As we head into the heart of the basketball season, take a minute to explore some photos from North Carolina’s basketball heritage in a new slideshow available on DigitalNC.org.
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Exploring the History, Literature, and Culture of the Tar Heel State
The first basketball game in Charlotte (and perhaps in the state) was played in 1893. The rules were little understood, and nobody scored. The game was run by YMCA secretary Frank Mahan, who barely a year before in Springfield, Mass., had been part of Dr. Naismith’s first game ever played — and had in fact come up with the name “basketball.” Mahan’s first suggestion: “Naismith ball.”
You are absolutely correct Nicholas. The state of North Carolina is truly “First in Hoops.” Your slide show reveals a part of that heritage that is often forgotten…but extremely important.
If I may, I’d like to comment on another long-forgotten footnote to UNC’s magical 1957 season.
It has been called “McGuire’s Miracle”…that 32-0 run to the 1957 National Championship…but there was a game played by those Tar Heels before that run started. “Greensboro Daily News” sports writer Gene Warren described it this way:
McCrary Gym, Asheboro, Dec. 1, 1956 – “Carolina’s Tar Heels ranked among the top five basketball teams in the nation in most pre-season polls, needed all their shooting skills here tonight to overcome a strong McCrary Eagle contingent, 84-70, before a standing room crowd of some 1,500.”
I was one of the 1,500.
In the first half, the lead changed hands nine times and was tied on nine other occasions. The Eagles’ biggest lead came at the 6:45 mark, 34-28.
With 7:38 left in the 2nd half, the Eagles led 61-59, but UNC’s great All America Lennie Rosenbluth hit a basket to tie the score at 61. From that point the Tar Heels took command.
Rosenbluth wound up with 25 points, and leading the scoring for McCrary was Sam Ranzino, a name NC State fans will remember. Ranzino had 21. Another Eagle starter was former NC State star Cliff Dwyer.
Following that magical season, I remember hearing Frank McGuire make a speech to the Asheboro Lions Club and he said, “…we were really 33 and 0.”