Latest / Retro Sports Radio: Classic Games from History / 1975 • Basketball Clip • Don Drysdale & Ernie Calverley - Radio Memories

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1975 • Basketball Clip • Don Drysdale & Ernie Calverley - Radio Memories · Retro Sports Radio: Classic Games from History

• 0:00
  This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history.
• 0:06
  This is Don Drysdale. Memories play tricks on you. That goes in any field, but it's especially true in sports.
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  Somehow the big plays get even bigger and the average plays are forgotten.
• 0:17
  Today, I'll tell you about a basketball star who made one shot that overshadowed his entire career.
• 0:23
  This program is brought to you as a public service to this station on behalf of your local Army recruiter.
• 0:28
  Today's Army offers you the chance to live in Europe and they'll guarantee it in writing before you enlist.
• 0:35
  See your local Army representative for details.
• 0:37
  Now, today's story. It's about a great basketball player for the Rhode Island Rams, Ernie Calverley.
• 0:43
  On March 15, 1946, Ernie made his way into basketball records.
• 0:49
  Not because he was an outstanding player and the team leader, but because of one shot.
• 0:54
  On that particular night, the Rams were playing bowling green in the National Invitational Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
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  And the 20,000 fans in the garden saw a fabulous game.
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  The lead changed hands 12 times. Bowling green was big and controlled the backboards.
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  The Rhode Island State squad was short. The tallest starter they had was only a little over six feet.
• 1:15
  But they were very fast and punished the taller squad with continuous running and fast breaks.
• 1:20
  Each team would lead for a little while and then the other.
• 1:23
  The game was tied 20 times. With one minute left to go, Calverley's Rams were trailing 72 to 70.
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  Ernie took the pass, putting the ball into play and broke down the sideline.
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  He worked in and out, baked his way under the bowling green basket and scored to tie the game.
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  The crowd in Madison Square Garden was on its feet.
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  The little center from Rhode Island was taking the game right to the big men.
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  But bowling green wasn't done for the night either.
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  One of their tall forwards worked his way down court and dropped the ball in to again take the lead 74-72, with only 10 seconds left.
• 1:57
  The situation seemed hopeless. Only a miracle could save the Rams.
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  And I'll tell you about Ernie Calverley's miracle in just a moment, after this good news from today's Army.
• 2:08
  During World War II, many Europeans were surprised to see combat-hardened American troops taking time out to play a game of baseball.
• 2:15
  Well, it's much the same today. American soldiers from Texas to Thailand still take time out from their jobs to participate in athletics.
• 2:23
  Today's Army knows you have to be fit mentally and physically to meet the challenges of a modern world.
• 2:29
  Train hard, play hard, see your Army representative and join the people who've joined the Army.
• 2:35
  Now back to our story. It's about Ernie Calverley and his Rhode Island State Rams of 1946.
• 2:42
  They were playing bowling green of Ohio in the National Invitational in Madison Square Garden.
• 2:46
  With 10 seconds left in the game, bowling green led 74-72.
• 2:51
  To tie it, the Rams would have to put the ball in under their own basket and move it a full court length against men that were a foot taller than they were.
• 3:00
  The little Rams were clearly the underdog favorites. But victory seemed impossible.
• 3:05
  As the crowd stood up for the final 10 seconds of the game, it grew deathly quiet.
• 3:10
  Everyone was holding their breath to see if Rhode Island could catch up.
• 3:14
  Maybe someone would foul. Maybe a miracle would happen. Well, a miracle did happen.
• 3:19
  As each team jockeyed for position, Ernie Calverley broke away from the defenders and raced for his own basket.
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  It seemed even sillier than the opening tip-off, which matched him with a 7-foot giant.
• 3:31
  But the incoming pass went directly to Ernie. He took it at the top of the key, turned and shot.
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  He was 10 feet inside his own half of the court, 55 feet from the basket.
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  The ball arched high in the air as it soared over the defenders' heads.
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  It slammed into the backboard at the far end of the court, bounced down toward the basket, and rattled through as the buzzer sounded.
• 3:53
  Calverley had tied the game with one of the most amazing shots in basketball history.
• 3:58
  The garden went crazy. Well, people were yelling, screaming, jumping, and trying to climb down on the floor to the court.
• 4:05
  The little guy had performed a miracle. That shot broke the spirit of Bowling Green, and Rhode Island went on to win in overtime, 82 to 79.
• 4:15
  Ernie Calverley had a great collegiate basketball career. He scored over 1,868 points in his four years at Rhode Island State.
• 4:23
  But the one basket that will always be remembered is the one 55-foot desperation shot that only tied the game.