Aggie77
Official BDF member
Member Since: September 2004
Posts: 5,571
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Post by Aggie77 on Jul 24, 2011 14:28:05 GMT -5
aggie77----saabman was referring to NBA Hall of Fame playa supreme Earl "The Pearl" Monroe aka "Black Jesus". What happened was A&T's head coach Cal Irvin (supa coach by da way) recriuted "Pearl" from Philly and "Pearl" only stayed at "T" for a month or two his freshman year because Cal would not give "Pearl's" running partner (Eugene Smiley) a scholly. "Pearl" returned to Philly and "Big House" Gaines at WSSU went to Philly and gave both a scholly just to get "Pearl" at TC(WSSU).......During those days WSSU was referred to as TC(Winston-Salem State Teachers College). "Pearl" went on to help lead da New York Knicks to da NBA championship in 1973(da LAST year da Knicks have won it!). "Black Jesus" took TC to the promise land because before he came to W-S dey ain't had NUTHIN!!!! He was da "MAYOR" and savior in East Winston and put dat school on THE map. I been following Aggies Athletics for about 4 decades and this is actually the first time I heard that The Pearl: 1) enrolled at A&T , and 2) set on the pine. I have heard many stories of the recruiting battle for The Pearl between and Coach Irwin and Coach Gaines, but this one is a new one.
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Post by aggie2ru on Jul 24, 2011 14:51:51 GMT -5
aggie 77......"Pearl" was never enrolled but he was here at "T" for a short period in what would have been his freshman year. Cal Irvin was trying to get him a look and convince him to enroll but his partner, Gene Smiley, was not included in da deal. "Pearl" went back to Philly and got a jive job and "Big House" went and got him for TC(WSSU). NO, he did not ever "suit" up or sit on da pine.
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Post by aggie2ru on Jul 24, 2011 18:34:16 GMT -5
aggie77...... just got off the phone with my cousin who was at TC(WSSU)with Earl "Pearl" Monroe aka "Black Jesus" aka "Black Magic" (before there was a Magic Johnson). Eugene Smiley came to TC the same year as Monroe but Steven Smith was the playa Cal Irvin would not accept as a part of a package deal. Steven Smith was from Philly and Gene Smiley from Newark, NJ (ironically Agiie great Al Attles former hometown). TC was the first HBCU to win a national championship in 1967 w/Monroe, Smiley, Smith (who was a bench playa), William English, etc. TC went underfeated that whole year and won the NAIA champinship. The AGGIES were very strong that year also!!! One of our games we lost to TC in a barn burner by 2pts. We may not have won da game but I betcha we had da BEST ladies!!! he he
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Post by SixtiesAggie on Jul 24, 2011 20:32:50 GMT -5
aggie77...... just got off the phone with my cousin who was at TC(WSSU)with Earl "Pearl" Monroe aka "Black Jesus" aka "Black Magic" (before there was a Magic Johnson). Eugene Smiley came to TC the same year as Monroe but Steven Smith was the playa Cal Irvin would not accept as a part of a package deal. Steven Smith was from Philly and Gene Smiley from Newark, NJ (ironically Agiie great Al Attles former hometown). TC was the first HBCU to win a national championship in 1967 w/Monroe, Smiley, Smith (who was a bench playa), William English, etc. TC went underfeated that whole year and won the NAIA champinship. The AGGIES were very strong that year also!!! One of our games we lost to TC in a barn burner by 2pts. We may not have won da game but I betcha we had da BEST ladies!!! he he Steven Smith is originally from Queens New York. He was a newspaper columist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. TC won the NCAA DII championship in 1967.
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Post by aggie2ru on Jul 24, 2011 20:57:38 GMT -5
SixtiesAggie.......You are partly correct TC did win the NCAA DII championship in '67 instead of the NAIA. However, "Black Magic's" partner WAS named Steven Smith out of Philly and he was a seldom used (sat on da deep end of the bench) 5'9", 160 lb Guard. He was Monroe's tight man and they came down here(NC) together.The journalist, TV guy is named Steven Smith---2 different people. That is word!!!!
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Post by aggie2ru on Jul 24, 2011 21:03:41 GMT -5
Forgot----TC went 31-1 dat year they won da NCAA DII in '67. I still say that even though they beat us 3 times that year (twice in regular season and once in CIAA tourney). We still had the best looking gurls in the CIAA!!!!!!!!! GO AGGIES
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Post by DiehardAggie70 on Jul 24, 2011 23:11:24 GMT -5
Forgot----TC went 31-1 dat year they won da NCAA DII in '67. I still say that even though they beat us 3 times that year (twice in regular season and once in CIAA tourney). We still had the best looking gurls in the CIAA!!!!!!!!! GO AGGIES We beat WSSU in the CIAA semi's in 1967, that was their only loss that year.
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Post by SixtiesAggie on Jul 25, 2011 0:08:46 GMT -5
SixtiesAggie.......You are partly correct TC did win the NCAA DII championship in '67 instead of the NAIA. However, "Black Magic's" partner WAS named Steven Smith out of Philly and he was a seldom used (sat on da deep end of the bench) 5'9", 160 lb Guard. He was Monroe's tight man and they came down here(NC) together.The journalist, TV guy is named Steven Smith---2 different people. That is word!!!! You are right about Steven A. Smith. He would have been a toddler or not born at all. I mistakenly thought that he was the person that you referring to.
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saabman
Official BDF member
Posts: 11,828
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Post by saabman on Jul 25, 2011 1:03:28 GMT -5
My Farther was always mad at Coach Irwin for letting that Philly group get away because my mother went to TC/WSSU . I maybe wrong about his enrollment but from the way my father would talk about it I always had a feeling that he was. Dam I miss the days of the old CIAA, Philly Dog/ Mike Gale-ECSU, Cleo Hill -WSSU, Bobby Dandridge - Norfolk State, Joe Howell -NCA&T, Jackie Jackson- Virginia Union,Carlos Terry- WSSU,. Man what can I say...
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Post by aggie2ru on Jul 25, 2011 7:16:17 GMT -5
Man , I will tell you, da GREATEST basketball game I have EVER seen (tv or in person), was back in da day when Norfolk ST played da AGGIES at the Greensboro Coliseum it was a triple overtime game and, as I remember we lost in a TRUE nail biter 134-132 (3ot's can you believe dat?)in da CIAA championship game. Norfolk St had Bobby Dandrige, Pee Wee Kirkland, Charles Bonaparte, "Pop" Pitts, etc. and WE had Teddy Campbell, Daryl Cherry, George Mack, Lonnioe Klutz, Carl Hubbard, etc .......I'm pretty sure about all those PLAYAS in the game. At any rate, it was up-and-down basketball in BOTH halves. Errrrrrrrrrrone was disappointed we lost but nobody could complain cause da AGGIES stood tall against da Spartans. It cuda gone either way. Pee Wee Kirkland was a REAL character!!! He had ALL the CASH and da GURLS!!!! To the ones dat know, I don't have to explain how he was gettin money back then. The AGGIES won me over dat day and I've been AGGIE born and AGGIE bred errrrrrr since!!!!
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Post by Aggie911 on Jul 25, 2011 9:22:51 GMT -5
I was there. I agree that it was the GREATEST bb game i have seen .
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Post by Bigboy on Jul 25, 2011 16:16:43 GMT -5
In 1965 I played in the Black Shrine Bowl high school football game that was played in Winston. We stayed on TC's campus and I hung out with Monroe that whole week. Monreo's teammate ( I think his name was Johnny Watkins) who was his best friend was dating my home girl so he kind of let me hang with him and his "boys" all week. Man, felt like I was somebody special hanging out with the "Pearl"!! And he was a real down to earth brother.
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saabman
Official BDF member
Posts: 11,828
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Post by saabman on Jul 25, 2011 23:49:23 GMT -5
aggie2ru: YOU HIT ON THE HEAD!!!! Bigboy: I have one better!! Pearl was trying to talk to my older sister. He drove over from TC to see her and as they were siting in the car my Dad drove up and caught them kissing!! lol. My old man was upset ..Lol I don't think pearl sit foot in Greensboro again out side of playing basketball!! My father and I saw pearl again at the CIAA tournament when my farther was talking with Big House and he introduced pearl to my father. Man pearl couldn't look my old man in the face. So big house asked my dad did he know the pearl and my did told him what happened and they just fell out laughing. Big house made pearl write my old man a latter of apology . He would always show that latter to anyone that asked about it.
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Post by aggiejazz on Jul 26, 2011 9:28:12 GMT -5
Great stories. BDV should have a thread for stories in each indiviual sport or maybe have a "all time great stories" thread or section. Can you believe it, that it has been 17 years or more since the Great A&T has had a men's basketball championship ... or even had a good team that threatens for a championship
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oleschoolaggie
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2009 Poster of the Year, 2009 Most Knowledgeable Poster
Posts: 24,207
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Post by oleschoolaggie on Jul 26, 2011 10:13:29 GMT -5
yeah, that's unbelievable. as a late 70's, early 80's aggie, every year in those days we use to take winning the men's meac championship for granted. even the years when we weren't favored to win the championship we somehow still pulled it out.
even when we changed coaches, we still kept winning championships. we went from renolds to littles to corbett and all three won championships. during those days, i would have never guessed that aggie basketball would one day experience a 1 win season! or even a couple of single digit win seasons for that matter. a&t use to own meac men's basketball, but now meac basketball owns us...
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