I was freelance writing with USA Today back in 2010 while living in Portland and covering basketball, the NBA and Portland Trail Blazer when I received an email from author, Kyle Keiderling. Kyle was preparing to release a book on the late Hank Gathers that February, telling the story about his rise from the rough streets of Philadelphia, to the run and gun Loyola Marymount system, to his tragic on-court death that night on March 4, 1990.
It was a story I was very familiar with and remember vividly watching the news and game footage as a kid. Along with Bo Kimble, Gathers was the next big thing destined for the NBA as the best player in college basketball. As many times in my writing and professional life, my worlds were colliding.
The University of Portland were playing LMU that night Hank collapsed on the court due to heart complications. His coach was Paul Westhead. Flashforward 20 years later, and here I was living and working in Portland and Westhead was at that time the women’s basketball head coach at the University of Oregon. I didn’t know Bo Kimble, but I figured I could track him down. Keiderling dropped an advanced copy of his book in the mail (“Heart of a Lion”, a fantastic read), I made the pitch to USA Today who gave me the greenlight, and from there I jumped on calls with Coach Westhead and Kimble as well.
Thanks to Hank, the stars were aligned to get this story out there. And now every year on March 4th, I can’t help but think about this story and Hank and that’s something I’m forever thankful for.
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Hank Gathers’ Legacy Endures 20 Years After Tragic On-Court Death
By Wendell Maxey, Special for USA TODAY
March 3, 2010
The man did not want to let go of Bo Kimble’s hand.
Kimble couldn’t recall his name or where the exchange occurred, but like countless handshakes and encounters of this kind, Kimble says he understood this was a chance for a person to touch a part of Hank Gathers.
It’s been 20 years to the day since Gathers, a 6-7 forward and senior at Loyola Marymount, collapsed on the court and died of sudden cardiac arrest.
He was 23 years old.
“It feels about 10 years,” Kimble remembers, looking back on that heartbreaking night of March 4, 1990, during a West Coast Conference tournament game at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles.
“I’ve had grown men in a full cry. People come up to me all the time and remember what we’ve done. That’s been happening non-stop.”
“I can sense the distance and time, but that season and those moments kind of get frozen in your body,” says Westhead, now women’s basketball coach at Oregon.
Sadly enough, this has become the lasting memory of Gathers.
“Hank is mostly remembered for the way he died, but the way he lived is really an inspiring story,” says Kyle Keiderling, author of the newly released Heart of a Lion: The Life, Death and Legacy of Hank Gathers.
“He had a dream, but it cost him his life. Hank knew the risks he was taking.”
Raised in the Raymond Rosen Projects in North Philadelphia, Eric “Hank” Gathers was 12 when he had visions of making it to the NBA. After one year at Southern California alongside Kimble, they transferred to the small Catholic college across town where the Hank and Bo Show became a double feature.
As a junior, Gathers led the nation in scoring (32.7 points a game) and rebounding (13.7). As a senior, he was a candidate for player of the year.
With roughly 13 minutes left in the first half against Portland in the WCC quarterfinals, sophomore point guard Terrell Lowery threw an alley-oop pass to Gathers for his trademark tomahawk dunk.
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Running back on defense, Gathers slapped hands with Lowery before falling to the floor around midcourt. With his mother, Lucille Gathers Cheeseboro, and other family members standing by, Hank died. Gathers had been projected as an NBA lottery pick. He never saw that part of his dream come true. “When I think of that moment, there really isn’t much sadness or sorrow. There is joy, but sadness and pain is usually last,” adds Kimble, who played three years in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks. “People identified with his greatness on the court, but he was even greater as a person.” Five days after Gathers was laid to rest at Sharon Hill cemetery in Philadelphia, LMU began an improbable run through the tournament before falling to UNLV one game short of the Final Four. “It was all a blur to me,” Kimble says softly. “When that ball went up in the air, guys were playing for the love and respect of Hank.” For Westhead, basketball provided an escape from grief. “Our team wanted to do something different than feel the hurt of Hank’s passing away,” Westhead says. “I certainly sensed that he was ever present in our thoughts. That’s for sure.” Known as one of the most memorable moments in sports history, Kimble chose to shoot the first free throw of every tournament game left-handed to honor Gathers; he made all four. “That was my selfish time to honor my fallen friend and brother,” Kimble says. “There was no better tribute.” That was the last time the Lions made it to the NCAA tournament. The program has yet to see the success it had under Westhead, who departed the school in 1990 after five seasons, a 105-48 record and three tournament berths. Since, LMU has struggled under seven coaches, posting four winning seasons. After finishing 3-28 overall and 2-12 in the WCC last season, the Lions are 16-14 overall and 7-7 under second-year coach Max Good. Today, through his non-profit Forty-four for Life Foundation (44forlife.org), Kimble continues to honor Gathers’ legacy. The foundation raises money to donate defibrillators and educate people around the world about sudden cardiac arrest. “It’s all about giving back to save lives,” Kimble says. “It’s a sign of respect for Hank.” |
