Linus McGinity is hugged by his wife Diane, during a halftime ceremony Sunday. The beloved former coach won 557 games and 11 Catholic League champions at O’Hara in 24 seasons. Photo by: Digital First Media
By Matt Smith
Sunday was Linus McGinty Day at Cardinal O’Hara.
The legendary former girls basketball coach was “overwhelmed” to be honored by the school, where he won 557 games and 11 Philadelphia Catholic League championships during his celebrated tenure.
Many former players arrived early for a pre-game gathering before O’Hara’s 47-22 nonleague victory over Academy of Notre Dame. At halftime, a video presentation that originally played during his O’Hara Hall of Fame induction ceremony was shown as McGinty stood at half court with his wife, Diane, in arm. Moments later, a commemorative banner with his name on it was unveiled inside the gymnasium to rapturous applause.
“It was tremendous and so nice to everyone,” said McGinty, holding a bouquet of flower as he exited his beloved gym. “Even some of the (Archbishop) Carroll girls that I coached were here. It was great, it really was tremendous.”
McGinty spent more than a decade at rival Carroll before arriving at O’Hara, where he coached for 24 seasons until his retirement following the 2017-18 season. McGinty earned 824 victories in nearly 40 years of coaching high school girls basketball.