The Glory Years Part IV.

The 1967 Bearcats opened up with another strong December run, winning seven straight until losing to Iowa at home. The wins included road victories over Wisconsin and Wake Forest. Cincinnati then lost another home game to MVC rival Tulsa. The best game of the winter was a stirring 59-58 win over powerhouse Louisville (with both Wes Unseld and Butch Beard in the lineup) on a last second jump shot by John Howard. It was among the best games ever played at the Armory Fieldhouse.

Cincinnati hit a rough patch after that, losing five in a row at one point. Their 14-4 record turned into 17-9 before we knew it. And 17-9 meant you stayed home in those days. The MVC champion (Louisville) went to the NCAA tourney.

Recruiting in the 1967 off season was lackluster. The Cats landed New Jersey scoring star Don Hess and local star Steve Wenderfer of McNicholas. A late recruit was Georgia All-State player Walter (Pete) Smith from Albany. (Dontonio Wingfield was not the first Bearcat to hail from Albany GA!) Smith was the most talented Cincinnati recruit in 1967 but never made it to the varsity for a variety of reasons. Too bad, for he was on the talent level of Roberson and Ard.

But the 1968 Bearcats looked to be really strong. Key players Roberson, Smith, Foster, and Howard returned as starters. Freshmen Ard and Ogletree stepped up the talent level over departing seniors Rolf, Calloway, and West. The Bearcats figured to be a strong contender to Louisville for the MVC crown in 68.

The 68 Bearcats started out 12-3 highlighted by a big win (82-72) over powerhouse Louisville, who was led by All-Americans Beard and Unseld. Once again, UC hit the speed bumps (road games) of their MVC schedule, losing four of five in one stretch. Then came the worst loss of all. This Cincinnati fan had never known the Cats to lose to Xavier. Following a stretch of five straight wins in MVC play, the Bearcats overlooked the Muskies and lost (72-71) on a last second shot. The promise of a 12-3 start became 18-8 and we stayed home (from the NCAA or NIT) again. It was a VERY disappointing season.

Recruiting was pretty good in the summer of 1968. Cincinnati landed its first ever seven footer in Rupert Breedlove from Knoxville and prevailed over Kentucky and Indiana for 6-5 Parade HS All-American John Fraley of Middletown. Fraley was a huge recruit for Cincinnati. The Bearcats also signed several local players to fill out the roster of the 1969 Bearkittens.

Cincinnati would lose 3-year starters Dean Foster and John Howard to graduation in 1968. But the 1969 Bearcats returned seniors Rick Roberson, Gordon Smith, Raleigh Wynn, Dick Haucke, and Jim Nageleisen. Also back were juniors Jim Ard, Don Ogletree, Jack Ajzner, Bob Schwallie, and Mike Ferone. That's 10 experienced players back in 1969. Sophomores Don Hess and Steve Wenderfer were promising newcomers up from the frosh team. The 1969 Bearcats figured to be a very strong team.

And it started out that way (again). The Cats won seven of their first eight games that year but then only seven of their next 12 contests through the heart of MVC conference play. Cincinnati clobbered Louisville by 23 at home as one of the 1969 highlights. The Cats then split their remaining six games to finish 17-9. Once again, no NCAA tournament and no NIT invitation. That would be three straight years of no postseason play for a team that dominated postseason play at the beginning of the Sixties.

The 1969 team would send Rick Roberson to the NBA as a first round draft pick. And recruiting in 1969 was very strong. Local star (and HS All-American) Derrek Dickey and Pennsylvania guard Dave Johnson (also HS All-American that year) headed the class of new Bearkittens for 1970. UC just missed on another HS All-American when New Jersey forward Rick Holdt opted for NC State in a last minute surprise (to UC anyway).

The Sixties were a mixed bag for the Cincinnati Bearcat basketball team. The Cats entered the decade by making four straight Final Four appearances and winning two NCAA crowns but closed out the decade barely winning two out of three games.

The 1960's were the only decade of the second half of the 20^th Century in which Cincinnati didn't find itself with NCAA violations. Guys like Jucker, Baker, and Dieringer were sticklers for The Rules.

Cincinnati did have more than ten players drafted into the NBA during the 1960's and won five MVC titles. The Bearcats were very close to doing what UCLA actually did in Sixties.

What might have been if Cazzie Russell stayed at Cincinnati in 1962 instead of moving to Michigan? He led the Wolverines to the Final Four in 1964 and 65. What if John Serbin had stayed out of trouble? He was a ready replacement for Ron Bonham in 1964.

What if Cincinnati had prevailed in that 1963 NCAA championship game versus Loyola of Chicago? The Bearcats were the better team and would have won over the Ramblers most of the time. Or what if Cincinnati had defeated Texas Western in 1966? They would have changed - or simply delayed - history! The Cats had many chances to win that game, both in regulation and overtime. But it just wasn't to be.

January 1970 found the Bearcats on a good winning streak - seven of eight. But the Seventies were not kind to our 'Cats, compared to this decade of national turmoil and local basketball success. It would be more than 20 years before the Bearcats returned to another Final Four, in 1992.

It was the best of times to be a Bearcat basketball fan. Those of us who were part of it long for those days to return. We came closer in the 1990's than we had been in a while. But, as the song goes, Those Were The Days, My Friend. I Thought They'd Never End. . . .

Tom Gray (Windycat)

Bearcat fan since 1958

BearcatNews.com wants to thank Tom for his time and efforts in compiling this series.