Paul Murphy and Butler basketball used to go together.

You couldn’t find one without the other.

Murphy, the most avid Butler High School basketball fan I’ve ever met, died Monday at age 90.

It had been a few years since he frequented the gym to watch the Golden Tornado play. Until his health declined, the man never missed a game.

That’s home or away — for decades.

He had no special interest in the program from a family perspective. He didn’t have a son who played or coached.

He was just a basketball fan. Butler was his town and the Tornado were his team.

Murphy kept his own books on Butler basketball history. He compiled the final scores game-by-game, season-by-season, got the statistics from the scorebook and kept everything on file.

Anyone who attended Butler basketball games on a regular basis knew Paul Murphy. He would sit in the stands and chat about the game, the team or a particular player with anybody.

It seems odd that Murphy died at this time of year — only a week before the annual WPIAL basketball playoff meeting in Greentree.

That would be the night I was guaranteed to see Paul.

The meeting is always on a Monday or Tuesday night.

Any year I would cover the proceedings, I’d make sure to grab an extra copy of the playoff brackets before heading back to the Butler Eagle.

Paul would be sitting in his car, parked in the small lot in front of the building, sometimes for a couple of hours, awaiting my return.

I’d pull in, get out of my car, Paul would roll his window down, I’d hand him the brackets and off he’d go.

That night was a mini-Christmas for the man.

He couldn’t wait for the next day’s paper to come out.

He had to know who, when and where Butler and other local teams were playing now.

And that was OK.

I couldn’t help but respect the guy’s passion for the game he loved.

Murphy was also a fan of Pittsburgh sports teams and the NCAA Tournament, but local high school basketball — Butler, in particular — was his top priority.

Game night was night out for him.

Hearing of Murphy’s death made me realize that he was part of a dying breed as well.

You don’t see many people following a high school basketball team year after year just because they enjoy it and are entertained by it.

Most people who attend a high school game today either have a kid, friend or fellow classmate playing.

Their interest in the game isn’t as much about the team as it is an individual involved with the team.

Student sections aren’t as big as they used to be.

Fans yell at the officials as much as they cheer for the teams.

But the atmosphere of high school basketball is still pretty cool.

Thank you, Paul.

You were a big part of that.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle