RIP Tony Hanson
- Thread starter huskymedic
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The Truth ...
It is accurate to say that Tony was more scorer ... than shooter. With the timeframe Whelton and Weston and Lee Otis ... Tony was never that kind of shot. He easily got to the rim and scored in the mid game. He was very fun to watch. The others made shots that you were amazed; so therefore, TH seemed pedestrian.
C
Chief00
He was good mid range and inside but of course the game has changed - and who knows growing up today if he would have worked more on a deep shot. At the time he didn’t really need it.
RedStickHusky
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I saw him play once in high school in the state tourney; an overtime loss to fitch's best ever team but he was the best player on the court.
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Wow, Tony was a legend on the court and a better person off of the court. In 1975 I was a third grader facing the dreaded assignment of writing a letter to a famous person. Most of my classmates at Elmer Thienes in Marlborough wrote the President but I luckily wrote Tony. He responded with a note and an autographed game day pamphlet that I still have today. RIP Tony!
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Tony was coaching at the Pro AM this summer. Now he is gone. SMDH!
RIP to one of the nicest guys to ever wear the blue and white. Always willing to talk basketball. This def hurts.
RIP to one of the nicest guys to ever wear the blue and white. Always willing to talk basketball. This def hurts.
As well as Toby.
Dove
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Wow!! I am starting to think Tony should be sainted or something. What a great kid!!
I was in 5th grade that year.
huskyharry
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Great guy! He was a special guest one day at a summer basketball camp at East Catholic that I went to between sixth and seventh grade. Very approachable and great teacher!
C
Chief00
He was very approachable - that sums Tony up.
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Same here. Made him part of my boneyard handle, because he was the player that got me hooked on UConn basketball. RIP.
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This one hurt a lot of the 70's fans I'm guessing for sure. For me I saw Wes and Toby play with dad but it's not etched in my mind as mostly I remember the traveling All Star games also. Knew how great they were as Huskies but couldn't own it because I was too young. Tony was my guy, I watched him from my Cuno Leagues and CYO at the Meriden Boys Clubs through my senior year in HS. Traveled to watch the team he led to many wins and a team their competition respected. I have a vivid memory of a New England tournament at the Boston Garden in which he played against URI (it was sponsored by Cuervo I still have the winter knit hat they gave out I'm sure I need to find it). I was a senior in HS and went with my brother and his buddies, Tony had a baseline dunk which was out of this world over Sly which would've been on ESPN the whole year if the media were what it was years later. Many of the things he did would've seen ESPN, he was years ahead of the game with his interior play for a 6'4 kid. Saw them play anywhere they were close, Yale, PC, URI, Cage at UMass this was when I really began to love our state university and he made it so much easier to do so.
This one really hits home for me and way too young.
This one really hits home for me and way too young.
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RIP Tony. He sounded like a great guy to know. I only knew him as a basketball player although I was a junior when he was a senior in Storrs. I started watching UConn when guys like Doug Melody,Bob Staak, John Thomas and Al Weston were playing. Watched the games on a black and white portable TV with foil on the antennae with my father and brothers and loved every minute. I went to South Catholic so I saw Randy Lavigne play against Joey Whelton at East Catholic. Randy graduated UConn in 1979 and Whelton in 1978. One of my dorm mates was from Holy Cross so we used to talk about Tony all the time. Great memories but Tony is gone far too soon.
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I really hope that they honor him with a jersey patch/ribbon. (The passing of any Husky of Honor should warrant that.)
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Gerry Henderson on that fitch team was good.
RedStickHusky
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That was a great game and matchup. Fitch went down in the next round (semis) to Hartford Public and Tolliver. That tourney was loaded.
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Tony Hansen and Wes Bialosuknia, two of the all-time UCONN greats, have now left this mortal coil. In 1977 Tony broke Wes’ all time points record. Rest In Peace,Tony, and hope you and Wes get to play a little one-on one.
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I was family friend of Glenn Miller and remember Dave Gavitt recruiting Glenn back in 1979. I think the Tony Hanson story came from Dave, who was good friends with Dee Rowe at the time! I was born in Johnston but went to UConn after moving to NL as a HS freshman.