TERRE HAUTE —
Now might be too late for giving Christmas presents, but the book “Trophies and Tears: The Story of Evansville and the Aces” is a fascinating read for longtime Indiana basketball fans, particularly those older than 40.
Written by award-winning Kyle Keiderling of Henderson, Nev., and released in hardcover format in mid-December, the 480-page “Trophies and Tears” documents the rich tradition of the University of Evansville men’s basketball program through recent interviews and research of old yearbooks and newspaper/scrapbook clippings.
The book contains many cheery moments — behind-the-scenes details of all five NCAA College Division (now known as Division II) championships won in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s by the Purple Aces and their legendary coach Arad McCutchan — although some of those moments don’t seem so cheery from an Indiana State perspective when the Sycamores found themselves on the losing end of scores.
It also provides tear-jerking accounts of the events that led to and followed the DC-3 plane crash that killed 14 UE players, first-year coach Bobby Watson and 14 other persons Dec. 13, 1977, as the team tried to leave Dress Regional Airport for a game the next night at Middle Tennessee State. The flight lasted about 90 seconds amidst rainy, foggy conditions.
Among those who perished that night was 19-year-old freshman Mike Joyner, a former standout at Terre Haute South High School and a member of my 1977 graduating class. Among those interviewed for this book was Mike’s older brother, Robert Joyner of Terre Haute.
“Trophies and Tears” mentions the 1977 Aces’ final game being played against the Larry Bird-led ISU squad in Hulman Center on Dec. 10, three days before the tragedy. Evansville, which entered with a 1-2 record in its first season as an NCAA Division I program, lost to the highly regarded Sycamores 102-76 as Bird — then a junior — ripped the nets for 35 points.
Yours truly, almost one year before beginning my newspaper career with the Terre Haute Star, watched the action as a fan in the stands — cheering for the Sycamores but also hoping Joyner would make a good showing, which he did.
In the book, Keiderling boldfaces the name of each person who would be a crash victim on his first reference to him or her. I didn’t pick up on that at first, but I eventually figured it out.
Keiderling also sprinkles in specific details of the DC-3 plane involved in the crash throughout different parts of the book.
For example, at the end of the chapter about the 1965 through 1967 Evansville teams, he uses italics to point out that General Motors donated this DC-3 to the Michigan Technical University Development Fund on May 22, 1967. It was unrelated information to the rest of the chapter, but it was effective because of the time frame.
At the end of another section about the Aces’ mid-70s teams, he brings up Hawkeye Airlines of Ottumwa, Iowa, buying the plane Sept. 24, 1974, and eventually placing it into charter service.
Considering I knew in advance the fate of this plane, I found the occasional updates interesting.
Keiderling doesn’t get to the chapters about the crash, its cause and reactions of the victims’ families until late in the book because he wanted to illustrate in the early chapters how much basketball meant to the Evansville college and community. Some of Evansville’s greatest players reflected on those eras; only Jerry Sloan declined to be interviewed for this book, the author said.
If you’re old enough to remember, Sloan had agreed to accept the Aces’ head-coaching job after McCutchan retired in early 1977 only to renege soon afterward, making it available for Watson. Sloan, an Evansville standout in the mid-1960s, went on to post 1,221 regular-season coaching victories in the NBA.
Keiderling did a magnificent job of laying the groundwork in the early chapters. In Chapter 12, he describes the 1959-60 season that included the return of Ed Smallwood to the team. Those Aces — led by Smallwood — would repeat as NCAA College Division champions, defeating Chapman College of California 90-69 in the final contest.
I admit, I’m a little too young to know much about Smallwood’s career (at least before reading the book). But descriptions from those who played with Smallwood — as the only African-American player on the team, he was refused service by certain restaurants — made me want to Google “Ed Smallwood” and learn more about him. I discovered he died in 2002.
Speaking of descriptions, there are some of a graphic nature when Keiderling gets to when the first responders arrived at the crash scene and started finding bodies. It’s rather gruesome, but what can you expect from a tragedy as horrific as this?
“Trophies and Tears,” published by Morning Star Books, sells for $29.95. One way to order online and receive a discount (for a limited time) is by going to www.trophiesandtearsbook.com. It’s also available at www.barnesandnoble.com.
Grab it before it becomes a movie, which I can see happening someday.
David Hughes can be reached after 4 p.m. by phone at 1-800-783-8742, Option 4, or at (812) 231-4224; by e-mail at david.hughes@tribstar.com; or by fax at (812) 231-4321.
Hughes News & Views
Book review: Thumbs up for ‘Trophies and Tears’
- Hughes News & Views
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Terre Haute runner sets up race to help Boston
Having competed in the Boston Marathon once before in 2003, 35-year-old Majel Wells of Terre Haute thought she should give it another try in 2013.
“My goal was just to finish and enjoy Boston,” she reflected this week. “I had an injury [runner’s knee] beforehand, so I wasn’t too worried about beating my time from 2003 [4 hours, 10.20 seconds].
“But nobody cares about what your time is at Boston anyway.”
From what I’ve heard over the years, she’s right. Unless you’re a super-serious runner, the Boston Marathon has been more about taking in the atmosphere and having fun than placing in the top 50, although Wells was pleased that she beat her previous time by finishing in 3:55.19 on April 15.
Obviously, her race time wasn’t the most vivid memory that Wells took away from her 2013 Boston experience. -
Former South players to play in Saylor benefit game
I had my first phone conversation with Mike Saylor since mid-February on Thursday and he sounded good.
The former Terre Haute South High School boys basketball coach, who’s been battling cancer this year, has been traveling back and forth to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for chemotherapy treatments. -
Recent South swimmers Roach, Bray heading to DI nationals
I’m sure most of you with office jobs can relate.
When work gets busy, sometimes it’s easy to skim over our emails. After all, how many times do we need to read the same nonsense from alleged Nigerians wanting to make us rich if we’ll send them several thousand dollars first?
So after having three consecutive days off, that almost happened to me when I returned to work Tuesday. Then I realized that the message from Jeff Thompson, Terre Haute South High School’s boys and girls swimming coach, contained significant news. -
NCAA Division III basketball tournament returns to Rose-Hulman
The last time Rose-Hulman served as host for the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament, its game was played inside an old World War II airplane hangar.
You “old-timers” should know the building I’m talking about and the matchup wasn’t really that long ago — March 6, 1997, to be exact. -
DAVID HUGHES: Childhood friends use faith, sports to get them through
When I learned in February 2009 that a rare form of appendix cancer would devastate my life and cause me to miss work for several months, Mike Saylor was among the first to offer assistance.
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Book review: Thumbs up for ‘Trophies and Tears’
Now might be too late for giving Christmas presents, but the book “Trophies and Tears: The Story of Evansville and the Aces” is a fascinating read for longtime Indiana basketball fans, particularly those older than 40.
Written by award-winning Kyle Keiderling of Henderson, Nev., and released in hardcover format in mid-December, the 480-page “Trophies and Tears” documents the rich tradition of the University of Evansville men’s basketball program through recent interviews and research of old yearbooks and newspaper/scrapbook clippings.
The book contains many cheery moments — behind-the-scenes details of all five NCAA College Division (now known as Division II) championships won in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s by the Purple Aces and their legendary coach Arad McCutchan — although some of those moments don’t seem so cheery from an Indiana State perspective when the Sycamores found themselves on the losing end of scores. -
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There’s plenty of tragedy in the world to bring us down if we let it, so let’s have a light-hearted column today — my annual Christmas gift requests for Santa Claus.
I already know one of my gift wishes is becoming less likely to happen. That would be for the Indianapolis Colts to face the Denver Broncos in the AFC playoffs. -
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We’re approaching the halfway point of the NFL season and so far it’s been surprisingly enjoyable.
I wasn’t sure how I would handle following two favorite teams — 1a.) the Indianapolis Colts and 1b.) Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos — but the new arrangement hasn’t caused me any loyalty conflicts yet.
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Colts? Broncos? Maybe there’s more than enough room for both
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Point of Jones’ return
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Rose basketball alumni offer advice to current team
Bryan Egli and Joe Puthoff, both Rose-Hulman basketball starters I covered in the late 1990s, took their degrees from the prestigious engineering institute and found successful careers in the Indianapolis area.
Egli, also a former West Vigo High School multi-sport standout, lives in Carmel and works for Thieneman Construction in Westfield. Puthoff lives in Indy and works for Rolls Royce Aircraft Engines. -
DAVID HUGHES: Super Bowl odds getting stranger and stranger
Today’s annual “Super Bowl odds column” feels special to me because I’ve been a diehard NFL fan since 1967 and next Sunday will be the first time the big game takes place in our great state of Indiana.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Coach’s book a chance to remember North Vermillion state champs
Almost 10 years ago, February 2002 to be exact, the New England Patriots upset the high-powered St. Louis Rams to win Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, the Winter Olympics entertained spectators in Salt Lake City and Terre Haute South High School’s girls basketball team started its tournament run toward a Class 4A state title.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Plenty of sports-related gifts for columnist's wish list
Last week, I was all set to beg Santa Claus to give the Indianapolis Colts a certificate good for one NFL regular-season victory.
Then the 2011 Colts decided to play like the 2009 Colts and clobber the Tennessee Titans on Sunday for their first win of the season. So that present won’t be necessary. -
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: WTHI defends decision not to show Colts
When your favorite NFL team is threatening to finish 0-16, you have to figure a few fans will jump off the bandwagon.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Former South coach Rady makes it look easy
Jack Butcher, Howard Sharpe and Bill Stearman.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Wheldon's genuine personality a devastating loss to racing
Lori Wood, the Tribune-Star’s Indianapolis 500 correspondent since 2000, planned to visit a friend in California and take in the IndyCar Las Vegas 300 as a ticket-buying fan last weekend.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Past greats proud of ISU’s recent improvements
Indiana State football alum Chris “Big C” Hicks will turn 58 Saturday and he knows exactly what he wants for his birthday.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Rose-Hulman hungry for first football victory of season
The Engineers have not endured a losing season since 2004. But they’ve opened this season at 0-2, causing Sokol to admit they’re desperate for a win.
“We’re all very hungry for a victory,” he said after practice Thursday. “We all want to taste victory really, really bad.” -
Valley semipro football team reaches championship of IFL
The West Central Wildcats’ semipro football team from Terre Haute has been written about before in this column space over the last two years.
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Colts cheerleaders glad to get back on field
When I heard the NFL lockout finally ended this week, I looked for someone affiliated with the Indianapolis Colts to get a reaction.
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Amateur boxing card set for outdoors at Show-Me's
We all know what Show-Me’s sports bar is famous for around Terre Haute, right?
Chicken wings, of course. -
HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Porter’s persistence keeps his boxing career going
When I walked in Sweatbox Gym through the alley door Wednesday, I wondered if a time machine had taken me back to the 1950s, the glory days of boxing.
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Plagued by one injury after another after another, Kristen Seaton was ready to turn off the lights on her volleyball career.
In her mind, the party was over.
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Semi-pro football team to kick off season today
If you’re worried about the NFL season being canceled and you can’t wait months for the college and high school seasons to begin, you can get your football fix tonight at Memorial Stadium.
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