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This is Don Drysdale. Memories play tricks on you. That goes in any field, but it's especially true in sports.
Somehow the big plays get even bigger and the average plays are forgotten.
Today, I'll tell you about a basketball star who made one shot that overshadowed his entire career.
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See your local Army representative for details.
Now, today's story. It's about a great basketball player for the Rhode Island Rams, Ernie Calverley.
On March 15, 1946, Ernie made his way into basketball records.
Not because he was an outstanding player and the team leader, but because of one shot.
On that particular night, the Rams were playing bowling green in the National Invitational Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
And the 20,000 fans in the garden saw a fabulous game.
The lead changed hands 12 times. Bowling green was big and controlled the backboards.
The Rhode Island State squad was short. The tallest starter they had was only a little over six feet.
But they were very fast and punished the taller squad with continuous running and fast breaks.
Each team would lead for a little while and then the other.
The game was tied 20 times. With one minute left to go, Calverley's Rams were trailing 72 to 70.
Ernie took the pass, putting the ball into play and broke down the sideline.
He worked in and out, baked his way under the bowling green basket and scored to tie the game.
The crowd in Madison Square Garden was on its feet.
The little center from Rhode Island was taking the game right to the big men.
But bowling green wasn't done for the night either.
One of their tall forwards worked his way down court and dropped the ball in to again take the lead 74-72, with only 10 seconds left.
The situation seemed hopeless. Only a miracle could save the Rams.
And I'll tell you about Ernie Calverley's miracle in just a moment, after this good news from today's Army.
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Now back to our story. It's about Ernie Calverley and his Rhode Island State Rams of 1946.
They were playing bowling green of Ohio in the National Invitational in Madison Square Garden.
With 10 seconds left in the game, bowling green led 74-72.
To tie it, the Rams would have to put the ball in under their own basket and move it a full court length against men that were a foot taller than they were.
The little Rams were clearly the underdog favorites. But victory seemed impossible.
As the crowd stood up for the final 10 seconds of the game, it grew deathly quiet.
Everyone was holding their breath to see if Rhode Island could catch up.
Maybe someone would foul. Maybe a miracle would happen. Well, a miracle did happen.
As each team jockeyed for position, Ernie Calverley broke away from the defenders and raced for his own basket.
It seemed even sillier than the opening tip-off, which matched him with a 7-foot giant.
But the incoming pass went directly to Ernie. He took it at the top of the key, turned and shot.
He was 10 feet inside his own half of the court, 55 feet from the basket.
The ball arched high in the air as it soared over the defenders' heads.
It slammed into the backboard at the far end of the court, bounced down toward the basket, and rattled through as the buzzer sounded.
Calverley had tied the game with one of the most amazing shots in basketball history.
The garden went crazy. Well, people were yelling, screaming, jumping, and trying to climb down on the floor to the court.
The little guy had performed a miracle. That shot broke the spirit of Bowling Green, and Rhode Island went on to win in overtime, 82 to 79.
Ernie Calverley had a great collegiate basketball career. He scored over 1,868 points in his four years at Rhode Island State.
But the one basket that will always be remembered is the one 55-foot desperation shot that only tied the game.