Bill Justus passed away today

[Hoosier_Vol]

RIP

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Bill Justus also had a game winning buzzer beater. Possibly on 1/13/1969 versus Florida.

My memory says that was his only basket in the game as they doubled him a lot. On the edge of the FT line to the right at max elevation. Remember the building exploding FOR SURE.

Anybody verify the box score for his points that game?

P.s. loved me some Haun too.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Marvin West’s story. Bill had dementia.

Vol for life Bill Justus dead at 76

Bill Justus was one of my all-time favorite Volunteers. He was tough enough to have played professional football and athletic enough to be an outstanding basketball guard. He was a warrior, 6-1 and a lean 175, no fear, never back down. No challenge, not even Pete Maravich, could make him flinch...

www.knoxtntoday.com

 

[Volfan1000]

From UT Sports Information.

View attachment 588032

Vols Mourn the Loss of All-American Bill Justus​

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Bill Justus, an All-American guard on Vol basketball teams of 1966-69, passed away early Tuesday morning at the age of 76 at his home in Bellemeade in the Nashville area.

Before attending UT, Justus graduated from Fulton High School in Knoxville. There, he was named all-state in football (1964) and basketball (1964 and 65). He also received All-America honorable mention plaudits for football in 1964 and was All-America in basketball in 1965.

In 1965, Justus signed a football scholarship with the University of Tennessee. There, he played for the freshman football team before his college athletic career then turned toward basketball.

Justus helped lead his team to the SEC championship in 1966-67. He was a three-year starter for the Vols and served as captain his senior year. He was named first team All-SEC in both 1967-68 and 1968-69, claiming NCAA Basketball Academic All-America status the former year.

In his senior year, 1968-69, Justus was selected as a First Team All-American by the Helms Foundation. He was the NCAA free-throw shooting champion that year, making 133 of 147 attempts for a 90.5 percentage. He was chosen to play in the East-West College All-Star Game, while Tennessee was invited to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and earned a third-place finish.

Known for his free-throw accuracy, Justus made 18 straight free throws in the NIT game versus Ohio, setting the school record by making 22 of 23 attempts. He ended his career second in Tennessee history with an .8492 percentage (338-of-398). He finished his career scoring 1,236 points and averaging 15.1 points per game.

In 1969, Justus was selected in the 10th round of the NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and also by Denver in the ABA Draft. The Dallas Cowboys also picked him in the 15th round of the NFL Draft.

After college, he traveled extensively teaching ball-handling and shooting skills for Converse at coaches' clinics and basketball camps throughout the United States. He also did color commentary for the Vol TV and Radio Networks

In 1990, Justus was inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. He then joined the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. Justus was named an SEC Legend in 2006. e also was inducted intpo the After the age of 30, Justus began an amateur tennis career and won numerous USTA amateur tennis championships.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

He was one of the best players that Ray Mears coached along with Grunfeld and King.

RIP.

 

[popvol]

My memory says that was his only basket in the game as they doubled him a lot. On the edge of the FT line to the right at max elevation. Remember the building exploding FOR SURE.

Anybody verify the box score for his points that game?

P.s. loved me some Haun too.

Correct. Justus lit up Georgia for 35 points on Saturday and Florida came in on Monday. Gators ran a box and one with one guy face guarding him all night. At times, Justus stood outside or in the corner while the Vols played 4 on 4. He had only taken one shot, and missed before the game winner. Vols had the ball and Mears called time out to set up the last shot. Ball in out of the TO and Hahn immediately recognized that Florida had changed up and gone straight man to man. Hahn said he only had one thought, get the ball to Justice. He ditched the play call and passed to Justus who took his guy off the dribble and "Bottom". Vols win on his only points of the night.

 

[ptcarter]

Great memories as a kid. My Dad loved UT basketball, and what he would do (Here in Huntsville AL) was put on the Fayetteville Tn. Radio station, WYTM. We had one of those "Console Record Players", and the reception was sketchy, but could hear John Ward 90% of the time. Dad would sit in his easy chair, and I'd get a pillow and sprawl out on the shag carpet, turn the lights out and get the visual image only John Ward could paint of those games. Justus, Hahn, England, Boerwinkle, Widby and others. Found that ol' console in a thrift store after we had my folks estate sale. Lot's of Tennessee sports came out of those speakers (Not much was televised back then).


Tough disposing of your parents estate. Even the green shag carpet.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Correct. Justus lit up Georgia for 35 points on Saturday and Florida came in on Monday. Gators ran a box and one with one guy face guarding him all night. At times, Justus stood outside or in the corner while the Vols played 4 on 4. He had only taken one shot, and missed before the game winner. Vols had the ball and Mears called time out to set up the last shot. Ball in out of the TO and Hahn immediately recognized that Florida had changed up and gone straight man to man. Hahn said he only had one thought, get the ball to Justice. He ditched the play call and passed to Justus who took his guy off the dribble and "Bottom". Vols win on his only points of the night.

Thanks. Been a while and don’t trust my Way Back machine. One of those moments still vividly in my head but always fearful of revisionist creativity with details.

Also still remember him suiting up on the FR football team.

In another segment in my blessed Vol extended childhood, as a SR in HS I got a pair of Haun’s Converse Allstars. He and his wife lived under and over one from my sister in the Golf Range apartments and surprise. Was told he only wore a pair two games. Never got to meet him.

 

[BreatheUT]

Disappointed to hear this.

 

[volfan4evr]

Anybody have any info on his death? Just heard it on Doug Matthews program.

 

[volfan4evr]

From UT Sports Information.

View attachment 588032

Vols Mourn the Loss of All-American Bill Justus​

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Bill Justus, an All-American guard on Vol basketball teams of 1966-69, passed away early Tuesday morning at the age of 76 at his home in Bellemeade in the Nashville area.

Before attending UT, Justus graduated from Fulton High School in Knoxville. There, he was named all-state in football (1964) and basketball (1964 and 65). He also received All-America honorable mention plaudits for football in 1964 and was All-America in basketball in 1965.

In 1965, Justus signed a football scholarship with the University of Tennessee. There, he played for the freshman football team before his college athletic career then turned toward basketball.

Justus helped lead his team to the SEC championship in 1966-67. He was a three-year starter for the Vols and served as captain his senior year. He was named first team All-SEC in both 1967-68 and 1968-69, claiming NCAA Basketball Academic All-America status the former year.

In his senior year, 1968-69, Justus was selected as a First Team All-American by the Helms Foundation. He was the NCAA free-throw shooting champion that year, making 133 of 147 attempts for a 90.5 percentage. He was chosen to play in the East-West College All-Star Game, while Tennessee was invited to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and earned a third-place finish.

Known for his free-throw accuracy, Justus made 18 straight free throws in the NIT game versus Ohio, setting the school record by making 22 of 23 attempts. He ended his career second in Tennessee history with an .8492 percentage (338-of-398). He finished his career scoring 1,236 points and averaging 15.1 points per game.

In 1969, Justus was selected in the 10th round of the NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and also by Denver in the ABA Draft. The Dallas Cowboys also picked him in the 15th round of the NFL Draft.

After college, he traveled extensively teaching ball-handling and shooting skills for Converse at coaches' clinics and basketball camps throughout the United States. He also did color commentary for the Vol TV and Radio Networks

In 1990, Justus was inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. He then joined the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. Justus was named an SEC Legend in 2006. e also was inducted intpo the After the age of 30, Justus began an amateur tennis career and won numerous USTA amateur tennis championships.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

 

[cardvolfan]

Anybody have any info on his death? Just heard it on Doug Matthews program.

He had been sick for a while.

 

[volfan4evr]

Thanks @Freak

 

[onthehill71]

Dayton had Don May, who was an All American and a great player.

Dayton had the victory taken away by NCAA for violations involving Don May. First UT bb game I attended. At Nortwestern gym, I was a senior in high school in the middle of a corn field about 45 miles from Chicago. Couldn't wait to head to UT.

Bill Justus could flat play the game. RIP.

 

[OffTackleVol]

Great memories as a kid. My Dad loved UT basketball, and what he would do (Here in Huntsville AL) was put on the Fayetteville Tn. Radio station, WYTM. We had one of those "Console Record Players", and the reception was sketchy, but could hear John Ward 90% of the time. Dad would sit in his easy chair, and I'd get a pillow and sprawl out on the shag carpet, turn the lights out and get the visual image only John Ward could paint of those games. Justus, Hahn, England, Boerwinkle, Widby and others. Found that ol' console in a thrift store after we had my folks estate sale. Lot's of Tennessee sports came out of those speakers (Not much was televised back then).

View attachment 588340
Tough disposing of your parents estate. Even the green shag carpet.
View attachment 588341

LOL, my parents had the same, exact console. I too, listened to a bunch Tennessee games on that thing. One of my brothers and I would play 45's on it. Backfield in Motion (gonna call a penalty on you), Right Place, Wrong Time, Brother Louie, Smoking in the Boys Room , Drift Away and a Carpenters album are a few I remember......LMAO.

 

[OffTackleVol]

Bill Justus's sophomore season with the Vols was the year I got serious about basketball. Bill Justus became my role model. I was also influenced by the references to the academic standards he held himself to, and became aware of how he evidently comported himself. From Bill Justus the idea began to form in my young skull that a "sports hero" needed to be someone also admired off the court.

Listening to every game on the radio, the importance of free throw shooting impressed on me. So every day I'd shoot free throws in the back yard after supper 'til it was so dark I had to listen to know if I'd made it. I'd dribble twice, spin the ball, feel the seams, and hear in my head John Ward's voice...

"Standing at the line for Tennessee, Bill Justus."

I'm saddened tonight. But sad from gratitude.

Routine, routine, routine. I went to Stu Aberdeen's Camp of Champions after my 9th grade year. Rodney Woods was there, but couldn't talk (something against NCAA rules). He made 10 straight free throws while Aberdeen smacked him in the torso with a broom during his shot.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

RIP Mr. Justus.

 

[RavinDave]

RIP Bill Justus

 

[Volfan1000]

Mike Strange has a great column on Bill Justus in today's Knoxville News Sentinel South Knoxville supplement section.

Justus helped Mears and Tennessee get to their first NCAA Tournament where they lost to Dayton on a last second shot.

Boerwinkle, Justus and Widby have all passed away from that squad.