tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104760882024-03-13T04:26:53.085-07:001968 Houston-UCLA "Game of the Century"A College Basketball Fan's Longtime Fascination,
by Alan Reifmanalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-19445673116727101372018-08-02T13:43:00.000-07:002018-08-02T13:43:53.299-07:00L.A. Times 50-Year Retrospective Series on 1968 Features GOTCThe <i>Los Angeles Times</i> recently (July 16) published an <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-1968-game-of-the-century-20180715-story.html">article</a> on the Game of the Century, part of the newspaper's retrospective on impactful events of 1968. Writer Nathan Fenno sees the UCLA-Houston contest as having major effects over the ensuing five decades:<br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: #990000;">The game transformed college basketball from a regional to national sport, opened the way for multibillion-dollar television contracts to broadcast March Madness and helped spark the long-running debate over whether athletes should share in the windfall.</span></i>alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-55982211979886816232018-05-10T20:05:00.000-07:002018-05-10T20:05:20.898-07:00Astrodome In TransitionThe Houston Astrodome, home to the UCLA-Houston college basketball Game of the Century, hasn't hosted a sporting event in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrodome">nearly two decades</a>. Yet, it has taken all this time to develop and approve a new purpose for the structure, which will be as some kind of <a href="https://www.chron.com/news/politics/houston/article/Harris-County-Commissioners-Court-OKs-105M-plan-12610107.php">events facility</a> with a large underground parking lot. An exhibition was held recently at the Dome to mark its athletic history, as illustrated in <a href="https://uni-watch.com/2018/05/09/saying-goodbye-to-the-astrodome-at-domecoming/">these photos</a>.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-83658696642192285152018-01-20T13:03:00.001-08:002018-01-20T13:06:46.097-08:00Happy 50th Anniversary, Game of the Century!It was an early-afternoon game instead of a primetime evening start. It was played at Texas Southern University (the Cougars' temporary home as UH renovates its old Hofheinz Pavilion into the new <a href="http://www.uh.edu/facilities-planning-construction/fpc-projects/spotlight/HofheinzPavilion/">Fertitta Center</a>) instead of the Astrodome. The opponent was No.7 Wichita State instead of UCLA.<br />
<br />
But today, on the 50th anniversary of the Game of the Century -- January 20, 2018 -- the Houston Cougars once again stunned a nationally elite team, <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/houston-upsets-no-7-wichita-193004622.html">shocking the Shockers</a> 73-59.<br />
<br />
I would have preferred a UCLA-Houston rematch tonight, but it wasn't to be. The Bruins and Cougars <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/ucla/1993-schedule.html">played each other in 1993</a>, marking the GOTC's 25th anniversary. But since at least 2005, when then-UH coach Tom Penders was trying to set up a 40th anniversary game between UCLA and Houston, it has become clear that UCLA has not been interested in any further rematches.*<br />
<br />
The 50th anniversary of the Game of the Century did get considerable media attention, however. Most prominently, the CBS Sports Network aired a special earlier in the week on the game (see earlier posting below on this blog). Also, the <i>Los Angeles Daily News</i> had a <a href="https://www.dailynews.com/2018/01/19/ucla-and-houstons-game-of-the-century-still-leaves-impression-50-years-later/">nice retrospective</a> on the game. The writer also included a link to this blog!<br />
<br />
---<br />
*This situation is not unique to UCLA vis-a-vis Houston. There was talk a few years ago of a 2016 game between Texas-El Paso and Kentucky to mark the 50th anniversary of the teams' historic 1966 NCAA championship game (UTEP was known in 1966 as Texas Western). However, <a href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2015/01/15/report-uk-backed-out-of-utep-hoops-game/21793865/">that plan fell through</a>.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-42658830909434933942018-01-16T10:41:00.003-08:002018-01-16T10:41:46.740-08:00CBS Sports Network Special on GOTC 50th AnniversaryWith the 50th anniversary of the Game of the Century just days away, the CBS Sports Network last night aired a special on the historical significance of the contest. <a href="http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/100417aaf.html">Filmed on November 3</a>, the hour-long show was hosted by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Nantz">Jim Nantz</a>, the longtime lead college-basketball announcer for CBS and UH grad. The on-stage panel consisted of GOTC announcer Dick Enberg (who <a href="http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/21842570/dick-enberg-beloved-broadcaster-dies-age-82">died</a>, sadly, less than two months after the taping); Elvin Hayes and Don Chaney, who played in the game for the Houston Cougars; and Seth Davis, who was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Davis">not even born</a> when the game was played, but wrote a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Coachs-Life-Seth-Davis/dp/0805092803/">major biography</a> of Coach John Wooden and thus could provide a UCLA perspective.<br />
<br />
Interspersed between the November 3 panel discussion were segments of GOTC game footage and filmed interviews with several of the participating players. These included former Bruin Lynn Shackelford, and former Cougars Billy Bane, Larry Cooper, Vern Lewis, Carlos Bell, and Melvin Bell (Melvin Bell was not listed in the game-program, as he <a href="http://gameofthecentury.blogspot.com/2006/01/shortly-before-holidays-i-received.html">missed the season due to a knee injury</a>). There were also interview clips with the UH trainer and student-manager, journalists, and others. Several Cougar players from 1968 were in attendance at the taping and came on stage at the end.<br />
<br />
Overall, I liked the show. It was well-paced and crafted to appeal both to viewers not that familiar with the GOTC (by providing considerable background information) and to those, like myself, who know the basics and crave every additional detail and anecdote. Enberg's passing obviously lent the broadcast an added poignancy, as <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texas-sports-nation/article/On-TV-Radio-New-film-on-seminal-UH-UCLA-game-12488875.php">Nantz discussed</a> with the <i>Houston Chronicle</i>.<br />
<br />
There are some Twitter tweets from CBS Sports Network featuring clips from the show: <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNet/status/953089896171814912">here</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNet/status/953087915193548800">here</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNet/status/952918298311647233">here</a>. I expect that clips from the special or even the whole show will find their way onto YouTube or other online venues.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-74227237155934115442018-01-11T11:29:00.001-08:002018-01-16T10:49:21.543-08:00Approaching GOTC 50th Anniversary, Where Are They Now?With the 50th anniversary of the UCLA at Houston "Game of the Century" coming up on January 20, I thought it would be a good time to take stock of the major players in that game -- on the court and off. Who is still alive and who is not? And if alive, what have they been up to? These things are listed below, including links to descriptions of current pursuits or obituaries.<br />
<br />
<b>Broadcast:</b> <i>Dick Enberg</i>, play-by-play (<a href="http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/21842570/dick-enberg-beloved-broadcaster-dies-age-82">died Dec. 21, 2017</a>); <i>Bob Pettit</i>, color analyst (alive; <a href="http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=210753882">photo from 2016 unveiling of statue in his honor</a>); <i>Eddie Einhorn</i>, producer (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/eddie-einhorn-broadcasting-executive-chisox-co-owner-dies-at-80/2016/02/26/55027ebc-dca9-11e5-891a-4ed04f4213e8_story.html?utm_term=.36fe4e36321b">died Feb. 24, 2016</a>)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>UCLA</b></span><br />
<br />
<table border="4" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" style="background-color: yellow; border-collapse: collapse; border: 4px solid #333399; color: #3333ff; width: 70%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>John Wooden (Coach)</td>
<td><a href="http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/john-wooden-dies-84109">Died June 4, 2010</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kenny Heitz</td>
<td><a href="https://www.irell.com/news-item-138.html">Died July 9, 2012</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gene Sutherland</td>
<td>Listed as attending <a href="https://mynewsla.com/sports/2017/03/04/uclas-monster-hoops-team-with-kareem-wooden-was-50-years-ago/">2017 reunion</a> of 1967 team</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Neville Saner</td>
<td><a href="https://mynewsla.com/sports/2017/03/04/uclas-monster-hoops-team-with-kareem-wooden-was-50-years-ago/">2017 reunion</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar</td>
<td><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar/e/B000APM058/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1515549077&sr=1-1">Author</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jim Nielsen</td>
<td><a href="https://mynewsla.com/sports/2017/03/04/uclas-monster-hoops-team-with-kareem-wooden-was-50-years-ago/">2017 reunion</a> (2007 <a href="https://www.dailynews.com/2007/03/31/catching-up-with-ucla-stars-from-the-epic-years/">article</a> on career as educator and coach)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mike Lynn</td>
<td><a href="https://mynewsla.com/sports/2017/03/04/uclas-monster-hoops-team-with-kareem-wooden-was-50-years-ago/">2017 reunion</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lucius Allen</td>
<td><a href="https://twitter.com/uclambb/status/816462797101903874">Video of visit</a> to 2017 UCLA practice; <a href="https://www.coachup.com/coaches/luciusa#about-me-res-tabs2">member of coaching service</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mike Warren</td>
<td><a href="http://criminalminds.wikia.com/wiki/Michael_Warren">Actor</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bill Sweek</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sonomanews.com/news/7032878-181/sonoma-valley-honors-retiring-teachers">Retired teacher</a> (quoted in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/sports/ncaabasketball/07wooden.html">Wooden retrospective</a>)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lynn Shackelford</td>
<td>Retired, former broadcaster (<a href="http://www.mystatesman.com/sports/college-basketball/golden-nearly-years-later-hayes-shackelford-recall-the-game/I87A2RNkdZDBTWr97G4leK/">2016 article</a>); UPDATE: Appeared in <a href="http://gameofthecentury.blogspot.com/2018/01/cbs-sports-network-special-on-gotc-50th.html">CBS Sports </a><br />
<a href="http://gameofthecentury.blogspot.com/2018/01/cbs-sports-network-special-on-gotc-50th.html">Network special</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Edgar Lacey</td>
<td><a href="https://www.presstelegram.com/2011/04/05/funeral-in-downey-for-65-ucla-player-edgar-lacey/">Died March 22, 2011</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b style="color: red;">Houston</b><br />
<br />
<table border="4" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 4px solid #ff0033; color: black; width: 70%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Guy V. Lewis (Coach)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.chron.com/sports/cougars/article/Legendary-UH-basketball-coach-Guy-V-Lewis-dies-6658864.php">Died Nov. 26, 2015</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vern Lewis</td>
<td>Referenced toward bottom of<br />
this <a href="http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texas-sports-nation/article/On-TV-Radio-Dan-Fouts-says-moving-on-is-Texans-12342839.php">recent article</a>; UPDATE:<br />
<a href="http://gameofthecentury.blogspot.com/2018/01/cbs-sports-network-special-on-gotc-50th.html">Appeared in CBS Sports Network special</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ken Spain</td>
<td><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1990/10/13/deaths/0bcabe73-fe90-4a54-9eda-53b003ec0c27/?utm_term=.8b8474d8ac31">Died Oct. 11, 1990</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tom Gribben</td>
<td><a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?pid=169255527">Died Jan. 22, 2014</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Niemer Hamood</td>
<td>Unable to find anything recent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Don Chaney</td>
<td><a href="https://twitter.com/HunterYurachek/status/926589420622483457">Nov. 2017 photo</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Larry Cooper</td>
<td><a href="https://www.facebook.com/larry.cooper.3572">Retired coach and school principal</a>;<br />
UPDATE: Appeared in CBS Sports Network special</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Billy Bane</td>
<td>UPDATE: Appeared in CBS Sports Network special</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Theodis Lee</td>
<td><a href="http://www.collegehoopedia.com/blog/good-die-young-sauer-joins-list-final-four-regulars-pass-away-early">Died 1979</a>; <a href="http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sports/high-school/2014/12/17/theodis-lee-tournament-begins-thursday/20554731/">tournament named in his honor</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>George Reynolds</td>
<td>Unable to find anything recent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Elvin Hayes</td>
<td><a href="https://twitter.com/HunterYurachek/status/926589420622483457">Nov. 2017 photo</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bobby Van Landingham</td>
<td>Unable to find anything recent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Carlos Bell</td>
<td>UPDATE: Appeared in CBS Sports Network special</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Other passings I would like to acknowledge include <i>Ted Nance</i> (<a href="http://www.uhcougars.com/genrel/081715aab.html">died August 14, 2015</a>), the longtime UH Sports Information Director, who sent me <a href="http://gameofthecentury.blogspot.com/2006/01/shortly-before-holidays-i-received.html">nice e-mails</a> with information about the Game of the Century; and <i>Bobby Scott</i> (<a href="https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.obituaries/fvTUj7s9qFY">died Jan. 30, 2010</a>), one of the officials that night.<br />
<br />
If you know what became of any other major figures in the game, please e-mail me via my <a href="http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/hdfs/reifman.php">faculty webpage</a> at Texas Tech.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-43917953086579824532017-12-22T00:09:00.001-08:002017-12-22T00:09:16.517-08:00Dick Enberg Dead at 82Sad to relay the death of another major figure from the Game of the Century, namely <a href="http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/21842570/dick-enberg-beloved-broadcaster-dies-age-82">play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg</a>, who did the television broadcast from the Astrodome. Enberg was 82.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-72992562340219838852016-03-15T20:14:00.001-07:002016-03-15T20:15:12.429-07:00My Yahoo! Radio Interview on the Game of the CenturyYahoo! Sports Radio features a weekend show called "Stadiums USA." I was invited to talk about the Astrodome in conjunction with the Game of the Century. I taped the interview last week, the show aired this past weekend, and now the audiotape of the show has been posted on the Stadiums USA website. Here is a <a href="http://stadiumsusa.com/radioshow">link</a> to the show's archived broadcasts (see the show where it says "Posted March 15, 2016"). My interview begins right around the 30-minute mark. During the interview, I alluded to how the basketball court for the UCLA-Houston showdown was placed smack-dab in the middle of the vast Astrodome field, with no seats added between the court and the permanent seats ringing the field. Here is a <a href="http://www.chron.com/sports/cougars/article/Relive-UH-UCLA-Game-of-the-Century-6027443.php#photo-2774921">photo</a> I found of the arrangement. I think you'd agree that it would have been difficult to see what was taking place on the court, especially from the upper deck!alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-71314403320142337582016-02-25T19:30:00.003-08:002016-02-25T19:30:28.024-08:00Eddie Einhorn Dead at 80Eddie Einhorn, who put together the television broadcast of the Game of the Century, has <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/eddie-einhorn-college-tv-pioneer-white-sox-owner-37198891">died at age 80</a>.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-2343660266175859222015-11-26T10:56:00.001-08:002015-11-26T10:56:06.006-08:00Guy V. Lewis Dead at 93Guy V. Lewis, the longtime UH basketball coach and mastermind of the Game of the Century, has died at age 93. Coverage can be seen at the <a href="http://www.chron.com/sports/cougars/article/Legendary-UH-basketball-coach-Guy-V-Lewis-dies-6658864.php">Houston Chronicle</a> and <a href="http://espn.go.com/ncb/story/_/id/14230875/hall-fame-coach-guy-lewis-houston-cougars-dies-age-93">ESPN.com</a>. Presumably due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the University of Houston's <a href="http://www.uh.edu/">main website</a> and <a href="http://www.uhcougars.com/">athletics website</a> don't appear to have anything up yet, but I'm sure they will soon.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-24398962805403959122013-09-05T12:00:00.003-07:002013-09-05T12:00:25.935-07:00Article on Guy V. Lewis on his Upcoming Hall of Fame InductionWith Coach Lewis going into the Hall of Fame in a few days, here's a <a href="http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/9637364/houston-cougars-family-thrilled-guy-lewis-college-basketball">nice article</a> on the impact he had simply by treating people well. For background information on Lewis's election to the Hall, click <a href="http://gameofthecentury.blogspot.com/2013/04/guy-v-lewis-finally-elected-to-naismith.html">here</a>.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-43988193312979478002013-05-27T07:17:00.001-07:002013-05-27T07:21:49.835-07:00New York Times Article on AstrodomeThe <i>New York Times</i> has an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/sports/houstons-astrodome-may-be-dirty-and-dated-but-it-is-irreplaceable.html">article on the Astrodome</a>, whose future remains up in the air. The Astrodome, of course, hosted the Game of the Century, which the article alludes to. The Dome has not hosted big-time sports since 1999, when baseball's Astros moved to a new facility, and has not been used for anything at all since closing in 2008. Though many Houstonians would like to see the Astrodome refurbished and converted to some other use, leveling it to create more parking for the adjacent Reliant Stadium remains a possibility.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-1482844918041362822013-04-08T12:05:00.004-07:002013-04-08T12:06:33.568-07:00Guy V. Lewis (Finally!) Elected to Naismith Hall of FameOne would think that leading a team to the men's college basketball Final Four on five occasions and making pioneering contributions to the sport would earn a coach a spot in the <a href="http://www.hoophall.com/">James A. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame</a>. It now has for Houston's Guy V. Lewis, as <a href="http://www.chron.com/sports/cougars/article/Former-UH-coach-Lewis-s-Hall-of-Fame-selection-4417768.php">announced today</a>.<br />
<br />
Why it took so long -- 27 years after Lewis had coached his last game and by which time he had turned 91 years old -- is anybody's guess. Fortunately, Lewis is still around to enjoy the experience. According to the above-linked Houston Chronicle article:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Lewis is also credited for being the architect of the "Game of the
Century," between No. 1 UCLA, featuring Lew Alcindor, and No. 2 UH at the Astrodome in 1968. UH won 71-69, snapping UCLA's 47-game winning streak, in the first regular-season college basketball game televised nationally.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>
</i></span>
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Lewis was among the first college basketball coaches to embrace racial integration in the South during the 1960s, signing Elvin Hayes
and Don Chaney as the first African-American players in program history.</i></span><br />
<br />
Lewis was inducted into the <a href="http://www.collegebasketballexperience.com/inductees.aspx?term=lewis">College Basketball Hall of Fame</a>, part of Kansas City's College Basketball Experience, in 2007. However, the Naismith Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, is older, more comprehensive (encompassing pro, college, and international play), and considered more prestigious than the College Hall of Fame (even though the latter clearly exhibited superior judgment in Lewis's case than the former). alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-19816811896518083812012-07-11T16:36:00.004-07:002014-09-19T17:41:36.182-07:00Kenny Heitz Passes AwayKenny Heitz, a member of the 1968 UCLA squad and later an attorney, has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/kenny-heitz-ucla-basketball-obituary-harvard_n_1663808.html">died of cancer</a>.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-7882612253849327642012-06-27T22:42:00.001-07:002014-09-19T17:42:06.134-07:00Coach Lewis's 70th Wedding AnniversaryCongratulations to former University of Houston coach Guy V. Lewis and his wife Dena on their 70th wedding anniversary! The <i>Houston Chronicle</i> has a <a href="http://blog.chron.com/jeromesolomon/2012/06/a-tribute-to-guy-v-and-dena-lewis/">tribute article</a>, for which I thank Ted Nance for bringing to my attention.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-39707483862642409702012-04-03T22:26:00.001-07:002014-09-19T17:42:57.552-07:00Push Continues for Lewis Election to Naismith Hall of FameAn <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens_basketball/articles/2012/03/30/guy_lewis_still_waiting_for_call_from_hall/">article</a> appeared recently about how many in the college-basketball community continue to rally around the cause of getting former University of Houston coach Guy Lewis, now 90 years old, elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. <br />
<br />
Lewis has been elected to the <a href="http://www.collegebasketballexperience.com/inductees.aspx?term=lewis">College Basketball Hall of Fame</a>, which was established in 2006 in Kansas City. However, the Naismith Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts is much older, more encompassing (including pro and international, as well as college, hoops), and more prestigious.<br />
<br />
Of relevance to this website, the article notes that: <br />
<br />
<i>Lewis was ... the visionary behind the groundbreaking "Game of the
Century," persuading John Wooden to bring Lew Alcindor and top-ranked
UCLA to play No. 2 Houston at the Astrodome in January 1968. The
Cougars' 71-69 upset of the Bruins was the first nationally televised
regular-season game and drew the largest crowd to witness an indoor
basketball game (52,693), a record that stood for three decades.</i><br />
<br />
Similar articles have appeared over the years, but this one had some information I hadn't been aware of. Foremost is the fact that Elvin Hayes, the UH center in the Game of the Century and later an NBA star, has refused to set foot in the Naismith Hall since his 1990 election.<i><br /></i>alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-47707267414207606872011-04-01T16:25:00.000-07:002014-09-19T17:43:32.606-07:00Einhorn Elected to College Basketball Hall of FameTed Nance e-mailed to notify me that Eddie Einhorn, the television producer of the Game of the Century (and later turned <a href="http://pirates.mlb.com/cws/team/exe_bios/einhorn_eddie.html">baseball owner and executive</a>) has been <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=6168040">elected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame</a>. Ted notes further that, "I think he will be the seventh person with ties to the Game of the Century who will be a Hall member... Guy Lewis, John Wooden, Kareem, Elvin Hayes, Bob Pettit (TV color for the game), Einhorn and (I'm not sure about this one) Denny Crum." <br />
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As shown on the <a href="http://www.collegebasketballexperience.com/halloffame.aspx">Hall's website</a>, Crum indeed is a member (see the inaugural 2006 class). However, Crum's stint as a UCLA assistant apparently did <em>not</em> include the GOTC. The game program lists only Jerry Norman as a UCLA assistant and an article on the <a href="http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022708aab.html">40th anniversary</a> of the 1967-68 UCLA squad that lists everybody down to the student managers does not mention Crum.<br />
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I would think that Dick Enberg, who did the television play-by-play for the Game of the Century and later went on to form a legendary <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-02-04/sports/0002040082_1_al-mcguire-billy-packer-mcguire-and-packer">NBC college-basketball broadcasting line-up</a> with Al McGuire and Billy Packer, warrants induction as well. Now, maybe he'll be the seventh...alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-56877170869058668982011-03-28T14:08:00.000-07:002014-09-19T17:44:33.923-07:00New York Times Reviews Post-Phi Slama Jama UH ProgramWith Houston <a href="http://www.chron.com/sports/photogallery/Introducing_the_Houston_Final_Four.html">poised to host</a> this year's men's Final Four at Reliant Stadium, the <em>New York Times</em> takes a look at <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/sports/ncaabasketball/29houston.html">what's gone wrong</a> with the UH basketball program over roughly the past 30 years.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-20278867368413267842011-01-20T04:59:00.000-08:002014-09-19T17:45:00.322-07:0043rd Anniversary of Game of the CenturyToday is the 43rd anniversary of the Game of the Century. If you've visited this site in the past, you may have noticed that it now has a new look, featuring some memorabilia I have. I hope you like it.<br />
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Also, the <em>Houston Chronicle</em> has an <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/college/houston/7389194.html">article</a> on the 43rd anniversary, in conjunction with the fact that a Houston domed stadium (in this case, Reliant Stadium) will <a href="http://www.reliantpark.com/events/ncaa-division-i-mens-basketball-championship-final-four">host</a> this year's NCAA men's Final Four. The next-door Astrodome, in addition to hosting the Game of the Century, was the site of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1971_NCAA_Men's_Division_I_Basketball_Tournament">1971 Final Four</a>.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-79300368449964363732011-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:002014-09-19T17:52:21.600-07:00Elvin Hayes MLK Day Interview In connection with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvin_Hayes">Elvin Hayes</a> did an interview Monday evening with Houston radio station KILT 610 (<a href="http://kilt.cbslocal.com/2011/01/17/elvin-hayes-on-mlk-day/">archived audio</a>). The focus of the interview involved Hayes's reflections on coming from a small-town in segregated Louisiana to play at the University of Houston, as the university <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cougars-any-Color-Integration-University/dp/0786437219/">integrated its athletic program</a> in the mid-1960s. The Game of the Century, in which Hayes played a starring role, was also touched upon a bit in the interview, as were former Cougar coach Guy V. Lewis's contributions to sport and society.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-10756730381341004702010-08-08T11:09:00.000-07:002014-09-19T17:46:17.961-07:00Enberg, 75, Announcing San Diego Padres GamesOh my! Dick Enberg, who did the television play-by-play for the Game of the Century, is still going strong at age 75. Enberg has done broadcasts of college basketball and other sports for CBS in recent years. What I did not know about until an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/sports/baseball/08enberg.html">article</a> in today's <i>New York Times</i>, however, is that Enberg is doing around 120 games this season on San Diego Padres baseball telecasts. <br />
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Enberg has longstanding ties to southern California, of course, announcing UCLA basketball, Angels baseball, and then-L.A. Rams football several decades ago. I also remember reading many years ago that, even back when announcing for the Angels, he lived more toward San Diego. Thus, Enberg's Padres gig doesn't surprise me all that much. It is somewhat unusual, however, that at an age when many professionals are winding down their careers, he has intensified his.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-59347642592660483852010-06-04T19:16:00.000-07:002014-09-19T17:46:42.096-07:00John Wooden Dead at 99It is with great sadness that I relay the news that John Wooden, UCLA men's basketball coach from 1948-1975 (which encompasses the Game of the Century), has just died at the age of 99. UCLA's athletics website has a <a href="http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/060410aae.html">collection of tributes</a> to Coach Wooden. I would also suggest the <em><a href="http://www.latimes.com/">Los Angeles Times</a></em> as a source for coverage of Wooden's passing.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-20384306524861871442010-03-13T23:22:00.000-08:002018-01-10T22:55:32.350-08:00Bobby Scott, One of GOTC Refs, Dies at 79Bobby Scott, one of the referees for the Game of the Century, died January 30 at age 79. According to Scott's <a href="https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.obituaries/fvTUj7s9qFY">obituary</a> in the <em>San Antonio Express News</em>, he had a number of achievements as a basketball referee, officiating two Final Fours and serving as the Missouri Valley Conference supervisor of officials. He was also active in other sports before becoming a basketball referee. My thanks to W. Lynn Morrow for providing information on Mr. Scott's passing.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-73128822266964622342009-11-10T17:54:00.000-08:002014-09-19T17:48:57.947-07:00Abdul-Jabbar Living with Rare Form of LeukemiaKareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was known as Lew Alcindor when he played for UCLA in the Game of the Century, announced that he has been <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-kareem-abdul-jabbar10-2009nov10,0,1889183.story">living the past year</a> with a rare form of leukemia. The 62-year-old Abdul-Jabbar noted, however, that his condition appears controllable and not immediately life-threatening.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-35881539157584200582009-10-14T18:33:00.000-07:002014-09-19T17:50:21.580-07:00Happy 99th Coach Wooden!A happy <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/basketball/la-sp-john-wooden14-2009oct14,0,7609241.story">99th birthday</a> to former UCLA coach John Wooden.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10476088.post-2143017833272831312008-10-29T17:04:00.000-07:002014-09-19T17:51:11.942-07:00Rick Reilly Writes Column on Coach Wooden at 98Rick Reilly has a nice <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3669154&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1">column on John Wooden</a>, coinciding with the latter's 98th birthday earlier this month.alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047057328265529252noreply@blogger.com