Lefty Driesell honored by Davidson

[DevilWearsPrada]

Not only did I see Lefty Driesell at the game, but talked to him briefly after the game. My Dad loved Lefty, and we had to pull for MD, (not over Duke) during Lefty's coaching days. Wish Dad, was living, to enjoy my experiences, but he had his own, during his time.

After the game, I saw Lefty in Cameron, and told him that I saw him on TV, during the Unc Boston College game. Lefty responded "Oh, but I am a DUKE FAN." That made me giggle.

And I told Lefty that he was my Dad's favorite BBall player during his time at Duke. And we would pull for his teams, when they didn't play Duke!! So good to see Lefty In Cameron! "I am a DUKE FAN." He is always so gracious and kind. (I miss seeing him throwing the fold up chairs on the floor, and getting a "T" ). circa 1980s

[Class of '94]

I was wondering about that. I saw the Carolina-BC game in which they show Lefty and I presume his wife at the game; and his wife was wering Carolina blue shirt and I wondered if she was a fan or associated with UNC. Then last night, they showed her at the Duke game; and she appeared to be wearing a duke blue shirt under her sweater vest. Maybe she is tryiing to be politically correct while attending a Carolina and Duke game.:)

[DevilWearsPrada]

When I was talking to Lefty, his wife was with him. Sorry, I left that out. Great that the Driesells were able to attend 2 ACC games this weekend.

[gw67]

It was nice to see Lefty at the game last night.

For many years Lefty had a place in Bethany Beach, Delaware, and I would see him several times during the summer. I haven't seen him the last couple of summers and I heard that he now lives full time in the Norfolk - Newport News area. I believe that is where his roots are and where he got started coaching high school basketball.

Years ago he and his wife often went to "downtown" Bethany Beach in the late afternoon and evening. He was easily recognized and was very receptive to strangers coming up to him and talking college basketball. A favorite memory is the Lefthander having his own fireworks display behind his place on the beach before the town's July 4th fireworks began.

Lefty was one-of-a-kind. He not only started Midnight Madness but his recruiting approaches were unique and quickly picked up by other coaches.

gw67

[DeepBlue70]

I was pleased to see Lefty at the game and a little surprised to hear him label himself a Duke fan, but then again, Lefty always liked to have fun with folks and pull their chain a little when he could. Lefty's grandson Ty Anderson played for GA Tech these last four years, so he could definitely also have a Tech rooting interest.

[-jk]

I was pleased to see Lefty at the game and a little surprised to hear him label himself a Duke fan, but then again, Lefty always liked to have fun with folks and pull their chain a little when he could. Lefty's grandson Ty Anderson played for GA Tech these last four years, so he could definitely also have a Tech rooting interest.

Um... He played ball for Duke and he's in the Duke Hall of Fame.

-jk

[DeepBlue70]

Yeah, I know all that...just sayin' Lefty likes to have fun with folks, so I could hear him tellin' someone that just to get some fun going. But as you say, his roots go deep at Duke, so perhaps now that he no longer has any other allegiances, save wherever son Chuck is now coaching, maybe he has returned to those roots as full time Duke. Consider this quote from Lefty - about a year ago. His daughter Pam, a Presbyterian pastor, left a church near Athens Georgia to take a call at a large church in the Atlanta area (might be named Trinity). At any rate, when Lefty checked out the new church he was justifiably impressed and wrote on her wall on Facebook, "Damn, Pam, that's like gettin' the Duke job!"

[4decadedukie]

I was pleased to see Lefty at the game and a little surprised to hear him label himself a Duke fan, but then again, Lefty always liked to have fun with folks and pull their chain a little when he could. Lefty's grandson Ty Anderson played for GA Tech these last four years, so he could definitely also have a Tech rooting interest.

I am sure you realize that Lefty is a Duke alumnus and honored in our Hall of Fame.

[House G]

I am sure you realize that Lefty is a Duke alumnus and honored in our Hall of Fame.

Since Lefty played at Duke before I was born and since Tim Brando (if I'm not mistaken) commented on what a great player he was at Duke, I decided to look up his stats. He averaged 4 ppg from 1953-54. I am guessing he became a member of the Hall of Fame for his overall contributions to college basketball but would love for someone to educate me on this. I cannot think of Lefty without remembering three students who dressed up as Coneheads (a la Dan Aykroyd of SNL fame) when Maryland played at CIS. Perhaps someone with a better memory than I can tell this story.

[91_92_01_10_15]

Since Lefty played at Duke before I was born and since Tim Brando (if I'm not mistaken) commented on what a great player he was at Duke, I decided to look up his stats. He averaged 4 ppg from 1953-54. I am guessing he became a member of the Hall of Fame for his overall contributions to college basketball but would love for someone to educate me on this. I cannot think of Lefty without remembering three students who dressed up as Coneheads (a la Dan Aykroyd of SNL fame) when Maryland played at CIS. Perhaps someone with a better memory than I can tell this story.


I remember that the students would all wear skull caps when Lefty was in town, and I remember Lefty coming out, whipping out his comb, and flamboyantly raking it across his bald head. Too cool...

[davidson]

Sounds like Lefty is enjoying a trip down memory lane this week - he was also at the UNC-BC game, sitting with his former Davidson player (and team captain) D.G. Martin.

The main event is this weekend in Davidson. There is a reunion for "Lefty's boys" - Lefty and players from his great, great Davidson teams of the 60's will get together for a reunion and will be honored at the final home game of the year against UNCG. Hetzel, Snyder, Kroll, Holland and many others are coming to town. The late, great Mike Maloy, who passed away last year, will also be honored.

Not sure how many on this board remember the miracle that Lefty accomplished at Davidson in the 60s, and the great Davidson-Duke games back then - but any basketball historian (I'm talking to you, Olympic Fan) could do much worse than make a trip to Davidson on Saturday.

Lefty's last visit here was for the 100th anniversary of Davidson Basketball back in 2008, and it included a memorable panel discussion by Lefty and players from several eras. I can't wait for Saturday to have the Sainted Lefthander back where it all started.

[burnspbesq]

Not sure how many on this board remember the miracle that Lefty accomplished at Davidson in the 60s, and the great Davidson-Duke games back then - but any basketball historian (I'm talking to you, Olympic Fan) could do much worse than make a trip to Davidson on Saturday.

I remember. One of the key players on his late 60s teams, Doug Cook, is from my high school. You can get a good argument going in my hometown over whether Cook or Tim Mullen (who played at UVa in the mid-1980s) was the best player in our school's history.

It used to crack me up that Jim Thacker never learned to pronounce the name of Cook's hometown correctly. Cook was from Ho-Ho-Kus (which sent its students to Ridgewood HS under a tuition arrangement, because it was too small to have its own high school), and Thacker always pronounced it "Hokakus."

[Jim3k]

Not sure how many on this board remember the miracle that Lefty accomplished at Davidson in the 60s, and the great Davidson-Duke games back then - but any basketball historian (I'm talking to you, Olympic Fan) could do much worse than make a trip to Davidson on Saturday.

As a Duke student from 1960--64, I well remember Lefty's Davidson teams. They were really good--IIRC, top 10 with Hetzel, Snyder, Holland and Davidson. Snyder was about the most difficult guard to guard we played. Later, when I was in Seattle, he played for the Sonics and I saw him nearly every home game. What a player. Not flashy, but really solid. And I believe Sumner has written that Hetzel would have come to Duke had we not offered the scholarship to Bill Bradley. When Bradley reneged and went to Princeton, it was too late for Hetzel who had committed to the Lefthander. Both Hetzel and Bradley were truly outstanding college players. I'm glad Hetzel got the chance to play for Lefty. Sometimes things just work out for the best. Here's a link about him. (http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/sports/article/leesburg_resident_inducted_in_socon_hall_of_fame26 2/)

Anyway, even then Lefty was a kick. We pre-crazies at the DIS used to try to get him T'd up whenever he went on a rant. I think we succeeded on a couple of occasions. But despite his rants, we always knew he was a good guy.

[/QUOTE]

[just_wondering]

http://www.salisburypost.com/News/030711-freeze-column-lefty-driesell-w-pic-qcd

[gw67]

jw,

Thanks for the link. I didn't realize that Maloy had recently passed away. His parents and all of the players returning to Davidson is quite a tribute to Lefty. I became a Terps fan watching his early Maryland teams with my wife-to-be at Cole Fieldhouse. I chuckle even today at the memory of him getting all flustered and defensive when Dean Smith came to town with the Heels. Lefty was convinced that the common perceptions of Smith as the great coach and he as the great recruiter (implied average coach) were backwards.

gw67

[camion]

I was at Davidson for Lefty's last two years. They were outstanding teams and Lefty provided the floor show. After I forgave him for leaving Davidson and going to Maryland, who could blame him really, I always had a soft spot for the old left hander. He was fun.