Walter Rucker, Johnny Neumann, Larry Finch and Many Others

#2
#2
  • Like
Reactions: PandamoniumReigns and USAFgolferVol
#3
#3
Spencer Haywood accepted a scholarship to play for Mears in the mid to late 1960s which would have made him the 1st black player in the SEC. But Kentucky's Adolph Rupp supposedly stepped in and said he would decide when and if the SEC would become integrated. How great would Tennessee have been with him?
 
  • Like
Reactions: beamerman
#4
#4
hillsborovol said:
Spencer Haywood accepted a scholarship to play for Mears in the mid to late 1960s which would have made him the 1st black player in the SEC. But Kentucky's Adolph Rupp supposedly stepped in and said he would decide when and if the SEC would become integrated. How great would Tennessee have been with him?
Click to expand...
I thougth that was the case. I was around and kept up with Tennessee basketball as much as football. Haywood would have been a VOL if he Had the grades to get into school. He really wanted to play for Tennessee and Rupp would not have been able to stop it. Grades did matter, probably a lot more back then than today.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: HarsinVol and wmcovol
#5
#5
VOLINVONORE said:
I south that was the case. I was around and kept up with Tennessee basketball as much as football. Haywood would have been a VOL if he Had the grades to get into school. He really wanted to play for Tennessee and Rupp would not have been able to stop it. Grades did matter, probably a lot more back then than today.
Click to expand...

Especially if you are black back then.
 
#6
#6
VOLINVONORE said:
I south that was the case. I was around and kept up with Tennessee basketball as much as football. Haywood would have been a VOL if he Had the grades to get into school. He really wanted to play for Tennessee and Rupp would not have been able to stop it. Grades did matter, probably a lot more back then than today.
Click to expand...

I also was around but too young to know. Here's a source that says Rupp stopped it.

Where Are They Now? Spencer Haywood, the stylish star
 
#8
#8
HarsinVol said:
Early 70's. Memphis State almost beat Bill Walton's UCLA team in the NCAA finals. Can you imagine if Neumann, Finch and Rucker had come to Tennessee and played together? All of them were an inch away for playing for Crazed Ray Mears only because of the efforts of Coach Aberdeen who solely recruited Ernie and Bernie.

It is what it was.
Click to expand...
I think the Bruins won that game by 20 or so. My cousins went to high school with Neumann and I think he was always an Ole Miss fan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Franklin Pierce
#9
#9
cardvolfan said:
I think the Bruins won that game by 20 or so. My cousins went to high school with Neumann and I think he was always an Ole Miss fan.
Click to expand...

The key to Ole Miss' getting Neumann was that they also "scholarshipped" his then girlfriend along with the promise that he would, more or less, be the offence. Imagine if there had been a 3 pt line, would he have averaged 50ppg? I think so.

I watched Rucker in high school. He was the most gifted shooter of the three by far.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cardvolfan
#10
#10
  • Like
Reactions: Franklin Pierce
#14
#14
cardvolfan said:
My cousins went to high school with Neumann and I think he was always an Ole Miss fan.
Click to expand...

Overton Rebels to Ole Miss Rebels. lol. An old friend used to live around the corner from Neumann and pitched for them. He quit and went to CBHS, Farrell Vincent. Claimed Neumann was the biggest headcase he had ever been around.
 
#17
#17
HarsinVol said:
Overton Rebels to Ole Miss Rebels. lol. An old friend used to live around the corner from Neumann and pitched for them. He quit and went to CBHS, Farrell Vincent. Claimed Neumann was the biggest headcase he had ever been around.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I’ve heard that for years. It got in the way of his athletic gifts. Yeah, Memphis Overton. I actually grew up in Whitehaven.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sos and HarsinVol
#20
#20
wmcovol said:
I was for Memphis (i hated UCLA then) but it wasnt a close game. Didnt Walton hit something like 22 of 23 shots? Larry Kenon was no match for Walton.
Click to expand...

Yes and all kinds of shots from, lay-ins to mid-range jumpers. Might have been one of the most amazing performances in NCAA tourney history. This was a Tiger High team with three professional players-to-be.
 
Last edited:
#21
#21
HarsinVol said:
They were tied midway into the 2nd half then Tiger Prep fell apart.
Click to expand...

This was memory as well. It was really close for most of the game.

Maybe they didn't "almost" beat them, but I think they came closest of any team that year. You have to remember just how dominant UCLA was. Probably no greater dominant before or since then. They closest might be UNLV team that came up one game short.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HarsinVol
#22
#22
i2amavol said:
This was memory as well. It was really close for most of the game.

Maybe they didn't "almost" beat them, but I think they came closest of any team that year. You have to remember just how dominant UCLA was. Probably no greater dominant before or since then.
Click to expand...

If memory serves, all of the starters went on to the pros, some w/ limited success.
 
  • Like
Reactions: i2amavol
#25
#25
HarsinVol said:
87–66 win over Memphis State in which Walton made 21 of 22 field-goal attempts and scored 44 points. It was monstrous and neutralized Larry Kenon.
Click to expand...
Kenon still scored 20 points on Walton which back then most BIGS couldn't score on Walton. The issue for Memphis State might have been having Ronnie Robinson play against Walton as Ronnie was a better defender. The blow out occurred in the second half as the halftime score was tied up. Walton was unstoppable as he had one of those games of a lifetime.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HarsinVol
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top