Dixie Classic

[gw67]

The Dixie Classic provided many ACC fans with fond memories. theacc.com has a nice story about the 1958 Dixie Classic that featured the Big O. The story is authored by Jim Sumner. I recall reading about Robertson and Budd tangling. Good article -Jim!

http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/121008aaa.html

gw67

[jv001]

Man that brings back memories. I was just a teenager back then but I remember those games. I believe that Howard Hurt and Carroll Youngkin played at Duke back then. Those are some of the first players I remember playing at Duke. One of my best friends Leroy Myers BB coach and golf coach at South Stokes was a big State fan and he kept me up to date on the ACC BB teams and their great players. He was older than me and he was able to to the games. If I remember correctly(help me Jim) the games were cancelled because of a point shaving scandal back then. That was a long time ago. Go Duke!

[Olympic Fan]

Great story by Jim ... about a great tournament.

Only one fact that I would add ... that Louisville team that Duke beat for fifth place, reached the Final Four that year. The Cards beat Eastern Kentucky and Kentucky to reach the Mideast Regional finals, where they upset Dixie Classic runnerup Michigan State to earn a trip to the Final Four.

Cincinnati also reached the Final Four, where they lost to California. The next night, Louisville -- the Dixie Classic 5th place team -- and Cincinnati -- the Dixie Classic fourth place team -- met in the national consolation game. Cincinnati won.

That means that both Cincinnati and Louisville finished higher in the NCAA Tournament than they did in the Dixie Classic that year.

EDIT: To answer the question about point shaving -- yes the Dixie Classic was cancelled after the arrest of four NC State players and one UNC player for a point shaving scheme that was exposed in the spring of 1961. Governor (and future Duke president) Terry Sanford ordered UNC system president William Friday to de-emphasize basketball at the schools he controlled. He was able to cancel the Dixie Classic because it was sponsored by NC State. He also cut back the schedules and recruiting budgets of UNC and NC State.

PS The Howard Hurt-Carroll Youngkin-Doug Kistler-Johnny Frye Duke team was also the team of my youth. They were sophomores when they beat Louisville in the '58 Dixie Classic and juniors when they helped new coach Vic Bubas upset UNC and Wake on successive nights to win the 1960 ACC Tournament. As juniors, they teamed with newcomer Art Heyman on a top 10 team.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Great story by Jim ... about a great tournament.

Only one fact that I would add ... that Louisville team that Duke beat for fifth place, reached the Final Four that year. The Cards beat Eastern Kentucky and Kentucky to reach the Mideast Regional finals, where they upset Dixie Classic runnerup Michigan State to earn a trip to the Final Four.

Cincinnati also reached the Final Four, where they lost to California. The next night, Louisville -- the Dixie Classic 5th place team -- and Cincinnati -- the Dixie Classic fourth place team -- met in the national consolation game. Cincinnati won.

That means that both Cincinnati and Louisville finished higher in the NCAA Tournament than they did in the Dixie Classic that year.

EDIT: To answer the question about point shaving -- yes the Dixie Classic was cancelled after the arrest of four NC State players and one UNC player for a point shaving scheme that was exposed in the spring of 1961. Governor (and future Duke president) Terry Sanford ordered UNC system president William Friday to de-emphasize basketball at the schools he controlled. He was able to cancel the Dixie Classic because it was sponsored by NC State. He also cut back the schedules and recruiting budgets of UNC and NC State.

PS The Howard Hurt-Carroll Youngkin-Doug Kistler-Johnny Frye Duke team was also the team of my youth. They were sophomores when they beat Louisville in the '58 Dixie Classic and juniors when they helped new coach Vic Bubas upset UNC and Wake on successive nights to win the 1960 ACC Tournament. As juniors, they teamed with newcomer Art Heyman on a top 10 team.
Those were heady days you just described! TV coverage was so limited at the time that most of us listened to the radio to follow the games. Classes at schools (elementary, junior and senior high school) listened and followed the games as closely as they followed the outcome of the ACC Tournament. Back then winning the ACC tourney was the only way to get to the NCAA tournament.... truly winner take all.

[jv001]

Great story by Jim ... about a great tournament.

Only one fact that I would add ... that Louisville team that Duke beat for fifth place, reached the Final Four that year. The Cards beat Eastern Kentucky and Kentucky to reach the Mideast Regional finals, where they upset Dixie Classic runnerup Michigan State to earn a trip to the Final Four.

Cincinnati also reached the Final Four, where they lost to California. The next night, Louisville -- the Dixie Classic 5th place team -- and Cincinnati -- the Dixie Classic fourth place team -- met in the national consolation game. Cincinnati won.

That means that both Cincinnati and Louisville finished higher in the NCAA Tournament than they did in the Dixie Classic that year.

EDIT: To answer the question about point shaving -- yes the Dixie Classic was cancelled after the arrest of four NC State players and one UNC player for a point shaving scheme that was exposed in the spring of 1961. Governor (and future Duke president) Terry Sanford ordered UNC system president William Friday to de-emphasize basketball at the schools he controlled. He was able to cancel the Dixie Classic because it was sponsored by NC State. He also cut back the schedules and recruiting budgets of UNC and NC State.

PS The Howard Hurt-Carroll Youngkin-Doug Kistler-Johnny Frye Duke team was also the team of my youth. They were sophomores when they beat Louisville in the '58 Dixie Classic and juniors when they helped new coach Vic Bubas upset UNC and Wake on successive nights to win the 1960 ACC Tournament. As juniors, they teamed with newcomer Art Heyman on a top 10 team.

Thanks Olympic for the information aabout the point shaving incident. If I'm not mistaken the one player from unc was Doug Moe. The Duke team you mention was the first team I remember in my youth. I think Hurt was from Winston Salem and Youngkin as well. That next years team was also a good one. Vic Bubas was a great coach. Go Duke!

[jimsumner]

Moe was approached by a gambler but turned them down. But he did not report the meeting and did accept travel expenses to the meeting. The NBA banned him for a while.

Lou Brown (no relation to Larry) was a go-between, putting gamblers and players together. Never played much for UNC.

Four NC State players actually accepted money from gamblers to shave points.

Hurt was from West Virginia.

[jv001]

Moe was approached by a gambler but turned them down. But he did not report the meeting and did accept travel expenses to the meeting. The NBA banned him for a while.

Lou Brown (no relation to Larry) was a go-between, putting gamblers and players together. Never played much for UNC.

Four NC State players actually accepted money from gamblers to shave points.

Hurt was from West Virginia.

I know you would know the whole story. My memory is not that good. Howard may have coached hs bb in W/S after his college days. Maybe that was what I was remembering. Or maybe I'm just confused about the whole thing. Thanks Jim, Go Duke!

[jimsumner]

Howard Hurt coached Randy Denton at Raleigh's Enloe High School. Randy tells me that Coach Hurt put in the occasional good word for his alma mater. :)

[phaedrus]

Governor (and future Duke president) Terry Sanford ordered UNC system president William Friday to de-emphasize basketball at the schools he controlled. He was able to cancel the Dixie Classic because it was sponsored by NC State. He also cut back the schedules and recruiting budgets of UNC and NC State.


Hmmm, sounds like we need to consider installing one of our people as governor again. All you non-Munger voters, hang your heads in shame.