WESTMINSTER – Sitting in the bleachers as the repeated booming echoes of bouncing basketballs filled St. John’s gymnasium, Larry Baker and Donald “Bo” Yingling seemed like proud fathers.

Designed as a way of promoting religious vocations, the Men in Black basketball game was all about fun and awareness.

“It seems like our society and media want to push pro-lifers to the side and hope that we would shut our mouths and go away quietly,” said Birk, whose 6’4’’, 310-pound frame struck a distinct figure among the hundreds of marchers who filed through downtown streets. “Let’s not do that.”

Many high school basketball fans have crystallized the multi-championship, 1995-1996 season for St. Frances Academy’s boys basketball team into All-American Mark Karcher doing everything himself.

Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson is a convert to the Catholic faith who believes in the power of prayer.

“As all good leaders do, Joe led by example,” said Jesuit Father Brian F. Linnane, the Loyola president. “He’s a person of enormous integrity. Joe could be really tough if you didn’t live up to those standards, in terms of not just athletic performance, but representing the university in ways we could be proud of.”

From a parish school in South Philadelphia to the Catoctin Mountains, Phelan spent 65 years on campuses affiliated with the church.

John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens says his Catholic faith is central to who he is.

For someone who grew up across the street from Memorial Stadium and who spent his summers trying to emulate Brooks Robinson at third base, Monsignor Michael Fisher must be stuck in a kind of baseball purgatory.

The 58- year- old play- by- play man said the School Sisters of Notre Dame helped hone the skills he needed as sports announcer. Manfra attended Our Lady of Fatima School and was a member of its first graduating class before attending Patterson High School.