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OT: Soup Campbell

Duncan Idaho said:
I remember New London's team of '74 or '75 was the biggest high school team I ever saw. They had Delagrange, Winston and Royster all 6' 8" on the back and the guards were 6' 4". They beat Mike McKay's team in '75 for the L Title. Played in the old Capital District Conference.
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Delagrange was a good rebounder at UConn but flunked off the team in early ‘80.
 
alphasigko said:
Did he play with Doug Melody at NW? Doug was the starting point guard at UConn in the '70, '71 and '72 seasons. His specialty was dribbling the ball when the four-corners offense was still legal, before the days of the shot clock. I think that UConn won a Yankee Conference championship game against URI with both schools scoring in the teens.
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Doug Melody played at East Catholic, not Northwest Catholic.
 
Old school said:
Anyone remember the heralded Tom Roy from South Windsor? Saw him score 37.
Uconn was in the running for him but he selected Tennessee.
I agree with others that Calvin Murphy was the best to come out of Ct. super John Williamson was probably 2nd best. Went to a game at Hamden where he lit it up for 50.
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Tom Roy played at South Windsor, and went to Maryland. He played against Providence College, the year that they had Ernie D, Marvin Barnes........also now gone, and Kevin Stacom.
 
uconnfan68 said:
Doug and I started at UConn together. So he isn’t that old.
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Doug was in my pledge class at Alpha Sig in 1969 and we lived in the House in Fall '69 & Spring '70. He has to be 67 years old at this point!
 
There was also Jim Fitzsimmons, who led Fairfield Prep to a State Championship and the #1 HS team ranking in New England in '69. After first going to Duke, Fitz transferred to Harvard and is still the school’s single season scoring leader. Jim was inducted to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006
 
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Danzz said:
Johnny and his brother Eddie grew up a block away from me on Branford Street. Johnny used to play occasionally at Miss Missel's court on Tower Ave across from MT. Sinai Hospital but most of the time he played in Keney Park.. He was a great, great player who had a pretty long NBA career and a coaching stint with the rockets. He still lives in the Houston area.
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Lots to reply to here. I grew up on Baltic St, one block over from the mentioned Rec Center. It was called Blue Hills Rec Center and Miss Missel was the Rec Center Head for many many years. She used to blow a whistle when she saw you doing something wrong and us kids had a saying..."Oh Miss Missel, please don't blow your whistle." That particular court was only a half court but it was all I knew as a kid. I ended up moving and going to high school in West Haven. The best player I ever saw in person was John Williamson. We used to travel to New Haven and play pickup games at Painter Park. John was dominant whenever he showed up. He was unstoppable both driving and never hardly missed from outside. His senior year one of my buddies who went to Hillhouse High told me that they beat Wilbur Cross one game by assigning two guys to cover him at all times and the rest of the team played three against four and still beat Cross. That particular Hillhouse team had a giant name Curvan Lewis who was very good. The best High School Team I ever saw in person was Wilbur Cross during my junior year. Micky Heard and Roland Jones were the big stars, Soup and Jiggy Williamson (John's younger brother) and a guy name George Powell...(who did all the dirty work) were the starting five. When West Haven and Wilbur Cross met for the first time that year Cross was undefeated and West Haven had only one loss...(unexpected to Lee High School and Sly Williams). Cross ended blowing West Haven out by about forty from what I remember. I thought Micky Heard and Roland Jones would be the college stars. Micky Heard was a long armed power forward and Roland Jones was a tall guard who bombed from the outside. I think Micky Heard went to LSU and Roland Jones ended up at Duquesne. Neither was a star. I could see that Soup and Jiggy had potential. That team ended up losing in the semi-finals to Weaver. That game was considered one of the all time great games and was played at Quinnipiac College. After the game a riot broke out and I remember a couple of people got hurt and one got shot. Weaver ended up playing Hartford Public in the final and winning. Wilbur Cross the next year was dominant and Soup and Jiggy were the big stars. Bob Salisbury the coach for Cross recruited and stole a certain player who lived in a Hillhouse zone and that freshman (John Thomas) helped them dominate the next year. I went into the Navy and lost track of high school basketball in Connecticut for many year. For me, nobody can match Super John Williamson.
 
JWILLDADDY101 said:
Lots to reply to here. I grew up on Baltic St, one block over from the mentioned Rec Center. It was called Blue Hills Rec Center and Miss Missel was the Rec Center Head for many many years. She used to blow a whistle when she saw you doing something wrong and us kids had a saying..."Oh Miss Missel, please don't blow your whistle." That particular court was only a half court but it was all I knew as a kid. I ended up moving and going to high school in West Haven. The best player I ever saw in person was John Williamson. We used to travel to New Haven and play pickup games at Painter Park. John was dominant whenever he showed up. He was unstoppable both driving and never hardly missed from outside. His senior year one of my buddies who went to Hillhouse High told me that they beat Wilbur Cross one game by assigning two guys to cover him at all times and the rest of the team played three against four and still beat Cross. That particular Hillhouse team had a giant name Curvan Lewis who was very good. The best High School Team I ever saw in person was Wilbur Cross during my junior year. Micky Heard and Roland Jones were the big stars, Soup and Jiggy Williamson (John's younger brother) and a guy name George Powell...(who did all the dirty work) were the starting five. When West Haven and Wilbur Cross met for the first time that year Cross was undefeated and West Haven had only one loss...(unexpected to Lee High School and Sly Williams). Cross ended blowing West Haven out by about forty from what I remember. I thought Micky Heard and Roland Jones would be the college stars. Micky Heard was a long armed power forward and Roland Jones was a tall guard who bombed from the outside. I think Micky Heard went to LSU and Roland Jones ended up at Duquesne. Neither was a star. I could see that Soup and Jiggy had potential. That team ended up losing in the semi-finals to Weaver. That game was considered one of the all time great games and was played at Quinnipiac College. After the game a riot broke out and I remember a couple of people got hurt and one got shot. Weaver ended up playing Hartford Public in the final and winning. Wilbur Cross the next year was dominant and Soup and Jiggy were the big stars. Bob Salisbury the coach for Cross recruited and stole a certain player who lived in a Hillhouse zone and that freshman (John Thomas) helped them dominate the next year. I went into the Navy and lost track of high school basketball in Connecticut for many year. For me, nobody can match Super John Williamson.
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Yup, 1 hoop but the last time i drove by there were 2. I lived on Litchfield St.
 
Danzz said:
Yup, 1 hoop but the last time i drove by there were 2. I lived on Litchfield St.
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Wow. Stepping back in time now. Remember Mayron's Bakery which had the best honey dipped donuts ever....marble and chocolate squares...to kill for....Nolan's Grill...with it's 35 cent hot grinders and pizza...Jensen's....etc. Lot's of good memories growing up there in the 60's. I often wonder what would have happened if they never changed the school zones in 68....lot's to talk about there...but not in this forum. If you ever want to talk about the old neighborhood (Blue Hills) shoot me an email. willjdaddy@yahoo.com
 
alphasigko said:
Doug was in my pledge class at Alpha Sig in 1969 and we lived in the House in Fall '69 & Spring '70. He has to be 67 years old at this point!
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Then we know a lot of the same people at a minimum.
 
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JWILLDADDY101 said:
Lots to reply to here. I grew up on Baltic St, one block over from the mentioned Rec Center. It was called Blue Hills Rec Center and Miss Missel was the Rec Center Head for many many years. She used to blow a whistle when she saw you doing something wrong and us kids had a saying..."Oh Miss Missel, please don't blow your whistle." That particular court was only a half court but it was all I knew as a kid. I ended up moving and going to high school in West Haven. The best player I ever saw in person was John Williamson. We used to travel to New Haven and play pickup games at Painter Park. John was dominant whenever he showed up. He was unstoppable both driving and never hardly missed from outside. His senior year one of my buddies who went to Hillhouse High told me that they beat Wilbur Cross one game by assigning two guys to cover him at all times and the rest of the team played three against four and still beat Cross. That particular Hillhouse team had a giant name Curvan Lewis who was very good. The best High School Team I ever saw in person was Wilbur Cross during my junior year. Micky Heard and Roland Jones were the big stars, Soup and Jiggy Williamson (John's younger brother) and a guy name George Powell...(who did all the dirty work) were the starting five. When West Haven and Wilbur Cross met for the first time that year Cross was undefeated and West Haven had only one loss...(unexpected to Lee High School and Sly Williams). Cross ended blowing West Haven out by about forty from what I remember. I thought Micky Heard and Roland Jones would be the college stars. Micky Heard was a long armed power forward and Roland Jones was a tall guard who bombed from the outside. I think Micky Heard went to LSU and Roland Jones ended up at Duquesne. Neither was a star. I could see that Soup and Jiggy had potential. That team ended up losing in the semi-finals to Weaver. That game was considered one of the all time great games and was played at Quinnipiac College. After the game a riot broke out and I remember a couple of people got hurt and one got shot. Weaver ended up playing Hartford Public in the final and winning. Wilbur Cross the next year was dominant and Soup and Jiggy were the big stars. Bob Salisbury the coach for Cross recruited and stole a certain player who lived in a Hillhouse zone and that freshman (John Thomas) helped them dominate the next year. I went into the Navy and lost track of high school basketball in Connecticut for many year. For me, nobody can match Super John Williamson.
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I remember Curvan Lewis. Another Soup type of player.
I want to go back to what would be the middle 60's, i.e. 65-66-67. Hartford Public had, what was called the best team in Connecticut. As you know, they played in the old CDC, Public, Weaver, Bulkley, East Hartford, Norwich Free Academy, Fitch (Groton), and New London. This was before New Britian, Pulaski joined a bit later. Anyway, Public had a great team. One player, in particular, Bob Nash. About 6-8, and awesome. They had two others, but names escape me. I think Steve Waterman, and maybe................MAYBE Doug Wardlow, but don't quote me. Anyway Public played NFA, in the first round of the CIAC tourney. Back then the early round were played in sites, approx 1/2 way between the competing teams. Well anyway Public and NFA, were scheduled to play in Willimantic, at Caise Gymnasium. I say "scheduled" because when both teams came out for warm ups, it was found that the floor, which had been treated with something to make it look "pretty" turned out to make the floor the equivalent to the ice rink at the Old New Haven Arena. Players were slipping and sliding all over the place. One Public player went up for a dunk, durning warm ups, and nearly wiped out. Fans were asked to walk on the floor and try to scuff up the floor to make it playable. TRUE STORY. By this time NFA and Public left the floor. The game was postponed, and ended up being played at E.O. Smith, in Storrs. Anyway, Public got to the finals, and faced Wilbur Cross. Time has erased my memory, but Public was the favored, yet Cross ended up winning the game and the CIAC tourney. Just the rantings of an old fan.
 
Not as old perhaps as some. But I watched a lot of high school ball in the 80’s and 90’s. My Dad and I want to see Smitty a bunch at Kolbe. He was a machine. Also watched Burrell and Hamden play at Xavier a few times, freak athlete.
 
uconnfan68 said:
Anyone remember Bill Battle and Ted Hathaway from Middletown? Spectacular athletes, mid 60s to early 70s.
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I would have liked this post a dozen times if allowed! Was going to post this myself. Don't forget Wilbur Pope as part of the supporting cast, he had a jump shot with very little arc that would still get nothing but net.
Pound for pound and all around I have never seen a player that could do what Teddy could at his size and with bad knees. All facets of the game he was a man among boys his senior year. Scoring, rebounding, ball handling baseline to baseline through defenders, not because he did not want to share the ball. But quite often there was nobody on the floor that could move at his pace with or without the ball.
 
Woof 101 said:
I would have liked this post a dozen times if allowed! Was going to post this myself. Don't forget Wilbur Pope as part of the supporting cast, he had a jump shot with very little arc that would still get nothing but net.
Pound for pound and all around I have never seen a player that could do what Teddy could at his size and with bad knees. All facets of the game he was a man among boys his senior year. Scoring, rebounding, ball handling baseline to baseline through defenders, not because he did not want to share the ball. But quite often there was nobody on the floor that could move at his pace with or without the ball.
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I think Wilbur was between those 2. But it was almost 50 years ago.
 
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RichZ said:
I was thinking about that. Back in the late 60s/70s when I was still playing rec league level and after the battle with peritonitis left me unable to play for a couple years, I went to a lot of HS games - especially the MBIAC and state tourneys. I think 76 was the best year. John Garris led Bassick (my wife's HS) and Mike Gminski led Masuk. They had an epic regular season battle won by Masuk, but Bassick won the MBIAC championship. Then Harding won the State Class L championship, led in the tourney by Phil Murphy - a forward who might've been 5-11, and skinny as a rail, but had the longest arms ever, and could jump like a kangaroo. He could stuff it with 2 hands from a standstill under the rim. Gave up 8 or 9 inches and probably 40 or 50 pounds to Garris, but outplayed him in the championship.

Nowadays, I couldn't pick a CT highschool star out of a lineup if I had to. SIGH.
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I went to Bridgeport Central. I never saw anyone who get off the ground like Phil Murphy. Saw him block a Gminski shot. Not sure they were led by Murphy, that team also had Cannon, Mathews, and McKay. Bagley may have been a freshman.
 
CTFIRERETIRED said:
I remember Curvan Lewis. Another Soup type of player.
I want to go back to what would be the middle 60's, i.e. 65-66-67. Hartford Public had, what was called the best team in Connecticut. As you know, they played in the old CDC, Public, Weaver, Bulkley, East Hartford, Norwich Free Academy, Fitch (Groton), and New London. This was before New Britian, Pulaski joined a bit later. Anyway, Public had a great team. One player, in particular, Bob Nash. About 6-8, and awesome. They had two others, but names escape me. I think Steve Waterman, and maybe......MAYBE Doug Wardlow, but don't quote me. Anyway Public played NFA, in the first round of the CIAC tourney. Back then the early round were played in sites, approx 1/2 way between the competing teams. Well anyway Public and NFA, were scheduled to play in Willimantic, at Caise Gymnasium. I say "scheduled" because when both teams came out for warm ups, it was found that the floor, which had been treated with something to make it look "pretty" turned out to make the floor the equivalent to the ice rink at the Old New Haven Arena. Players were slipping and sliding all over the place. One Public player went up for a dunk, durning warm ups, and nearly wiped out. Fans were asked to walk on the floor and try to scuff up the floor to make it playable. TRUE STORY. By this time NFA and Public left the floor. The game was postponed, and ended up being played at E.O. Smith, in Storrs. Anyway, Public got to the finals, and faced Wilbur Cross. Time has erased my memory, but Public was the favored, yet Cross ended up winning the game and the CIAC tourney. Just the rantings of an old fan.
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Glad you brought up Bob Nash. He went to Hawaii and did pretty well. I remember they were a top 20 team one year and had UConn on the schedule. At that time, it was a big deal to be playing a top 20 team. Just to add a couple of names that I haven't seen mentioned yet but the Mahorn brothers, Owen and Ricky were also a bid deal in Hartford.
 
swami7774 said:
Correct. Vandewegh was the Bruins’ leading scorer that season but missed a key layup. In the game’s final few minutes to tip the contest to the ‘ville.
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The Louisville Doctor Dunkenstein, Darrel Griffith ! I saw him the '80 NCAA Regionals in Houston and he just flew to the basket from the foul line!
 
My votes go to Calvin Murphy, who could also twirl a mean baton and sometimes did at half time, and Wilkey Gilmore!
 
RM99 said:
My votes go to Calvin Murphy, who could also twirl a mean baton and sometimes did at half time, and Wilkey Gilmore!
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You win! He is the only Hall of Famer in the discussion.

The Calvin Murphy All Stars barnstormed local high schools in CT. Saw a couple of things that stick with me; underhand foul shots, his baton twirling at half time and him dunking from standing under the basket. Also saw the Wes Bialosuknia All Starts play again the Howie Dickenman All Stars. This was back in the time that if you liked basketball, you went to see it.
 
Bubba1957 said:
Glad you brought up Bob Nash. He went to Hawaii and did pretty well. I remember they were a top 20 team one year and had UConn on the schedule. At that time, it was a big deal to be playing a top 20 team. Just to add a couple of names that I haven't seen mentioned yet but the Mahorn brothers, Owen and Ricky were also a bid deal in Hartford.
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I believe the Mahorn brothers played with a guard Shorty Davis who was pretty damn good himself. Saw them at Maloney in a tourney game when I was younger.
 
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Bubba1957 said:
You win! He is the only Hall of Famer in the discussion.

The Calvin Murphy All Stars barnstormed local high schools in CT. Saw a couple of things that stick with me; underhand foul shots, his baton twirling at half time and him dunking from standing under the basket. Also saw the Wes Bialosuknia All Starts play again the Howie Dickenman All Stars. This was back in the time that if you liked basketball, you went to see it.
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Yeah saw Wes with Holowaty, Wrubala they were fun games for youngsters like us at the time. A lot of Huskies and other recognizable CT HS stars as well.
 
Bubba1957 said:
Glad you brought up Bob Nash. He went to Hawaii and did pretty well. I remember they were a top 20 team one year and had UConn on the schedule. At that time, it was a big deal to be playing a top 20 team. Just to add a couple of names that I haven't seen mentioned yet but the Mahorn brothers, Owen and Ricky were also a bid deal in Hartford.
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Also from Public were Osee, Dwight Tolliver. Doward Tisdale
 
Stinger92860 said:
I went to Bridgeport Central. I never saw anyone who get off the ground like Phil Murphy. Saw him block a Gminski shot. Not sure they were led by Murphy, that team also had Cannon, Mathews, and McKay. Bagley may have been a freshman.
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He didn't lead them in scoring, but in my mind, he was the catalyst on that team. I don't believe they win the Class L title without him.
 
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