Cal Athletics: Ten Alltime Memories Forged by Golden Bear Guests - Part 2

Visits by Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain were big occasions in the 1950s

Over two decades spanning from 1954 to ’74, Cal’s basketball teams faced four of the greatest centers in college basketball history.

The Bears met Bill Russell for the first of three times in 1954, collided with Wilt Chamberlain twice later in the decade, then had six matchups each over three seasons against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) and Bill Walton.

The outcome in those games was somewhat predictable: Cal was 0-17 against the four Hall of Fame big men.

But the games were major events that generated significant interest, and the Bears gave the home fans reason to stay to the end in several of them.

Today, in Part 2 of our series counting down 10 memorable performances by visiting teams or athletes, we relive two of those that stand tall:

Bill Russell (6) waits out Cal's stall 

Photo courtesy of USF Athletics

Jan. 28, 1956: Pete Newell tries stall tactics vs. Bill Russell

Pete Newell knew all about Bill Russell and the defending national champion USF Dons.

The Bears had played the Dons a year earlier and lost 84-62. Newell understood that his squad — still three years away from winning an NCAA title of its own — wasn’t ready to play USF straight up.

So as Cal prepared to host the top-ranked Dons — winners of 39 straight games — Newell devised a strategy that was the precursor to the Four Corners approach later utilized by Dean Smith at North Carolina.

Years before a shot clock prevented it, the Bears would freeze the ball. They would shorten the game by stalling.

Harmon Gym was packed for the game and a Cal team featuring Larry Friend and Earl Robinson built an early 13-3 lead. The USF fans at Harmon booed but Cal’s much louder crowd loved the slow pace.

The Dons led 26-21 when Newell instructed backup center Joe Hagler to stand on the perimeter and hold the ball in an effort to lure Russell away from the lane. Hagler remained there for 7 minutes, 40 seconds. Russell did not budge.

The delay was so extreme that Russell and Cal’s Duane Asplund reportedly were chuckling while camped out closer to the hoop.

Russell wound up with just two field goals and nine points, but Cal could not catch up. USF prevailed 33-24, taking home its 40th consecutive victory. The streak that would eventually reach 60 games, including a second straight national title  in 1956.

Wilt Chamberlain

Photo courtesy of Kansas Athletics

Dec. 18, 1956: Wilt doesn’t disappoint

Top-ranked Kansas with 7-foot-1 phenom Wilt Chamberlain paid a visit to Harmon Gym to immense local fanfare. A crowd of 500 watched the Jayhawks warm up before the practice the day before the game, and coach Pete Newell was among them.

“I only saw him for a couple minutes … but that was enough for me to believe everything I’ve heard about him,” Newell told the Oakland Tribune at the time. “You only have to see him walk to know he’s an athlete.

“After I saw him shoot and move, I had to go out and sit down in a quiet place.”

The late Earl Robinson, a two-sport star for Cal, recalled in a 2010 interview the intense buildup to the game. “Man, it was a two- or three-day buzz,” Robinson said. “It was electric all day on campus. There were so many people (at the game), they were sitting on the stairs.”

Chamberlain, who was preparing to play just his fifth game since becoming eligible to play on the varsity team as a sophomore, averaged 39.5 points, 22 rebounds and 9.5 blocks through his first four. He had 52 points and 31 rebounds in his debut vs. Northwestern.

Bob Steiner, who later served as Cal’s sports information director, was on the Daily Cal student newspaper when Chamberlain visited. “Bill Russell crept up on the world. Chamberlain was like that from birth,” Steiner said years later. “The guy was a phenomenon.”

Cal doubled-teamed Chamberlain and held him to the earthly totals of 23 points and 14 rebounds but KU posted a 66-56 victory.

“I was looking at his belly button,” Cal center Duane Asplund recalled. “Russell was strong but not as big. The game was certainly a wrestling match. I was trying to keep him from killing me.”

Newell was sold. “All I’ve got to say is that Chamberlain has not been overrated.”

*** My recollections of interviews I did with Chamberlain and Russell: 

Part 1 of Memorable Cal Guests

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

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