Julius Erving

[MikeUMA]

That’s one of things that made the game against Syracuse 2/22/71 so special. It was televised on old channel 27 from Worcester!

The historian in me loves that little nugget of info, about how that game got on local TV. Added it to the game page.
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id ... 2_syracuse

[LS71]

^ cool...thanks, Mike! I forgot that it was Senior Night. Turns out it was Julius' last UMass home game.

I think I asked this before... but I got a 'no' for an answer. Did Channel 27 tape the game?

[Floyd]

I used to go to several Celtics games in the mid 80s with about 6-8 guys. We used to hit Sullivan's Tap first, then go in the gahden early and sneak down to the court & sit under the hoop during warmups. I was a huge Sixer fan back then because of Julius, and I just remember him warming up with Mo Cheeks, Daryl Dawkins, Andrew Toney etc and I was amazed by how big his hands were. Held the ball like it was a grapefruit. Blew my mind

[69MG]

Larry Bird, maybe the biggest trash talker in the NBA at that time talks about Dr. J.

The Real Reason Larry Bird Never Trash-Talked Dr. J
"My personal rivalry with Julius Erving was growing. It's still the most exciting confrontation I've ever had at the forward spot. In my first couple of years, Dr. J was at his peak, and I was just starting to come on. It was a battle every single time. The most important I had to do while guarding Dr.J was to get help. When he started going along that baseline, you knew what was on his mind. He wanted to dunk. Once he got a step on you, there was nothing you could do. Any daylight at all, and Dr.J would jam it through."
"Some people said, 'You should just give him the outside shot." Well, when the good doctor was on the left side, he had a very good bank shot, and I was scared to death of that, so that wasn't necessarily the answer either. Julius Erving also was a much better defensive player than most people gave him credit for. We never spoke on the court. It was said I yelled things at him one night, but that was M.L. talking trash from the bench, not me. Believe me; I never said a word to Dr. J on the court."
- Larry Bird

[Quann]

^^^^^
That is so cool and shows the reverence Larry had for Dr. J.

[SignMan]

wasn't sure where to post this link, but it does connect to The Cage back when...
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id ... c_freshmen
really nice piece...
I never knew that J started his Frosh season with a broken thumb...
Peter Pascavelli's line about it raining in The Cage is a gem; our leaky roof glass panels gym...

[inthescoop]

wasn't sure where to post this link, but it does connect to The Cage back when...
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id ... c_freshmen
really nice piece...
I never knew that J started his Frosh season with a broken thumb...
Peter Pascavelli's line about it raining in The Cage is a gem; our leaky roof glass panels gym...

Top performers thus far have been forwards Julius Erving, 6’4 (Roosevelt, NY), Rich Vogeley, 6’5 (New Hyde Park, NY), and Bill Kesgen, 6’5 (E. Rutherford, NJ), center Tom Austin, 6’8 (Swansea, MA), and guards John Betancourt, 5’11 (Westwood, NJ), Mike Pagliara, 5’10 (Wyckoff, NJ), Chris Nichols, 6’ (Madison, CT) and Don Moore, 5’10 (Shelburne Falls, MA).

Wow - I wonder if Bill Kesgen's high school coach was Dick Vitale

[MikeUMA]

Wow - I wonder if Bill Kesgen's high school coach was Dick Vitale

Yes, Dickie V was Kesgen's HS coach.
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/lib/exe/fet ... r_text.jpg

[inthescoop]

Wow - I wonder if Bill Kesgen's high school coach was Dick Vitale

Yes, Dickie V was Kesgen's HS coach.
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/lib/exe/fet ... r_text.jpg

What a great find - that's freakin awesome! I had a feeling. That's my area, I grew up in the Meadowlands of NJ..

Thanks Mike

[TruBluMaroon]

Wow - I wonder if Bill Kesgen's high school coach was Dick Vitale

Yes, Dickie V was Kesgen's HS coach.
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/lib/exe/fet ... r_text.jpg

What a great find - that's freakin awesome! I had a feeling. That's my area, I grew up in the Meadowlands of NJ..


Thanks Mike

Bill Greeley’s coach was former Celtic assistant John Killilea!

Pete Gaudet (Chris Coffin, Westford Academy )the same guy who was the long term Coach K assistant! He is a BU guy…as was Julius’ HS coach….