Legends of the Pen: Memories off the court, a few on, John Wooden and Mrs. Naismith

As we prepare to watch the Games of March (which start just two days after the Ides of March), I have a few thoughts of past trips down the hardwood courts of what we now all know as that delightful "illness", March Madness.

My time at SU covered the first three Final Fours. So on to 1975. The trip almost ended in the first game against LaSalle. Joe Bryant had made life miserable all night for the Orange but he missed a short baseline jumper with the game tied and time running out. In overtime, Syracuse came out on top, 87-85. That put them in the East regional final and wins there vs. UNC, 78-76 and in overtime, 95-87 over Kansas State. It was off to San Diego.

The night before the first games, there was a private reception held and it was here that I met John Wooden. Arriving at the function site, the room featured two sides of glass walls that contained all sorts of sea life. I noticed a man standing by himself by one of the walls and walked over to introduce myself. It was the legend himself.

For some reason, I didn't ask him anything about his team but, being the Dodger fan that I was, whether or not he went to their games. "Oh, yes," he said, "Walter Alston (the manager) and I are very close friends" He told me that he had been a pretty good baseball player and thought he probably could have played in the majors.

A bit later, I told him how hundreds of Syracuse fans had greeted the team at Hancock Field upon their return from Providence where the regional had been held. How Kentucky and Louisville had been given police escorts back to their campuses. What was it like for UCLA?

"Well," he replied, "Mrs. Wooden was there at the airport, she had a couple of the grandchildren and we had one married player and I think his wife was there." Quiet and very low key was to put it mildly. I followed with many more questions. A most enjoyable evening for me.

Syracuse lost to Kentucky and in those days, there was a consolation game which we lost (Louisville) in OT.

Final Four No. 2 was in New Orleans. This remains the heartbreaker -- a few missed free throws and about five seconds too many left in the game -- and like the Sugar Bowl that would follow when Auburn kicked a field goal to tie the Orange. But in 2003, all was forgiven although by then I had retired.

My third Final Four took place in the Meadowlands in 1996 and again Kentucky would prevail. But just getting there had its own reward. Syracuse had earned the spot with dramatic, pulse-pounding wins over Georgia in overtime and Kansas in the West Regional.

I never collected many autographs the many years I was involved in athletics but there are four I still have and treasure. Several years after the San Diego trip, Syracuse was playing in an early-season basketball tournament in Lexington. As I looked around, I saw John Wooden and Adolph Rupp sitting together so I did walk over and ask them to sign my program. "Thanks, John Wooden" was his trademark. The other two? Duke Snider and James Reston. Reston was a one-time sportwriter who went on to a distinguished career as a columnist with The New York Times. He won two Pulitzer prizes.

From 1960-66, I was the sports information director (SID) at the University of Vermont. It was a retirement dinner I ran as to how I met Reston.

My final "basketball thought" also came from that period. Vermont was playing Middlebury and pounding them by 30 some points mid-way through the second half when my counterpoint turned to me, and quietly said, " if Mrs. Naismith had only had a miscarriage."

Now its 2011--on to Games of March. Three weeks of magic and thrills.

Syracuse University Athletics

Legends of the Pen: Memories off the court, a few on, John Wooden and Mrs. Naismith

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