Waaaay back in the Day

[ceharv]

Watching the Bryant game today, the announcers mentioning that this year is the first season since 73-74 that the Bonnies have started 6-0 inspired me to find my copy of the 1974 yearbook to look up that team, which was my Junior year - yeah, 51 short years ago! The story accompanying the photos of the team that year identify the six as Illinois Wesleyan, Georgetown, Loyola of Baltimore, St. Francis of N.Y., Xavier, and Baltimore. 6-0 was great, but it all came crashing down in game seven at Pauley Pavilion in LA against UCLA, as I recall led by Bill Walton, which destroyed the Bonnies 111-59, as I recall a game that was not that close. I think those of us listening on the radio in the back wing of First Rob were just happy we didn’t get shut out in the first half. It was that bad.
The story and photos show that the team included Glenn Price and also featured Tim Flanagan, Steve Hocker, Bill Moore, Bob Rozyczko and Essie Hollis. Howie Harrison and Greg Sanders would also have been on the roster, plus several others I can’t recall.
Let’s just hope this season’s game 7 isn’t a repeat of that UCLA game.

[OceanStateBonnie]

Sanders was not on that team. He enrolled as a freshman in the fall of 1974.

[DemBonnies]

Nov 25, 2024 5:22:35 GMT -5 OceanStateBonnie said:

Sanders was not on that team. He enrolled as a freshman in the fall of 1974.

OSB is correct...Sanders would join a year later. For the 73/74 that got obliterated at Pauley Pavillion, there was also Pat Olivetto, Mike "Butch" O'Grady, Tom Harrison, Gary Gregory, Jim Baron & Jerry Beckles. Wally Shafer & another person from 1st Shay [can only remember nickname Cookie Monster?] did not play on varsity that year and instead dominated League 1 Intermurals.

Baron/Beckles spent majority time with frosh team and would join varsity on the bench for 2nd game. Beckles split after his sophomore season.

[Sipowicz]

If I remember correctly, in the UCLA blowout, didn't the BONNIES jump out to a 6-0 lead with PRICE putting a couple hooks in over WALTON? Then the floodgates opened.

[ceharv]

Thanks for the correction guys. I thought Sanders and Essie were classmates but I was obviously wrong about that, not a first for me. Sip, I do not recall that about Price starting strong. What I remember is that many of us expected Price and the Bonnies would hold their own against Walton and the Mighty Bruins, which was not the case at all. We were outclassed completely. The story I recall hearing was that a local McDonalds had a promotion where if the Bruins won by 10, every ticket holder would get a free order of fries, 20 would get you a burger, etc. By midway through the first half the crowd was reportedly chanting “Big Mac, Big Mac” I think they got one.

Dem - was that maybe the first year freshmen were eligible to play varsity ball?

The coaches game film (there was no broadcast or ESPN+ back in those dark ages) was played in the ‘skeller a week or so later. It was as ugly as you would imagine a 52 point beating to be. What was so hard was that we expected the Bonnies to be competitive with the Bruins and found out quickly and decidedly we were not, and weren’t even close.

[DemBonnies]

Nov 25, 2024 8:05:39 GMT -5 ceharv said:

Thanks for the correction guys. I thought Sanders and Essie were classmates but I was obviously wrong about that, not a first for me. Sip, I do not recall that about Price starting strong. What I remember is that many of us expected Price and the Bonnies would hold their own against Walton and the Mighty Bruins, which was not the case at all. We were outclassed completely. The story I recall hearing was that a local McDonalds had a promotion where if the Bruins won by 10, every ticket holder would get a free order of fries, 20 would get you a burger, etc. By midway through the first half the crowd was reportedly chanting “Big Mac, Big Mac” I think they got one.

Dem - was that maybe the first year freshmen were eligible to play varsity ball?

The coaches game film (there was no broadcast or ESPN+ back in those dark ages) was played in the ‘skeller a week or so later. It was as ugly as you would imagine a 52 point beating to be. What was so hard was that we expected the Bonnies to be competitive with the Bruins and found out quickly and decidedly we were not, and weren’t even close.

It was 1st year of freshman eligibility but as mentioned they (Baron/Beckles) platooned between the two teams.

[DemBonnies]

Nov 25, 2024 6:57:28 GMT -5 Sipowicz said:

If I remember correctly, in the UCLA blowout, didn't the BONNIES jump out to a 6-0 lead with PRICE putting a couple hooks in over WALTON? Then the floodgates opened.

You are correct....with us up 6-0...Howie Harrison tied up Bill Walton and back then they still tossed for jump balls.

Walton didn't take it seriously enough & Howie [who had some serious hops] won the tip.

Next UCLA possession Wooden called a time out...lit up the team and they ran off something like 25 straight points....bam...we're 6-1

But that year our opening six were Illinois Wesleyan/Georgetown/Loyola [MD] St Francis [NY] Xavier & Baltimore....think St Fran & Baltimore were the only slouches & 5/6 were home cooking. I think John Thompson was only in either his 1st or 2nd year @ Georgetown.

Some damn good teams played in University/Reilly Ctr those years.

[glenlaw]

I also believe 73 - 74 season was the last year you couldn't dunk. And correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't that the first year we got weekend "intervisitation." Remember we had Freshman curfew? You got out of curfew if you had a 3.0 first semester? And freshman couldn't have cars.  By senior year we had a floor of women living in Dev, remember?

Also, remember the food fights before the first home game? They would serve steaks, and no "scoops" to make clean up easier? I remember an awesome food fight before we played Georgetown at home, before beating their azz. Then somebody wrote an editorial in the Bonaventure about starving kids in Biafra and food fights got banned.

So many great memories of that school. I'm sure we all do.