First PAC game?

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sluggo
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9:26a, 3/1/24
With PAC basketball ending forever on Thursday I started reminiscing about my first PAC game. I believe it was it was the 74-75 season. UCLA, ranked #1 or #2 in the country, and starring Marques Johnson (I think) came into Maples and lost to a Stanford team led by Rich Kelley and Mike Bratz. I sadly rooted for Stanford following the lead of my father, who should have known better having graduated from Cal. I was a young child, but I remember UCLA being so much more athletic, I did not understand how Stanford could win. It seemed like it went against nature.

I don't remember my first Cal game, but it was when I was a student in the 80s. My memory of the season was that Cal played the most boring basketball I had ever seen, feeding Leonard Taylor in the post on every play, but the Harmon gym crowd was amazing.

Do people remember their first PAC game?

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BeachedBear
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10:03a, 3/1/24
I had to look it up to trigger any memory...

It was a home loss to UW at Harmon Gym. Kevin Johnson and Chris Washington's first Pac 10 game. Not nervous as freshmen, but UW had a better senior PG? Also Detlef Shrempf was best player on the court.

It was during winter break and Berkeley was a ghost town (but I was stuck in town). I think 27 students showed up and I sat courtside on the west side (back then opposite of the teams).

I think student passes cost $25 for all home games!

And books and lab fees cost more than tuition.

Rent was sort of cheap, but you had to share your room with a possum and a rat and mold mitigation wasn't a thing to my landlord.
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Jeff82
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10:34a, 3/1/24
1967 or 1968. Bob Presley at center. In those days I think almost all the tickets were general admission. I think my parents took me and a friend for my birthday. We sat in the top row along the sideline, behind what is now the Cal bench. My Dad had a stern talk with me afterward, because I told my friend I thought all black people looked alike, which was obviously something I picked up from TV or in the schoolyard. I recall not really understanding why he was upset, but I was a good son, so I never said anything like that again.

Another memory is sitting near where the visiting broadcaster used to sit, at a little table in the last row. I distinctly remember Bob Murphy getting ill while doing a Stanford game, and someone having to take over for him when he did.

My favorite is still the sound in the gym when Chris Washington intercepted the inbounds pass and laid it in against UCLA in 1986. Still the loudest sound I've ever heard at a sporting event. The building was shaking as everyone realized at that moment that we were going to finally beat them.
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Cal88
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10:49a, 3/1/24
My first Cal BB game was vs #1 UCLA at Harmon in 1982, Jan 20 1983, with Michael Pitts, Chavez, Dave Butler and co, Kuchen vs Larry Farmer. There was a lot of residual school spirit after the biggest Bi Game win of all time and it showed. The game was very exciting and pretty close, 5pt loss, moral victory

I remember there was a big line to get the winter AP Card at Harmon earlier that day as students were back from winter break.
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RedlessWardrobe
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11:53a, 3/1/24
Looked it up on Basketball College Ref.com. Wednesday, December 6, 1967 at Harmon vs. St. Mary's. Cal wins it 76-69. Bob Presley's second game. Rusty Critchfield was a senior. Also the first time I saw Clarence "Tree" Johnson, the super high jumper.

Other memorable games that I attended were the 5ot game vs. Oregon (1977?), Beat the Streak vs. UCLA in '86, the 20 point comeback ot game vs Oregon (2003?) with Tamir, Shipp and Wethers, and more recently the comeback game vs. Furd when Jorge was a freshman. And a sh*tload more in between and later.
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Gobears49
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In reply to Jeff82 • 12:33p, 3/8/24
Jeff82 said:
1967 or 1968. Bob Presley at center. In those days I think almost all the tickets were general admission. I think my parents took me and a friend for my birthday. We sat in the top row along the sideline, behind what is now the Cal bench. My Dad had a stern talk with me afterward, because I told my friend I thought all black people looked alike, which was obviously something I picked up from TV or in the schoolyard. I recall not really understanding why he was upset, but I was a good son, so I never said anything like that again.

Another memory is sitting near where the visiting broadcaster used to sit, at a little table in the last row. I distinctly remember Bob Murphy getting ill while doing a Stanford game, and someone having to take over for him when he did.

My favorite is still the sound in the gym when Chris Washington intercepted the inbounds pass and laid it in against UCLA in 1986. Still the loudest sound I've ever heard at a sporting event. The building was shaking as everyone realized at that moment that we were going to finally beat them.
Do you recall that when the freshman played until sometime in the late 60''s, when they couldn't play with the varsity, a lot of fans would leave after the freshman game because the freshmen were really good and the varsity was not? Think the switch to the freshman playing with the varsity started aounrd 1970 or so.
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Jeff82
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2:07p, 3/8/24
That definitely happened at UCLA when Kareem went there. I'm not sure that happened at Cal. If so, it was probably when the Charlie Johnson/Jackie Ridgel team were freshman, which would have been in 1968.
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stu
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2:45p, 3/8/24
I know Ansley Truitt and Phil Chenier couldn't play on the varsity as freshmen. A few years later Rickie Hawthorne could.
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bearchamp
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3:16p, 3/8/24
Freshman eligible, 1969.
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Big C
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In reply to sluggo • 10:55p, 3/8/24
sluggo said:
With PAC basketball ending forever on Thursday I started reminiscing about my first PAC game. I believe it was it was the 74-75 season. UCLA, ranked #1 or #2 in the country, and starring Marques Johnson (I think) came into Maples and lost to a Stanford team led by Rich Kelley and Mike Bratz. I sadly rooted for Stanford following the lead of my father, who should have known better having graduated from Cal. I was a young child, but I remember UCLA being so much more athletic, I did not understand how Stanford could win. It seemed like it went against nature.

I don't remember my first Cal game, but it was when I was a student in the 80s. My memory of the season was that Cal played the most boring basketball I had ever seen, feeding Leonard Taylor in the post on every play, but the Harmon gym crowd was amazing.

Do people remember their first PAC game?


I remember your game. I forget if I went to it, or watched it on TV. My high school friend at Stanfurd was calling it the Miracle at Maples. It was definitely later than '74-'75.

My first game was '74. Cal played UCLA at the Oakland Coliseum. Bill Walton's senior year. I was a UCLA fan, because I loved Walton and also because I didn't know any better. My buddy's family got tickets and they invited me. I didn't know I was eventually going to Cal.

After that wasn't untill I finally got to Cal, at which time I witnessed an entire undergraduate career's worth of consecutive Pac 8 / Pac 10 games. The most notable of which was Cal's 5 OT win over Oregon, where Gene Ransom scored 36 and the Duck's Greg Ballard scored, I think, 43, in a losing effort. That was on a Thursday night. Then, that Saturday, the game against OSU went to double OT (IIRC). Good times, but I did flunk a few midterms.
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stu
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In reply to Big C • 11:12p, 3/8/24
Big C said:
After that wasn't untill I finally got to Cal, at which time I witnessed an entire undergraduate career's worth of consecutive Pac 8 / Pac 10 games. The most notable of which was Cal's 5 OT win over Oregon, where Gene Ransom scored 36 and the Duck's Greg Ballard scored, I think, 43, in a losing effort. That was on a Thursday night. Then, that Saturday, the game against OSU went to double OT (IIRC). Good times, but I did flunk a few midterms.
My first game was in 1967 or 1968 but I don't remember it specifically. I do remember that 5OT Oregon game, I was more impressed by Ransom's 63.5 minutes than his 36 points. At the time I was in grad school at SF State and also remember being totally unprepared the day after.
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sonofabear51
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In reply to Big C • 11:37p, 3/8/24
Also to stu,

I was at the 5 OT game against Oregon on a Thursday before cell phones and assorted internet garbage. Probably the most amazing game ever for me. I was there with my Dad, who is pushing 97 now and still remembers this game well. Couldn't call mom to let her know what was going on and why we were so late getting home. Ransom and Ballard unreal. I also seem to remember Ray Murry hitting 2 pressure packed free throws to send the game to another OT, I don't remember which OT, this happened right in front of us. Ransom at 5' 8". was always just killer. Love that guy.
Start Slowly and taper off
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RedlessWardrobe
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4:51a, 3/9/24
At that game as well. Not completely sure but I think between the two teams 9 players fouled out.
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HearstMining
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In reply to Jeff82 • 7:35a, 3/9/24
Jeff82 said:
That definitely happened at UCLA when Kareem went there. I'm not sure that happened at Cal. If so, it was probably when the Charlie Johnson/Jackie Ridgel team were freshman, which would have been in 1968.
I THINK freshmen started playing varsity in the 1972 season. I say this based on the fact that QB Steve Bartkowski played frosh football in 1971, an certainly would have played varsity if allowed, but Vince Ferragamo played varsity as a freshman in 1972.

I didn't come from a sports family, so they didn't take me to games, but I'm somehow sure I saw Russ Critchfield play, so somebody must have taken me to a game when I was 10-12. I got to some games in the 1968-1969 season including Cal's OT loss to UCLA in March. Memories from that game:
  • My buddy, Phil, and I got there early enough to see the second half of the frosh game which I think Cal (with Truitt and Chenier) won. The student section was already full.
  • I think at that time, the Straw Hat band normally sort of walked in and sat in their section, but for UCLA, they marched in playing, I think around the periphery of the court and sat. Definitely more of an entrance!
  • Jackie Ridgle was a slasher with a weak outside shot. He was 6-3 or 6-4 and even as a HS kid, I could see that his game wouldn't translate to the pros. But that night against UCLA, he hit some outside shots and I thought Cal had a chance.
  • With the caveat that I never made it to Harmon for the KJ or Kidd teams, that UCLA game was the loudest game I ever attended at Haas/Harmon.
  • There was something about Charles Johnson (RIP), maybe that he was the first guy at barely six ft who I saw dunk. Anyway, he's my favorite all-time Cal player.
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RedlessWardrobe
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7:57a, 3/9/24
Agreed, loved watching CJ play. It was also very cool in '75 when he was a key bench player in the Warriors run to the championship. I recall that in one of the semifinal games vs. the Bulls, CJ really stood out.
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sluggo
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In reply to Big C • 9:56a, 3/9/24
Big C said:
sluggo said:
With PAC basketball ending forever on Thursday I started reminiscing about my first PAC game. I believe it was it was the 74-75 season. UCLA, ranked #1 or #2 in the country, and starring Marques Johnson (I think) came into Maples and lost to a Stanford team led by Rich Kelley and Mike Bratz. I sadly rooted for Stanford following the lead of my father, who should have known better having graduated from Cal. I was a young child, but I remember UCLA being so much more athletic, I did not understand how Stanford could win. It seemed like it went against nature.

I don't remember my first Cal game, but it was when I was a student in the 80s. My memory of the season was that Cal played the most boring basketball I had ever seen, feeding Leonard Taylor in the post on every play, but the Harmon gym crowd was amazing.

Do people remember their first PAC game?


I remember your game. I forget if I went to it, or watched it on TV. My high school friend at Stanfurd was calling it the Miracle at Maples. It was definitely later than '74-'75.
I can't believe you remember. But I left the Bay Area in summer 1975 so I knew it was that year. It turns out it was January 17. 1975. UCLA was ranked #2. Marques Johnson was on the team, but their star was Dave Meyers, who may have been national player of the year. Seven Bruins played in the NBA.

The next night, UCLA went to Harmon and beat Cal 102-72. Anyone remember that game? I might have watched it on TV, which it probably wasn't, but I only remember games that I went to.
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Big C
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In reply to sluggo • 1:59p, 3/9/24
sluggo said:
Big C said:
sluggo said:
With PAC basketball ending forever on Thursday I started reminiscing about my first PAC game. I believe it was it was the 74-75 season. UCLA, ranked #1 or #2 in the country, and starring Marques Johnson (I think) came into Maples and lost to a Stanford team led by Rich Kelley and Mike Bratz. I sadly rooted for Stanford following the lead of my father, who should have known better having graduated from Cal. I was a young child, but I remember UCLA being so much more athletic, I did not understand how Stanford could win. It seemed like it went against nature.

I don't remember my first Cal game, but it was when I was a student in the 80s. My memory of the season was that Cal played the most boring basketball I had ever seen, feeding Leonard Taylor in the post on every play, but the Harmon gym crowd was amazing.

Do people remember their first PAC game?


I remember your game. I forget if I went to it, or watched it on TV. My high school friend at Stanfurd was calling it the Miracle at Maples. It was definitely later than '74-'75.
I can't believe you remember. But I left the Bay Area in summer 1975 so I knew it was that year. It turns out it was January 17. 1975. UCLA was ranked #2. Marques Johnson was on the team, but their star was Dave Meyers, who may have been national player of the year. Seven Bruins played in the NBA.

The next night, UCLA went to Harmon and beat Cal 102-72. Anyone remember that game? I might have watched it on TV, which it probably wasn't, but I only remember games that I went to.

Okay, I am thinking of a different game. Probably the next time Furd beat UCLA at Maples. And, come to think of it, my friend might have said it was "Miracle at Maples II". What got me confused was your mention of Mike Bratz. I wanna say he played at Furd later than '74-'75. (At least, his senior year, which was really good, was later.)

EDIT: (really going down a rabbit hole here... ) Mike Bratz did indeed play for LSJU in '74-'75, in a somewhat limited role, before becoming their star the following two seasons.
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wifeisafurd
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2:16p, 3/9/24
Man, reading about these ancient games tells me we have all grown old together. Wondering if we have not lost some generations of new fans due to the ineptness of the athletic department over the years.
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OdontoBear66
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8:29a, 3/10/24
Sadly it was not the Pac----in the day it was the AAWU--- and the game was against SJSC (college then) in early December 1959....We had beaten USF handily and went on to a 27-1 record (only loss to U$C after beating them twice). Then on to beat the Big O in the NCAA semis but got whacked by Jerry Lucas, Larry Siegfried, Havlicek, Nowell and OSU in the final for a 27-2 season. Has never since been so good, but many, many fun ups and downs. Harmon in the day was a packed scene.
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RedlessWardrobe
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In reply to wifeisafurd • 9:09a, 3/10/24
wifeisafurd said:
Man, reading about these ancient games tells me we have all grown old together. Wondering if we have not lost some generations of new fans due to the ineptness of the athletic department over the years.
That could be possible. But in addition my take on this is how cool it is that some of us are tied together by decades of following these games and this program- win or lose. Though there's been some bright spots along the way, its obvious that after Pete Newell left, we ceased to exist as a basketball power. I think our group always holds out hope that there still may be some type of glory days ahead - even just one season. I think we should all give ourselves a sh*tload of credit for being the way we are.
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blungld
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In reply to BeachedBear • 2:42p, 3/10/24
I was at that game!
The Bear will not quilt, the Bear will not dye!
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Jeff82
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12:13p, 3/11/24
Newell leaving basically opened the door for UCLA. Among other things, Gail Goodrich, who was the star of Wooden's 1964 championship team along with Walt Hazzard, would have gone to Cal if Newell had remained the coach, as Goodrich's family and the Newells were close friends. I believe Walton has also said he might have gone to Cal if Newell had been the coach.
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BeachedBear
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In reply to blungld • 1:43p, 3/11/24
blungld said:
I was at that game!
we are of a similar vintage blungld
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rkt88edmo
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3:08p, 3/11/24
Fall of 94 Midnight Madness - Two Baskets and a Ball just play - never had been to a collegiate game before that, only Laker games.
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