One final shot at the greatest March Madness upset, Providence, St. Patricks Day, 1989

One final shot at the greatest March Madness upset, Providence, St. Patricks Day, 1989
last shot

The last shot

Everyone has their favorite March Madness memory. Mine was March 17th, 1989, watching live one of the greatest games in tournament history. David v. Goliath. #16 seed Princeton v. # 1 seed Georgetown.  Well, sort of watching it.

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Sports Illustrated seems to give Wolff all the Princeton stories

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Thompson had to sweat it out that St. Patrick’s Day

Described by Sports Illustrated writer Alexander Wolff as The Game That Saved March Madness, the game matched two legendary coaches: Princeton’s Pete Carrill — he of the back door pass and milking the clock — and Georgetown’s John Thompson, he of trademark white towel carried on his shoulder.

(Of note, Wolff ’75 is one of Brighton High School’s most accomplished alums, co-captain of the basketball team and award winning author. He also went to Princeton so may be biased.)

Before the game, Carrill had said, “I think we’re a billion-to-one to win the whole tournament,” adding, “To beat Georgetown, we’re only 450 million to one.”

But, as the game progressed it became clear the plucky Tigers — back door passing, taking nearly all 45 seconds of the shot clock, playing tough team defense — would take the Hoyas down to the wire. And maybe pull off something never done been before or since: a # 16 beating  a # 1.

Having graduated from Brown, I was then living in Providence (the game was at the Civic Center). Princeton normally trounced Brown, although we had snuck into the tournament in 1986 only to be pounded by Syracuse 52 – 101.  But that night I was rooting for our rival, the 450 million to 1 underdog.ticket

Initially, I listened on the radio. But as the game was tight and the announcer kept talking about history in the making, I decided to go to the Civic Center, sans ticket.

Not having a usable car, I had to walk, the whole time listening on my radio. It was a long walk and up in the air whether I would make the Civic Center in time.

When I got there, there was only maybe 30 seconds or less left on the clock.  The game sold out, a group of people had gathered outside one of the entrances on the second level. The ushers would not let us in because another game was scheduled at 10:10!

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Characteristically, Carrill only played 7 men, 3 for the whole game. I don’t know why the starter Eastwick only played 6 minutes.

All we could see was the ceiling scoreboard reading 40 something to 40 something when I arrived.  My radio did not work indoors; all we had to go on was the roar of the crowd and the scoreboard when it changed.

I distinctly remember home 50, away 49 with five seconds left. Then, one second left, still 50 – 49.

Suddenly, a huge roar at what must have been the last shot. The scoreboard stayed the same.  Goliath had won, 50 – 49.

Later I learned what happened. Following a time out, Princeton inbounded the ball at mid-court.  Bob Scrabis’ shot was blocked by Alonzo Mourning. After a scramble for the ball and with one second remaining, Princeton, still down by only one point, inbounded the ball from the sideline. Kit Mueller’s shot at the buzzer missed.

That was my one and only NCAA March Madness game.

OTHER SPORTS MEMORIES

ESPN’s “Four Falls of Buffalo” and “Vivid memories of the four year Super Bowl run” and still jilted by the Bills

On Yogi Berra and Dale Berra and the 1973 World Series and Willie Mays and my father

30 years ago when George Brett won the World Series (and Morganna the Kissing Bandit)

About The Author

dkramer3@naz.edu

Welcome to Talker of the Town! My name is David Kramer. I have a Ph.D in English and teach at Keuka College. I am a former and still active Fellow at the Nazareth College Center for Public History and a Storyteller in Residence at the SmallMatters Institute. Over the years, I have taught at Monroe Community College, the Rochester Institute of Technology and St. John Fisher College. I have published numerous Guest Essays, Letters, Book Reviews and Opinion pieces in The New York Times, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, the Buffalo News, the Rochester Patriot, the Providence Journal, the Providence Business News, the Brown Alumni Magazine, the New London Day, the Boston Herald, the Messenger Post Newspapers, the Wedge, the Empty Closet, the CITY, Lake Affect Magazine and Brighton Connections. My poetry appears in The Criterion: An International Journal in English and Rundenalia and my academic writing in War, Literature and the Arts and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Starting in February 2013, I wrote for three Democratic and Chronicle  blogs, "Make City Schools Better," "Unite Rochester," and the "Editorial Board." When my tenure at the D & C  ended, I wanted to continue conversations first begun there. And start new ones.  So we created this new space, Talker of the Town, where all are invited to join. I don’t like to say these posts are “mine.” Very few of them are the sole product of my sometimes overheated imagination. Instead, I call them partnerships and collaborations. Or as they say in education, “peer group work.” Talker of the Town might better be Talkers of the Town. The blog won’t thrive without your leads, text, pictures, ideas, facebook shares, tweets, comments and criticisms.

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