CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Despite the cold, gloomy weather of a January evening in Northeast Ohio, the gym at Heights High in Cleveland Heights was still buzzing.
A boys basketball game was underway, the intensity on the court echoed by the routines of the cheerleaders on the sidelines, and the fans cheering in the stands. Three men in particular, a few rows up behind the home bench, were fixated on the game.
Larry Shaw, class of 1966; Grover Price, class of 1973; and Michael Kurtz, class of 1979, are steadfast in their dedication to Cleveland Heights High School sports.
"When I was 7 years old in 1968, we started going to Heights games, mostly basketball," Kurtz remembered. "And we went to every game."
“I’m originally from Brooklyn, New York," Price said of the beginning of his fandom. "Came here to Cleveland Heights in 1969 and started high school in 10th grade, and that's when it all started."
"I grew up about two blocks away from Heights High School, so it was just natural to me," Shaw added. "I finally convinced my parents to start letting me come up here by myself when I was 11. So that was 1959, and I've been coming to games ever since."
While the three attended high school at different times, their love of all things Tigers brought them together as they cheer on boys basketball and football games from the stands.
"I've seen good years, I've seen bad years," Shaw said. "But you keep on coming because, no matter what, it's still Heights High."
"It really is a tradition," Kurtz explained. "It really is just you're a Heights Tiger, and you're a Heights Tiger forever."
Rarely are the three missing from games — Price even recalled a time decades ago when he and friends drove through a snowstorm to get to a game, ultimately fishtailing and landing in a ditch on the side of the road. Uninjured, he and his comrades called a tow truck to pull them out, and made it to the game.
These three superfans know their teams inside and out, easily rattling off players and coaches and which games stood out over the years.
"We come to the games and kids from the '80s and '90s will walk across the court to where we're sitting just to say hello and shake our hands and say, 'Hey, how you doing today?' And it's wonderful," Kurtz said. "It is all generations, and I'm just happy to be along for the ride. I mean, I look forward to the games because it's just so much fun watching these kids just play for pride."
As evidenced by the framed jerseys hanging in the hallway at the entrance to the high school gym, the district has seen its fair share of stand outs.
"The Kelce brothers both were little kids like this when they were playing hockey," Shaw reminisced. "I mean, I remember Travis as a hockey player, a basketball player, a football player, or a baseball player. So it was great to see guys, people from Heights, do really well."
As the city's former recreation commissioner, Shaw has watched many young athletes rise up through the ranks.
"I especially get a kick out of it because their father Ed Kelce was one of my volunteer coaches in hockey and in baseball, and he was tremendous. He never had any agendas," Shaw said. "So I just think it is good for the world to see people from Heights that are loyal to Heights, love Heights, and [Jason and Travis Kelce] talk about us all the time, which is great. And I think that's how the three of us are, too."
The trio's dedication has been recognized by the district, with athletic director Joe D'Amato noticing their attendance and granting them a free lifetime pass to Heights High so they no longer have to pay for tickets.
And recently, during a boys basketball game against Mentor, the men were recognized in a ceremony, being called out at halftime and presented with replica jerseys with their names and graduation years on them.
"I think their commitment to show up day in and day out is something that our kids should notice and take with them as they go on to whatever they do," D'Amato said. "Because as all of us adults know, just showing up every day is not always the easiest thing. So for those guys to just continue to do that is amazing, and I hope our kids learn from that."
"It does mean a lot. I don't need to be reminded, though, that I graduated from Heights back in '66," Shaw laughed. "But other than that, I mean, it's nice to know that we represent Heights High."