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FIFTY YEARS OF THE HOUSTON FIELD HOUSE

William F. Morse ’51 Columbus, Ohio

In December 1950, RPI played the University of Connecticut at the Field House, where the basketball team then played all its games. UConn came in with a 6-0 record and was the heavy favorite. RPI at that time was making a big transition from the student body consisting mostly of World War II veterans to high school graduates. The degree of difficulty of the schedule would ease dramatically from there on out.

To everyone’s surprise, including our coach Ed Jucker, we won 72-67! Ed went on to coach at Cincinnati and win two NCAA championships (1961 and 1962) and just missed winning in 1963, losing in the final game in overtime. Ed later coached in the NBA for the Cincinnati Royals.

Thank goodness we didn’t have to face UConn again that year. UConn went on to the NIT, which meant much more in 1951, but lost in the first game to St. John’s.

That game brings back great memories and even greater “bragging rights.” Best wishes to the basketball program.

William F. Morse ’51 Columbus, Ohio