Teen Singer Forgets Words To National Anthem (Gets Rescued in Fine Way)

NBC5.com ^ | 4/28/03 | NBC5.com

[FreeRadical]

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Blazers beat Dallas 98-79 in Game 4 of their NBA playoff series on Sunday, but that's not the only thing Portland head coach Maurice Cheeks had to be proud of.

Prior to the game, Cheeks went to the rescue of 13-year-old Natalie Gilbert, who froze up and forgot the words to the national anthem before a nationally televised audience.

Video: National Anthem Amnesia

After she faltered and shot a pleading look toward the sideline, Cheeks went to her side and began to sing the song with her. Despite the fact that he was off-key and couldn't carry the tune, Cheeks stuck with it -- and Natalie muddled through the song despite her shakiness.

[FreeRadical]

I don't know exactly how to define chivalry, but Maurice Cheeks's rescue of the 13yr old singer would be an example in my attempted definition.

Click for Story and Link to Video

Click for Video Only

KSTP TV Another Look

As they finished the anthem, the singer's "Thank You" to Mr. Cheeks and his hug for her are a bit of a feel good moment. It was also nice to see the crowd go from laughin at her to helpin her sing.

[b4its2late]

13 year old? No big deal. At 13 I was nervous to speak in front of 13 other kids..

She'll end up a great American no doubt.

[dpa5923]

A true class act!

He didn't sound off key to me. He sounded great!

[MarMema]

Wish I could get the video to load and play, but it sounds like a terrific story. Thanks for sharing it.

[zingzang]

Awesome! Good to see the communists in Portland didn't boo her off the floor and demand that everyone sing some song in praise of Lenin instead!

[Saundra Duffy]

Cool.

[isthisnickcool]

That was nice!

[LS]

I saw this on ESPN. Very classy. I always liked Cheeks when he was with Dr. J. and the 76ers.

[MarMema]

OK got to watch it now. A lovely show.

[facedown]

VERY COOL! Great post, thanks!

[justshe]

I never heard the "laughing at her"......but I did see this 'hero' Cheeks go to her....put his arm around her shoulders...and while she was looking up at him....and he was looking down at her.....he started singing. And by the time the song ended...the entire crowd was singing at the top of their lungs. It was wonderfu.

[justshe]

I never heard the "laughing at her"......but I did see this 'hero' Cheeks go to her....put his arm around her shoulders...and while she was looking up at him....and he was looking down at her.....he started singing. And by the time the song ended...the entire crowd was singing at the top of their lungs. It was wonderfu.

[TexanToTheCore]

Wow. A very classy act by Mr. Cheeks. The little 13 year old girl has a lot of pluck and a fantastic voice. Good luck to her.

[John Lenin]

Mo Cheeks is a class act.

[William McKinley]

The best part of it, in my opinion, is when he starts encouraging the whole crowd to sing too, and they do.

I think it would be cool if every so often, instead of standing silently as someone sings it to us, the whole crowd would join in like that.

[coloradan]

Post Sept. 11 america is better if you ask me.

Except for all the dead people, yet another federal agency, and the power expansions contained in the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. acts I and II.

[Samwise]

Most excellent.

[Interesting Times]

Pure class.

Hats off to Mo Cheeks.

[Always Right]

Good thing Scot Ritter wasn't there to 'rescue' her.

[Dante3]

That was a nice thing to do.

[cars for sale]

it was just plum good stuff, the right thing to do, the right person to do it and the right country to do it for.
What a great time and country we live in

[MEG33]

I love this story!

[RoseofTexas]

WOW!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!! Good people in that land called AMERICA! :)

[AuH2ORepublican]

Thabks for sharing this story. I submit that while Mo Cheeks gave hundreds of assists to Erving, Jones and Toney with the Sixers, none was bigger than the assist he gave to that 13-year-old girl.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Thabks=Thanks

[MoJo2001]

BTTT

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

As others on this thread have pointed out Mo Cheeks was pure class as a player and of course that doesn't ever change.

Watching that video was a crash course on what it means to be an American, and should be required viewing for every schoolkid in the country.

We come from different backgrounds, root for different teams, sometimes look and sound different and of course, are of all different ages.

But we also share many things, love of country being one, and helping others in need being another. This video shows all that and more.

[Wolverine]

Cheeks, "Mo" (Maurice E.)

Basketball

b. Sept. 8, 1956, Chicago, IL

A virtual unknown coming out of West Texas State University, which had an 8-19 record in his senior year, Cheeks was chosen by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 1978 NBA draft and he became the team's starting point guard as a rookie.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Cheeks specialized in assists and defense for his first several seasons with Philadelphia, but in the meantime he developed an accurate outside jump shot and began using his speed to drive to the basket, enabling him to average 15.4 points a game in 1985-86 and 15.6 in 1986-87.

The 76ers traded Cheeks to the San Antonio Spurs in 1989 and the Spurs sent him to the New York Knicks in February of 1990. Injuries began to slow Cheeks in 1991-92, when he played only 56 games for the Atlanta Hawks. He was released by the Hawks after the season and signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets in January of 1993.

He retired after the season with an NBA record of 2,310 career steals. A member of the league's all-defensive team four years in a row, from 1983 through 1986, Cheeks scored 12,195 points in 1,101 regular season games, an average of 11.1 per game, and had 7,392 assists. In 133 playoff games, he had 1,910 points, a 14.4 average, with 922 assists and 295 steals.

[dorben]

She is adorable ! Bless her 'lil heart . I've goose bumps all over !

Hey folks .. This little girl will make you smile !

[WSGilcrest]

She's been invited back for next year.

[Hawkeye's Girl]

An act like this is the very definition of kindness.

You da man, Mr. Cheeks!

[krb]

Post Sept. 11 america is better if you ask me.

I'm not sure that it's better, per se, but I think Sept. 11 has definitely seperated the wheat from the chaff.

[strela]

I've enjoyed watching the Mavs take the
Jail Breakers apart in their series, but
Cheeks did a classy thing and I salute him
for it. Props to him.

[VermiciousKnid]

Coach Cheeks has done a wonderful thing here. I'm sure his mother would be very proud of him indeed (I know I would be proud of my son if he did something like this.)

Regards,

[mrb1960]

I saw this on Inside Edition, that coach is a class act! I gotta hand it to him, he really came through for her!

[FreeRadical]

Thanks for the info. I grew up outside of Friona, TX -- just down the road from West Texas State -- anyway, I've been aware of Mo Cheeks since I was a kid. I never really knew squat about him. Some might argue I still don't. I would disagree.

[Eala]

I don't know exactly how to define chivalry, but Maurice Cheeks's rescue of the 13yr old singer would be an example in my attempted definition.

It's a perfect example. You clearly understand the concept!

[jonalvy44]

Mo Cheeks to the rescue...Saw a bit of it on the news...Poor gal.

[FreeRadical]

It was wonderful.

Yes. Agreed.

I, honestly, sometimes want to get meaner and meaner and nastier and nastier in the fight against those hostile to the Bill of Rights and Constitution. For lack of a better way of putting it: Moments like this comfort me a bit and keep me thinking ballots and bullhorns instead of bullets and blood.

[NonValueAdded]

Outstanding, Mr. Cheeks.

[jagrmeister]

What a great story.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the post. A real good "feel good" story.

[Coleus]

bttt

[FedExpresser]

What a tremendous gesture of humanity and heart by Mo Cheeks. The team, not he, should have been removed from Portland. Look at what has happened since the JailBlzaers have taken over the Rose Garden.
This organization needs more people like Cheeks quickly or the people will start to forget and not care about this franchise anymore.