Tom Lewis: He’s a Man of Many Moves

Front page story, 1989:

Tom Lewis, former Mater Dei High School basketball star, announced today that he was transferring from the Barbizon School of Modeling to the Southern California College of Optometry, where, once he passes a quick eye test, he will become eligible for the 1990 season.

“This is absolutely my last move,” said Lewis, the highly publicized and controversial forward.

“I really thought the modeling school was the place for me. They’ve got a great program there. Unfortunately, it isn’t in basketball. I really got sucked in by the glossy brochure. I mean, those guys sure knew how to pose for the team picture.”

The move to the school of optometry should end, once and for all, Lewis’ stormy journey through the American educational system.

As a crowd gathered on the steps of the school’s famed Cornea Building, Lewis signed his letter of intent and then mugged for several photos next to an eye chart.

In an unrelated move, Pat Barrett, Lewis’ longtime friend and adviser, was named the school’s vice president in charge of frame design.

“I know you guys in the press are going to make a big deal out of all this and write that Tom and I were part of some package deal,” said a poised and articulate Barrett, a recent Barbizon graduate. “Well, you can forget it. I’ve always been fascinated by frames. Ask anyone. It’s cynical people like you that make the world the way it is today. Anyway, how could I have foreseen that Tom would aspire to be a great optometrist? How could I have known?”

Most observers thought the Lewis odyssey had ended two years ago when he transferred from Pepperdine (“I didn’t like the nickname”) to the South Coast College of Court Reporting in Garden Grove, not far from Barrett’s home, incidentally.

Lewis, largely unchallenged, averaged 35 points and 24 rebounds a game for SCCCR but quickly became bored and despondent.

“You’d think a college with the word ‘court’ in it would take basketball a little more seriously,” Lewis said at the time.

Some who have followed Lewis’ checkered career have wondered whether eight different colleges in four years have affected the shy, sensitive and largely misunderstood basketball star.

For those who have not been swept up by the Lewis and Barrett Hayride, here’s a quick review:

Way back in 1982, Lewis transferred from Capistrano Valley High School to Mater Dei in Santa Ana, where he led the Monarchs to two Southern Section 5-A titles in three years.

Controversy raged over the close relationship that developed between Lewis and mentor Barrett, a 30-year-old forklift driver without a college degree who some thought was using the talented Lewis to secure his own future.

Barrett, a youth basketball coach, had rescued Lewis from a broken home in junior high and pretty much raised Lewis himself, going so far as to transfer to Mater Dei with him.

In brief moments between his concern over Lewis’ welfare and future, Barrett taught Lewis a little thing called a jump shot.

History, of course, has vindicated both, and today Lewis and Barrett are revered as role models in society and men of high integrity and moral fiber.

Narrowly withstanding a ruthless recruiting war out of high school, Lewis finally landed on the campus of USC in 1985.

He led the Trojans in scoring and mutiny as a freshman, criticizing the program before his first mid-term and later protesting the coach’s departure, even though the coach’s team finished in last place.

Lewis was released from his scholarship and quickly announced he would attend UC Irvine, only to pick up his transcripts at the last minute and take them to Pepperdine.

Lewis suddenly realized that Irvine was for Bozos and had never even been to the NCAA Tournament, though it had managed to produce a two-time All-American (Kevin Magee) and two NBA players (Bob Thornton and Ben McDonald) in the past five years.

Well, we all know what happened to Lewis at Pepperdine. Everything was fine until the now-famous nickname incident in January of 1987, when Lewis left the University after it refused to change its name from the “Waves” to the “Toms.”

Barrett, who had, coincidentally, hooked on as a Pepperdine landscaper during Lewis’ stay, also left the university.

After that, Lewis bounced from one school to another.

--School of Driving (“Good team, but Pat hates freeways.”)

--Trade Tech (“Offense too technical for me.”)

--Barber’s College (“Winning program, but coach made us get flattops.”)

--School of American Bartenders (“I didn’t know they were a bunch of goaltenders, too.”)

--Barbizon School of Modeling (“They still need a center.”)

Thankfully, college’s fraternity of coaches treated Lewis the same as any other student during his, uh, well, difficult adjustment period.

Each new coach greeted Lewis with open arms, calling him “the nicest kid you’d ever want to meet.”

Most found it a “pleasant surprise” that Lewis played basketball, too.

“I’ve matured a lot,” Lewis said after signing with the College of Optometry. “There was a time when I wasn’t sure what I was doing.”