Hal Greer has passed away
- Thread starter Soaring Eagle 74
- Start date
Indeed he did, and he made a habit out of out-jumping much bigger opponents. First college game I ever attended was in the old Huntington Memorial Fieldhouse, Bowling Green-Marshall College. Loaded old Studebaker, packed with eager-beaver junior high sports fanatics and driven by much-beloved teacher, James "Dommer" Southers, made the 72-mile trip from tiny Chattaroy, WV, to the then "big city" of Huntington. 25c donation per rider was the charge for making that trip...all for the much-needed fuel called gasoline. That was at least 8 gallons of precious octane.
Wide-eyed we entered the home of the Big Green, picking out any seat that was vacant (and we sat down in what now would be the student section in modern basketball arenas and we were never told "that's my seat") and proceeded to watch in amazement the uncanny leaping ability of Hal Greer. Standing just 6foot2, Greer lined up at mid-court against a 6foot10 Bowling Green center. We all asked what was going on...such a small player jumping center against a guy that tall. It was a mismatch until the ball was in the air and Greer, with cat-like quickness and spring-like legs, clearly had out-leaped the giant.
Unreal, we screamed!
It was a triple treat that night, watching Greer and the "Gold Dust Twins," Cebe Price and Paul Underwood, both South Charleston High products, run the fast break with perfection. Too, when television was still in its baby stages, it was good to see one Jules Rivlin, the Marshall coach, who gave up business in the sporting goods world to succeed the legendary Cam Henderson as the hardwood mentor. Just to earn a few extra bucks, Rivlin doubled as the main sports host on the evening news at WSAZ TV...and in that day and time, he was sorta a "tv star," too.
Today, I mourn the passing of Harold Everett Greer. He was born in Huntington, played high school ball in Huntington (Douglass High), and he completed the cycle of playing college ball in Huntington.
Gone but a giant in the world of basketball.
Wide-eyed we entered the home of the Big Green, picking out any seat that was vacant (and we sat down in what now would be the student section in modern basketball arenas and we were never told "that's my seat") and proceeded to watch in amazement the uncanny leaping ability of Hal Greer. Standing just 6foot2, Greer lined up at mid-court against a 6foot10 Bowling Green center. We all asked what was going on...such a small player jumping center against a guy that tall. It was a mismatch until the ball was in the air and Greer, with cat-like quickness and spring-like legs, clearly had out-leaped the giant.
Unreal, we screamed!
It was a triple treat that night, watching Greer and the "Gold Dust Twins," Cebe Price and Paul Underwood, both South Charleston High products, run the fast break with perfection. Too, when television was still in its baby stages, it was good to see one Jules Rivlin, the Marshall coach, who gave up business in the sporting goods world to succeed the legendary Cam Henderson as the hardwood mentor. Just to earn a few extra bucks, Rivlin doubled as the main sports host on the evening news at WSAZ TV...and in that day and time, he was sorta a "tv star," too.
Today, I mourn the passing of Harold Everett Greer. He was born in Huntington, played high school ball in Huntington (Douglass High), and he completed the cycle of playing college ball in Huntington.
Gone but a giant in the world of basketball.
MY CHATTAROY MEMORIES, AS SPORTS EDITOR OF THE WILLIAMSON DAILY NEWS, WERE OF JIM RITCHIE AND PRINCIPAL H.C. JUSTICE. THAT WAS MY FIRST JOB AFTER MY GRADUATION FROM WVU SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM.
RIP, HAL GREER. A CLASSY PERSON AND GREAT ATHLETE. AND THIS COMES FROM A MOUNTAINEERS GRADUATE.
