Loyola/Mississippi State - ESPN

[T-Bone]

Nice writeup about a significant game (which I knew little about):
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8741183/game-change-mississippi-state-loyola-cannot-forgotten-college-basketball

[mugrad99]

I have become good friends with Jerry Harkness. We are in the same training club each year for the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. He has some amazing stories of what it was like back in the early 60's. Daily death threats, separate hotels. He laughs about players today who think officials are out to get them...They really were out to get them back then.

I think one of the the most amazing parts of his story is the high school he went to, DeWitt Clinton. You should check out the famous alumni. Butch Lee is one. Ralph Lauren, Stan Lee, Sherwood Schwartz, Johnny Most, Tiny Archibald.....

[T-Bone]

Wow:
http://www.dewittclintonalumni.com/files/DWCNotableAlumniJuly2012.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeWitt_Clinton_High_School#Notable_alumni

Thanks for adding your info.

[Coach Norman Dale]

FYI -- Although not mentioned in the article for some reason, this film was produced by Jerry Harkness' son, Jerald.  Jerald has made some terrific films over the years, but this was, no doubt, a true labor of love for him.  Like father, like son -- Jerry and Jerald are simply two of the nicest people I had the pleasure of getting to know during the time I lived in Indianapolis.

[Coach Norman Dale]

another Friday fun fact about Jerry Harkness --

Sports Q&A:  What is the longest shot ever made in professional basketball?

A regulation basketball court is 94 feet in length, and the record-breaking shot made by Jerry Harkness of the Indiana Pacers was nearly that long. In an American Basketball Association game between the Pacers and the Dallas Chapparals on November 13, 1967, Harkness took an inbounds pass from teammate Oliver Darden with one second left on the clock and heaved the ball 92 feet and watched in amazement as it went in. Since the shot was beyond the ABA's 25-foot three-point line, the shot counted as a three and gave the Pacers an amazing 119–118 victory. Interestingly enough, Indiana coach Larry Staverman didn't even see the winning shot drop in because he had already started for the Pacers' locker room, convinced his team had lost the game.


]http://www.answers.com/topic/what-is-the-longest-shot-ever-made-in-professional-basketball#ixzz2F3L3k6Zp]

I should probably be embarrassed to admit this -- while I have known the Harknesses for about 25 years I did not know about the "Game of Change" until recently, but I have known about this long shot for many, many years and thought that was Jerry's greatest basketball accomplishment beyond the National Championship!

[Benny B]

another Friday fun fact about Jerry Harkness --

Sports Q&A:  What is the longest shot ever made in professional basketball?

A regulation basketball court is 94 feet in length, and the record-breaking shot made by Jerry Harkness of the Indiana Pacers was nearly that long. In an American Basketball Association game between the Pacers and the Dallas Chapparals on November 13, 1967, Harkness took an inbounds pass from teammate Oliver Darden with one second left on the clock and heaved the ball 92 feet and watched in amazement as it went in. Since the shot was beyond the ABA's 25-foot three-point line, the shot counted as a three and gave the Pacers an amazing 119–118 victory. Interestingly enough, Indiana coach Larry Staverman didn't even see the winning shot drop in because he had already started for the Pacers' locker room, convinced his team had lost the game.


]http://www.answers.com/topic/what-is-the-longest-shot-ever-made-in-professional-basketball#ixzz2F3L3k6Zp]

I should probably be embarrassed to admit this -- while I have known the Harknesses for about 25 years I did not know about the "Game of Change" until recently, but I have known about this long shot for many, many years and thought that was Jerry's greatest basketball accomplishment beyond the National Championship!

And thus, the Pacers secured their spot in the top four of the ABA.

[Coach Norman Dale]

Which resulted in the former owners of the Saint Louis Spirits making the greatest deal in the history of sports-related contracts!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/sports/basketball/former-aba-owners-ozzie-and-daniel-silna-earn-millions-from-nba.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0