Dispatch Deac
Well-known member
I was working on a project for my public library job that involved searching the newspaper on microfilm. While searching March, 1962, I found the wire service articles that reported the experience of the Deacons in the Final Four. The four contenders were Wake Forest, UCLA, tO$U, and defending champion Cincinnati.
We were matched in a semifinal against the Buckeyes. They had soundly defeated us in the old W-S Coliseum in December, 1961, and we were looking forward to making up the loss on one of college basketball's most meaningful stages. It didn't happen. Len Chappell was shadowed all night by John Havlicek, while Jerry Lucas, Mel Nowell, and company handled the remaining business. Bob Knight, a little used reserve, failed to score. Final score was 84-68.
Back in that day the NCAA required a consolation game to be played in each of the four regionals, as well as the Final Four, to determine 3rd and 4th place finishes. Our consolation opponent was UCLA, a 72-70 loser to Cincinnati. This time the Deacs prevailed 82-80 and nailed down a 3rd place finish in what is still (unfortunately!) the only Final Four in which Wake Forest has played. UCLA's record following the loss to the Deacons is well known. After a few slip-ups, the school went on a streak that ended with a 1974 semifinal loss to State in Greensboro.
We lost Len Chappell earlier this year. He was my boyhood hero, and perhaps my greatest regret as a Wake Forest fan is that I never got to see him play in person. By contrast, I had season tickets and saw Tim Duncan for three years. I followed the 1961-62 team faithfully. It was a pleasure to speak about them to the many Goat fans in my high school! Finding the articles about them on microfilm left me with mixed feelings. College basketball has changed greatly since those days and I wonder if we'll ever reach that level again. But one time we did!
We were matched in a semifinal against the Buckeyes. They had soundly defeated us in the old W-S Coliseum in December, 1961, and we were looking forward to making up the loss on one of college basketball's most meaningful stages. It didn't happen. Len Chappell was shadowed all night by John Havlicek, while Jerry Lucas, Mel Nowell, and company handled the remaining business. Bob Knight, a little used reserve, failed to score. Final score was 84-68.
Back in that day the NCAA required a consolation game to be played in each of the four regionals, as well as the Final Four, to determine 3rd and 4th place finishes. Our consolation opponent was UCLA, a 72-70 loser to Cincinnati. This time the Deacs prevailed 82-80 and nailed down a 3rd place finish in what is still (unfortunately!) the only Final Four in which Wake Forest has played. UCLA's record following the loss to the Deacons is well known. After a few slip-ups, the school went on a streak that ended with a 1974 semifinal loss to State in Greensboro.
We lost Len Chappell earlier this year. He was my boyhood hero, and perhaps my greatest regret as a Wake Forest fan is that I never got to see him play in person. By contrast, I had season tickets and saw Tim Duncan for three years. I followed the 1961-62 team faithfully. It was a pleasure to speak about them to the many Goat fans in my high school! Finding the articles about them on microfilm left me with mixed feelings. College basketball has changed greatly since those days and I wonder if we'll ever reach that level again. But one time we did!
