Basketball In Chicago
The Windy City; possibly the greatest basketball city in the history of this breathtaking Earth. Chicago, despite being one of the most dangerous cities in the USA, produces some of the best basketball talent this beautiful nation has ever witnessed. From Derrick Rose, to Dwyane Wade, to even Benji Wilson, no matter how dangerous or bad the inner city is we’ll always have basketball. Normally, the first thing to come to mind when you think basketball and Chicago is the Bulls; who are one of the most storied franchises in NBA history. Usually, teams like the Stags do not come to mind, even though they are very important to the basketball history of the city. Now, I will not keep rambling in this intro, and get right into this blog..
Professional Basketball in Chicago
Note: I won’t be including the Chicago Bulls, as I believe such a storied franchise deserves an own blog in itself.
The Chicago Stags(1946–1950)
The Chicago Stags were the aboriginal major league team to step foot in Chicago. Coming off of the end of World War 2, pro basketball in America was at a weak point, as the NBA had not been established at this time. Due to this, attendance was very low, and not many people were enjoying basketball like it should be savored.
The Chicago Stags were erected from the ground on June 6th, 1946 as the newest team in an up and coming League by the name of the BAA. They were one of the eleven original teams in the BAA, and were placed in the Western Division. They would later acquire the draft rights to NBA legend, Bob Cousy, which would be a huge move at the time, but he’d be an absolute bust for them, never putting on a Stags uniform. The Stags would ignite a fire, giving a new identity to basketball in Chicago, as they would go 39–22, and people would go to watch them play. They finished first in the Western Conference, and second in the league, only behind the Washington Capitols(no, not the hockey team). As the Stags had worked tremendously hard during the regular season, it would pay off in securing them a first round bye. Somehow, they would play the first seeded Capitols in the semifinals(don’t ask me how, but it seems as if the BAA playoff system was a bit iffy) winning by a margin of four to two in the best of seven series. They would face off against a future NBA team in the Philadelphia Warriors. The Warriors struggled in the regular season, but were. definitely not to be overlooked. The Stags would crumble in just 5 games, despite looking untouchable in the regular season and semifinals, but this year would mark a new beginning for basketball in The Windy City.
Despite being a youthful franchise, the Stags would keep up the streak of outstanding play, finishing just one game out of first place in the 1947–48 season. The Stags would proceed to beat a legendary Celtics team in the first round, which was a landmark victory for them. Buffalo would eventually send the Stags packing, and go onto win the title themselves. In the next season, the Stags were out for revenge, but could not achieve it. They would finish 3rd in the league, but would get knocked out by the Lakers in the ensuing round. In their final season in Chicago, the Stags would exceed expectations in the regular season, but lose to the Lakers in the first round. The Stags would then be disbanded, and it would be the end an era in Chicago basketball.
The Chicago Packers(1961–63)
The team now recognized as the Washington Wizards would actually begin in Chicago, becoming the Chicago Packers in 1961, and they would be the first expansion team in modern NBA history. As expected, this expansion team was a huge failure, as they were very bad, and failed to pull in big crowds for games, which is surprising considering Chicago is a basketball city. The Packers finished dead last in the NBA, with an 18–62 record. The name was completely detested by almost everyone in Chicago, and that played a part in the low attendance and the eventual decision to relocate to Baltimore. The reason this name was detested was because it was the name of the Chicago Bears’ longtime rivals in the Green Bay Packers. The Packers would change their name to the Zephyrs, but this would prove useless, as they would relocate just a year later, ending the NBA’s two-year stint in Chicago.
College Basketball In Chicago
Loyola University Chicago Ramblers
Arguably the most well-known University in Chicago, the Loyola Ramblers have a storied basketball history, starting all the way in 1913, which was a relatively early time in the history of the glorious game. They had great success, but their best years came in the 1960s, when George Ireland began to coach them. Ireland would singlehandedly break race barriers in NCAA basketball, as there was a rule that you could not use more than 3 black players on the court at one time. Despite this regulation, Ireland bluntly disobeyed the NCAA, as he would break this agreement in 1961, by playing 4 black players on the court at sometimes. Then, in the 1962–63 season, Ireland would shock the nation by becoming the first coach to start 4 African-American players, and he would do so for the whole season, which would later immortalize him among coaches. Later that season, they would also become the first team to play 5 black players on the court at the same time, which was groundbreaking in college basketball, as it was breaking racial grounds.
Loyola would infamously play in “The Game Of Change” where they would play against a Mississippi State team with only white players. The problem was the Mississippi State was prohibited to play against any team with black players, not just in the school rules, but this was also enforced by a STATE COURT. However, the Bulldogs defied the court order, and their all-white team would play against Loyola’s integrated team. Loyola would win this game 61–51, shocking the nation, and rightfully, the world. The sportsmanship in this game was amazing, and unprecedented in other games, as the players would become close friends and garner a respect for one another. Loyola’s captain later went out of his way to show up to the funeral of the deceased Mississippi State captain(may he rest in peace). The Loyola Captain would go onto say “”I went up to the front and the whole family embraced me. Then I went over to the casket and to the left was the picture of me and Dan Gold shaking hands. I just lost it right there at the head of his casket. I went back to the family and we all cried.” This is quite touching, as it shows the respect and love the teams had for each other, despite them being “supposed” to hate each other due to the nation’s emphasis on the racial barriers at the time. Harkness would also go onto state “I wouldn’t have missed it. He would have made it to my funeral” showing that the respect and friendships went both ways, not just one way. As time has gone, the message has not been one that has been forgotten.
The Loyola Ramblers were a true underdog team, and another story that exemplifies this is the one of Loyola’s leading scorer and captain himself, Jerry Harkness. Harkness did not play basketball until his senior year for fear of failing, as he failed at many other things. “I was poor and I was on welfare. I just didn’t want any more negatives” he stated. He would then go to his local YMCA to play in a pickup game, little did he know, that one move would change his life forever. As he was playing the game he loved, a spectator came up to him and asked him if he played organized basketball, when Harkness said no, the visitor said he should play. Harkness couldn’t say no to the visitor. You may ask why, and it’s because that visitor was the icon himself, Jackie Robinson.
The whole NCAA season Loyola was faced with challenges due to the racism other fans exhibited. The team recalls that they were spit on in Houston, and in New Orleans they were segregated and forced to stay in separate hotels. Their solution to get back at teams was to run up the score, even if they were up by 20+ points. Hence the 88–53 beating against Loyola New Orleans, and a 111–42 win against a weak Tennessee Tech team.
Even though Loyola won the title that year, there was a huge chance they wouldn’t. Loyola would only convert 1 of their first 14 shots against Cincinnati, and with just 14 minutes left in the second half, Cincinnati had a near insurmountable lead of 15 points. Loyola was looking like they were out of energy, and they probably were. They were up until 3 AM the previous night, as they were too excited to sleep, so they decided to have pillow fights and fantasize about what it was like to be a champion. The Ramblers were able to pull themselves to within one point with 12 burning seconds left in the match. Harkness would proceed to foul Larry Shingleton, who would miss the second free throw, sending the Loyola team flying down the court on a fast break.
“Miller grabs the rebound! He bombs it upcourt to a teammate for an easy 2 points. Boy, it sure looked like he traveled.”
Many Bearcats fans and players think to this day that Miller traveled, and I believe they have a strong case, and the refs missed it. Loyola’s points would force the game into overtime, and although suffering earlier, they looked like a revamped team. The Ramblers got the ball in overtime with just a couple of seconds left, and were determined to hold it for the last shot. Harkness passed it to his teammate who took a shot from the free throw line, but bricked. The ball clanked off of the rim, but big man Victor Rouse was waiting for it, and he flew up into the air, and dunked it for the championship. Loyola had won a national championship, despite all the obstacles standing in their path, and even if they did it on a mere 27% from the field, it was still an amazing feat. The Ramblers legacy still lives on to this day, from the bigotry against them, to the championship they won.
After that, Loyola would struggle, failing to make it to an NCAA tournament from 1985–2014. However, in 2018, they almost recreated their magical run from 1963. They were able to make it to the Final Four, upsetting colossal giants like Tennessee along the way.
DePaul University Blue Devils
Although DePaul has not been able to replicate Loyola’s success through winning an NCAA title, they have been able to do it some other ways. DePaul is the premier basketball school in Illinois, and is no doubt the best over the years, except for maybe recently, as they have struggled mightily.
As you may know, DePaul is in the Big East Conference, but what may surprise you is that DePaul has been independent for most of its history. DePaul founded their illustrious basketball program in 1923, choosing the great Robert L. Stevenson to be their head coach, and he would do pretty good in their first year, bringing them to an 8–6 record. They would find decent forms of success in winning records throughout the years. Then, one player changed that all, and that was George Mikan. George Mikan would become the only player in DePaul history to be named a first team All-American three seasons in a row, and he is part of a select club of elite college basketball players to accomplish that. Mikan would lead a mediocre Blue Devils team to a NCAA Final Four berth in 1943, and to a NIT National Championship in 1945, the only national tournament DePaul has won to this day. In 1945, he also was named National Collegiate Player Of The Year, and would later be elected into the NIT Hall of Fame. Later, into the 1970s and 1980s Ray Meyer would become head coach, and would proceed to become one of the twenty most winningest coaches in NCAA history, with 742 wins to his name.
Since the 1980s, the Blue Devils have not been able to do much, coming last in the Big East eight out of the ten past years.
The Players
Benji Wilson
Note: I’m sure many of you know the tragic tale of the late Benji Wilson, but it deserves to be told.
Benji Wilson was born in 1967, and he was a bright light to what was the crime-ridden South Side. His friends and family would notice his incredulous talent, and protect him from the dangers of the south side. He would enter high school as the best player in Chicago, if not the best player in the nation. There was one problem, his brother was addicted to cocaine, so he was exposed to drugs and the violent crime of the south side each and every day. Wilson would not let this effect him, as he was playing his heart out day in and day out, devoting all of his time to becoming a better basketball player. However, on November 20th, 1984 that would all change.
Wilson was having troubles with his Baby Momma, as he and his girlfriend recently had figured out they were having a child. Due to this, he skipped out on a lunch with his teammates, who he was very close to, just to talk to his girlfriend who wouldn’t speak to him, nor let him see his own son. Billy Moore, a boy from a different high school, was standing outside of Simeon High School with a brandished pistol, looking to avenge his cousin, who had been robbed of 10$ from another Simeon student. He then figured out that the conflict had been solved, so he would go to lunch with a couple of his friends. Benji was fighting with his girlfriend, and he accidentally bumped into Moore. “Watch where you’re going.” said Moore. Benji then begun to angrily swear at Billy, who also was hurling expletives back at Benji. Billy Moore then pulled out his .22 pistol, and threatened Benji. Wilson then dared Moore to shoot.
Wilson made the fatal move of lunging at Billy Moore, and would be shot twice, struck in the abdomen and the groin.
The paramedics would be called to the scene, but it took them exactly 43 minutes to respond, which is unacceptable. Benji sustained a lot of blood loss, and once he was put in an ambulance he had to be transported to the nearest hospital. The hospital he was taken to was called St. Bernard’s, and it was extremely tiny. The hospital didn’t have the proper equipment or personnel to deal with shootings, so they had to put out a call for available surgeons.
Wilson’s brother recalls Benji’s feet looking “incredibly pale”. Figured out after the fact, Benji’s Aorta, the biggest artery in the human body(thanks health class) was damaged by the second shot, so no blood was able to reach the lower parts of his body. Benji’s family and his teammates were told he was going to live, and most likely recover for the state playoffs. However, this was definitely not the case. Benji’s mom requested that her son be taken off of life support, and the young man perished soon after.
Benji will forever be remembered, and may his legacy live on.
Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose was born in Englewood, Chicago’s most dangerous sub-division. His father and brothers would teach him everything there was to basketball, and they all protected him with their lives. He would go onto play at Simeon, and wear number 25 in honor of, you guessed it, Benji Wilson. Rose would have immediate success at Simeon, leading his varsity team to a 30–5 record. This show of talent got him a spot on the high school All-American third team, as just a sophomore. He would do even better his junior year, as the Wolverines would go 33–4, and he would lead them to a Chicago Public League title, and pleased college scouts at the title game, as it was played at the United Center. Rose would lead them to a state title that year, scoring the game winning buzzer beater in the state championship against Richwoods High School.
Rose became a larger than life figure in Chicago during his senior tenure at Simeon. He was ranked 5th in the nation by Sports Illustrated. Rose would ease his way through Senior year, defending the school’s rights as both CPL champs and IHSA champions. The Simeon Wolverines would end up 33–2, and ranked best in the country. Rose would then be recruited by coach John Calipari to join the University of Memphis.
Rose would then return to Chicago, and forever be known as the “Hometown Kid”. He would be picked number one by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 draft, and was looking like the perfect selection for them. He was named Rookie Of The Year, becoming only the 3rd Chicago Bull to do so, and he was also selected to the All-Rookie First team. In his playoff debut against the Boston Celtics, Derrick Rose would score an NBA record 36 points, making him and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar the only players to do so. The Bulls would end up winning that game, but would go onto lose one of the most memorable series ever, but not before forcing an iconic game 7.
Derrick was improving at an astronomically high rate, becoming an all-star in just his second season with the Chicago Bulls. He would lead the team to their second playoff berth in a row, but lose to the Cavaliers in the first round, in just 5 games. In the 2011 season, Rose was untouchable, and became arguably the best player in the league at the ripe age of 22. Rose would go and win the MVP, and become the youngest ever to do so. He would become only the second Chicago Bull in history to receive the honors, behind the GOAT himself in Michael Jordan. Derrick Rose would singlehandedly lead the Bulls to the Conference Finals, but crumble against Miami. Rose would be plagued by injury for the rest of his career, and eventually be traded in the 2016 offseason. This raises the question, would Derrick Rose have been the best player in the NBA had he not been injured?
[C] …
