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Where Has The Time Gone?

Where Has The Time Gone?

7 years ago Mike Moyers

Reflecting on the Quincy/Springfield Super Sectional game played on March 14, 1967

When you’re 13 years old the world looks different.   Things are bigger, things sound different, and some events wind up being larger than life.

For me that was the case 50 years ago. 

It was the evening of March 14, 1967 and Quincy High was playing Springfield High in the Macomb Super Sectional.  The Devils were good-they always were under Coach Sherrill Hanks- and they were favored to win.  Quincy had defeated Springfield earlier in the year by 17 points.  So, this game, while not a laugher, looked to be one QHS would come away with.

I was tagging along with the Garber family as usual. Jack and Marilyn Garber already had 2 kids, Curt and Julie, but I was little, didn’t each much and Curt and I really got along well.  The Garbers were a godsend to me and really treated me like part of the family.  They were great people and really fun to be around.  Jack used to call me “partna” all the time.  I kind of miss that.

We rode to Macomb ON THE TRAIN to see this game.  Hold that thought for a minute.  We rode to Macomb on the train.  When you’re 13 riding on the train to see a ballgame is a big deal.

I remember walking into Western Hall that evening and gasping at its size.  The structure was completed in 1964 and had a seating capacity of just over 5100.  However, to me, the place was huge.  Come to think of it now, it might have been the biggest gym I had ever been inside.  And Western Illinois University was a UNIVERSITY.  And that was something special.

The place was packed and there seemed be a constant buzz going through the facility.  The game’s big story was Springfield’s Dave Robisch against my hometown hero, Billy Gay.  Robisch was 6-9 and about 230.  He was left handed, had a decent drop step move and was a scorer.  Quincy had held Robisch to 18 points in the first meeting thanks to a gimmick defense created by the Quincy coaching staff.

Gay was a man among men. He was 6-4, about 220 and was both quick and physical.  Gay specialized at posting up, back to the basket, receiving a pass then backing his opponent down the lane.  The result: either a quick spin to the hoop (as Coach Hanks would call it) or Gay’s patented fall away jumper.  Bill Gay was an assassin.  And 57% of the time he shot the ball from the floor positive points were going up on Quincy’s side of the scoreboard.  It was a duel between 2 of the better, if not best, post players in the state.

“The Springfield paper had the game listed as “Gay against Robisch,” explained Gay.  “And they suggested that it would be no contest. That kind of fired me up.”  Gay, who still looks he could get you 20 points and 15 rebounds, is retired after a long career in law enforcement.  He graduated from QHS in 1967 and went on to enjoy a stellar career at Bradley University.  Gay later tried out for a couple of ABA teams but later returned to Illinois.  His son, Jason, was one of the key players on Quincy’s 1987 team that captured fourth place at the IHSA State Tournament.   The Gay name has been part of Blue Devil history over the years.  Yet, there is just one Billy Gay.

The Devils trailed at the end of the first half, 33-29, but came out big in the third quarter, outscoring Springfield 15-7, taking a lead of 44-40 into the fourth frame.

“He (Sherill Hanks) did things a little differently,” said Kenny Hultz from his office front in Quincy.  “He tried to run a special like box and one defense against Robisch.  He had Alan Bush in front of Robisch and Billy Gay behind him and we ran that through the third quarter.  We were leading at that time.  But, for whatever reason, I think Coach Hanks thought the Springfield Coach was going to do something different. So, he took Alan off of Robisch.   Whether or not that made a difference in the game I don’t know.”

Hultz, who had been a key part of the Quincy attack during the year, scored 16 of Quincy’s 68 points on that Tuesday night, including some big baskets in overtime.  He recalled the special effort made by the Quincy coaching staff to get the team ready for the rematch.

“Our assistant coach at that time was Chuck Hutchens who was about 6-8,” Hultz continued.  “Coach Hanks had him take a paddle or something and guard us so we got used to knowing what it was going to be like when Dave Robisch was in front of us.  I think that helped us win that first game against Springfield and helped in the second game too.”

Assistant coaches are a big part of every team and Sherrilll Hanks continued to surround himself with great ones.  In 1967 Joe Yagel, Chuck Hutchens and Don Kelly comprised the Quincy brain trust.  Don Kelly remembers that game 50 years ago vividly.

“I wasn’t there,” he laughed.   “Coach Hanks had sent Hutch (Chuck Hutchens) and me to Charleston to scout.  After the game we got into the car and on our way home did our best to try to listen to the game on the radio. It was so frustrating because we could hear part of the game and then it would cut out on us and then it would come back in and Hutch and I were just going crazy.”  Kelly retired after a long career as a coach and teacher in the Quincy school system.  Like Gay, Quincy basketball has been a big part in his life.   Kelly’s son, Ryan, was a starter on the Quincy team that captured a third place trophy in 1998.

As it was pointed out during conversations with both Gay and Hultz the outcome of the contest might have been different if senior Bruce Bybee had been available.  Bybee, who averaged near nine points a game, was in street clothes some 50 years ago.

“I didn’t play as I had injured my knee during a practice session right before the Collinsville game.  So, I sat in the first bleacher row behind the team,” Bybee explained.  “Steve Bricker had filled in pretty well for me in other games.”

Springfield outscored Quincy 14-10 in the final quarter, tying the game at 54 and sending it into overtime.  Both teams scored 8 points in the first overtime.  Springfield matched the 8 point total in the second and Quincy had a chance to do the same. But 2 missed free throws by guard Alan Bush ended the evening and the season for Quincy High.

“What I remember most is after the huddle broke and the guys were going back out on to the court is I called to Alan and gave him a hand slap for luck.  And I’ve always wished I hadn’t done that,” said Bybee. “So many people would say, “if Alan Bush had made those shots!!”.  The first time I heard that it made me a little bit angry because there were other shots missed and other free throws missed during the game, so it wasn’t all on Alan.   It still irritates me that Alan missing those shots is what people remember most about that game.”

“I would not have wanted anybody else up there to shoot those free throws other than Alan,” Hultz said.  “It was just one of those things.”

“Sherrilll was very positive with the players because they gave it 100% effort,” remembered Don Kelly.  There was no criticism of Alan or anyone else.  It was just a fantastic high school game.  There was very little sadness at that point in time as Coach tried to build them up and make them proud of their effort.”

Springfield won in double overtime 70-68 (game box below).  Robisch ended the night with 47 points.  He took 31 of the 57 shots Springfield attempted and made 19 of them.  Gay had 34 points on a 14 of 24 effort from the floor while going 6 of 6 from the line.  Kenny Hultz added 16.

Four days later in Champaign Springfield would finish the year as the third best team in the state.  Robisch had games of 25, 41 and 39 in the remaining games of the tournament; scoring 152 in all.

Billy Gay would be named to All-State Teams by the Champaign News Gazette (First Team) and Chicago Daily News.  Robisch went on to become a 2 time All-American at Kansas.  He enjoyed a 13 year career in the NBA.

Some Blue Devil fans lamented about the way the game ended and about the same number did not.

After all, these were just kids.  And to this kid it was a magical night filled with mystery and history.

And it still is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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