1964 Olympic tryouts at St. Johns

M

matt105

Well-known member
 How many people remember the tryouts in Alumni Hall for the 64 games . Players were invited from NCAA Div I , II, III
AAu teams , the Industrial Leagues and the Armed Forces . It was a great chance to see the best American players who were not in the NBA . Players such as Bill Bradley , Cazzie Russel , Wally Jones , Willis Reed ,
 
 Players that made the team included , Jeff Mullins , Bradley , Lucius Jackson , Mel Counts ( 7' ), Larry Brown , Walt Hazzard . Interesting that several industrial league players made the team .
 
 Under the rules back then, the olympic team was made up of a certain number of players from AAU, NCAA, industrial leagues, and armed forces leagues. The try out at alumni hall ran several days ----great stuff. Who remembers the little guard who was the leading scorer in NCAA from the midwest somewhere?
 
correct me if i'm wrong...but i thought nick werkman of seton hall was leading scorer that year.

i also remember the knicks working out at alumni hall a number of times that year.
 
 howard komives. Second, I believe, was another short guard out of small school in Michigan. Werkman was year before I think.
 
Werkman was 62/63, after Gunter and Hicks were first two caught up in point-shaving scandal. Beat out Barry Kramer  of NYU by a tiny fraction when in consolation game in NCAA East Regional ball went to Happy hairston all game and Kramer was well below his 29+ scoring average. I also think NYU lost.
 
I was lucky enough to be an usher for that event. It was a wonderful experience for a basketball fan. They had every great college and AAU player in the land competing to land spots on the team. They were all combined on makeshift teams, except for the championship UCLA club, which they left to compete intact. That left Walt Hazzard and Gail Goodrich together.
I also remember seeing Rick Barry, Mel Counts, Cotton Nash, Jeff Mulins, Dave Stallworth, Fred Herzel, Jim Barnes, Billy Cunningham, Barry Kramer, Bill Buntin, Paul Silas, Lucious Jackson, and Willis Reed...in addition to the great players previously mentioned. 
 
 Barry Kramers junior year at NYU was incredible . It ranks as one of the best . Man could he jump and shoot !!!!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top