SPORTS NOTES - JOHN WOODEN 99 - IT'S OK IN MODERATION

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

In Wooden's 27 years at the helm 1949 to 1975 he won 10 NCAA Titles and registered an overall 620-147 record. He started the trend for 54 consecutive UCLA winning seasons (1949-2002). His record 10 titles occurred in (1964, 1965, 1967-1973, 1975) is followed by Adolph Rupp with 4 at Kentucky (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958)

Tuesday October 13, 2009

THE WIZARD OF WESTWOOD HAD THE ANSWERS

Former UCLA coach John Wooden celebrates his 99th birthday tomorrow October 14th. For the man who put UCLA basketball on the map in winning a record 10 NCAA national titles reaching 99 seems academic. In response to our question if fast foods were good for athletes Wooden replied that it was OK in moderation. Given that he has reached 99 he is an example that he knows what he's talking about.

Wooden did more than teach the game to his players; in his own way he taught how to live a better life through his teachings and example. He paid attention to detail with things that many of us seldom think is important such as tying your athletic shoes properly. Wooden had a stern fatherly way about him that developed over time as he admits that in the early stages of his coaching career he was too tough on his players. When he eased up they started to win championships beginning with the 1964 title winning team. That was his first and most enjoyable.

Of all of the title winning teams it was that team that suffered the most hardship having to share practice facilities with other UCLA athletic teams. They didn't have a quality gymnasium to call their home and were somewhat vagabonds playing home games on various basketball courts in Los Angels, California including the Pan-Pacific Auditorium and Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.. The men's basketball team played in the 2000 seat Men's Gym from 1932 to 1965. In 1965, Pauley Pavilion was built on campus and has been the home of Bruin Basketball since that time.

In out 1990 interview Wooden recalled how small his little Bruins were but they had a fighting spirit and a will to win. He spoke of them fondly and pointed out what a talented athlete his forward Keith Erickson was. Wooden felt that Erickson could excel in any sport he chose. It was an opinion that Erickson wasn't aware of when we brought it to his attention. When you speak to former Wooden players you don't get the feeling that he gave them the warm fuzzies when he coached them you get the feeling that they were coached by a fatherly stern disciplinarian who loved his charges and demanded their commitment for positive results.

The 1963-64 UCLA Bruins title winning team was a sign of positive things to come as the Bruins would go on to win nine more championships including seven consecutive 1967 to 1973 over the next eleven seasons under the guidance of Wooden.

In the 1964 national title game, the Bruins defeated Duke, coached by Vic Bubas, by the score of 98-83. Walt Hazzard of UCLA was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. It was the team's 30th consecutive win, played before 10,684 fans in Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri, March 21, 1964.

High scorers were Gail Goodrich, 27 points; Kenny Washington, 26; Jack Hirsch, 13; and Walt Hazzard, 11. Hazzard, Erickson and Duke's Jeff Mullins fouled out of the game. Wooden's squad won the title in only four games.

The road to the title included wins in the Regionals UCLA 95 Seattle 90- UCLA 76 San Francisco 72 and then to the Final Four UCLA 90 Kansas State 84 and the title game UCLA 98, Duke 83 In the semi-final game, Erickson and Hazzard scored 28 and 19 points respectively to help UCLA to defeat Kansas State 90-84 on March 20. Goodrich, Hazzard and Erickson went on to have solid NBA careers with Goodrich being recognized a one of the NBA's greatest.

That 1964 title winning team was the beginning of what there appears to be no end. That winning tradition has instilled in the hearts of men, a student body and many fans around the world thanks to the efforts and the teachings of John Wooden THE WIZARD OF WESTWOOD.

1963-64 UCLA Players

* Gail Goodrich, (21.5 ppg/5.2 rpg)

* Fred Slaughter, (7.9 ppg/8.1 rpg)

* Walt Hazzard, (18.6 ppg/4.7 rpg)

* Keith Erickson, (10.7 ppg/9.1 rpg)

* Jack Hirsch, (14.0 ppg/7.6 rpg)

* Doug McIntosh

* Kenny Washington

* Chuck Darrow

* Kim Stewart

* Mike Huggins

* Vaughn Hoffman

* Rich Levin

NOTES

*** Hazzard received All-American honors for the second consecutive season, and was named the nation's Player of the Year by the Helms Athletic Foundation/USBWA. # Hazzard finished the season with 1,401 points, the all time leading scorer.

*** The UCLA Bruins have entered the tournament undefeated and gone on to win the title 4 times: 1964, 1967, 1972 and 1973. They were led during all these years by legendary coach John Wooden and featured future NBA stars like Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Gail Goodrich, and Bill Walton. The 1972 and 1973 seasons were part of their record 88-game winning streak.

*** During UCLA's run of national championships under John Wooden, the Bruins entered the tournament with one loss in 1968, 1969, and 1971, winning the national title with a 29-1 record each time.

*** Former UCLA head coach John Wooden has the most with 10 national championships (1964, 1965, 1967-1973, 1975), followed by Adolph Rupp with 4 at Kentucky (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958); Bob Knight with 3 at Indiana (1976, 1981, 1987) and Mike Krzyzewski with 3 at Duke (1991, 1992, 2001).