George Sullivan

George Sullivan always enjoyed telling a good story. Whether it was a no-look pass while playing for the powerhouse St. Mary’s basketball team or the pursuit of a bank robber with the FBI, Sullivan never ran short of material.

His life, after all, was a storyteller’s dream

George T. Sullivan born in October 15, 1934, and raised on Fulton Street in the Elizabeth Port by his parents Daniel J. and Mary Sullivan.

Although he grew up playing several sports, his passion was basketball. His career started at Holy Rosary where he played throughout grammar school. He was starting point guard during the Golden Age of St. Mary’s basketball, leading the Hilltoppers to back-to-back county and state championships in 1951 and 1952.

Although Sullivan earned All-State honors at St. Mary’s, his contributions weren’t always reflected in the box scores.

When the Elizabeth Daily Journal named teammate Ernie Rokose its Player of the Year in 1952, the paper pointed out that Sullivan was “almost as valuable as Rokose in the St. Mary’s picture, providing the brainwork and a considerable share of the drive in Al LoBalbo’s excellent offensive planning.”

Sullivan played smothering defense and “sparkled as a screen for Rokose’s one-handlers, “the paper said, as St. Mary’s Compiled a 45-2 record over two seasons.
When St. Mary’s celebrated its storied basketball history in 2002, former players and alumni honored Sullivan with a spot on the All-Time Second Team, Along with former teammate and Elizabeth Hall of Fame inductee Hubie Brown.

After graduating from the University of Tampa, Sullivan was hired as basketball coach at Saint Leo’s College in Florida. He was named Florida Junior College Coach of the Year twice and was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
Sullivan left Saint Leo’s in 1967 and joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he served for 23 years. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover cited him several times for bravery. During an incident in 1969, Sullivan helped apprehend a Washington bank robber after his two partners were fatally shot.

Sullivan went on to become an agent supervisor in Washington and Baltimore before retiring in 1989.

Until his death in 1995, his heart remained in Elizabeth as a proud and active member of the Fulton Street Boys Club. His wife Sue Mulhearn Sullivan, four children George, Noeleen, Kevin and Tim, and nine grandchildren survive him.

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