In honor and memory of the 1969-70 NIT basketball team
Mar 22, 2020 19:52:24 GMT -5
DanMcQ, Nevada Hoya, and 11 more like this
Post by hoyabrother on Mar 22, 2020 19:52:24 GMT -5
I am the brother of Georgetown Hoya basketball Hall of Famer Mike Laughna '72. In honor and memory of Mike and his Hoya teammates, on the 50th anniversary of their great season, I am posting audio links to two of that season's seminal games, vs. Columbia University, and LSU (featuring basketball legend "Pistol Pete" Maravich) in the NIT.
If you are starving for Hoya basketball amidst this pandemic shutdown, and would like to experience and enjoy some old school game broadcasts, take a listen, I think you will like it.
The Columbia game was pivotal for a number of reasons. The Hoyas were 11-2 and starting to get greater recognition. Columbia was ranked #13 in the country, and starred All American Jim McMillian, who would be drafted 13th in the first round of the NBA by the Los Angeles Lakers (West, Baylor, Chamberlain) later that year (about 2 years later, McMillian replaced NBA legend Elgin Baylor in the Lakers starting lineup). Most importantly, Columbia had defeated Georgetown by 40 POINTS THE PREVIOUS SEASON! The Hoya faithful were out for revenge and blew the roof off of McDonough Gymnasium with their fevered enthusiasm that day. If you ever attended a game at McDonough, this game should take you back to your glory days and down memory lane.
The LSU game was the highlight of the season. This game was the NIT's nationally televised game, and none of the other NIT teams really wanted to go up against "Pistol Pete" Maravich and his 45 points per game average on national TV. A little known fact is that Hoya coach Jack Magee approached the NIT committee and volunteered to be LSU's opponent. Magee shrewdly recognized that the national TV exposure would be good for the program. The Hoya student body filled at least four train cars for the triumphant trek to NYC, and because Georgetown had not been to the post-season since the 1953 NIT local coverage was enthusiastic and overflowing.
The games were recorded on 1970 technology (the audio is good), specifically our Dad's breadbox sized Shortwave/AM/FM radio and his Concord reel-to-reel tape recorder (the reels were 7" each, and the machine itself was 10" high, 14" wide and 13" deep, huge).
The setup for the Columbia game was to place the radio and tape recorder on the kitchen table as we all sat around and listened to the game. However, we all had to be silent so as not to disturb the tape recording. Imagine listening to the big game of your son or brother and not being able to cheer loudly. It wasn't easy but the final result of a forever recording and memory was worth it. (There is some muffling sound for the first 35 seconds, that would be my 17 year old self trying to perfectly place the microphone.) The game broadcast was done by Columbia, so you get a feel for the respect they had for the Hoyas.
Since we had to leave our northern New Jersey home almost two hours before to make it to NYC and Madison Square Garden in time for the game, the setup for the LSU game was a little different. First we turned the TV on to the CBS station, placed the tape recorder in front of the TV, hooked up the tape recorder to a mechanical timer on the wall outlet, left the house and hoped for the best. We had no idea if our plan would work. Fortunately, everything worked out fine.
Life happened, the family grew up and moved, and the tapes were forgotten. Fast forward about 25 years from the games, my brothers Kevin, Brian and I found the tapes one Christmas in a closet box at our Mom's home in Florida. We made cassette tapes of the games and surprised Mike with them.
About 10-12 years ago technology allowed me to digitize the recordings and burn them to cd. Mike requested numerous copies, and sent them to all of his teammates he could locate. Some two months ago I first discovered hoyatalk, and saw the post by hoya70hoops on the video board in December 2017 about these games. At first I thought wtf?, as my brothers and I were the original creators of these recordings. I'm thinking to myself what are the odds of two different people independently recording the same two college basketball games some 50 years ago when tape recordings of games was rare, to say the least. I now believe hoya70hoops was a member of the 1969-70 team or was close to someone on that team and had access to the cd copy Mike sent to his teammates. If I have ever met you before, hoya70hoops, or if you knew Mike, hello and best wishes. I'm glad you posted these recordings before, and, now that your link has expired, I'm glad to post these recordings again. The links I post should be good for at least one year.
The reason that the 1969-70 team should be remembered and honored is that this team sparked and rekindled enthusiasm and support for Hoya basketball in a way that had been dormant for too many years. Yes, the following two years were disappointing, but this disappointment led to a resolve within the Hoya community that going backwards was not an option. Major changes were enacted, John Thompson was hired as coach (Mike was on the search committee that recommended hiring him), DC area talent was recruited, and Hoya basketball was headed for the big time.
My brother Mike was extremely proud of and loyal to his Hoya team and teammates, honored to be a Hoya Hall of Famer, and loved everything Georgetown. He generously donated $1000 every year for many years to the Georgetown basketball program until his passing in 2012. Mike was a Hoya with all his heart.
A funny story. About a week or two after the LSU game, Coach Magee called Mike into his office. On his desk were more than a dozen letters from people all around the country, that had watched the game on TV. To a person, they were all outraged (and in some cases enraged) that Georgetown allowed "that long-haired hippie" to play basketball for Georgetown. They all swore they would never allow their children to attend such a school as Georgetown. This was 1970, remember. Mike wore long hair because he liked it, and he looked good with it. Mike was as far from a hippie as possible. Mike looked at Coach Magee, shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
To all of the Hoya faithful, and especially to Mike's 1969-70 NIT teammates, God Bless and stay healthy.
p.s. When you get to the pcloud site, click on the " l l " pause icon to start the audio
Georgetown Hoyas 1969-70 NIT basketball team
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969%E2%80%9370_Georgetown_Hoyas_men%27s_basketball_team
Georgetown vs Columbia Univ., 1st half, Saturday, January 17, 1970 McDonough Gymnasium, Washington, DC.mp3
my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZDozfkZlQnHqkN6OauMEdCXK6KwchFg65sy
Georgetown vs Columbia Univ., 2nd half, Saturday, January 17, 1970 McDonough Gymnasium, Washington, DC.mp3
my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZNozfkZOgKz3odolVYoO9Mhd1pdHXTW9YYV
Georgetown vs LSU, 1st half, NIT, Sunday, March 15, 1970 Madison Square Garden NYC.mp3
my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZGozfkZAXJbXQO2ntJyF5XH2g0t7hrWjGwV
Georgetown vs LSU, 2nd half, NIT, Sunday, March 15, 1970 Madison Square Garden NYC.mp3
my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZiozfkZEidv2shwfn8XFl0WSYBzq7kAJNiV
If you are starving for Hoya basketball amidst this pandemic shutdown, and would like to experience and enjoy some old school game broadcasts, take a listen, I think you will like it.
The Columbia game was pivotal for a number of reasons. The Hoyas were 11-2 and starting to get greater recognition. Columbia was ranked #13 in the country, and starred All American Jim McMillian, who would be drafted 13th in the first round of the NBA by the Los Angeles Lakers (West, Baylor, Chamberlain) later that year (about 2 years later, McMillian replaced NBA legend Elgin Baylor in the Lakers starting lineup). Most importantly, Columbia had defeated Georgetown by 40 POINTS THE PREVIOUS SEASON! The Hoya faithful were out for revenge and blew the roof off of McDonough Gymnasium with their fevered enthusiasm that day. If you ever attended a game at McDonough, this game should take you back to your glory days and down memory lane.
The LSU game was the highlight of the season. This game was the NIT's nationally televised game, and none of the other NIT teams really wanted to go up against "Pistol Pete" Maravich and his 45 points per game average on national TV. A little known fact is that Hoya coach Jack Magee approached the NIT committee and volunteered to be LSU's opponent. Magee shrewdly recognized that the national TV exposure would be good for the program. The Hoya student body filled at least four train cars for the triumphant trek to NYC, and because Georgetown had not been to the post-season since the 1953 NIT local coverage was enthusiastic and overflowing.
The games were recorded on 1970 technology (the audio is good), specifically our Dad's breadbox sized Shortwave/AM/FM radio and his Concord reel-to-reel tape recorder (the reels were 7" each, and the machine itself was 10" high, 14" wide and 13" deep, huge).
The setup for the Columbia game was to place the radio and tape recorder on the kitchen table as we all sat around and listened to the game. However, we all had to be silent so as not to disturb the tape recording. Imagine listening to the big game of your son or brother and not being able to cheer loudly. It wasn't easy but the final result of a forever recording and memory was worth it. (There is some muffling sound for the first 35 seconds, that would be my 17 year old self trying to perfectly place the microphone.) The game broadcast was done by Columbia, so you get a feel for the respect they had for the Hoyas.
Since we had to leave our northern New Jersey home almost two hours before to make it to NYC and Madison Square Garden in time for the game, the setup for the LSU game was a little different. First we turned the TV on to the CBS station, placed the tape recorder in front of the TV, hooked up the tape recorder to a mechanical timer on the wall outlet, left the house and hoped for the best. We had no idea if our plan would work. Fortunately, everything worked out fine.
Life happened, the family grew up and moved, and the tapes were forgotten. Fast forward about 25 years from the games, my brothers Kevin, Brian and I found the tapes one Christmas in a closet box at our Mom's home in Florida. We made cassette tapes of the games and surprised Mike with them.
About 10-12 years ago technology allowed me to digitize the recordings and burn them to cd. Mike requested numerous copies, and sent them to all of his teammates he could locate. Some two months ago I first discovered hoyatalk, and saw the post by hoya70hoops on the video board in December 2017 about these games. At first I thought wtf?, as my brothers and I were the original creators of these recordings. I'm thinking to myself what are the odds of two different people independently recording the same two college basketball games some 50 years ago when tape recordings of games was rare, to say the least. I now believe hoya70hoops was a member of the 1969-70 team or was close to someone on that team and had access to the cd copy Mike sent to his teammates. If I have ever met you before, hoya70hoops, or if you knew Mike, hello and best wishes. I'm glad you posted these recordings before, and, now that your link has expired, I'm glad to post these recordings again. The links I post should be good for at least one year.
The reason that the 1969-70 team should be remembered and honored is that this team sparked and rekindled enthusiasm and support for Hoya basketball in a way that had been dormant for too many years. Yes, the following two years were disappointing, but this disappointment led to a resolve within the Hoya community that going backwards was not an option. Major changes were enacted, John Thompson was hired as coach (Mike was on the search committee that recommended hiring him), DC area talent was recruited, and Hoya basketball was headed for the big time.
My brother Mike was extremely proud of and loyal to his Hoya team and teammates, honored to be a Hoya Hall of Famer, and loved everything Georgetown. He generously donated $1000 every year for many years to the Georgetown basketball program until his passing in 2012. Mike was a Hoya with all his heart.
A funny story. About a week or two after the LSU game, Coach Magee called Mike into his office. On his desk were more than a dozen letters from people all around the country, that had watched the game on TV. To a person, they were all outraged (and in some cases enraged) that Georgetown allowed "that long-haired hippie" to play basketball for Georgetown. They all swore they would never allow their children to attend such a school as Georgetown. This was 1970, remember. Mike wore long hair because he liked it, and he looked good with it. Mike was as far from a hippie as possible. Mike looked at Coach Magee, shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
To all of the Hoya faithful, and especially to Mike's 1969-70 NIT teammates, God Bless and stay healthy.
p.s. When you get to the pcloud site, click on the " l l " pause icon to start the audio
Georgetown Hoyas 1969-70 NIT basketball team
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969%E2%80%9370_Georgetown_Hoyas_men%27s_basketball_team
Georgetown vs Columbia Univ., 1st half, Saturday, January 17, 1970 McDonough Gymnasium, Washington, DC.mp3
my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZDozfkZlQnHqkN6OauMEdCXK6KwchFg65sy
Georgetown vs Columbia Univ., 2nd half, Saturday, January 17, 1970 McDonough Gymnasium, Washington, DC.mp3
my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZNozfkZOgKz3odolVYoO9Mhd1pdHXTW9YYV
Georgetown vs LSU, 1st half, NIT, Sunday, March 15, 1970 Madison Square Garden NYC.mp3
my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZGozfkZAXJbXQO2ntJyF5XH2g0t7hrWjGwV
Georgetown vs LSU, 2nd half, NIT, Sunday, March 15, 1970 Madison Square Garden NYC.mp3
my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZiozfkZEidv2shwfn8XFl0WSYBzq7kAJNiV
