, who has brain cancer, made news recently when she fulfilled a dream by playing in a couple of games for Division III Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati.

On Saturday, the 19-year old freshman thought she was returning to Lawrenceville High to watch her old team play.

Instead, the school retired her No. 22 jersey.

"I'm speechless," Hill told the crowd at halftime.

Hill, who has been told she may only have months to live, founded Layup4Lauren, which has helped raise over $300,000 for cancer research.