NU BB's Joe Ruklick and Wilt the Stilt (nice Trib piece about an NU great)

[Medill90]

Mr. Ruklick had the assist on Wilt Chamberlain's final field goal for his 99th and 100th point. Here's the article.

Mr. Ruklick lives near Welsh Ryan and attends games so let's be sure to say hello.

 

[docrugby1]

Included in the article is the answer to a great trivia question "Where did Wilt score 100 points"

I remember listening to the game on a new gadget called a transistor radio. I believe Les Keiter may have been the announcer-The Warrior players that I recall were Wilt, Paul Arizin, Tom Gola, Guy Rodgers, Al Attles, Tom Meschery(?). In all honesty, I don't remember Joe Ruklick. I believe Neil Johnston , Woody Sauldsberry and Joe Grabowski had retired by then

 

[willycat]

Mr. Ruklick had the assist on Wilt Chamberlain's final field goal for his 99th and 100th point. Here's the article.

Mr. Ruklick lives near Welsh Ryan and attends games so let's be sure to say hello.

They failed to mention another historic game that featured Ruklick and Chamberlain. It was on 12/7/57 at McGaw Hall between NU and Kansas. That was a pretty good NU team, feature not only Ruklick but also Nick Mantis, Phil Warren and Willie(The Bird) Jones. It was a close game but Kansas pulled away near the end and thinking they won by around 10 points. It was literally a standing room only crowd of over 10,000 and supposedly the students pushed in the back doors to get in. I was there and still have the program. Oh and the tickets cost were $2 for reserved and $1.50 for general admission.

 

[Medill90]

They failed to mention another historic game that featured Ruklick and Chamberlain. It was on 12/7/57 at McGaw Hall between NU and Kansas. That was a pretty good NU team, feature not only Ruklick but also Nick Mantis, Phil Warren and Willie(The Bird) Jones. It was a close game but Kansas pulled away near the end and thinking they won by around 10 points. It was literally a standing room only crowd of over 10,000 and supposedly the students pushed in the back doors to get in. I was there and still have the program. Oh and the tickets cost were $2 for reserved and $1.50 for general admission.

Willy,

I remember a couple years ago you and one or two others recounting the NU versus Kansas game and the NU versus West Virginia game with Jerry West. Those are in my top five all time threads of reading this board.

 

[willycat]

Willy,

I remember a couple years ago you and one or two others recounting the NU versus Kansas game and the NU versus West Virginia game with Jerry West. Those are in my top five all time threads of reading this board.

Thanks. There is another game I remember well, when NU played Kentucky at McGaw. Not sure if the Cats won but think so and seem to remember that Billy McKinney had a big game. Wondering if there is a site that shows NU BB history, which would likely jog my memory a bit.

 

[IdahoAlum]

Thanks. There is another game I remember well, when NU played Kentucky at McGaw. Not sure if the Cats won but think so and seem to remember that Billy McKinney had a big game. Wondering if there is a site that shows NU BB history, which would likely jog my memory a bit.

When I was a freshman NU beat Kentucky when Robey and Phillips were freshmen I think. The next year they beat Michigan when they were ranked No.2 in the nation, followed that by upsetting Jo Barry Carroll and Purdue, then capped it all by beating Magic Johnson and MSU's national championship team. Those NU teams got progressively worse each season, but they had one big upset every year.

 

[CaliforniaCat]

They failed to mention another historic game that featured Ruklick and Chamberlain. It was on 12/7/57 at McGaw Hall between NU and Kansas. That was a pretty good NU team, feature not only Ruklick but also Nick Mantis, Phil Warren and Willie(The Bird) Jones. It was a close game but Kansas pulled away near the end and thinking they won by around 10 points. It was literally a standing room only crowd of over 10,000 and supposedly the students pushed in the back doors to get in. I was there and still have the program. Oh and the tickets cost were $2 for reserved and $1.50 for general admission.

Actually there is a YouTube video of that game.

Link is: .

It's in black and white with no sound, but you can watch most of the game.

 

[Gladeskat]

Nice find. NU looks pretty good in that footage. The gym is packed! I love the sweeping hook shots and shots off the glass, both of which have almost disappeared from the game today, replaced by the standing hook shot, running floaters, and, of course, the dunk.

 

[NJCat]

Nice find. NU looks pretty good in that footage. The gym is packed! I love the sweeping hook shots and shots off the glass, both of which have almost disappeared from the game today, replaced by the standing hook shot, running floaters, and, of course, the dunk.

I liked the elevated floor at the old McGaw. There was a great thumping sound when the ball was dribbled. The dirt floor added a certain uniqueness as well.

 

[willycat]

I liked the elevated floor at the old McGaw. There was a great thumping sound when the ball was dribbled. The dirt floor added a certain uniqueness as well.

Ah, the dirt floor and the dust bowl it created. That raised floor caused Jim Pitts, Marshall High, big man to fall off of it and hurt his foot, during warmups before he played his first game for NU.

 

[NJCat]

Ah, the dirt floor and the dust bowl it created. That raised floor caused Jim Pitts, Marshall High, big man to fall off of it and hurt his foot, during warmups before he played his first game for NU.

Pitts was a very good player.

 

[willycat]

Pitts was a very good player.

Right. His rebounding and shot blocking were his strengths. Think Davis, first name escapes me was also from Marshall and a pretty good forward.