Gathering Memories

In the normally insular and myopic world of college basketball, players are often remembered for little more than their on-court performance.

But the late Hank Gathers is an exception.

When asked for his memories of Gathers, his coach at USC, Stan Morrison, immediately mentioned “the great enthusiasm he had for education” and how “exciting” and “fun” it was to see Gathers transform himself from a not very serious high school student into a serious college student.

“(I) had a habit around the office that I’d never ask a player how his jump shot was, but I’d say, ‘Tell me one thing you learned in class today,’ ” said Morrison, now the coach at San Jose State.

“He would beat me to the punch and would put on his best academic demeanor and start his lecture, rattling off something about sociology, Russian or English. By the end, he’d usually have me rolling on the floor. He had a great zest and enthusiasm for just about anything he did.

“He used to walk into class and very openly say, ‘Here am I. What are you going to teach me today?’ At first, his (professors) were taken aback by that, then they loved it.”

Gathers was especially successful in a Russian language class.

“He was a great mimic and able pick up the nuances of the language,” Morrison said.

At first, Gathers saw limited playing time at USC, but it increased as the season went on. When Morrison was shifted from coaching to an administrative position, Gathers and Bo Kimble transferred to Loyola Marymount.

“The jump from high school to the university level is a very difficult one,” Morrison said. “We had a difficult time finding a position for Hank. We initially looked at Hank as a small forward, but the truth was he was an inside power player. We didn’t want to be guilty of putting a round peg into a square hole. He was giving up some inches inside, but he got into a groove and we made our move.”

Morrison remained in contact with Gathers after he left USC to become athletic director at UC Santa Barbara and then coach at San Jose State. Morrison spoke with Gathers after he collapsed at the free-throw line during a Dec. 9, 1989, game against UC Santa Barbara.

“I phoned him after that and he said, ‘I’m scared to death,’ ” Morrison said. “I told him to listen to his doctors and do what they tell you and he said, “I’m going to.’ ”

KTLA sports reporter Ed Arnold had first met Gathers when he arrived at USC but really got to know him when he was at Loyola Marymount.

“The first time I interviewed him, he said, ‘I want your job. I’m going to be a sportscaster.’

“He would always ask me about the business. When you generally interview an athlete, it’s an inconvenience to them, but not to Hank. He really listened to my questions, and at the end of the interview there were many times he would ask me why were you seeking such and such.”

In the midst of their senior season, Gathers and Kimble served as interns at KTLA, observing the preparation of the nightly sportscasts, taking notes while taping games for video highlights and offering suggestions.

“The minute they walked in the door everybody wanted a little piece of them,” Arnold said. “They wanted to milk their brains and Bo and Hank were always wonderful about it.”

Arnold was initially hesitant about acting in “Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story.” Several actors then read for the role. But after being prodded by KTLA and several people involved in the production, Arnold agreed to participate.

“The whole situation is very emotional,” Arnold said. “Even to this day (Gathers’ death) bothers me. It’s something like the attachment to one’s own children. I really got attached to those two.”