54 Years ago Tonight! Original Post

[LS71]

Time to bump this one...it was 54 years ago tonight that UMass played Syracuse at the Cage. It was Julius Erving’s 21st birthday and it turned out to be his last home game.
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id ... 2_syracuse

As many of you know, dunking was not allowed then…even during warm ups (thanks to Lew Alcindor). If a player dunked during warm-ups a T was called.

I just saw Charles Barkley interview him on the NBA TV. https://www.nba.com/watch/video/sir-charles-the-doctor

Julius talks about how he got to UMass.

Julius says Kareem is the best player he played against was Kareem and can't believe that Kareem is never in the GOAT conversation. He talks about the first time he Kareem....while still at UMass. He didn't say anything about the 'Lew Alcindor rule' that prevented him from dunking while at UMass.

On this night, Syracuse came to town with an All-American center by the name of Bill Smith. The game was on TV (channel 27 in Worcester), a rarity in those days. The Cage was packed early in anticipation of the big game.

Before the refs came out, Julius appeared at the north end of the Cage floor with two basketballs. He went from one end of the floor to the other and dunked BOTH balls. The place went wild. Syracuse and their center never had a chance. UMass won 86-71 and Julius got a double-double…36 point and 32 rebounds as UMass went to 20-3.

Still my favorite UMass basketball memory!

Happy 75th birthday Julius Erving!!

[Berkman]

I was there for that one and all of his home games and a few on the road.

[LS71]

^ Me too. Those games got me hooked on UMass basketball for life!

[tom mclaughlin]

Happy 75th Birthday to Julius a great teammate and a true friend to this very day. He was a great guy to play with and that UMass bond has endured thru all these years. Couldn’t have better teammates and true friends and we have gotten together regularly thru the years and always share laughs and good stories. Julius just enjoys being one of the guys.
Teammates like Vogeley, Olsen, Peters, Skinner, Ellerbrook RIP, Mathias RIP, Trow RIP, Provo, Endicott,Samuelson, Greeley, Dempsey, Bettencourt, Pagliara, Coffin, Duarte, Stokes. Artime, Murphy RIP, Pitino. Guys you could go to war with and they had your back. The Syracuse game was Julius’s coming out party but we knew how good he really was and after he left we still went on to win and two short years later we upset a top ranked Missouri team In Madison Square bringing 7,000 fans down with us. We were a bunch of guys who loved basketball and enjoyed playing together. Too bad Julius left early we could have done unbelievable things.
It was fun and being part of the time in UMass Basketball can not be put into words. Coach Leaman was the perfect person to coach us and Broaca and Wilson were the perfect Assistants. Happy Birthday Julius and Go UMass!

[Floyd]

Wish I was around then to have watched those teams.
Julius is my all-time favorite. Always was, always will be

[doubledribble]

I was there for that one and all of his home games and a few on the road.

Likewise!

[doubledribble]

Happy 75th Birthday to Julius a great teammate and a true friend to this very day. He was a great guy to play with and that UMass bond has endured thru all these years. Couldn’t have better teammates and true friends and we have gotten together regularly thru the years and always share laughs and good stories. Julius just enjoys being one of the guys.
Teammates like Vogeley, Olsen, Peters, Skinner, Ellerbrook RIP, Mathias RIP, Trow RIP, Provo, Endicott,Samuelson, Greeley, Dempsey, Bettencourt, Pagliara, Coffin, Duarte, Stokes. Artime, Murphy RIP, Pitino. Guys you could go to war with and they had your back. The Syracuse game was Julius’s coming out party but we knew how good he really was and after he left we still went on to win and two short years later we upset a top ranked Missouri team In Madison Square bringing 7,000 fans down with us. We were a bunch of guys who loved basketball and enjoyed playing together. Too bad Julius left early we could have done unbelievable things.
It was fun and being part of the time in UMass Basketball can not be put into words. Coach Leaman was the perfect person to coach us and Broaca and Wilson were the perfect Assistants. Happy Birthday Julius and Go UMass!

Ah those were the days !! I remember watching all you guys & even went to the Missouri game at MSG !
I would run into Leaman at Atkins once in a while and have coffee with him.

[MikeUMA]

Sorry that's so big. Here, by default, it goes full size.

[LS71]

Happy 75th Birthday to Julius a great teammate and a true friend to this very day. He was a great guy to play with and that UMass bond has endured thru all these years. Couldn’t have better teammates and true friends and we have gotten together regularly thru the years and always share laughs and good stories. Julius just enjoys being one of the guys.
Teammates like Vogeley, Olsen, Peters, Skinner, Ellerbrook RIP, Mathias RIP, Trow RIP, Provo, Endicott,Samuelson, Greeley, Dempsey, Bettencourt, Pagliara, Coffin, Duarte, Stokes. Artime, Murphy RIP, Pitino. Guys you could go to war with and they had your back. The Syracuse game was Julius’s coming out party but we knew how good he really was and after he left we still went on to win and two short years later we upset a top ranked Missouri team In Madison Square bringing 7,000 fans down with us. We were a bunch of guys who loved basketball and enjoyed playing together. Too bad Julius left early we could have done unbelievable things.
It was fun and being part of the time in UMass Basketball can not be put into words. Coach Leaman was the perfect person to coach us and Broaca and Wilson were the perfect Assistants. Happy Birthday Julius and Go UMass!

Ah those were the days !! I remember watching all you guys & even went to the Missouri game at MSG !
I would run into Leaman at Atkins once in a while and have coffee with him.

I was at MSG for that one too. I remember streakers at a bar after the game….Gallaghers?