Michael Cihon
1955-04-10 2019-08-01
"C" was a friend since grade school. After high school we continued to play basketball together on the Gibbs basketball team. The pictures are from our yearbook and from his obituary.
His obituary in the Cleveland Plain Dealer was written by fellow classmate Joe Mirenda.
On Thursday, August 1, 2019, Mike Cihon, at the age of 64, played his last football game on earth and joined his Dad (John) and Mom (Isabel) in the Immortal League, called Heaven. He lost the biggest game of his career, the game of life, to a relentless opponent of two years, named Cancer. Mike took on every challenge that his opponent gave him, and though his Hail Mary pass wasn’t completed, he never gave up. Mike was raised in Collinwood by adoptive parents. The Cihon’s drafted Mike on April 10, 1955 as their first and only choice. He once said that he was the luckiest man in the world to have been selected as their son. He was also blessed to have grown up surrounded by a bunch of friends who loved to play all sports. They spent most of their days and nights at a training camp called Hanna-Gibbons. Mike graduated from St. Joe’s High School and briefly attended Cleveland State University and was picked up as a free agent in 1974 by Lincoln Electric. He spent the next 20 years as a small motor machinist while honing his skills which would drive him into his future endeavor. His love of football started early when the neighborhood guys organized a Touch Football Team, called Gibbs. The first championship was won in their first year in the Teen Division. Gibbs soon progressed into the Adult Touch League and proceeded to win their first national title in 1984 with many titles to follow with Mike as a player/coach. Mike centered his attention and juked into a position which he pursued passionately, Touch and Flag Football. He left Lincoln Electric and with the support of his wife, Joan, and his mom and dad, kicked off what would be his career path, taking a childhood idea into a national organization. He founded the United States Flag and Touch League where he resided as president and CEO. As Executive Director of the USFTL, Mike would organize tournaments with 500 teams and more than 15,000 players. He formed the USFTL Hall of Fame. He has been married to his cheerleader, Joan, for 38 years. Mike’s love of the game touched thousands; sporting youth and adult leagues. Mike’s legacy is his dedication to statistics, details, games, tournaments, and taking a risk to pursue his passion. You made it to the Super Bowl, Mike, play on for all eternity. Mike will be inducted into Heaven at a memorial Mass at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Mentor Ohio.
His obituary in the Cleveland Plain Dealer was written by fellow classmate Joe Mirenda.
On Thursday, August 1, 2019, Mike Cihon, at the age of 64, played his last football game on earth and joined his Dad (John) and Mom (Isabel) in the Immortal League, called Heaven. He lost the biggest game of his career, the game of life, to a relentless opponent of two years, named Cancer. Mike took on every challenge that his opponent gave him, and though his Hail Mary pass wasn’t completed, he never gave up. Mike was raised in Collinwood by adoptive parents. The Cihon’s drafted Mike on April 10, 1955 as their first and only choice. He once said that he was the luckiest man in the world to have been selected as their son. He was also blessed to have grown up surrounded by a bunch of friends who loved to play all sports. They spent most of their days and nights at a training camp called Hanna-Gibbons. Mike graduated from St. Joe’s High School and briefly attended Cleveland State University and was picked up as a free agent in 1974 by Lincoln Electric. He spent the next 20 years as a small motor machinist while honing his skills which would drive him into his future endeavor. His love of football started early when the neighborhood guys organized a Touch Football Team, called Gibbs. The first championship was won in their first year in the Teen Division. Gibbs soon progressed into the Adult Touch League and proceeded to win their first national title in 1984 with many titles to follow with Mike as a player/coach. Mike centered his attention and juked into a position which he pursued passionately, Touch and Flag Football. He left Lincoln Electric and with the support of his wife, Joan, and his mom and dad, kicked off what would be his career path, taking a childhood idea into a national organization. He founded the United States Flag and Touch League where he resided as president and CEO. As Executive Director of the USFTL, Mike would organize tournaments with 500 teams and more than 15,000 players. He formed the USFTL Hall of Fame. He has been married to his cheerleader, Joan, for 38 years. Mike’s love of the game touched thousands; sporting youth and adult leagues. Mike’s legacy is his dedication to statistics, details, games, tournaments, and taking a risk to pursue his passion. You made it to the Super Bowl, Mike, play on for all eternity. Mike will be inducted into Heaven at a memorial Mass at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Mentor Ohio.
"C" was a friend since grade school. After high school we continued to play basketball together on the Gibbs basketball team. The pictures are from our yearbook and from his obituary. His obituary in the Cleveland Plain Dealer was written by fellow classmate Joe Mirenda.
tribute by Mark Pestak