2012-13 Memphis Basketball Following are chronological notes Jackson, Tenn., the Tigers were scheduled to gave a dazzling exhibition and scored almost and interesting facts about the play Sunflower Junior College, but Sunflower at will. Midway through the fourth quarter tradition-rich history of Memphis withdrew from the tourney. Officials of the and leading by eight points, the Celtics famed basketball. If you have any questions tournament prepared to rearrange the bracket comical circus went into action. At one point, Page 90 or can add something to this section, to give the Tigers another opening round op- Banks played for the Tigers and even the referee, please call Lamar Chance, basketball ponent. Curlin threatened to withdraw from the Marion Hale, scored a bucket for the home team. media relations director at (901) 678- tournament because he thought the Tigers were u The Tigers lost to Goldcrest 54-43 in front of 2337. entitled to a bye. Curlin, however, decided to 1,500 spectators at the Gaston Community play UT Martin and won 44-25. Center. The game was part of a jubilee to raise u The Tigers upset Jacksonville (Ala.) on January money for the Dr. James Naismith Memorial. 1920-29 22, 1937, at Memorial Gym. The win was big u In a 72-41 win over Southwestern for the city u In the 1920s, West Tennessee State Normal because all of Jacksonville’s players were over championship in the 1941-42 season, star School played its games in the Normal Cage, the six-feet tall, including its center who stood 6-5. forward Leslie Steele scored a then record 42 YMCA and the Messick High School gym. The The Tigers’ tallest player was 6-2. points in front of a crowd of 600. It was the first Normal Cage was a room in the Administration u On March 10, 1937, the Commercial Appeal time in Tiger history a player had scored over Building with the floor marked with the dimen- wrote that Curlin, who had coached football 40 points in a single game. sions of a basketball court. The court allowed for 15 years, would coach only basketball and u There was no team in 1943-44 due to World barely six inches from the court sidelines to the serve as athletic director. War II, and the 1944-45 squad had to be made room's walls. u The 1937-38 team had the dubious distinction up of freshmen under the age of 18. Birthdays u Memphis Normal’s first head coach was Freder- of losing all 14 games it played. It stands as the rolled around and two of the starters received ick Grantham, who also started for the Tigers at only winless season in Tiger basketball history. presidential draft greetings. forward. Grantham led U of M to a 22-8 record u The 1947-48 season was the last season that in his only season as player/coach. At this time, Zach Curlin served as head coach. the Tigers were members of the Scholastic u McCoy Tarry, known as the “little red head,” League and finished second in 1920-21. 1940-49 became the fifth head coach in U of M history u u The second-winningest coach in Memphis Some of the top players in the 1940s were in 1948. Tarry came to Memphis from Brew- history is Zach Curlin, who began his coach- Leslie Steele, Sam Hindsman, Howard Street, ers High School in Brewers, Ky. One part of ing career in 1924. Curlin was Mr. Everything, E.L. Hutton, Wayne Franklin, Randall Smith, Tarry’s strategy was the use of five guards at coaching basketball, baseball and football for 23 Coy Creason, Phil Hodson, Bennie Reed, Jack the same time once the Tigers had a slight lead. years at Memphis, while also serving as director Graninger and Van Mathis. The fivesome would then use their speed and u of athletics and physical education. The Tigers In 1941, West Tennessee State Teachers College quickness to freeze the basketball. lost to Memphis YMCA on Feb. 27, 1925, for became Memphis State College. The Tigers u Due to large crowds in the 1949-50 season, two the city championship. went on to win nine of 17 games that year under games had to be moved to Messick High Gym u In the Jan. 25, 1925, Commercial Appeal, it was their new name and claimed the city champion- and the Shelby County Building. stated that “popular prices” for Tiger games ship by defeating Southwestern twice. would be 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for u The 1940-41 season saw the Tigers fall to the students and children. World Champion New York Celtics, 48-43, in u In 1928, the Tigers played their first season in Memorial Gym. The Celtics agreed prior to the 1950-59 the Mississippi Valley Conference and wound game that they would not take any free throws, u The 1950s was a time when University of up playing in the title game against UT Martin instead, getting the ball out of bounds. For three Memphis basketball grew into a household name Junior College. UT Martin won the game 38-37. full quarters, forward Davey Banks and crew thanks in part to head coach Eugene Lambert. u The West Tennessee State Normal Tigers began the 1929 season playing in Memorial Gym, the school’s new $100,000 on campus facility. The first game in the new gym was against Cumberland College on Jan. 14, 1929, and the Tigers won 40-27. Normal’s best player, Slick Headden, was suspended for an infraction of training rules and did not play in the contest. That year, the Tigers finished second in the Mississippi Valley Conference and placed three players on the All-Conference team. 1930-39 u Some of the outstanding players in the 1930s were Sam Hindsman, Milton Mayo, Bert Barnes, Doc Howell, Clyde Moore, Mooney Boswell, Red Humphreys, Jack Dodds, James Stroup, Elmer Vaughn, Otho Lynch, James (J.T.) Crawford and Alton Gardner. u In the 1932 Mississippi Valley Tournament in Memphis played its games in Memorial Gym from 1929-51, compiling a 106-67 record. University of Memphis 2012 • 13 Tigers Hoops Fact Book 2012-13 Memphis Basketball Lambert, who was assisted by “Stormin’” all-time scoring list, helped lead the Tigers to 62 Square Garden, and the Utah contest in the Page 91 Norman Sloan, led the Tigers to their first-ever wins in his four-year career. One highlight of opening round was Memphis’ first nationally- NCAA appearance in 1955, where they fell to his sterling career, was a school-record (at the televised game. Penn State in the first round. Lambert took the time) 46-point game against Hardin-Simmons u Over 200 Memphis students piled into five Tigers to a second-straight NCAA appearance in the old Fieldhouse. chartered buses for the 17-hour ride to New York in 1956. That year, the Tigers lost to Oklahoma u Memphis upsets nationally-ranked Mississippi to watch their Tigers in the NIT. Another 300 City in the first round, as Memphis was forced State 94-68, as legendary coach Adolph Rupp fans were expected to make the trip in private to play without four starters (Forest Arnold, scouts the Bulldogs. Rupp’s Kentucky squad cars. The bus arrived at the arena during halftime Win Wilfong, Ken Caldwell and Orby Arnold) was ranked No. 1 at the time. A reporter asked of Memphis’ thrilling overtime win over St. because of NCAA rules on freshmen and four- Rupp about the Tigers and Rupp responded by Bonaventure. Bob Swander sank a last second year men. During Lambert’s five years at the saying “no comment.” shot as Memphis won 80-78, giving the Tigers helm, the Tigers had four winning seasons and u Season tickets for the 1955-56 campaign were the right to play Bradley for the title. Against two 20-win campaigns. $10 for 10 games. Bradley, Win Wilfong scored 31 points and u On Dec. 3, 1950, in a win over NATTC, sub- u Bob Vanatta came to Memphis after serving was named MVP of the tournament. The Tigers stitute guard Roy Darnell received the honor as athletic director at Bradley. During his six lost the game, however, 84-83. On Mar. 24, the of scoring the 100th point of the game for the seasons at The U of M, Vanatta had a record Tigers returned home as 2,000 fans, including Tigers with two minutes left. It marked the first of 109-34 and led the Tigers to three NITs and Elvis Presley, greeted the team at Municipal time in school history a Tiger team had reached one NCAA appearance. Airport. the century mark. u On Dec. 6, 1951, the Tigers open up their home season at the new $700,000 Fieldhouse gymna- sium against Mississippi State in front of 3,500 spectators. The Bulldogs spoiled Memphis’ opener 60-58. The gym was officially dedicated on Feb. 11, 1952, as Governor Gordon Browning delivered a speech prior to the game with Ole Miss. u On Dec. 15, 1951, the Tigers started their longest road trip in school history by playing at Idaho. The trip lasted a solid month, and Memphis played 13 games in six different states — Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, Alabama and Mississippi. During the 13-game span, Memphis went 7-6. The Tigers spent Christmas in Spokane, Wash., before hopping a plane to Hawaii on Dec. 30. The trip also included the program’s first-ever plane ride. u Memphis won the 1952 Tennessee NAIB bas- Bob Hope greeted the Tigers at Paramount Studios during Memphis’ trip to the Pacific in 1951.