What was the first St.Johns game you saw ?

M

matt105

Well-known member
1961-62 season at Alumni Hall . I think it was against Manhattan . Team included donnie Burks , Willie Hall , louie Rothel,Kevin Loughry ( I think ).
 
Ivan Kovacs , bill O'sullivan . O"sullivan was wearing a cast on his hand and got into a fight with a Manhattan player . The SJU - Manhattan rivalry was halted for a number of years after that incident .
 
Honestly don't recall the first one, but it was definitely Sonny Dove's sophomore year (1964-1965) shortly before the holiday festival where I saw us beat #1 Michigan in the final game which is still probably my favorite moment attending an SJU game in person.
 
As a thirteen year old Santa Clara vs SJU in Nov or Dec of 1953. Kenny Sears who became the Knicks top draft pick played a bad game but Santa Clara won by two at MSG.
 
Against Al McGuire's Belmont Abbey team in '63 or 64. Only McGuire can parlay a six win season at Belmont Abbey to a head coaching job at Marquette.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=297130]Honestly don't recall the first one, but it was definitely Sonny Dove's sophomore year (1964-1965) shortly before the holiday festival where I saw us beat #1 Michigan in the final game which is still probably my favorite moment attending an SJU game in person.[/quote]
My favorite in-person game as well, NCJohnnie. Huge win! But my first in-person game was 1963, when the Loyola of Chicago Ramblers (who, as Chicago Days remembers well, were on their way to the national title) came into a then-impressive Alumni Hall and crushed Joe Lapchick's only losing team.
 
I was at that one! Wasn't that the game where McIntyre scored 40 points?
 
I do remember Jerry Harkness and that Loyola team. I was 11 that year they won the championship and was first year I was aware of college hoops.

I was thinking that the Big O was playing for Cincy about that time but looked it up and saw it was 3 years earlier.
Incredible stats for him during 3 yrs. at Cincy : 33.8 ppg. 15.2 rbs, 7 assists, 53.5% FG Pct and 78% FT pct. Just incredible.
 
In the 60’s when freshmen could not play varsity, St John’s played the Harvard freshmen who were ranked #1 and included James Brown against us with Bill Schaffer, Mel Davis, Ron Rutledge, etc. both teams scored over 100 and the crowd left before th varsity game.
 
I have a ticket stub from a game played in December of 1982, which means I went to a game at six months old. I obviously do not remember it.

I have hazy memories of Shelton Jones's senior year, but the Sealy teams were the first teams that I truly remember.

There are pictures in the photo album of me at Pauley Pavillion at 3 years old, when we beat Reggie Miller and UCLA, but first road trip I can remember making was the Boo Harvey game at Georgetown.
 
In the 60’s, Kansas came in as #1 wiggles Jo Jo White and Alvie Schwartz shut him down. On a side note, Alvie was named to the Jewish All American team until he told them he was not Jewish.
 
[quote="troy" post=297140]In the 60’s, Kansas came in as #1 wiggles Jo Jo White and Alvie Schwartz shut him down. On a side note, Alvie was named to the Jewish All American team until he told them he was not Jewish.[/quote]
Albie
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=297141][quote="troy" post=297140]In the 60’s, Kansas came in as #1 wiggles Jo Jo White and Alvie Schwartz shut him down. On a side note, Alvie was named to the Jewish All American team until he told them he was not Jewish.[/quote]
Albie[/quote]
But Alvie Singer was, of course, Jewish. :)
 
[quote="ron s m" post=297135]I was at that one! Wasn't that the game where McIntyre scored 40 points?[/quote]
Not sure which game you're referring to, but Kenny Mac hit for something like 42 against Boston College in the 1965 NIT. He couldn't miss.
 
[quote="redken" post=297134][quote="NCJohnnie" post=297130]Honestly don't recall the first one, but it was definitely Sonny Dove's sophomore year (1964-1965) shortly before the holiday festival where I saw us beat #1 Michigan in the final game which is still probably my favorite moment attending an SJU game in person.[/quote]
My favorite in-person game as well, NCJohnnie. Huge win! But my first in-person game was 1963, when the Loyola of Chicago Ramblers (who, as Chicago Days remembers well, were on their way to the national title) came into a then-impressive Alumni Hall and crushed Joe Lapchick's only losing team.[/quote]

Good teams and some great wins in those early 60s!
My first St. John’s game I saw was a TV game, I think it was the 1961-2 teams and LeRoy Ellis was a Senior. We lost! I was still in HS but thinking of going to SJU.
The greatest upset in those years had to be our crunch win against #1 Michigan, led by Cazzie Russell at MSG. Bill Buntin was on that Michigan team as well. I was there too!
Sonny Dove was our prized recruit.
There was another guy on Sonny’s freshman team, a big guy(!), maybe 6’8”, very strong. Forget his name. I think he became academically ineligible and that was it.
Fun years.
 
They were special think they both averaged 20 or close to it Kenny shot from deep and Bobby did his thing
from 15 and moves around the basket and rebounded Fun watching that team
 
[quote="usguard" post=297151]They were special think they both averaged 20 or close to it Kenny shot from deep and Bobby did his thing
from 15 and moves around the basket and rebounded Fun watching that team[/quote]
I was a frosh and I have a very special place in my memory -- and in my heart -- for that team. Got a chance to talk -- and reminisce -- with two of them -- Jerry Houston & Bobby McIntyre -- at last December's Coach Lapchick statue unveiling. They couldn't have been nicer, happily sharing their memories of that team with me. Made my day.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top