THE SNAKEPIT: CHAGNON GYM (NEE VERNOIS)

On the cusp of the start of high school basketball, I'm reminded of the time back in 1966 when Ed Sullivan came to watch a Mt. Vernon Ram/Marion Wildcat game in Vernois Gym. He was there to promote Sullivan Cablevision tv when it came to the King City. He was introduced to the crowd, stepped onto the court about where the Rams talk it over with the coach. He then stepped back, went to his seat and watched Greg Starrick of the Wilcats shoot the rock.

Starrick later played for Kentucky before transferring to SIU where he set a national record for free throw shooting percentage. It was a sick .977 or something. I think it was broken just a few seasons ago.

At Vernois Gym that night, he was left with a poor team after leading the Wildcats to a State Tournament appearance as a sophomore. They defeated the Rams in the first Sweet 16 game at the new SIU Arena. That was a Ram team featuring Terry Gamber and Hoobie Hester. But by the time his senior year rolled around, Marion was terrible. Except for Starrick. His father, Wendall, was the coach and there were rumors that he was going to get the Mt. Vernon basketball coaching job and bring Greg with him, of course. Too bad it never materialized.

Starrick would take one dribble past the center line and let it fly. Keep in mind, this was before any three point shot line. He scored 70 points in one game at Marion that year. Not this night, but if I recall he totaled 40 or so.

Besides watching one of the greatest high school players I'd ever seen, and without a doubt one of the best pure shooters, I remember being awed by Ed Sullivan. I mean, just two years earlier he had introduced The Beatles on his Sunday night tv show. My comment to the buddies I was with that night, "He looks green with all that make-up on."

It was just one of the many great nights I spent in the Snakepit.