Wisconsin Memories Linger On

Bob Wolf, retired Milwaukee sportswriter who lives in San Diego and writes occasionally for The Times, remembers the last time Wisconsin was in the NCAA tournament, 1947, from the vantage point of a student manager.

It’s easy to see why the memory lingers.

“Wisconsin’s basketball team had to survive a tragic experience en route to its last previous NCAA bid 47 years ago,” says Wolf. “At halftime of a game against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., the wooden stands on one side of the floor collapsed. Three spectators were killed and hundreds were injured.

“The game was called at that point, with Purdue leading, 34-33, and was completed after the regular season ended at Evanston, Ill., High School, where Northwestern played most of its home games.

“Not only did the switch cost Purdue its home-court advantage, the crowd in Evanston was overwhelmingly pro-Wisconsin. The Badgers won going away, 72-60, and clinched the championship of the Big Nine, as the Big Ten was known in those days, before Michigan State joined, replacing Chicago.”

Trivia time: This Wyoming guard started for the Cowboys’ first NCAA tournament team, in 1941, and was held scoreless in losses to Arkansas and Creighton. He became better known for broadcasting the tournament, as well as baseball, football and outdoor shows. Who was he?

Assistant coaches: If Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson needs any help getting his point across during a timeout in the Razorbacks’ game against North Carolina A&T; today, he can point to the Powell family, in the stands at Oklahoma City.

Barbara and Bernie Powell of Little Rock, their son Jeff of Dallas and Sharron Burtcher of Springfield, Ark., wear Razorback hats and red shirts. Barbara’s says “40” on the front, Bernie’s “Minutes,” Sharron’s “Of” and Jeff’s “Hell.” Together they spell out the scenario often preached by Richardson: “40 minutes of hell.”

What have you done lately?The Atlanta Braves have won three consecutive National League West titles, but have yet to win a World Series, so Manager Bobby Cox is being called baseball’s Marv Levy.

“People look at us like we’re losers,” Cox said. “I told our players in a meeting we should act like winners. We won more games than any team in baseball the last three years. . . . We’re always being compared to the Buffalo Bills. I’ll tell you this, things have been a lot of fun around here the last three years.”

Until late October.

Michael of All Trades: Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe on Michael Jordan’s baseball venture:

“We can all be thankful that (Chicago) Bulls-White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf doesn’t run a hospital. Who knows what Jerry might have allowed if Michael woke up one day and said he wanted to perform surgery.”

Trivia answer: Curt Gowdy.

Quotebook: Trainer Gary Jones to Gene Short, agent for jockey Kent Desormeaux, suspended after riding The Wicked North to a disqualification in the Santa Anita Derby: “You’re a very appealing guy. You’re appealing this, you’re appealing that.”