Bill Smith story

[stuckinbig11]

Smith’s record, SU hoops legacy deserves to be remembered

 

[RoysRunts]

Smith’s record, SU hoops legacy deserves to be remembered

That's Amazing! I love it!! That was the 2nd SU Game I ever attended,The 1st was a Holy Cross loss that year

 

[sutomcat]

Nice story by Scott. I wish I had a chance to see him play for Syracuse...

 

[rrlbees]

Smith’s record, SU hoops legacy deserves to be remembered

As a teen he was my favorite player. Skilled and tough as nails. I was at the games mentioned and I had always thought he’d be an NBA all star but as the story said, he tore his knee up.

 

[allnetcuse]

All the scholarship basketball players were housed in Lawrinson dorm back then. Bill Finney used to host some of the other players in friendly card games, and seeing Bill Smith play Indian Head Poker always got me chuckling. The zoo was always rocking and Bill Smith was a big help in raising our profile after some lean years.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Don't want to be that guy, but I was on the Hill the same time as Smith. I remember him loudly berating the woman who was in charge of the cafeteria. He just wasn't a nice person.

I grant you that a snapshot of a person isn't the whole person, but, as a short person, I always had a thing about tall people using their sheer physical presence to intimidate others. I saw Smith do that on more than one occasion, at least once on his then girlfriend, who was very petite.

 

[Sudano]

Are there any highlights of him? Can't find anything.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Are there any highlights of him? Can't find anything.

He was a key part of the team that helped change the fortunes of SU basketball: Roy's Runts Plus One (Smith was the One). Team made the NIT, which was important back then. I went to MSG to watch them, I think, lose to Michigan.

Also saw them lose a close one to Penn in the Quaker City Classic, thanks, per usual, to some hometown Philly officiating. Penn's Steve Bielsky drew a phantom charge call to sink the Orange. I think that might've been the Penn team that went to the Final Four.

 

[Sudano]

My first game was Bob Dooms, Chris Sease, Rudy Hackett, Jim Lee, Jimmie Williams starting lineup vs Colgate in manley.

 

[Symphony Steve]

My first game was Bob Dooms, Chris Sease, Rudy Hackett, Jim Lee, Jimmie Williams starting lineup vs Colgate in manley.

Yep, that was just a couple of years later. Jimmy's older brother Mike, along with Syracuse native Mark Wadach and Smith, were the frontcourt starters for that NIT team.

Wadach was only 6-1, and Lee was 6-3. And they were the forwards.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Nice story by Scott. I wish I had a chance to see him play for Syracuse...

I not only saw him play, I lived on Lawrenson 11 with him for two years. He was quite laid-back when not on the court. His girlfriend/wife was 4'11" -- a strange looking pair. It too Smitty only about five minutes to teach me how to juggle three tennis balls. I was also there for his 47-point game.

 

[stuckinbig11]

All the scholarship basketball players were housed in Lawrinson dorm back then. Bill Finney used to host some of the other players in friendly card games, and seeing Bill Smith play Indian Head Poker always got me chuckling. The zoo was always rocking and Bill Smith was a big help in raising our profile after some lean years.

Yep, on Lawrinson 11. Smitty and Finney were pranksters and got split up. Bob McDaniel joined Smitty until he left for academic reasons. Paul Piotrowsky roomed with Smitty the next year.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Don't want to be that guy, but I was on the Hill the same time as Smith. I remember him loudly berating the woman who was in charge of the cafeteria. He just wasn't a nice person.

I grant you that a snapshot of a person isn't the whole person, but, as a short person, I always had a thing about tall people using their sheer physical presence to intimidate others. I saw Smith do that on more than one occasion, at least once on his then girlfriend, who was very petite.

I knew him. He was laid back if not pushed to anger.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

I remember him loudly berating the woman who was in charge of the cafeteria.

All he wanted was some bacon jalepeno mac and cheese...

 

[cuseattle]

2 years before I was old enough to remember, but I know he is in the pantheon of our goods.
I read all of SWC's stuff for the old timey insight.

 

[cuseattle]

This would be my other avatar if I hsd the heart to change

 

[cuseattle]

L-Mo!

 

[cuseattle]

Thanks Oakland for the check in! (Joe)

 

[kcsu]

My first game was Bob Dooms, Chris Sease, Rudy Hackett, Jim Lee, Jimmie Williams starting lineup vs Colgate in manley.

Bug Williams!!

 

[sutomcat]

Are there any highlights of him? Can't find anything.

 

[orangetom]

I was at the 47 point game. It was a travesty that he was left in far too long during a total blowout against a very week opponent just to break Dave Bing's 46 point single game scoring record. A good player but still a travesty.

 

[rrlbees]

 

[SUFan44]

Smith’s record, SU hoops legacy deserves to be remembered

Way too young to know of him but what a good read. Had no idea he held the single-game scoring record and I’m about as big an SU hoops junkie as you will find.

 

[Symphony Steve]

I not only saw him play, I lived on Lawrenson 11 with him for two years. He was quite laid-back when not on the court. His girlfriend/wife was 4'11" -- a strange looking pair. It too Smitty only about five minutes to teach me how to juggle three tennis balls. I was also there for his 47-point game.

W-wait. You were on Lawrinson 11? I was on Lawrinson 11. But Bill wasn't on 11 when I was there. None of the hoopsters were. Although our RA my sophomore year was former SU captain Bill Case. A tremendously nice guy. He loved the Band, and so did I. We saw 'em at the War Memorial, still one of my all-time fave concerts.

 

[RF2044]

Smith doesn't get talked about often, but my father insists he deserves to be mentioned with Seikaly, Bouie, etc. as the best centers in program history.

He apparently was really, really good -- not just a guy viewed through a historical lens who wouldn't thrive against today's players.

He was ahead of my time, so no memory of him playing -- but I always found that interesting.