Jacksonville University, Joe Williams and Furman

[76MrMoto]

Great article in today's "Florida-Times Union" about Jacksonville University's NCAA basketball championship run in 1969. Jacksonville in 1969 was about the size Greenville is today. Shows what a comparable size city did to support their home college team (i.e. JU) in basketball when they had the great team in 1969 and then for several years afterward. Also mentions Joe Williams, Furman and Furman's success when Joe was the FU Head Coach.

Article (https://www.jacksonville.com/sports/202 ... celebrated ) also reminds me about the "no dunking rule" in effect in 1969 and for most, if not all of the 1970's. When Clyde Mayes played for Furman, if he, Fessor L., etc. could have dunked, we would have won even more games than we did.

Never will forget how excited all of us were, in late November or early December of 1969, when we heard Joe was coming to Furman as the head coach. For those of you do not know, Joe was an assistant basketball coach at Furman in the mid-1960's with Dale being a secretary for the FU Economics' (?) Dept.

Great memories of Joe's FU teams winning so many games and championships!

[MidlandsPaladin]

Since you mentioned Mayes, here is another article from this morning’s edition of The State chronicling the integration of Wade Hampton High during Clyde’s junior season.

https://www.thestate.com/sports/high-sc ... 34751.html

[Roundball]

Speaking of Clyde Mayes, I highly recommend the book written by Furman basketball supporter Mike Chibbaro, "The Mighty Generals." Great book. Get it.

[FurmAlum]

Thanks Mr. Moto. That was a great article. JU was perceived by many at the time as a bunch of long haired, undisciplined, renegades.

That article correctly debunks that myth. What they really were was a bunch of free spirited kids that loved to play basketball and played it with a style that rankled some of the old guard. But they played hard and played together. And they were a heck of a team. Only lost two games the whole season. That they are still having team reunions says a lot.

Just shows what talent mixed with comaraderie and teamwork can accomplish. And Williams was a great coach. Anybody who says otherwise needs to think again. They had the respect of John Wooden, and that's good enough for me.

[Horse]

Dale drew more attention than Joe. No even close