Ernie McCray
EDITOR’S NOTE: Former Tucson High School and University of Arizona basketball standout Ernie McCray is a legendary figure to Tucsonans and Wildcat fans. McCray, who holds the Wildcats’ scoring record with 46 points on Feb. 6, 1960, against Cal State-Los Angeles, is the first African-American basketball player to graduate from Arizona. He also starred at Tucson High. McCray, who now resides in San Diego, earned degrees in physical education and elementary education at Arizona. He is a longtime educator, actor and activist in community affairs in the San Diego-area. He wrote a blog for TucsonCitizen.com before the site ceased current-events operations last year. He agreed to continue offering his opinion and insight with AllSportsTucson.com. McCray also writes blogs for SanDiegoFreePress.org.
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I just finished a very pleasant read, “100 Things Arizona Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die,” a book written by two of the best sports writers around, Steve Rivera and Anthony Gimino.
They write a lot about Arizona Basketball History and having played a role in that history, and having been around it all my life, the book couldn’t help but resonate with me in special ways.
In a chapter about University of Arizona traditions I found the words to a fight song that’s flowed through my veins and bones ever since I first heard it as a 14 year old, back in 1952:
Bear Down, Arizona
Bear Down, Red and Blue
Bear Down, Arizona
Hit ’em hard, let ’em know who’s who
Bear Down, Arizona
Bear Down, Red and Blue
Go, go Wildcats, go
Arizona Bear Down
That song is a part of my soul; it was the very backbeat in those moments when I would just ignore old Jim Crow and do my “Easy Ernie” thing on the crickety basketball floor in the now obsolete Bear Down Gym, moving to the sounds of cheers and drums and horns. Moments of sheer delight.
The book ignited so many precious memories: talking life with the legendary Pop McKale, coach and athletic director extraordinaire, a man I considered a friend; hearing coach Fred Enke yelling frantically “Get the ball to Ernie for goodness sake!”; just chatting with Allan Stanton, the coach of my freshman team, a man who taught me how to view every shot that was missed as “Mine!”
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Ernie McCray during his Arizona playing days. His 46 points in a 1960 game remains a school record (University of Arizona photo)
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Arizona cheerleaders read up on Wildcat hoop history at a recent book signing event in Las Vegas (AllSportsTucson.com photo)
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I loved the stories of the basketball players who came before me, guys I saw play when I was a child, in the 40’s, through my teenage years, sports heroes of mine: Roger Johnson, with his immaculate overall game, truly one of the all-time bests, no matter the era; Linc Richmond, a scoring machine; Stewart and Morris K. “Mo” Udall, stalwarts on the court and Arizona politics sans the extreme craziness.
As I read, images would come to my mind, like of the days when I was easing into my teens in the early 50’s, back when Hadie Redd, the first black player at the school, was wowing them on the courts with his speed and the smoothest old one-handed set shot I’ve ever seen – paving the way for me, the second black player, to come on the scene in the latter part of the decade when Elvis was twisting his hips to Blue Suede Shoes.
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“100 Things Arizona Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” paints a vivid picture of how Arizona’s rise to prominence came to be. It’s quite a Bear Down story.
And there were guys written about with whom I wish I could have played, guys I missed by a year. The great rebounder, Bill Reeves, who graduated the year before me and the ball-snatching, jump shooting Joe Skaisger, who arrived the year after me. Oh, Joe and I would have shot the lights out of the gym and the three of us would have controlled the boards like machines, screaming “Mine!” each time. That would have been fun.
But when it comes to fun, none of us back then had the kind of fun playing hoops that teams have had since those days. The teams that have made Arizona a powerhouse in college basketball. The teams of Fred “The Fox” Snowden, the first black basketball head coach at a Division I school, and the teams of wonder coaches, Lute Olson (won it all in 1997), and Sean Miller (getting close).
“100 Things Arizona Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” paints a vivid picture of how Arizona’s rise to prominence came to be. It’s quite a Bear Down story.
And when I put the book down I was more proud than ever of having played a role in that history of basketball. It’s nice to be remembered, to be kept alive.
Go, Cats!
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