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Big names fondly recall
"Big House"
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Clarence "Big House" Gaines, right, gives
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher, left, a copy of his book "They
Call Me Big House" after Fletcher and the University of
Kentucky honored the Paducah, KY, native as the all-time winningest coach in
NCAA Division II during halftime ceremonies at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY,
on Jan. 9. Gaines, who had 828 victories in 47 years at Winston-Salem State
University, died this week of complications from a stroke. (AP
Photo/Garry Jones) |
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©2005 The Associated Press
WINSTON-SALEM — Earl "The
Pearl" Monroe and other basketball luminaries were among more than 1,000
people who honored coaching pioneer Clarence "Big House" Gaines at a
Friday memorial service.
``This giant of a man was
really a big teddy bear,'' Monroe said of his former coach and mentor,
his voice halting. ``He is responsible for so many of us, not only
during our time in school, but in our lives afterward.''
Monroe said he thought he
was prepared to handle the passing of Gaines, who died Monday at 81 of
complications from a stroke. He realized otherwise once he arrived in
Winston-Salem.
``He taught us that no one
was better than any other one,'' Monroe said. ``He gave us all the
opportunity to be better, not just in sports and basketball. You knew he
was for you and you wanted to be for him.''
Gaines retired in 1993
from historically black Winston-Salem State University after 47 seasons
and 828 victories at the NCAA Division II school.
Former Georgetown coach
John Thompson, the first black coach to win the NCAA Division I title,
said he both feared and respected Gaines.
``Big House is one of the
people who made it possible for me to do what I've done,'' he said. ``He
was one of the men who came before me who took a lot of stuff so I
wouldn't have to.
``I consider him one of
the most special individuals I have ever met in my life.''
Gaines also was praised by
people with no connection to basketball.
``Coach Gaines was an
icon, who helped raise the profile of WSSU to national prominence,''
chancellor Harold Martin said. ``His contributions and accomplishments
in sport were incredible, but the contributions he made to uplift the
lives of so many people during his lifetime, I think, is his greatest
legacy.''
South Carolina basketball
coach Dave Odom, who coached at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem,
said he met Gaines while playing at Guilford College in the 1960s.
``You will see people in
Winston-Salem this weekend who haven't passed through in 30 years,''
said Odom, who said he spoke earlier this month with Gaines at the Final
Four in St. Louis. ``They all come back to pay respect to the time they
spent with him.''
Kentucky coach Tubby Smith
and sportscaster Billy Packer also spoke at the service, which ran 90
minutes past its scheduled time, as speaker after speaker shared
anecdotes about Gaines.
A native of Paducah, KY,
Gaines posted eighteen 20-win seasons and won the Central
Intercollegiate Athletic Association league championship 11 times. His
most famous team was the 1967 Rams squad featuring Monroe that went 31-1
and won the Division II championship.
That year, Gaines was
named national coach of the year and Monroe, who averaged 41.5 points
per game, earned player of the year honors. ``The Pearl'' went on to
star in the NBA with the New York Knicks.
Only four men's coaches
have won more college basketball games than Gaines — Dean Smith, Adolph
Rupp, Bob Knight and Jim Phelan.
The Rams' 1967 national
title was the first by a team from a historically black school.
Page updated:
02/23/07 10:41 AM
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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