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A Look Back at the 1963 Loyola Ramblers August 25, 2006 by Tim Adams With the release of the movie "Glory Road" much attention has recently been put on the 1966 Texas-Western championship win against Adolph Rupp and the Kentucky Wildcats. The movie delves into that championship game and the all black starting line-up of Texas-Western versus the all white lineup of the Wildcats, and the importance of that game in helping to desegregate college basketball. Much less is known about the significant NCAA title run of the Loyola Ramblers three years prior to Texas-Western's, in 1963. Loyola's story is just like Texas-Western's in that it was a catalyst for social change, but it is also a true cinderella story as well. In 1963 college basketball coaches had an agreement that limited the number of black players on a team and how many could be in the game at one time. Typically no more than three black players could be in the game at one time, but early on in the '62-'63 season the coach at Loyola, George Ireland, began putting four black players into games regularly. In a game against Wyoming, when white starter John Egan fouled out and Ireland inserted a substitute, Loyola became the first Division 1 team to sport an all black lineup. At the time, Loyola was a school with little in terms of basketball recognition, even in its own city. It was a small Jesuit school on Chicago's northside that played in the shadows of nearby schools DePaul and Northwestern. Loyola had never played in the NCAA tournament prior to '63 and not much had ever been expected from the team. It may have been a blessing in disguise though, as coach Ireland was able to bring the players he wanted without causing a stir. Loyola began the NCAA tournament with a win against Tennessee Tech, which brought a match-up against Mississippi State. The state of Mississippi at that time still, by law, practiced segregation, and the governor banned the school from traveling to the tournament to play Loyola. The Mississippi State team was able to sneak out of the state and play the game, and Loyola pulled out another victory. In the regional final Loyola beat in-state powerhouse Illinois and then Duke in the national semifinal. This put Loyola into the championship game for the first, and as yet only time. They were to face two time defending champs Cincinnati. Cincy was the first college team to be playing for a three-peat and very few people thought Loyola could contend with the Bearcats. Cincinnati also had a well integrated team and when the two teams tipped the game off, a total of seven black players were starting; four on Loyola and three on Cincinnati. Throughout most of the game it looked as if the Bearcats were headed for a third title. They were dominating the Ramblers and were up 15 points (45-30) midway through the second half. Loyola though, made a remarkable comeback, and in the final seconds of regulation, tied the score at 54, sending the NCAA title game into overtime. The Ramblers were able to pull it out in overtime, winning the game 60-58. It was a big upset, and was an unusual game for other reasons as well. Loyola had won the game despite shooting only 27.4% from the field, and playing the starting line-up the entire game. They compensated though by committing only three turnovers for the game. Loyola is the only school from the state of Illinois and the only Jesuit school to have won the NCAA title. Tim Adams
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