50th Anniversary
The achievement of an undefeated Class AA Basketball Championship by the 1958-59 Lincoln High Links happened 50 years ago as I am writing this in 2009. For me it seems like yesterday. This is my personal memory of the "rest of the story."
First a little background information. When I was about 12 years old, I was going through some of the old LINKS (Lincoln High yearbooks) and I discovered that in 1945-46, Lincoln High was the undefeated State High School Basketball Champions. It was my wish that at some point in time they would repeat this fantastic accomplishment. Naive? oh, yes, like it was an easy task. The Links had come close in 1955. In the fall of 1958, I knew Dad was considering retiring from coaching. It was just possible this had to be the year if it was going to be repeated.
When practice began, Dad was smiling more. He knew he had a good team; it could be a great team.
There was excitement in the air from the first game. The band played "Rock Around the Clock" as the team came on the floor. Can you picture it? The gym is crowded with fans; the team enters and the band strikes up with Rock Around the Clock. They start the opening drill dribbling, weaving, passing. It ends as Don Burt with Sammy Zollicoffer following close behind goes for a layup. Instead of dunking the ball, Don passes the ball back over his head to Sammy. At only 5'7 Sammy dunks the basketball! It was a drill Dad designed. Later he couldn't remember exactly how it went nor was a video ever found.
As each game was played there was another "W" in the record book. The dream grew stronger. The Red and Black finished the regular season 15 and 0.
At the end of the regular season schedule, Dad announced his retirement effective at the end of the season. The district and state tournament games were next. My dream to repeat the 1945-46 achievement of undefeated state high school basketball champions had to be reached this year.
In the Districts they had to play both Lincoln Northeast and Lincoln Southeast for the third time that season. The first night, they beat Northeast 50-37. and the next night they won 66-38 over Southeast. At the end of that game, emotions were running so high, a riot broke out at Pershing Auditorium. One of the players, Don Burt, grabbed my brother Joe and carried him out of harms way.
The State Tournament was next. The prize was so close. The memories of the 1955 disappointment haunted me.
Lincoln High beat Scottsbluff 62-46 in the first game of the State Finals; Omaha South was next. A victory meant they were the undefeated State Champions. The Links beat Omaha South 61 to 51. How much do I remember about that final game? Very little. However, I shall never forget the end of the game as the team hoisted Dad on their shoulders and carried him off the coliseum floor. We won, by golly, we won!
