UA36I/31 John Oldham Personal Papers Clipping Louisville Courier-Journal

Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® Faculty/Staff eP rsonal Papers WKU Archives Records 2006 UA36I/31 John Oldham Personal Papers Clipping Louisville Courier-Journal Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/fac_staff_papers Recommended Citation Louisville Courier-Journal, "UA36I/31 John Oldham Personal Papers Clipping" (2006). Faculty/Staff erP sonal Papers. Paper 20. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/fac_staff_papers/20 This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty/Staff eP rsonal Papers by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Ille So the question lingers: Could The old-time Hilltoppers know Western have beatep Rupp's Runts? this painful story too well. The state Former Hilltoppers broadcaster had two top 10 programs that year, and Wes Strader, who covered that game, they were expected to meet in the Mi ran into one of the Runts, his good deast Regional final. friend Larry Conley, recently and told JetTY UK and WKU never had played, so him: "You all owe that movie to Steve a dramatic script was coming together Honzo." Brewer perfectly. On March 12, 1966, in Iowa "I think that, overall, Western was City, IoWa, the Wlldcats beat Dayton the best basketball team," Strader 86-79 in the night's first game. Tben said. the Hilltoppers took the court against Those Hilltoppers were probably Michigan, knowing a victory would the most athletically imposing and set up a game they wanted badly. harmonious team in school historY. One call'may Western led 79-78 with 16 5eCODda Oldham went to the F'mal Four in 1971, remaining Hilltoppers guard Wayne but he said he overcoached that team. Chapman stole a Michigan pass and Of the 1966 team, Oldham said, "I have paved was fouled two seconds later, a foul couldn't overcoach them." many fans believed should have been He didn't call practices; Haskins an intentional. Instead, Chapman did. The team - known for confusing 'Glory Road' stepped to the line and missed. foes by switching defenses - never Western forward Greg Smith called out its defense. It knew where BOWLING GREEN, Ky. grabbed the rebound, but Michigan to be simply by paying attention to ohn Oldham, the ultimate gentle All-American Cazzie Russell tied him where 6-foot-5 point guard Dwight man, just wouldn't go that far. He up. Jump ball. Smith, Greg's brother, set up on the filled the subject to the brim - and Referee Steve Honzo tossed the floor. j left it there. ball in the air, and Smith tapped it to "We were ahead of our time," Has Even after 40 years, even with the center Steve Cunningham Then Hon kins said. "A once-in-a-lifetime call I movie "Glory Road" reminding him of zo bleW his whistle. Foul, Smith. On think lost us the national champion the 1966 NCAA Thurnament and ar the jump ball. Western went nuts. ship or at least a chance to play for it." guably the worst call in basketball his Russell made both free throws, and It would've been integrated school tory, the former Western Kentucky Western All-American Clem Haskins versus integrated school. No dramatic University coach chose manners over missed a 17-footer in the closing sec- movie there. Western would've happi frustration. onds. Ballgame. ly stepped on history. So an old friend had to f!Dish the Next time you think the refs are After that game 40 years ago, the thought. cheating your team, think this: foul on disappointed Hilltoppers returned to "There would not be any 'Glory a jump ball. their locker room and discovered all Road,' " said Lee Robertson, who was "rd never seen it called before, and their valuables had been stolen. They associated with the school for more I haven't seen it called since," Oldham had been robbed, again. Looted. Pil than 50 years and earned the nick said. laged. Honzo-ed. name "Mr. Western." Robertson spun from his seat in Terry Brewer can be reached at (502) front of us at Diddle Arena to make 582-4373 or jebrewer@courier-jour his declaration. naLcom "If not for that call, ~ would be no movie," Robertson continued. "Western would've beaten UK." It turns out "Glory Road" didn't capture everything about 1966. It pro vided wonderful insight into the tale of Texas Western starting five black players and beating the University of Kentucky's all-white team for the championship. But in this town that nurtures its hoops heritage as well as any, that year will forever be branded by a six-letter word: robbed. .

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