Memorial Day always brings a flood of emotion to the Yard. Big Bill, Yard legend and father, served in Korea in the 1950’s for the US Army. He was an artillery operator and company bartender. He was drafted and not enlisted. If he could have maintained a C average at LMU, he probably would have stayed stateside. He also had a hot romance with one Mary Jo Williams and his being drafted became them being married. Besides making a great cocktail in the Korean jungles, he saw no action. He came home with many friends for life to the woman who would grow the Seber progeny. I think of him always when I see these images on the last Monday of May. When the 21 notes of Taps are played, I usually lose it. My wife is used to it by now…kind of.
Bill Walton passed away on the last Monday of May. This one got to me also. One would think that the Big Red and the Yard would have crossed paths over the years, but it was not meant to be. He had already graduated UCLA when I began my UCLA journey. Yes, he graduated from UCLA and was the #1 pick in the NBA draft. When was the last time that the #1 pick in the NBA draft was a graduating senior. Heck, when was the last time there was any senior taken in the NBA draft. There was a time, the NBA was drafting HS seniors like Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. Many more careers were ruined by trying to make that leap than made. Youngsters giving up their college eligibility for their NBA dreams only to flame out. In Walton’s day, freshman could not play on the varsity. The biggest game of the season for many years for Wooden’s teams was the Varsity-Freshman preseason game.
Walton finally “made” the varsity for the 1971-72 season. The Bruins were five-time defending NCAA champions when Red jumped center in his first varsity game. The Bruins were under tremendous pressure to continue the dynasty. Bill would lead the Bruins to two straight 30-0 seasons and two more titles his sophomore and junior years. The hallmark of Big Bill’s UCLA career with an 87-66 win over Memphis State. Walton scored 44 points in that game on 21 out of 22 shooting from the field while scoring a still standing NCAA record 44 points. He broke Gail Goodrich’s record of 42 in a championship game. Interestingly, Walton went 2 of 5 from the line. He also had 4 baskets reversed because of the “no dunking” rule. Those eight additional points were overturned and called offensive goaltending. The NCAA was a killjoy even back then. Point guard Greg Lee had 14 assists, most to passes to Walton.
Eventually, UCLA would win 88 in a row but not another title during the Walton era. In 1974, Walton and Wooden clashed often both on and off the court. The red headed rebel got arrested on campus while protesting the VietNam War. He smoked dope and began his lifelong affinity for the Grateful Dead. Notre Dame was the bookends of the 88-game streak, the last opponent to beat the Bruins and the winner 71-70 on January 19, 1974, to end it. Two weeks later, UCLA would lose at Oregon and Oregon State on the road. It was the cover story that week on Sports Illustrated “Bruins in Ruins.”. The invincible now appeared vulnerable. This UCLA fan was shaken to the core. Two defeats in a row had not happened in over a decade.
UCLA would win the Pac-8 in 1974 edging a talented USC team led by Gus Williams. USC would not make the dance with a 24-5 record. UCLA was led by seniors Walton, Keith Wilkes and Tommy Curtis. Freshman could play on varsity now and Marques Johnson was on that squad also. The Bruins would get the top seed in the west and reach the Final Four for the ninth straight time. In the national semifinals, the Bruins ran into the NC State Wolfpack. They had David “Skywalker” Thompson and 7’4” Tom Burleson. They would score 25 and 20 points each while Walton Wilkes only scored 21 and 17. UCLA lost the game 80-77 and the end of the dynasty. Bill would be the first pick in the 1974 NBA draft and lead Portland to its only NBA title. Marques Johnson would lead UCLA to the 1975 NCAA Title. It would be Wooden’s 10th and final title. He would retire after the championship. Gene Bartow who had coached Memphis state in the historic loss to Walton was named new head coach. Greg Lee who had all of those assists in 1973 became a beach volleyball legend. He was the first rock star of Southern California beach volleyball.
Bill Walton’s NBA career covered many seasons, but he played only 468 games. His foot and ankle injuries were chronic. He staged a healthy comeback from 1983-86 playing for the Clippers and the Celtics. He won another title with the 1986 Celtics playing 80 games averaging 20 minutes and 8 points off the bench. He scored ten points off the bench in the championship game to beat Hakeem the Dream and the Houston Rockets. He would retire ten games into the 1987 season. He was elected to the Basketball HOF in 1993. After retirement, he found a new calling and his lane in broadcasting. He stuttered so terribly in HS, that he did not give interviews. He was the most celebrated HS player who was trying to hide his speech impediment. As a broadcaster, he was bold and loud. He was more Grateful Dead loud than Craig Sager loud. His on-air musings became iconic for their irrelevance to the action on the floor. His tie-dyed apparel and toothy grin were refreshingly bizarre. He will never be forgotten. Bill, I am playing your 21 notes on my iPhone, RIP.
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