Last week, St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey, home to one of the most successful high school basketball programs in the nation, announced it’s closing in June due to a mound of debt.
Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley, who is also the school’s president, tried hard to save it, noting that $500,000 is what it would take. That amount of money evidently didn’t come together, and on Wednesday, the school announced its pending closure.
But New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has an idea.
The Associated Press reports via NJ 101.5 that on Friday, Christie said on WFAN's "Boomer and Carton" show that he’s challenging the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL commissioners to each cut a $125,000 check to save the school.
St. Anthony has won 28 New Jersey state titles, four national championships and has sent more than 150 players to Division I basketball programs, the AP reports. It’s also nearly $2 million in debt, the result of both declining attendance and rising costs.
There is no word on whether the leaders of the four major pro sports leagues have heard, or responded to, Christie's challenge.
Read more here.