A different time for sports in Pittsburgh. The Pirates had built a great team around Clemente and Stargell and stocked it with a great farm system. The Steelers were perennial losers but had just drafted Mean Joe Greene and Bradshaw. They were on the cusp. Pitt football was reeling from the Dave Hart era and Pitt basketball was trying to revive a program via a great guy named Buzz Ridl. A real character who never got the publicity he deserved was Gus Krop from Robert Morris who built Robert Morris into a national power in the junior college ranks.
And then there were the Dukes who were probably the most successful team in the area
From 1950 thru the mid 1970’s. In the 1950’s, before my time, many felt that the NIT champion was the king of college basketball. My dad told me how great the Dukes were in that era and that they won the tourney one year and were led a six foot guard named Sihugo Green who was the Michael Jordan of his era.
My first memory of the Dukes was going to a game at the “NEW” Civic Arena to see Willie Somerset in the early 1960’s. Wee Willie, who was a stocky guard and well under six feet, averaged well over twenty for three years on the Bluff. Good player and fun to watch. These teams were competitive in the NIT but never won.
forward to the late 1960s. Red Manning built a team composed mainly of local players that were legitimate top 20 teams. Local Players!! Billy Zoft amd Mickey Davis from Monaca. Jarrett Durham from Aliquippa. The Nelson twins from Fox Chapel. They were independence but played a national schedule. Villanova with Howard Porter. Detroit with Spencer Haywood. Saint Bonaventure with Bob Lanier. The big games are always played on Sunday afternoon at the arena. Boy were those great. Packed cars. Remember we didn’t have a lot of winners in Pittsburgh at that time. The Dukes did a great job. A former cheerleader by the name of Mosie Murphy lead cheers for the Duquesne student section. Absolutely fantastic. Well organized. It was just a great fun time. The Duke‘s won a lot of games And were well-known on the national landscape. Times were changing. The NIT was no longer. Manning retired and the Dukes never recovered. Interestingly enough, Pitt had a great run in the 1970’s with Ridl and LOCAL PLAYERS.
just one more thought. The new Civic Arena. The NBA Philadelphia 76ers played games here with the great Wilt Chamberlain. No one can ever convince me that there has been a better athlete in the NBA than Wilt. He would dominate in today’s game. And a guy who played by the Pittsburgh vipers by the name of Connie Hawkins was very similar to Dr. J. Saw a lot of good basketball back in the day.
And then there were the Dukes who were probably the most successful team in the area
From 1950 thru the mid 1970’s. In the 1950’s, before my time, many felt that the NIT champion was the king of college basketball. My dad told me how great the Dukes were in that era and that they won the tourney one year and were led a six foot guard named Sihugo Green who was the Michael Jordan of his era.
My first memory of the Dukes was going to a game at the “NEW” Civic Arena to see Willie Somerset in the early 1960’s. Wee Willie, who was a stocky guard and well under six feet, averaged well over twenty for three years on the Bluff. Good player and fun to watch. These teams were competitive in the NIT but never won.
forward to the late 1960s. Red Manning built a team composed mainly of local players that were legitimate top 20 teams. Local Players!! Billy Zoft amd Mickey Davis from Monaca. Jarrett Durham from Aliquippa. The Nelson twins from Fox Chapel. They were independence but played a national schedule. Villanova with Howard Porter. Detroit with Spencer Haywood. Saint Bonaventure with Bob Lanier. The big games are always played on Sunday afternoon at the arena. Boy were those great. Packed cars. Remember we didn’t have a lot of winners in Pittsburgh at that time. The Dukes did a great job. A former cheerleader by the name of Mosie Murphy lead cheers for the Duquesne student section. Absolutely fantastic. Well organized. It was just a great fun time. The Duke‘s won a lot of games And were well-known on the national landscape. Times were changing. The NIT was no longer. Manning retired and the Dukes never recovered. Interestingly enough, Pitt had a great run in the 1970’s with Ridl and LOCAL PLAYERS.
just one more thought. The new Civic Arena. The NBA Philadelphia 76ers played games here with the great Wilt Chamberlain. No one can ever convince me that there has been a better athlete in the NBA than Wilt. He would dominate in today’s game. And a guy who played by the Pittsburgh vipers by the name of Connie Hawkins was very similar to Dr. J. Saw a lot of good basketball back in the day.
