by Ray Sanchez 2.07.16©
Two weeks ago I told you how El Paso
celebrated the night the Texas Western College Miners beat Kentucky 72-65 for the NCAA basketball championship in 1966.
Last week I told you why they beat Kentucky
This week I’ll tell you how they beat Kentucky.
I was privy to coach Don Haskins’ inner thoughts during the many hours he and I spent together writing his biography, “Haskins: The Bear Facts.” And later, I sat and listened to him again for my other book, “Basketball’s Biggest Upset.”
THERE HAVE been many misconceptions about the victory. One is that Haskins started and used only black players to make a statement. It’s not what he told me. He told me it was because Kentucky, like the Miners, was not very big but quick. So Haskins decided to start his five quickest players to counteract Kentucky’s quickness. That they were all black was the furthest thing from his mind.
The fact the only other players he used in the game were also black was not because of the color of their skin but because they were also quick. Perhaps as the game progressed it hit Haskins what he was doing, or perhaps not.
Anyway, Kentucky found out what “quick” really was. And that it turned out to be a great result for society as a whole, well, that was all for the better.
SO HOW DID the championship game go? You’ll find a play by play account in “Basketball’s Biggest Upset” but following is a short account from “El Paso Sports History,” another of my books:
“The opening buzzer sounded and the players took their positions. David Lattin, the Miners’ big, tough looking center, sidled up to Kentucky center Thad Jaracz and told him, ‘The first chance I get I’m going to break your neck.’ Miners forward Harry Flournoy said he had never heard Lattin say something like that before, although there was talk like that among players all the time.
“If that didn’t intimidate the Kentucky Wildcats what happened next probably did. Haskins had told Lattin to take the ball to the basket the first chance he had and dunk it as hard as he could. He did, and got fouled in the process by future NBA Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley.
“BUT WHAT WAS perhaps the most demoralizing blow to the Wildcats came a few minutes later. It had already been evident that the Miners were much quicker than their opponents and Bobby Joe Hill put an exclamation point on that with steals of balls from Kentucky players on consecutive plays.
“Tommy Kron was bringing the ball down the court and after crossing the midcourt stripe, he turned to his left, changing the dribble from his right hand to his left. Hill sneaked in from his right, knocked the ball away, picked up the dribble and was off for an uncontested layup and a 12-9 Miners lead.
“Kentucky inbounded the ball and this time Louis Dampier brought the ball down the court. Hill confronted him and backed up as Dampier crossed midcourt. Then Hill took a step forward, Dampier turned to his left and, in what seemed like an exact replay, Hill streaked in from the right and stole the ball again. And again he was off for another uncontested layup, this time for a 14-9 lead.
“THOSE TWO plays are regarded as one of the most outstanding feats in the history of the Final Four and will probably live in the annals of basketball for as long as the game is played.
“Many experts, including Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp, consider those two steals the turning point of the game. The rest of the contest was just like two boxers sparring.”
THE 1966 MINERS were guests at this weekend’s game against Western Kentucky at the Don Haskins Center.
I hope you were there to honor the ’66 Miners on their Golden Anniversary. It all happened 50 years ago but it’s so vivid in my mind it was like yesterday.