Of halls of fame in general and Ohio State’s Joe Roberts in particular

This tale is something about Joe Roberts, a embellished basketball player who went from East Large to the NBA by using Ohio Condition, and is the only starter from Ohio State’s 1960 NCAA national championship group not in the school’s athletic corridor of fame.

But the story starts with Tom Beck, who died Might 8 at age 89, and who received tribute in this area. Beck was a teacher and mentor in the Columbus Town Universities program. He bought the Whetstone Superior football system up and operating after the faculty opened in 1961 and, as we noted, he could begin a track system wherever.

On Veteran’s Working day, my thoughts ended up with Beck – who was born the exact same calendar year as my late father, a fellow Korean War veteran. You know the kind: service to one’s state is a duty and there’s no want to discuss about it.

Beck’s athletes knew him as an always-positive mentor and motivator. Beck’s colleagues had been knowledgeable that the gentleman put up figures. And he did it the “appropriate way.”

Beck received a lot more than 200 twin- and tri-fulfills at Whetstone and Briggs. He experienced a point out runner-up workforce at Briggs. He coached many particular person condition champions and was tapped for various regional and countrywide invitationals.

On Beck’s passing, previous New Albany mentor Roy Alt was prompted to publish a letter to The Dispatch sporting activities editor. Alt is continue to hoping the Ohio Association of Keep track of and Cross Nation Coaches Corridor of Fame will but enshrine Beck, who has twice been nominated.

“In Korea on a evening mine-sweeping soirée, Tom’s squad was lit up by mortars,” Alt wrote. “Two Marines were being killed, quite a few badly hurt, and Tom wore a band of shrapnel around his neck for a lifetime. That alone was enough to punch his ticket.”

Not long ago, there was in this house a piece about Chuck Ealey – who in the 1960s and ‘70s never shed a activity in significant faculty (Portsmouth Notre Dame) or college or university (Toledo). I wrote about about Ealey’s as well-extensive-delayed enshrinement in the School Soccer Corridor of Fame, and final justice.

Story continues

A single of Ealey’s schoolboy coaches was Dr. Chet Corbitt – who, not by the way, was a contemporary of Joe Roberts at Ohio Condition. Corbitt has his missions. 1 of them was recognition for Ealey. Another is recognition for Roberts.

Roberts turned 86 on May 18, the day ahead of Tom Beck’s wake.

Roberts was, with perpetually underrated Dick Furry, the co-captain of the 1960 Buckeyes, who went 25-3 and defeat Cal by 20 details in the NCAA remaining. Roberts was a cerebral, functional, athletic and physical electrical power forward. He had 19 points and 9 rebounds in the regional final and 10 factors and five boards in the championship activity.

Roberts averaged 8.6 factors and 8.6 rebounds around three many years. Although he, like the relaxation of coach Fred Taylor’s expenses, wore a tie to course and graduated with hon
ors, you did not want to deliver that weak stuff within. Roberts, 6 toes 6 and 235 lbs ., would not have it.

The Super Sophs of 1959-60 – Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek (RIP), Mel Nowell, Bobby Knight and Gary Gearhart – made it to a few consecutive NCAA championship game titles. They gained the title as sophomores, the to start with 12 months they had been eligible. They missing to Cincinnati (with no Oscar!) in the 1961 and ‘62 finals.

It is really frequently speculated why Lucas, who dominated his era, didn’t incorporate one more one or two titles to his outstanding higher education career. Accidents had been a aspect. Yet a even bigger component may be this: As authors Lee Caryer and Bob Hunter have pointed out, graduations in 1960 and ’61 sapped critical talent from people groups.

After the championship yr of 1960, the Buckeyes were without having their captains – Furry, a ferocious rebounder who subjugated himself to a sixth-male position, and Roberts, whose brains and sinew bound together the setting up lineup. (And after 1961, they were being devoid of Larry Siegfried, RIP, an ice-cold scorer who went on to gain 5 NBA titles with the Celtics.) Irreplaceable.

Like the four other starters in the championship year of 1960, Roberts was drafted into the professional ranks. He played 4 years in NBA, a 12 months in the ABA and was a participant-coach in the semi-skilled leagues (such as for the Columbus Comets of the previous Japanese League).

And this is awesome:

The 1975 NBA Finals was the 1st to attribute two Black coaches, Al Attles of the Golden Point out Warriors and K.C. Jones of the Washington Bullets, the prohibitive favorite. Attles obtained ejected early in Recreation 4 for charging the court docket to protect his star (Rick Barry) – and Attles’ major assistant, a Black child from the East Aspect by the name of Joe Roberts, was abruptly tasked with completing what is remains as the greatest upset sweep in NBA history. Which Roberts did.

The Warriors overcame an eight-level deficit in the fourth quarter and gained the very first big trophy for the Bay Space. It was 40 several years before the Warriors received a different ring.

Ohio Point out has nevertheless to win an additional basketball title.

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This report originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State basketball: Roberts essential to crew with Lucas, Havlicek