Category: Indiana University Hoosier (I.U) Sports (Page 25 of 31)

Indiana University Hoosier athletics

Retirement is not without Hassles: Who Am I? #1130

November 18, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

My wife felt like a football widow these past few days and admittedly I spent a lot of time in front of the “boob tube.” Don’t worry, I did get a 3-mile run in every day to extend my continuous streak to 3,977. Only 23 days until the four-thousand milestone and another 28 to hit the 11-year mark! While not on the run, two I.U. soccer wins and the BIG Championship did not make up for the I.U.football loss to Penn State. The Hoosier basketball victory over Troy in between was interrupted by our “Meet the neighbors” open house, but the Oregon Ducks game started after everyone left. The Indianapolis Colts game wasn’t televised, while the “Bad News” Bears weren’t worth watching. I will get reacquainted with my wife today on our way to “Matinee Monday.” I want to see Ford v Ferrari that in her opinion is just more sports, but agrees that it’s getting great reviews.

While I was sitting in front of the TV, I was also actively engaged on the internet. I won a 1956 Chicago White Sox autographed baseball through the Heritage auction house that included Sherm Lollar’s signature, along with Hall of Fame members Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio. It was my first experience with on-line bidding, so I was fortunate to claim the prize after the two-week process. At the same time, I was busy with “Ban(n)ister World,” adding more names to my Jerry Banister Family Tree. I created a list of about 100 names with “Common Ancestors” among my Ancestry DNA matches and performed the tedious task of connecting each them to the tree branches. It will hopefully give me more stories to add to my “Diary of an Adoptee.” It’s all about my curious quest to identify those who gave me life and find out more about their extended Ban(n)ister family members

If you didn’t know it already, I’m an adopted child and running fanatic that turned out to be an Indiana University (I.U.) grad, media alum, sports nut, collector, movie lover, and hobby genealogist. I have time to do all of these interests in retirement, and write about them in this daily blog. This particular post combines all my favorite activities. My wife and I now live in Portland, Oregon but we’re both originally from Indiana. We’re considering a move to sunny Florida to establish a permanent retirement home. My son and three grand kids would then be nearby. In fact, we’re headed to Orlando in a month for a visit and to do some exploration of property on the Gulf Coast. My wife’s daughters will be concerned that their mother is so far away, but both of them are newlyweds with busy lives. I don’t know if our elderly schnauzer, Tinker, will be able to tolerate another move, but the younger one, Tally, will like running on the beach. In the meantime, we’ll continue to be retired world travelers, dining-out enthusiasts, wine drinkers, and party hosts. Hopefully, this all will give you a clearer picture of Who I Am?

Retirement is not without Hassles: Damn Spam #1129

November 17, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I appear to have resolved one of my biggest daily hassles, removing all the spam off my blog site. It used to be that before I could start writing, I would have to eliminate hundreds of comments that were attempts to promote other websites by including a link within the veiled compliments about my writing. This would take at least 10 minutes every day even deleting them in bulk. Recently I found my own personal “Spaminator,” a service called Akismet. It was free to try as part of the various plugins through my GoDaddy subscription. I don’t know how long it will remain free, but it’s been a godsend in getting rid of all that damn spam.

There probably is a plugin that will write this daily blog for me, but I still continue to enjoy the psychological benefit of putting words to page. As you can see, there’s not much on my mind today, but at least it’s not full of spam. Football is about to start on the TV in front of me, and I.U. is scheduled to play for the BIG soccer championship against Michigan in about an hour. In the meantime, I’ll flush my mind of any other hassles I might be experiencing in retirement. Last night, we hosted our “Meet the Neighbors” reception that had a somewhat disappointing turn out. I was worried that our small apartment would be crammed with drunken strangers. Instead, only about 12 neighbors showed up, leaving us with a lot of leftover wine and food. We also got more wine and snacks in the process. I’m glad it’s over because the older I guess the less I like to entertain. I’m turning into a curmudgeon! If I actually had grass, I’d probably be yelling at people to stay off of it.

The “Damn Spam” put me in a bad mood every day, so I’ll have to find other hassles to keep me entertained. Without the stress of work or raising a family, I’ve had to lower my standards of irritation. Little things bother me now without the bigger issues that used to hold my focus. Problems like the mail not being here on time or too many keys to keep track of now take priority. I can also worry about running out of money if nothing else works. That morsel of pessimism has always been a part of me. Another thing that has never changed is my irritation over I.U. sports. Yesterday, football predictably lost to Penn State, while the basketball team won big but didn’t play up to my expectations. Soccer will have a disappointing season if they don’t win both the BIG tournament and the NCAA Championship. As you can see, I have a tendency to set myself up for discontent. It’s probably just a matter of time before that damn spam comes back to haunt me!

Old Sport Shorts: Dis-Rupp-Tion #1124

November 13, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

Last night, I attended the inaugural Phil Knight Invitational, featuring both the Oregon and Oregon State basketball teams. Last year, it was a full-fledged birthday clebration tournament but going forward it will continue to be a double-header. Oregon beat highly-touted Memphis, while Oregon State lost to Oklahoma. 81-year old Nike founder Phil Knight shook a few hands a few rows in front of us. Before the game, I watched on TV a portion of the I.U. victory against unworthy opponent North Alabama. I also caught the half-time score of Kentucky vs. Evansville – David versus Goliath.

The Evansville Purple Aces were giving the #1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats a game. However, everyone expected UK to eventually take control. Kentucky was favored by 25 points and playing at Rupp Arena where they had been 39-0 against un-ranked, non-conference opponents when ranked the best in the country. These early-season games are designed to pad the win column, so opponents are always viewed as cupcakes. It was already frosting on the cake for the Purple Aces to be leading at halftime. When I saw the final score of 67-64, I was shocked that Evansville had pulled off the improbable. It was especially sweet for their second-year coach, Walter McCarthy, who won a national title with Kentucky in 1966. UK was also the victim of another major upset back in 2007 when Gardner Webb beat them as a 26-point underdog, but the Wildcats were only ranked at #20. The Purple Aces had never beaten a #1 team.

As an Indiana fan, I’ve always been a Wildcat-hater, although I respect their program and feel envious of their ability to always get the top recruits. The I.U. versus Kentucky border war was a highlight every year, as the game rotated between host schools. It suddenly stopped a few years ago with each school blaming the other. The Hoosiers have been without recent tournament success, while the Wildcats have made the Sweet 16 three straight years and won it all for the eighth time eight years ago. Kentucky leads all school in total NCAA tournament appearances with 59, games played with 184, 131 wins, 45 Sweet 16s, 38 Elite Eights, and 68 post-season appearances. I.U. has five national championships, but not since 1987. Evansville has also won five titles but at the Division II level and not since 1971.

The University of Evansville Purple Aces were not intimidated playing at historic Rupp Arena. It was the modern day version of Hoosiers on the college rather than high school level. The new movie should be titled Dis-Rupp-Tion. I’m sure that legendary coach Adolph Rupp rolled over in his grave last night. He passed in 1977, just three days before an entire plane load of Evansville players and coaches died in a plane crash in route to play Middle Tennessee State. It is one of the worst tragedies in basketball history. It took a lot of community support to bring back the basketball program the next year. The greatest reward of their efforts happened last night as time expired after Kentucky missed the game-tying three at Rupp. Total Dis-Rupp-Tion!

Retirement is not without Hassles: Some Assembly Required #1116

November 6, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

Some people have told me to never announce that you’re retired. The next thing you know you’ll be waiting for someone’s package to be delivered, walking your neighbor’s dog, babysitting, or helping with a project. Fortunately, I retired in an area where I don’t know many people, don’t have family nearby, and don’t fraternize with the neighbors. This is what happens when you move every couple of years. I now control my days, choosing the tasks that I really want to do – very few. Every once in a while I make a mistake.

In our efforts to downsize from home, to condo, to apartment, I often find myself repurchasing items that I’ve given away. For example, I didn’t need a nice file cabinet since we had plenty of room for clutter in the attic, garage, or guest room closets. I had a beautiful wood office cabinet at one time in my life that I didn’t need – now I do. I went to Amazon for a replacement, but didn’t read the fine print. SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.

When the box arrived I knew that I was in trouble. It was not the size of the file cabinet that I ordered, and when I opened it there were hundreds of pieces that needed to be put together. I kept some tools in the move, but gave away my massive tool box and power drill. I had to buy a smaller box for the remaining necessities like pliers, screwdrivers, and a hammer, once again buying an item that I had already owned – now just in a smaller size. The assembly instructions were in diagram form with 27 detailed illustrations to follow. On the first page, the words EXPLODED DRAWING were emphasized in large print. I wanted some powerful explosives to get rid of it at that moment, even before unpacking the contents. To make matters worse, it was protected with cheap Styrofoam that had deteriorated into small fragments and statically stuck to every surface. I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with Styrofoam and assembly line faux pas that were coming back to haunt me. (See Post #294).

To make a long story short, I spent about 3 hours last night putting it together, and it still isn’t done. There were hundreds of screws, where a recently donated power drill would have certainly come in handy. I carefully followed the step-by-step instructions rather than jump ahead, as was the tendency in my younger years. Regardless, I still made mistakes. Was it me or the EXPLODED DRAWING? At one point, I was ready to explode. Fortunately, I had just watched an I.U. basketball game that had already released most of my aggression. I couldn’t help but think that the Hoosiers played at ASSEMBLY Hall, and are definitely a work in progress just like my file cabinet. This morning I will disassemble some of last night’s work and fix my mistakes. After a good night’s sleep, I see the error of my ways. The biggest error of course was buying a file cabinet that required tools and assembly. I have never been a DIY kind of guy. (See Post #107) when it comes to SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.

Old Sport Shorts: World Series Time #1107

October 27, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

We’re headed to the antique and collectibles show, knowing that we don’t have room for any purchases in our new apartment. In fact, we just spent weeks getting rid of many of our possessions in an effort to fit into half the space. However, just walking through the aisles will undoubtedly bring back many memories of similar treasures that may have passed through our lives. Each one has a story that is often times the clincher for a sale. For example, we still have goods from the Capone and Studebaker families, not to mention family heirlooms that have more meaning than value.

I’ve recently become interested in these shows because of my sports collection. For awhile, I had some custom built-in cabinets that needed to be filled. Recently, however, I’ve had to reluctantly pass much of this memorabilia on to my son and other friends. I’m left with a guest room/office that my wife has graciously allowed me to decorate with my remaining autographed posters, balls, bats, Sherm Lollar uniform, and ticket stubs. I also somehow got a shelf or two to store my binders of baseball cards, pictures, lanyards, and big game memories. The windows in front of me look out at the surrounding hills and colorful leaves of fall. It’s World Series time – the Fall Classic! Who will be crowned Mr. October, or what looks like November?

One of the framed posters on the wall hold our World Series tickets from 2016 along with pins and pictures of the Cubs victory. Series hero David Ross was just named their new coach. I also have a plaque commemorating the White Sox of 2005 and their World Series sweep of the Astros. My media credentials from that accomplishment are stored in a binder. The Astros are back again this year and tied the series at two games each with the Nats. In 2005 the Astros were in the National League and the Montreal Expos played for the first time at RFK Stadium as the newly formed Washington Nationals. This is their first trip to the World Series, and they have so far failed to win a Fall Classic game at Nationals Park. They have another chance tonight before the event moves back to Houston. In fact, neither team has claimed a home game.

The big story yesterday for me was not the World Series, but rather the I.U. football victory at Nebraska. This was a statement win for the Indiana Hoosier program that has always been firmly embedded in the second division of the BIG Ten Conference. I.U. had not won in Lincoln, Nebraska since 1959. I clearly remember watching on TV a 1978 drubbing by the Huskers of 69-17 in Bloomington, along with four other thrashings before yesterday’s 38-31 victory. Things were apparently different before I was born, as Indiana actually leads the overall Husker-Hoosier series 10-8 with 3 ties. To me, Nebraska has always been a football school and Indiana a basketball factory. Nebraska even had their legendary blackshirts on in their historic stadium to honor their great defensive squads of the past. To make victory even sweeter, the win makes I.U. bowl eligible and resulted in a three-game BIG streak for the first time in 25 years. Bring on Northwestern for a potential fourth!

To make the Fall day even better yesterday, the Oregon Ducks pulled out a 37-35 victory over Washington State Cougars for their seventh straight. I stayed up to watch the end even through it was well past my bedtime. I can’t imagine having to drive back to Portland from Eugene, even despite the adrenaline rush from a winning field goal with no time on the clock. It was a thriller, as the Cougars took a one point lead with a touchdown drive leaving less than a minute in the game. The Ducks will move into the Top 10 nationally with losses by Notre Dame and Oklahoma.

It must be Sunday! The Bears will try to rebound against the Chargers as the Colts try to pick up their 5th victory against the Broncos. Oops, there goes another Bears field goal attempt off the uprights! I’m not sure I can watch any more. Instead, I’ll be antiquing but will be back home in time for World Series Game 5. If it weren’t for the NFL, a retiree like me wouldn’t know what day it is!

Old Sport Shorts: Red Zone #1099

October 20, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

My favorite teams aren’t getting much TV support on the West Coast. Nobody cares about I.U., Indianapolis Colts, or Chicago Bears so I’m forced to follow games on the internet or the NFL Red Zone. I did watch the Ducks beat the Huskies yesterday, while monitoring I.U. versus Maryland on my phone. The football Hoosiers won their fifth game of the season – one away from a bowl invitation. After two straight 5-7 seasons and consecutive Decembers off, a holiday bonus game would be a welcome present. It’s about all I can ever expect from this consistently second division BIG Ten team. Even a major bowl appearance is probably never a realistic possibility.

Rainy weather yesterday turned me into a couch potato, always a grateful role for a home – make that apartment – body like myself. It was rare to see both the Hoosiers and Ducks win at virtually the same time. The Timbers unfortunately were not as lucky as their season came to an end against Salt Lake. I.U. lost their first BIG conference game in four years to Maryland, reminiscent of last year’s trip to Santa Clare and National Championship defeat to these same Terps. College basketball is about to start, but the Hoosiers are expected to finish in the lower half of the conference – just like football. It’s frustrating when the round ball was always a welcome relief to a disappointing pig skin performance. Now, I.U. appears to be marginal in both money sports, with only soccer earning national respect.

It’s the Nationals and Astros in this year’s World Series, certainly not what I expected. The Nats easily swept the Cards, proving once again just how poor the Cubs were this past season. However, it was good to see Cardinal fans humbled. We’ll see how the Cubbies perform next year without the services of Coach Joe Maddon, who will be guiding the Angels. I think perhaps the White Sox will be worth following in the future. My new office is now essentially an equal combination of Sox and Cubs memorabilia. Most of my Cubs merchandise was passed on to my son in Florida, since space did not allow. I’ll be taking some more items to him in a few weeks.

The Hoosiers travel to Nebraska next week, a football team they haven’t beat since 1959. I was 8 years old and don’t remember, but I do recall some thorough thrashings by the Cornhuskers long before they were conference foes. My other team from Indiana, the Colts, are currently prevailing over the Texans in their quest to command the AFC South division. (Colts win 30-23). I’ve been a Colts fan since they were in Baltimore, but somewhere in the transition I began to follow the Bears. It’s rare when the Ducks, Hoosiers, Colts, and Bears win in the same week. It could happen by the end of the day, but the 5-1 Saints stand in the way. That’s next on “Couch Potato” Sunday, as I continue to watch the Red Zone.

P.S, The Chicag Bears (No O) lost to the Saints at Soldier Field. Mitchell Trubisky was truly awful, and their pitiful offense was limited to a kick-off return along with a late touchdown pass, 2-point conversion, and an on-side kick recovery (nearly two) that led to another TD when it mattered little. Defense wasn’t much better, giving up a blocked punt for a safety. It was still 36-18 at the two minute warning and 36-25 with less than a minute remaining, despite their too-little-too-late comeback effort. Final score: Saints 36 Bears 25 (17 rushing yards).

Old Sport Shorts: ND Number 89 #1073

September 21, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

After this morning’s “Schnauzerton,” a visit from 1-800-GOT-JUNK, and two trips to our new downtown apartment to deliver carloads full of non-junk, I actually sat down and watched some college football. This was just after the Cubs blew another critical game, and I.U. claimed their third football victory of the season. I wanted to see the Oregon-Stanford match-up, but ended up flipping over to Notre Dame – Georgia. Early in the game, the Fighting Irish recovered a fumble and completed a pass in the end zone, however The Bulldogs had cleverly called timeout and the play was disallowed. As number 89 (currently Brock Wright) caught the ball for the temporary TD, it caused me to flash back to my childhood.

It was just after my 9th birthday (9/24/60, 59 years ago next week), and my dad took me to the University of California opener at Notre Dame Stadium. I remember only two things: the Golden Bear Mascot and my cousin’s #89 number. He was a sophomore Tight End on the 1960 team and my uncle John was an assistant coach. Their last name was Murphy, so they also had that Irish Catholic heritage that undoubtedly attracted them to Touchdown Jesus! They must have gotten tickets for my Dad and I, so this became my very first college football game. I had to look it up, because I definitely didn’t pay much attention to the game at that age. In fact, it reminds me of my own experience taking my son to his first high school basketball game. He was totally focused on the Tiger mascot of my team’s opponent, just as I spent the afternoon watching the Cal Dancing Bear.

My research this afternoon showed me that Notre Dame won the game 21-7 and nearly 50,000 fans were in attendance. It would be hard to not remember an experience like that! My dad went to Indiana University, and in fact hated Notre Dame, so I’m sure I didn’t get much encouragement in following the team that day. Maybe he even privately enjoyed the fact that I was following the Golden Bears? We did, of course, want to support my uncle and cousin, especially since they provided the tickets. As family, I’m certain we had good seats, plus we got together with them after the game. I also recollect my cousin as a giant, (probably 6’5″) and have a few black & white pictures with him in my scrapbook.

I did discover that Notre Dame had an awful team that year, winning only their first and last games and going 2-8 for the year. USC and California were their two victims. In my cousin’s Junior and Senior years they did improve to 5-5, with Daryle Lamonica at quarterback. Lamonica turned down a baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills. I’m not really sure what happened to my cousin, to be quite honest. It seems like he went into coaching himself, but he’ll always be number 89 to me!

Old Sport Shorts: Misfits #1062

September 8, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

NFL Football is back – but do I really care? The Bears looked terrible on Thursday night against the Packers. Looking to my collection of gridiron misfits, the Colts are rarely seen on TV in this area. We regularly get to watch the Seahawks that have failed to gain personal favoritism (right now they’re down by 3). Indiana University football blew out Eastern Illinois 52-0 in an apparent grade school match-up. Any hopes for Hoosier glory will quickly deflate when the bully Buckeyes come to town for the BIG opener – next on the schedule. At least, my alma mater has already won a couple of games, unlike the Bears or Colts (right now they’re down by seven). It would be a rare pleasure to be able to brag about any of my teams. Why didn’t I choose Clemson over Crimson?

The fading Cubs have been equally impotent in an critical match-up with the Brewers, allowing the Cardinal division lead to grow. The White Sox aren’t even worth bringing up, as I already start to look ahead to next year. I’m envious of those who have become obnoxious fans – blessed with teams that rarely lose. In all sports, I’ve somehow endeared myself to the misfits. The Cubs proved once again yesterday that they can’t score runs in critical situations, and generously give them up freely in the late stages of games. Closer Kimbrel continues to disappoint with injuries and Javy Baez sadly has a hairline fracture in his thumb. Joe Maddon continues to juggle the lineup, but they still can’t win on the road – except at Citi Field. I’m afraid to even watch in the last two innings, and wish they had more games against the Mets!

I know that in Bloomington, Indiana next Saturday Buckeye fans will flood the stands. This will allow I.U. media relations to show-off a packed stadium of solid red. Unfortunately, it will be Buckeye red, as smart Hoosiers will re-coop their season ticket investment and head to the bars. After all, you can’t get a seat in Columbus. As always, there will be a few Hoosier faithful that perhaps will still hold hope for an upset, until reality sets in. This has not happened since 1988 – 31 years ago. The Buckeyes lead the series of 92 games that date back to 1901. Overall, it’s 75-12-5 in favor of Ohio State. Do you believe in miracles? You have to if you support the misfits that I follow! At least, I’m not a Browns fan!

Old Sport Shorts: Fall Ball #1050

August 29, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

With the exception of a handful of earlier match-ups this past week, college football is kicking off the season tonight in full gear. It’s that time of year when football overlaps with baseball, that I call “Fall Ball.” It leaves me with five opportunities to be frustrated between the Cubs or White Sox, Bears or Colts, and I.U. football. Believe me, I’ve tried unsuccessfully to adopt other teams, so I must be a masochist. Here in Oregon, I’ve attempted to get enthusiastic about the Ducks, as I was once responsible for selling radio advertising for their games, while most of my friends follow the team. However, I didn’t graduate from there, grow-up in the vicinity, or have family that attends, so I tend to migrate back to my roots. The exact same scenario occurred when we lived in Austin, Texas and were expected to be Longhorn fans or Illini fans in Illinois. I’ve always been a firm believer in fitting in with the community by supporting the local team, but it’s hard to find an emotional attachment- so you’re forced to fake it!

The Cubs won their fifth straight road game tonight, completing a sweep over the Mets. This is remarkable considering they are a dismal 28-39 away from Wrigley. In addition, this is only the second time this season they have swept an opponent in a three-game series on the road; the last time was mid-April against the Marlins. To make matters worse, just before this positive push, they miserably faltered at home in being swept by the Nationals. It’s been up and down this season, compounded by injuries and an ineffective bullpen. The Cubbies have now fallen behind the division-leading Cardinals that have prospered during a remarkable 15 wins during an 18-game stretch. The Cubs were 8-10 in that same time frame, moving them to simply a contender in the Wild Card race. On the other side of Chicago, the White Sox, my other “Fall Ball” failures, are a pitiful 22 games out of first place. By the same token, Da Chicago Bears have yet to win a football game and are still struggling to find a place kicker before the season begins in a week from today against the Packers.

The “Fall Ball” frustration continues for me, as the Indianapolis Colts have permanently lost quarterback Andrew Luck, although they did manage to win their first exhibition game tonight against the Bengals. They will start the regular season with an offense guided by Jacoby Brissett. Indiana University (I.U.) football battles in-state rival Ball State (Ball U) on the Colts field this weekend, while the local Ducks play Auburn in a match-up of Nationally ranked teams. I.U. is far from that level and will be lucky to win the 6 games necessary to get a bowl bid. A victory over Ball State is paramount – or the season is over. Once again, there are low expectations for all my favorites. I’m also not anticipating that my Cubs or Bears will achieve Playoff status, as they prepare for hibernation during the changing of the seasons from “Fall Ball” to “Winter What-If’s?”

Old Sport Shorts: Hoosier High School Basketball #1028

August 6, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

The golf was uneventful yesterday, but conversations with several former Portland Trailblazers, who were outing celebrities, proved to be memorable. At lunch, we talked with Larry Steele about his local Basketball Camp and in the process learned that he was an Indiana native, just like the other two hometown friends that were with me. I told him of my experiences at the Taylor University Junior Basketball Camp run by legendary coach Marion Crawley. One of the councilors was Hallie Bryant, who achieved fame as a Harlem Globetrotter. Bryant went to Indiana University, as did the three of us. In fact, four born-and-bred Hoosiers at the same table is a remarkable coincidence in Portland, Oregon.

Larry Steele went on to play for Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky, and could not off-the-top-of-his-head remember a familiar connection to Bryant. I learned later that he was one of Steele’s coaches when he played for the Indiana High School All-Stars against Kentucky. Larry was head coach himself for the University of Portland over a 7-year span. He hailed from tiny Bainbridge, Indiana and graduated in 1967 with only 54 classmates. Willie Long from Ft. Wayne South was Indiana Mr. Basketball that year, an honor that Hallie Bryant of Indianapolis Crispus Attucks shared in 1953. Steele once scored 46 points in a high school game. We chatted about his Hoosiers move-like experience in the single-class 1966 tournament playing for The Pointers when they faced heavily favored East Chicago Washington in the Lafayette Semi-State. It was classic big-school vs. small-school, but Larry’s team fell 4-points short to The Senators. In the other game, “Rocket” Rick Mount, another Mr. Basketball, scored 47 to lead Lebanon over Logansport, so it was quite a double-header for the fans.

As most Hoosiers know, Rick Mount went on to star for Purdue, while Larry Steele spent 4-years at Kentucky, beating up on Indiana and then drafted by The Trailblazers in 1971. Hallie Bryant helped Indiana win the 1957 Big Ten Championship, and crossed paths with Steele in the high school border-wars series. I once played against Bryant as part of a radio station promotion back in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Like all Globe Trotter games, it was a carefully controlled outcome in the interest of entertainment. Meadowlark Lemon was also involved in that memorable moment on the basketball court, making all of us look like fools. It allowed me to have a great conversation with Larry, who was part of the NBA championship team in 1977, as was his Blazer teammate Bob Gross, our table guest for dinner after a hot afternoon of divot-making on the golf course.