Wikipedia

Tommy Curtis

For other people with similar names, see Tom Curtis.

Thomas Lewis Curtis[1] (January 8, 1952 – August 3, 2021)[2] was an American college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins. He played on two undefeated national championship teams at UCLA. He did not lose a game in college until his final season, helping the school to a record 88-game consecutive win streak.

Tommy Curtis
Curtis (No. 22) with UCLA.
Personal information
Born(1952-01-08)January 8, 1952
Albion, Michigan, U.S.
DiedAugust 3, 2021(2021-08-03) (aged 69)
Port St. Joe, Florida, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Listed weight170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High schoolLeon (Tallahassee, Florida)
CollegeUCLA (1971–1974)
NBA draft1974: 7th round, 117th overall pick
Selected by the Buffalo Braves
PositionPoint guard
Number22
Career highlights and awards
  • 2× NCAA champion (1972, 1973)
  • Florida Prep/High School Player of the Year (1969)
  • No. 33 retired by Leon High
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Curtis was the first African American to play basketball at his high school in Florida, where he was named the state's basketball player of the year in 1969. He left his home state of Florida to attend college at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). A small but quick point guard, he helped the Bruins establish a national collegiate record of seven consecutive national titles under coach John Wooden.

After earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at UCLA, Curtis returned to Florida and worked for the state's Department of Commerce and later a Florida business council assisting minorities.

Early life

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Curtis was born in Albion, Michigan,[3][4] into an affluent family, and grew up in Tampa, Florida.[5][3][4] His mother, Johnye Rogers Curtis,[6] was a social activist and a co-founder of the Florida chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).[5] His father, Tom, played college football as a fullback for Florida A&M,[6] and he later worked for Central Life Insurance Company.[5] Tommy Curtis' maternal grandfather was the founder of the insurance company, which became one of the largest black-owned insurance companies in the country.[5][7] After Curtis' parents divorced when he was eight,[8] his mother became a professor at Florida State University,[5] and his father went into the construction business in Albion.[6]

Curtis was one of the first 50 black students to attend Leon High School in Tallahassee. He was the first black to play on Leon's basketball team, and he was named the state's Prep/High School Basketball Player of the Year in 1969,[5] when he averaged 32 points per game.[9][10] The school retired his No. 33 in 2015.[11]

College career

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Curtis considered attending the University of Florida or Florida State, but his mother encouraged him to be independent and move away from home. His uncle in Compton, California, contacted UCLA about Curtis attending the school.[12] Curtis earned a scholarship to UCLA, where he played basketball under Wooden.[5] Curtis began at UCLA along with Larry Farmer on the freshman squad; players were not allowed to play varsity basketball their first year in college, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) limitation at the time.[13][14]

Curtis did not play his second year, having redshirted, as the Bruins won the national championship.[13][15] He started playing varsity ball on the 1971–72 team, which also included first-year players Bill Walton, Keith Wilkes (later known as Jamaal Wilkes), and Greg Lee.[13][14] UCLA again won the national championship that season, their sixth consecutive title.[14] The Bruins outscored opponents by an NCAA-record 30.3 points per game during an undefeated 30–0 season, extending the school's winning streak to 45 consecutive games;[16] UCLA had last lost in 1971 to Notre Dame.[17]

Wooden started Lee over Curtis that season. Lee was bigger than the small, 5-foot-11-inch (1.80 m) Curtis, and he was more effective than Curtis at getting the ball into the high post and complementing Walton, who was also close friends with Lee. Wooden also believed Curtis would be more valuable providing a needed spark to the team off the bench, a role the coach did not believe Lee could fill.[12][18][19]

Curtis played a large role with eight points and six assists in the championship game as UCLA defeated Florida State, 81–76. Wooden replaced Lee in the first half with the quicker Curtis, which, along with a strong performance by Walton, helped turn an early deficit into an 11-point halftime lead.[20][21]

 
UCLA team after their seventh consecutive championship in 1973

Curtis continued a Wooden tradition of quick, strong-shooting, black point guards at UCLA, established earlier by Walt Hazzard, Lucius Allen, Mike Warren, and Henry Bibby.[22] Wooden said he was best in a fast-paced running game and commended his defensive skills.[12]

Curtis became a starter his junior year, beating out the incumbent, Lee. He started the first 10 games of the season before becoming ill with the London flu.[12][19] He was out for two weeks, and his weight dropped from 170 to 153 pounds (77 to 69 kg). When he returned, Lee had re-established himself as the starter, and Curtis became a key reserve. He did not brood over his new role, and Wooden called him a good team player.[12]

Curtis sparked the team with 12 points off the bench in a 54–39 win over San Francisco in the quarterfinals of the 1973 NCAA tournament. His play was cited by both Wooden and opposing coach Bob Gaillard as keys to the game's outcome.[23] In the semifinals, he led the team in scoring with 22 points to help defeat Indiana 70–59.[24][25] UCLA defeated Memphis, 87–66, to complete another perfect 30–0 season and win an NCAA-record seventh straight title.[26][27] During the season, the Bruins eclipsed San Francisco's NCAA record of 60 consecutive victories, defeating Notre Dame for No. 61.[16]

In his senior year, Curtis became a starter again.[28] The Bruins started the season ranked No. 1 and won their first 13 games.[16] On January 19, 1974, then-No. 2 Notre Dame ended UCLA's record 88-game win streak[a] with a 71–70 victory in South Bend, Indiana.[30] The Fighting Irish scored the final 12 points of the game as UCLA missed six straight shots and committed four turnovers, including two by Curtis.[16][17][31] Curtis and Walton missed jumpers in the final seconds, and there were four unsuccessful attempts to tip in a miss.[32] Wooden did not call a timeout late in the game, as was his custom in the final two minutes.[16][33] Curtis, who trash-talked during games,[34] was accused afterwards by Notre Dame's Dwight Clay of taunting.[35][36]

A week later, the Bruins beat Notre Dame, 94–75, in a rematch at home at Pauley Pavilion.[17] UCLA lost three more times that season.[37] Their bid for an eighth consecutive championship ended after an 80–77 defeat in double-overtime to North Carolina State in the 1974 NCAA tournament semifinals.[38] In his 2016 autobiography, Walton blamed Curtis for both the tournament loss as well as earlier defeats in the season. He criticized Curtis for his overdribbling and trash-talking, and lamented Lee's lack of playing time.[39]

Curtis majored in sociology in college.[40] He later earned an MBA degree at UCLA as well.[5]

Later years

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Although Curtis never played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), he was drafted in the seventh round of the 1974 NBA draft by the Buffalo Braves.[41]

He became a mortgage broker with First Interstate Mortgage Company in Pasadena, California. He moved back to Florida in 1984 because his grandmother was ill. He became an international trade representative in Tallahassee with the state Department of Commerce. His job put him into contact with the Central Space Coast Minority Purchasing Council, which assisted minority businesses in working with purchasing agents for government agencies and private industries. After the group merged with a similar Tampa-area group to form the Greater Florida Minority Development Council, Curtis became the council's first full-time executive director.[5]

Personal

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Curtis' paternal uncle, Ulysses, also played football at Florida A&M and became one the first blacks to play in the Canadian Football League.[7] Curtis learned to practice Transcendental Meditation during college from Walton, his UCLA teammate.[40] Curtis was also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.[42]

Curtis died at his home in Port St. Joe, Florida, on August 3, 2021.[10][43][44] He was 69.[10]

Notes

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  1. ^ The Connecticut Huskies women's team broke UCLA's NCAA basketball record with 90 straight wins (2008–2010).[29]

References

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  1. ^ "Thomas F. Curtis". Battle Creek Enquirer. July 1, 2002. p. 4A. Retrieved August 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Thomas "Tommy" Lewis Curtis". pascogainersrfuneralhome.com. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Frank, Bill (April 8, 1973). "UCLA star visits here". Enquirer and News. p. C-3. Retrieved August 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b Selman, Jim (April 8, 1973). "Curtis: Trip To China Would Be Life Dream". The Tampa Tribune-Times. p. 7-D. Retrieved August 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Foster, Robin (October 13, 1986). "Still Setting His Goals High Tommy Curtis Starts At Fast-break Pace As Head Of Minority Development Council". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c McGrotha, Bill (June 19, 1985). "Leaving old stories behind Curtis comes home again". Tallahassee Democrat. p. 1D. Retrieved August 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b McEwen, Tom (December 19, 1973). "The Bruin From Tampa". The Tampa Tribune. p. 1-C. Retrieved August 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Curtis, Tommy (February 1971). "The Good Times and The Bad". The Christian Athlete. Vol. 15, no. 2. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  9. ^ "UCLA Signs Leon's Curtis". The Tampa Tribune. May 29, 1969. Retrieved August 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b c Henry, Jim (August 10, 2021). "'A class act and role model': Funeral service set for former Leon basketball star Tommy Curtis". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  11. ^ Miller, Brian (April 10, 2015). "Leon's Curtis leaves lasting legacy". Tallahassee Democrat. Archived from the original on April 27, 2015.
  12. ^ a b c d e Zier, Patrick (March 24, 1973). "Wooden, Walton, UCLA—And Curtis". Lakeland Ledger. p. 1B. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  13. ^ a b c Kirkpatrick, Curry (November 30, 1981). "Wise In The Ways Of The Wizard". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Farmer had three other classmates who might have shared in his record, but Tommy Curtis redshirted, Marvelous Marv Vitatoe transferred out of UCLA and Larry Hollyfield transferred in too late to be eligible for the NCAA playoff games in 1971.
  14. ^ a b c Rhoden, William (April 6, 1992). "Michigan's Fab Five: Ready, Steady, Go". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
  15. ^ "1971 Men's Basketball Team Celebrates 40th Anniversary". uclabruins.com. February 26, 2011. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013.
  16. ^ a b c d e Harris, Beth (December 17, 2010). "Led by Bill Walton, UCLA won 88 straight games". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2012. UCLA won its sixth consecutive NCAA title and outscored opponents by 30.3 points a game, an NCAA record that still stands.(subscription required)
  17. ^ a b c Heller, Dick (February 5, 2001). "Irish had magical night against 'Wizard'". The Washington Times. Retrieved August 2, 2012. UCLA hadn't lost a game since 1971 – at Notre Dame's Athletic and Convocation Center.(subscription required)
  18. ^ Wooden, John (2003). They Call Me Coach. McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 174. ISBN 9780071424912. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  19. ^ a b Kirkpatrick, Curry (February 5, 1973). "Who Are These Guys?". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024.
  20. ^ Huguenin, Mike (March 27, 2005). "Durham Leaves Hoops Legacy". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  21. ^ "UCLA Wins NCAA Court Title, 81–76". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. March 26, 1972. p. 61. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  22. ^ George, Nelson (1999). "Elevating the Game: Black Men and Basketball". U of Nebraska Press. pp. 139–43. ISBN 9780803270855. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  23. ^ "Sub Sparks UCLA". Tri-City Herald. Associated Press. March 18, 1973. p. 37. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  24. ^ Crowe, Jerry (February 19, 2008). "Text messages from press row ..." Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015.
  25. ^ White Jr., Gordon S. (March 25, 1973). "U.C.L.A. and Memphis State Gain Final". The New York Times. p. SP235. Retrieved August 3, 2012.(subscription required)
  26. ^ "2011–12 UCLA Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). UCLA Athletic Department. 2011. p. 128. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 7, 2012.
  27. ^ Herrera, Pete (March 28, 1992). "Harrick starting to carve his own niche at Westwood". The Gettysburgh Times. Associated Press. p. 3B. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  28. ^ UCLA Athletic Department 2011, p.114
  29. ^ Altavilla, John (December 31, 2010). "Stanford ends Connecticut's winning streak at 90". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012.
  30. ^ Cronin, Barry (February 4, 1994). "ND's Big Day Vs. UCLA". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2012. Though the Irish were ranked second and playing at home, UCLA led at halftime 43-34 and had a commanding 70-59 advantage when former Irish coach Digger Phelps called a timeout with 3:22 left.(subscription required)
  31. ^ Bonk, Thomas (March 26, 1991). "Losing Never Came to Mind". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022.
  32. ^ Elliot, Rich (December 18, 2010). ""Iceman" made shot to foil UCLA's run". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015.
  33. ^ Longman, Jere (December 11, 2010). "Remembering U.C.L.A. Streak's End". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022.
  34. ^ Adams, Robert Martin (1977). Bad Mouth: Fugitive Papers on the Dark Side. University of California Press. pp. 4–5. ISBN 9780520033818. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  35. ^ "Clay, Curtis problem adds to game of the year". The Morning Record (Meridian, Conn). Associated Press. January 24, 1974. p. 12. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  36. ^ McDermott, Brad (January 28, 1974). "After 88 Comes Zero". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024.
  37. ^ Crowe, Jerry (June 5, 2010). "A blue streak: When UCLA won 88 consecutive games". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013.
  38. ^ Crowe, Jerry (March 31, 2000). "Wiz Kids". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013.
  39. ^ Walton, Bill (2016). Back from the Dead. Simon and Schuster. pp. 142–147. ISBN 9781476716886.
  40. ^ a b Roach, Ron (December 14, 1973). "It's been a long time for Curtis". Eugene Register-Guard. p. 3B. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  41. ^ "1974 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  42. ^ Chick, Bob (April 10, 1973). "Hockey School Scores". St. Petersburg Independent. p. C1. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  43. ^ "Thomas Curtis". Panama City News Herald. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  44. ^ "Tommy Curtis, 1st Black basketball player at Leon High has died". WTXL. August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
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