Growing Up With March Madness

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One of my fondest memories of childhood is sitting on the couch listening on radio to the University of Dayton Flyers play college basketball with my Mom and Dad.  I would pull out my clipboard and create my very own scorebook keeping track of each players statistics during the game.  Popcorn would be enjoyed and anxious moments would always occur if the Flyers were having a rough time of it.  If the Flyers were home, we would always attend the games but when they were on the road, we all sat by the radio and listened.

Following the likes of Donnie May, Hank Finkel, Dan Sadler, Bucky Bockhorn and scores of other Flyer greats was always a highlight during basketball season.  Growing up in a basketball family, conversation was always about the game.  Both Mom and Dad played college basketball in the 1940's while attending Ohio Northern University.  My two brothers played and of course I played when it came to be my time.  My father coached high school basketball before he launched his business career and actually took a very small high school basketball team to the state championship in the State of Ohio.  My oldest brother, Jim, followed in Dad's footsteps and coached college basketball for 25 years retiring only to enjoy coaching high school basketball in the State of Ohio for the last ten years. 

March was always special for our family.  Dayton was generally competing for a at-large berth in the NCAA tournament as they were an independent during those years.  More often than not, they would be invited to the NIT in New York at Madison Square Garden.  During and beyond my college years, my college roommate and I traveled to NIT games watching the Flyers take on teams like Purdue, St. Johns and Wisconsin.  Our road trips were always a highlight of the year. 

The magical year of 1966 saw the Dayton Flyers make the NCAA tournament as a major underdog.  The Flyers that year went on a great tournament run beating Western Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina making the Championship Game against Johnny Wooden's UCLA Bruins.  The flyers played well for half the game with Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) and his teammates destroying us in the second half.  It was a spectacular game for the little catholic school from Dayton, Ohio.

Two years later, magic returned after a very difficult and disappointing start of the season.  The Flyers started out losing game after game.  Couldn't win one against anyone.  Then all of a sudden, the Flyers went on a winning streak ending with 19 wins for the season.  Everyone was hoping for an NCAA bid but we fell short and were invited to the NIT.  Not given much of a chance, the Flyers once again went on a roll and played great tournament basketball ending up in the Championship Game as the Kansas Jayhawks. 

That Kansas team had a pretty special player by the name of Jo Jo White.  White was an All-American and went on to the NBA playing for the Boston Celtics for years.  The Flyers had All-American Donnie May.  The game was back and forth, back and forth with leads changing hands all game long.  In the end, the Flyers had enough to bring home the championship to Dayton. 

One of the not so fond memories was the night the Flyers returned to Dayton as champions.  A friend of mine and I waited at the University of Dayton Field House for their return.  Unfortunately, they did not arrive until the wee hours of the morning.  Mom was waiting for me when I returned home well after midnight.  She was not in a celebratory mood.  Nevertheless, it was a terrific night welcoming home the players that brought home a championship to my city. 

March has always been filled with magical moments for fans across the nation.  The game has changed over the years.  The tournament has changed significantly.  What hasn't changed is the joy and disappointment that comes to each of us this time of year as we watch our favorite team perform.  Good luck to you and your team as we enter March Madness.