Monday, May 21, 2012
A 'Long' Look Back on SIU Basketball
CARBONDALE-- Long before there was Southern's sweet 16 run and Walt Frazier and the 1967 NIT championship squad, Jack Long graced the courts of SIU-Normal.
"I don't think there was any athletic scholarships, everybody was on the GI bill, Southern was a very small school back then, to my knowledge there was only about 2,000 students," recalled Long. The year 1948 was, the mascot was the Maroons, and Long was a 20 year old freshman just back from World War II. "I thought the arena was very nice, when I came down here, SIU arena was supposedly in plans. By the time you get out of school, we'll have a new arena, they did, 1964," joked Long. At 6 foot 4, Long played center and was one of the tallest guys on the Maroons team. By today's standards, he would be undersized. "I was a reasonably good rebounder, and a good scorer, and good free throw shooter. Back then, most of the fellas shot them like this, had a couple fellas shot one-handed and couldn't make them (60 years ago)," said Long. There was no three point line and Long readily admits times and the game of basketball have changed. "It's a different type ballgame now, they wouldn't let you guard people like they do nowadays, if you got close to someone you called a foul on someone, now a days you can almost hug them," said Long. While Jack played all his games in Davies gym, he's been attending Saluki games at S-I-U Arena since it opened. "In 1964, I got season tickets down here, and I'm still sitting in approximately the same place after how many years, been a long time." Win or lose, he tries not to miss a game. Next month, he'll turn 86 which ranks him as one of the oldest SIU players still alive. "We've had some ups and downs, good times and bad times, but I just keep coming to the games, and hopefully most of my friends will too, but never know how long going to be here, so got to keep going." By: Kelly Burke Kburke@wsiltv.com |
Marion Regional
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