Question: Did the 1977 NCAA team visit the White House?

[77ncaachamps]

From what I have researched, Bobby Knight's 1976 team was the first NCAA BK club to visit the President in the White House. Since then, it's been almost a tradition.

Did Al and Co. visit President Carter?

I've been looking for news clips and pictures but with no success.

[4everwarriors]

For what? Think Al would walk across the street to shake Jimmy's hand?

[Benny B]

Of course they did, but as typically was the case at the time, the President couldn't be located.  The official response was that the President was called away on emergency to survey flood damage in Grundy, VA, but it was discovered later that he was simply stuck in a closet somewhere in the East Wing... evidently he was "peacefully protesting" his wife's taking up residence there and she locked him in a closet.

At least that's what I'll be telling my grandchildren some day.

[leever]

From what I have researched, Bobby Knight's 1976 team was the first NCAA BK club to visit the President in the White House. Since then, it's been almost a tradition.

Did Al and Co. visit President Carter?

I've been looking for news clips and pictures but with no success.

If they did, Enlund will be running a story about it any day now.  Be patient.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

but it was discovered later that he was simply stuck in a closet somewhere in the East Wing... evidently he was "peacefully protesting" his wife's taking up residence there and she locked him in a closet.

That's almost the SNL skit from a weeks ago when Will Ferrel hosted.

[strotty]

If they did, Enlund will be running a story about it any day now.  Be patient.

I lol'd.

[dgies9156]

From what I have researched, Bobby Knight's 1976 team was the first NCAA BK club to visit the President in the White House. Since then, it's been almost a tradition.

Did Al and Co. visit President Carter?

I've been looking for news clips and pictures but with no success.

If Indiana visited the White House, it would have been in the last throws of the Gerald Ford presidency. Kinda hard to believe Ford had them in given that he was a Michigan man and Michigan lost to Indiana in the NCAA Championship that year.

We would have visited in the very early days of the Carter Administration. In those days, Jimmy was too cheap to have anyone in. Besides, there was no beer and the NCAA might have somehow claimed a recruiting violation.

[Dawson Rental]

Is the White House still standing?  Yes?  Well there's your answer, they couldn't have visited. 

[ZiggysFryBoy]

If Indiana visited the White House, it would have been in the last throws of the Gerald Ford presidency. Kinda hard to believe Ford had them in given that he was a Michigan man and Michigan lost to Indiana in the NCAA Championship that year.

We would have visited in the very early days of the Carter Administration. In those days, Jimmy was too cheap to have anyone in. Besides, there was no beer and the NCAA might have somehow claimed a recruiting violation.

what about white house bagels and cream cheese?

[77ncaachamps]

I brought it up because I was thumbing through a book of diary entries written by Pres. Carter and there was no mention of a visit. Granted, the book was edited but still. You'd think a passing mention of the NCAA basketball champions would have made it. 

[We R Final Four]

There is that picture of Al shaking Pres Carter's hand at the White House in 1978 in the hallway at the Al Center and in the MU archives.  I don't know if Al was invited, if the team was invited, if there was a ceremony, etc.
The handwritten note from Al to Fr. Kelly on the picture says something like: "Fr. Kelly the man that I am shaking hands with is the President of the United States." 
Apologize--not very good at adding photos.  Here it is.

http://digitalmarquette.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p128701coll5/id/30/rec/8

[Nukem2]

Al was inovlved in some kind of President's committee on physical fitness.  Could the picture be related to that?

[We R Final Four]

I believe you are correct on that.  Thanks.

[dgies9156]

There is that picture of Al shaking Pres Carter's hand at the White House in 1978 in the hallway at the Al Center and in the MU archives. 

Was that Al's lucky suit????? Looks like it could be!

[Nukem2]

Was that Al's lucky suit????? Looks like it could be!

Don't think so.  The lucky suit was a black sport coat and grey slacks.

[DoggyDaddy]

How do you know Al didn't wear the grey slacks to the White House? 
Carter by the way, was wearing his unlucky suit.  He wore it alot.