Former KU standout Thomas Robinson persevered through extreme adversity

In Part II on Thomas Robinson, I include this feature I wrote on him in the March 2011 issue of Kansas City Sports & Fitness.

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KU's Robinson overcomes tragedy

Thomas Robinson’s life changed forever at approximately 11 p.m. on Jan. 21.

That’s when Robinson’s 7-year-old sister Jayla called from home in Washington, D.C., to tell her older brother and KU sophomore forward that their mother, Lisa, had just died of an apparent heart attack.

Lisa was just 43.

Robinson’s teammates, the KU coaching staff, and some of the players’ mothers soon gathered in Robinson’s Jayhawker Towers apartment to console and support him through the dark night. Junior guard Tyshawn Taylor’s mother, Jeanell, massaged Robinson’s back as he sobbed uncontrollably. The entire team cried. They mourned. They came together as a family.

“It was the saddest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” KU coach Bill Self said, “but it was probably something that was humbling and made you proud because those kids and family and everybody do care about each other an awful lot.”

Robinson, who had lost his mother, grandmother and grandfather within a three-week period, played against Texas the next day in KU’s first loss of the season.

“He’s a stud,” Self said afterwards. “For him to even be out there is remarkable. ... How his life has changed so much overnight, it’s a pretty sad thing. People deal with it all the time and he’ll deal with it like a man. Still, your heart certainly hurts for him and his family.”

Suddenly, at age 19, Robinson had just his baby sister and older half-brother Jamah left in his immediate family. As the man of the house, Robinson went back home with KU director of basketball operations Barry Hinson and Angel Morris (mother of teammates’ Marcus and Markieff Morris) to Washington, D.C., to handle funeral arrangements. He picked out the casket and the clothes for his mother.

The entire team and staff attended the funeral at Antioch Baptist Church before an overflow gathering of about 200 people to help Robinson say goodbye to his mom one final time. Prior to the service, Robinson, Jamah and Jayla placed a white rose into their mother’s casket, while Robinson also placed a KU basketball jersey there and Jayla placed a stuffed toy Jayhawk next to Lisa.

“It was a beautiful service,” Self said. “It was sad, but also very uplifting. It was great to see that Lisa had so many family and friends come to pay their respects and pay tribute to her. I know our team was very glad and proud that we were able to come.”

Indeed, they were.

 

“We’re family, and this is something we wanted to do for Thomas,” senior guard Tyrel Reed said. “Thomas is our brother and he and Jayla are hurting. We’ll do anything we can to make sure they get through this. Our support will continue for them in the future; we want what is best for them. We want them to be in the best situation and have the utmost opportunities.”

Two days later, Robinson honored his mother by playing one of the best games of his career in KU’s emotional 90-66 victory over K-State in Allen Fieldhouse, scoring 17 points and grabbing nine rebounds in 20 minutes.

He dunked again and again. He battled under the boards. He even scored six straight points in a 54-second span during the second half.

It was one of the most inspirational and courageous performance ever displayed by a Jayhawk.

“I played tonight because I cannot sit around too long,” the 6-9, 237-pound Washington, D.C., native said afterwards. “I know my mother wouldn’t want me to sit around crying forever, but I keep going on and striving to reach my goals.”

The fans cheered his every move and every play, giving him a standing ovation when he entered the game at the 16:47 mark of the first half and the last time he left the contest with 1:04 remaining.

“That’s a special moment, that’s one he will never forget,” Self said. “We’re really proud of him and our team is really happy for him. This was an extra special game, not because it was K-State, but because it was one that probably for the first time, he had an opportunity to play for his mother.”

Robinson waved to the fans and blew a kiss when he left the game for the final time to say thanks for their overwhelming support.

“We have great people all across Kansas,” Robinson said. “This past month really has opened my eyes to how amazing this place is. It is beyond words to describe how I feel and the love that I have for the University of Kansas and the fans.

“The support that I received was beyond amazing, and the support is still coming,” Robinson added. “I know that I cannot physically say thank you to every person that has helped me, but if this could get out I just want to thank people that have tried to reach out to me or thought about me.”

The support has come from coast to coast as Robinson’s and Jayla’s plight became a national story, gripping the hearts of basketball fans and non-hoops fans alike. KU fans have reached out and even wanted to adopt Jayla, who for now, is living with her dad in D.C., while a college scholarship fund in her mother’s name has been set up for her by the family.

Over a thousand miles away here in Lawrence, Robinson continues to go about his business with a heavy heart. He has been a rock through this ordeal and somehow managing to have a smile on his face while playing the best basketball of his career in the four games following his mother’s funeral and emerging as one of the big sixth men in college basketball before persevering through more misfortune when he underwent surgery on Feb. 11 to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee.

Robinson (8.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game), who showed his unwavering spirit by remarkably bouncing back and playing 10 days later against Oklahoma State, averaged 12.8 points on 80 percent field-goal shooting (20-25) during that four-game stretch while shooting 73.7 percent from the free-throw line the last three games. Robinson is a 52.6 percent free-throw shooter for the season.

Self said T-Rob had been “more aggressive” and “putting himself in position to score.” 

“I think he’s a little bit more focused than what he was,” Self said. “I think reality has slapped him in the face. He’s playing for much more than himself right now. It’s going to be his obligation in someway shape or form to make sure his younger sister’s life is good, well beyond age 10, 12, 15, and he has a responsibility towards that. That’s what his mother would want, so I see a pretty good focus on him.”

Robinson will be a pivotal factor this March as the Jayhawks hope to make a big splash in the NCAA tournament. But no matter how far KU goes this postseason, Robinson has already passed his biggest test by overcoming extreme adversity and triumphing of the human spirit.

That’s won him great admiration from fans, his teammates, and coaches.

“I always liked him,” Self said. “I like all our guys. Thomas is a guy I really, really liked. Then after seeing how he’s handled everything, I think he’s become an unbelievable young man in a short amount of time. He’s a guy you go from like to really respecting. It’s one thing to like somebody, but it’s another thing to respect their core and who they are. He’s certainly got all of our respect in our locker room.”

Lisa Robinson would be proud.

Thomas Robinson played for the love of his Mom

Thomas Robinson seemed destined for NBA stardom after a standout career at Kansas, where he was named a consensus first-team All-American his junior year and led KU to the national title game. Robinson averaged 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game that magical season.

I interviewed an NBA scout before the 2012 NBA Draft, and he was extremely high on Robinson.

“He will have a strong chance at putting up good numbers immediately and I would expect him to be in the ROY (Rookie of Year) discussion,” the scout wrote in an email while comparing Robinson to then-Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap, who earned his third straight All-Star appearance that season.

“(He) could be a double-double guy and a starter for 10 years,” the scout added about Robinson. “Probably not a perennial all star but could be a one-two time all star.”

This scout loved Robinson’s game.

“(He’s) physical, rebounds, competitive, improved offensive talent,” the scout wrote.

Many observers believed Robinson could go as high as No. 2 in the draft to Charlotte. However, Sacramento picked him at No. 5 and then gave up on him after 51 games and traded him to Houston.

Seven years after he was drafted with tremendous fanfare, Robinson is out of the NBA. Since leaving the NBA in 2017 after a year with the Los Angeles Lakers, the former KU star has played in Russia, China, and most recently with the Maine Red Claws of the G-League in 2019, averaging 19.0 points and 13.5 rebounds in four games.

The 6-9 forward with a high motor played with six teams during five NBA seasons, starting just 12 out of 313 games and averaging 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per contest. He recently competed for the San Antonio Spurs in Salt Lake City and the Las Vegas Summer League in hopes of making an NBA comeback, averaging 9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 60 percent from the floor and just below 80 percent from the free throw line.

Robinson talked about what he was trying to do in Summer League.

“Honestly, I’m not trying to show that I could do anything different,” he told poundingtherock.com on July 15. “I’m not scared to shoot it. I just want to show that I am doing everything they ask me to do the first time. That’s pretty much the plan. To get everyone’s attention. I’m not 30, and I’m not about to pass away. I’m not old. I’m still young. I still got plenty of years left in me. I’m just happy to be here.”

In Salt Lake City, second-year Spurs’ player Lonnie Walker IV spoke highly of Robinson. Walker said Robinson was “a great guy. He’s shown me his work ethic is impeccable. He’s making me work harder, he’s a true motivation . . . I’m grateful to have a guy like that to be able to talk to and still learn things.”

Robinson isn’t at all resentful of how his NBA career has panned out.

“I’ve accepted my route,” Robinson said. “I’m fine with how things went. I wouldn’t change anything. It made me more mature. It made me smarter. It made me more grateful.”

According to Jeph Duarte of poundingtherock.com, Robinson was “eventually told that he lacked the basketball IQ to truly compete.”

“It’s hard when you tell somebody to work on their IQ. Because how do you do that? It’s terminology and knowing the right places to be and just watching the game,” Robinson said. “You have to know the game. I’ve been a raw talent all my life, so I got this far by not having to know certain things or do certain things. That’s been the case with me.”

While his NBA career hasn’t been successful thus far, Robinson was simply unstoppable at Kansas his junior year while working his way through the big man rotation his first two seasons.

He ranks No. 1 in KU history for double-doubles (27) in a single season in 2012 and his 11.9 rebound average that year ranks No. 8 for a season. Robinson ranks No. 55 on KU’s career scoring charts and No. 15 in rebounding.

He will eventually receive the ultimate honor and have his jersey retired in the Allen Fieldhouse rafters.

Regardless of what happens next in Robinson’s basketball career, he is already a resounding success for how much adversity he’s overcome during his life. His mom, grandmother and grandfather died within three weeks during his sophomore season. He played against Texas a day after his mom, Lisa, died, and he competed versus K-State two days after her funeral.

It was simply a courageous act to be on the court both times. I wrote about Robinson’s heroic performance against KSU on Phog.net on Feb. 2, 2011, the most inspirational performance by a  Jayhawk that I’ve ever witnessed in 46 years of following KU basketball.

Here is that story.

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A Son To Be Proud Of

DAVID GARFIELD

02/02/2011

Phog.net

Three hours after Thomas Robinson waved to the fans and blew a kiss after leaving the KU-K-State game with just over a minute remaining, all the cheers and chants of "Let's Go T-Rob" in Allen Fieldhouse still echoed in my mind.

As I drove my car with the radio amped to the grocery store on this cold winter Saturday night in Lawrence, I felt the chills. And it wasn't because of the weather. These were deep, cold chills, the kind you get when you've just seen something so extraordinary, so magical and mesmerizing that you don't know if you'll ever see again.

The kind of chills you get after witnessing probably the most inspirational and courageous performance I've ever seen by a KU basketball player in 38 years of following Jayhawks hoops.

Eight days after Thomas Robinson's mother, Lisa, died of an apparent heart attack in Washington, D.C., and just two days after her funeral, Robinson put on a jaw-dropping show with 17 points and nine rebounds in KU's 90-66 victory.

He dunked. Again and again. He battled under the boards. He shocked the fieldhouse by swishing an 18-foot jumper just below the top of the key, capping six straight points in a 54-second span during the second half.

And with every dunk, with every rebound, with every point, with every sprint down famed James Naismith Court, Robinson honored his mother with one of the best games of his life.

For two hours, Robinson could forget about his pain and play the game he loved. For two hours, Robinson had fun and joy with his teammates and lost himself in the moment. For two hours, he showed the fans how much he cared for their support during this trying time, where he lost his mother, grandmother, and grandfather within three weeks.

And for two hours, Robinson played a game that he and the 16,300 fans will never forget.

I know I never will.

The grieving process can be a long and hard road, and sometimes even unbearable with pain and heartache. I know this was the case for me when I lost a loved one 17 years ago on Jan. 8, 1994. I cried constantly. I lost my joy. I lost my way of life. I was gripped with sadness and grief for a whole year. I could never have played a basketball game the day after my loss or two days after the funeral.

But that's what Robinson did. First, he played in the Texas game on Jan. 22 following the death of his mom the previous night, and then he came up huge against KSU two days after saying goodbye to Lisa one final time at her funeral.

"I played tonight because I cannot sit around too long," Robinson said after the K-State game. "I know my mother wouldn't want me to sit around crying forever, but I keep going on and striving to reach my goals."

It will be a long journey ahead for him, his 7-year-old sister, Jayla, and also his half-brother, Jamah. But Robinson knows he will have the love of the Jayhawk Nation supporting him and his family every step of the way.

"We have great people all across Kansas," Robinson said. "This past month really has opened my eyes to how amazing this place is. It is beyond words to describe how I feel and the love that I have for the University of Kansas and the fans.

"The support that I received was beyond amazing, and the support is still coming," Robinson added. "I know that I cannot physically say thank you to every person that has helped me, but if this could get out I just want to thank people that have tried to reach out to me or thought about me."

As I drove my car after the game, I couldn't help think about an ex-Jayhawk who also showed triumph of the human spirit. Jerod Haase, a standout guard from 1994-97, scored 16 points and dished out five assists in 30 minutes against UCLA as a freshman playing for California on Jan. 24, 1993, just a day after the unexpected death of his dad, Gary.

"He's one courageous kid," Cal Coach Lou Campanelli told the Los Angeles Times after the game.

Haase's effort earned him "Most Courageous Performance" by USA Today.

Almost exactly 18 years later, Robinson displayed tremendous courage and heart in helping KU beat its Sunflower rival and start a new homecourt winning streak.

"What a night Thomas had," KU coach Bill Self said. "He was unbelievable. He was so fired up and played so hard. That was a special deal for him. The fans here are incredible, how they recognized him when he checked in (standing ovation at the 16:47 mark of the first half) and how they recognized him when he checked out. That's a special moment, that's one he will never forget. We're really proud of him and our team is really happy for him." 

Self could tell Robinson was driven and on a mission.

"I think he's focused," Self said. "He's been through a lot and it's a unique thing, but this was an extra special game, not because it was K-State, but because it was one that probably for the first time, he had an opportunity to play for his mother."

And he did so in a way that I bet every fan in the Phog felt the same chills that I did. Above all, with his courageous and heroic play, Robinson took a giant first step in the grieving process.

Lisa Robinson would be proud.

Emmett Edwards ranks as one of best wide receivers in KU history

You just never forget your first childhood heroes; they stay a close part of you forever. That’s why I’ll never forget former KU star wide receiver Emmett Edwards, one of the all-time KU football greats. Emmett was my first KU football hero and he brightened my childhood immensely.

I was just 7 years old when I first saw Edwards play in the fall of 1973. I can still close my eyes and see Edwards sprinting down the right sideline and catching a bomb from quarterback David Jaynes. This memory still makes me smile and think back to happy times at Memorial Stadium.

Edwards finished his magical career in 1974 as KU’s all-time leader in receptions (105) and yardage (1,808). Despite playing only three years (freshmen were ineligible back then), this former world-class sprinter currently ranks No. 6 in career yardage and No. 11 in career receptions.

Edwards, a Kansas City native, also ranks No. 1 in average yards per catch (17.2) with a minimum of 100 catches. His career-best 49 receptions in 1973 ranks No. 14 for a single season. Edwards would rank even higher in the KU record books had the Jayhawks not gone to a wishbone offense in 1974, when Edwards caught a team-high 30 passes.

He was named All-Big Eight in 1973 and 1974, and was a ‘74 Sporting News first-team All-American. Edwards, who was a member of the 1973 Liberty Bowl squad, was also named to the all-time KU team.

Edwards and Bruce Adams comprised one of the best receiving duos in KU annals.

I soon thought of Emmett when my editor at Jayhawk Insider Lauretta McMillen asked me to write the Where are they Now? profiles on former KU athletes in the summer of 1999. That was a dream come true. I immediately walked out of my home, smiled and took a deep breath. I had always wanted to write these profiles, and now I was finally getting my chance.

Since it was August with football season upon us, the first person I thought of calling for my Where are they Now? interview was Emmett. We had a wonderful conversation about his KU career, his short stint in the NFL, where he teamed with O.J. Simpson for one season in Buffalo, and what he’s been up to since his football career ended.

I felt a great sense of satisfaction and happiness interviewing my childhood hero. Emmett couldn’t have been any kinder.

Here is that Where are they Now? story on Emmett Edwards, the first one I ever wrote for Jayhawk Insider.

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Emmett Edwards will never forget the phone call he received from Don Fambrough in 1971. Fambrough, who was beginning his first year as Kansas head football coach, called Edwards to talk about the pros and cons of redshirting that season.

“He told me, ‘Well Emmett, you could redshirt, and you never know, you could have a career like O.J. Simpson.’ I said, ‘That’s a pretty good one, coach.’”

Edwards, who eventually redshirted and became one of the greatest football players in KU history, didn’t think too much about his talk with Fambrough at the time until five years later when he began his second and final season in the NFL.  

Edwards had just been traded to the Buffalo Bills by the Houston Oilers, where he played his rookie season. On his first day in Buffalo, Edwards held court with a group of reporters in the Bills’ locker room.

“A guy just asked me about Gale Sayers,” Edwards said from his home in Lee’s Summit, Mo. “As I was saying Gale this and Gale that, he (Simpson) comes in. Everybody just stopped. My mind immediately went back to what Don Fambrough said. All of a sudden, one of the reporters asked, ‘What about O.J. Simpson?’ I said, ‘Well, he’s pretty good, too.’”

Edwards, who concluded his career as the all-time leading receiver in KU history (he now ranks third), caught two passes for 53 yards with the Bills in 1976, and was waived the following year. Edwards then relocated from Houston back to his native Kansas City. After an unsuccessful tryout with the Chiefs, he waited patiently for another team to call. 

It never came.

 

Edwards, who received his degree in social studies education in 1975, moved on with his life. He spent five years as a middle school teacher in the Kansas City school district. Then, in 1983, he changed career paths again and went to work at Allied Signal in Olathe. He has been there ever since. 

 

As production control specialist, Edwards’ job is to formulate a plan on getting the electronic and avionic products through the processing system and out the door to the customer.

He explains why he made the jump from teaching to Allied Signal.

“I liked to teach, but teaching, you start out low man on the totem pole,” Edwards said. “It was moving a little slow.”

Nobody could ever excuse Edwards of being slow. A product of Kansas City Central High School, Edwards made his name at KU with his blazing speed in both football and track. He culminated a stellar track career in 1974 by anchoring Kansas to the NCAA championship in the 440-yard relay at Austin, Texas.

“That was the king of the hill,” he said.

Of course, Edwards is best known for his feats on the gridiron. He was all-Big Eight in 1973 and 1974, and a first-team Sporting News All-American in 1974. Edwards actually had his best season in 1973, when he caught 49 passes for 802 yards in helping lead KU to a berth in the Liberty Bowl. He has fond memories of that year, especially the thrilling stretch run. KU beat Iowa State (22-20), Colorado (17-15) and Missouri (14-13) in three of its final five games.

 

“Everyone was bringing all they had to bring,” Edwards said. “I just give credit to the coaching and everyone living up to the Kansas tradition.” 

Edwards, 47, feels blessed to be a part of this rich tradition at Mount Oread.

 

“It was a great experience, and one I wish everyone could witness and be a part of,” he said. 

While he wishes he could have duplicated his success at KU in the NFL, Edwards is at peace with himself. He said he loved playing with Simpson in Buffalo. It seems the two hit it off after the first day they saw each other in the Bills’ locker room. Simpson respected Sayers and “knew about everyone from Kansas.” 

“We had a lot of things in common,” Edwards said. “He really wasn’t a big talker. What I liked about him was that he showed by example. He was probably like Gale — no-nonsense player. He was low-keyed and you could talk to him. He treated everyone fairly. I felt he had a big heart.”

Edwards doesn’t have too much time to think about the past. He keeps an active lifestyle working at Allied Signal, spending time with his daughter, Mia, and playing golf. As for the future, he does have one major goal he’d like to accomplish.

“I’d like to get down to a six or seven handicap,” Edwards said.

A Closer Look at Emmett Edwards

Years At KU: 1970-1974 (played on the freshman team in 1970 and redshirted in ‘71)

Career notables: All-Big Eight in 1973 and 1974...A 1974 Sporting News first-team All-American...Third-leading receiver in KU history...Member of the 1973 Liberty Bowl squad... Named to the all-time KU team.

Family: Edwards, who is divorced, has three children — Emmett IV, 29, Micheala, 23, and Mia, 13.

Education: B.S.E in social studies education, 1975.

Since Leaving KU: Edwards played two years in the NFL with the Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills. Waived by the Bills in 1977, Edwards moved back to his native Kansas City. He taught middle school in the Kansas City school district for five years until 1983, when he changed careers and began working at Allied Signal in Olathe.

Currently: Edwards is production control specialist at Allied Signal, and also owns some rental property in Lee's Summit.

Hobbies: Avid weekend golfer (12 to 15 handicap).

Favorite KU Memories: The run to the Liberty Bowl in 1973, when KU beat Iowa State, Colorado and Missouri in three of its final five games...Winning the 440-yard relay in the NCAA track championship in 1974...Meeting such great players as John Hadl, John Riggins and Gale Sayers.

On The Jayhawks Today: “Hopefully, he (coach Terry Allen) can get his program to a level where he wants it and what the fans of Kansas are used to. I think they have a good nucleus of young players.”

John Parker was the co-captain and point guard who helped lead KU to the 1957 NCAA title game

I had a wonderful Where are they Now? interview with John Parker in 2001 for Jayhawk Insider, co-captain of the great 1956-57 KU team. He was the point guard and leader, and got all his teammates into their sets.

Parker achieved his lifetime dream of playing for KU and coach Phog Allen and then Dick Harp his senior season. At the time of our interview, Parker was battling multiple sclerosis and couldn’t walk. He was noticeably frustrated by this, but reveling this night about watching his beloved Jayhawks on TV after our interview.

Sadly, Parker passed in March 2005.

Dr. Ken Johnson, an author and KU graduate, wrote a tribute to Parker on hoopzone.net after Parker died.

"John Parker, former starting point guard on Kansas’ 1956-57 squad, recently died of multiple sclerosis at age 70. As a sophomore at Topeka High in ’57, I had the opportunity to see Parker in action, gaining admiration for his determination, leadership and dignity on and off the court. Parker, along with future KU teammate Gene Elstun, led his Shawnee-Mission North team to the 1953 state basketball championship. 

"Recruited by Phog Allen, 6’0 Parker was a three-year part-time starter and letterman on the 55-57 teams. He wasn’t flashy and didn’t pile up big numbers (his career scoring average was 4.8ppg), but he provided steady leadership to the Wilt Chamberlain-led Jayhawks in ’57, directing the Jayhawks all the way to the NCAA championship game against North Carolina; a game that many feel was the best NCAA final game ever.

"While at KU, Parker also was an accomplished javelin thrower for the Jayhawks’ track squad. He also helped pave the way for racial integration at KU, confronting the adversity faced by teammates Maurice King and Wilt Chamberlain, the first two black starters in what was then the Big Seven conference. 

"In Max Falkenstein’s book, Max and the Jayhawks, Parker reported on the racial tensions KU faced that year.  'Wilt and his brash talent came along, and racial tensions, particularly in the traditionally southern states like Missouri and Oklahoma, escalated. Officials would often ignore blatant fouls committed against black players, and opposing schools waved Confederate flags and played “Dixie.”

"Parker further reported that 'None of us could have imagined the atmosphere awaiting the team at the 1957 Midwest Regionals. The tournament hotel refused to accommodate blacks, so we stayed at a dingy motel miles away. No restaurant would serve us, so we took all our meals together in a private room. Our first game was against our hosts, the fifth-ranked and all-white SMU Mustangs. SMU was undefeated in its new fieldhouse, an it was easy to see why. Their crowd was brutal. We were spat upon, pelted with debris, and subjected to the vilest racial epithets imaginable. The officials did little to maintain order. There were so many uncalled fouls, each more outrageous than the last, that Maurice and Wilt risked serious injury simply by staying in the game. And, incredibly, they responded to some of the best basketball of their lives. We escaped with a 73-65 overtime win.'

"All Jayhawk basketball fans owe tribute to Parker, not only for leading one of KU’s best basketball teams ever, but for helping break the color barrier in sports."

Here is a wonderful excerpt from Robert Cherry’s 2004 book: “Wilt: Larger than Life.” It details a very positive reunion between Parker and The Big Dipper.

“One year I was on vacation in Phoenix when the Lakers were in town,” Parker told Cherry. “I called up and asked for Wilt Chamberlain. They said, ‘He’s not taking any calls.’

“I said, ‘OK, tell him John Parker called and here’s my number. Ask him to call me back.’

“And within a few minutes, Wilt called. I said, ‘Wilt, this is John. I’m down here with my wife and I wanted to know if you could give me a couple of tickets to come to the game.’

“He said, ‘I’d love to. When you get there, just ask at the ticket counter, and I’ll leave a couple of tickets for you. I want you to meet me after the game.’

“When I met Wilt after the game, he said he wanted me to meet his teammates, and he took me in the locker room. There was Jerry West and all the guys he played with. He introduced me and said, ‘This is Johnny Parker, who was captain of our 1957 team.’

“That’s the kind of guy Wilt was---a really good guy.”

Parker was inducted into the Shawnee Mission North Hall of Fame in 2014.

From his bio: "He was quarterback on the top ranked football team for two years and starting guard on the basketball team for two years as well as state champion in the javelin in 1953. He went on to play basketball at KU and was co-captain of the 1957 team that lost to North Carolina in the national championship game."

Here is my Where are they Now? story on the great John Parker.

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John Parker grew up in Mission, Kan. dreaming of donning the crimson and blue and playing for Phog Allen. He admits he didn’t go to many home basketball games in Hoch Auditorium since “it didn’t seat many people and it was hard to get a ticket.” So Parker spent many cold winter nights at home listening to Max Falkenstien on the radio and cheering for his heroes like Charlie Hoag and Gil Reich.

After winning the state championship at Shawnee Mission North in 1953, Parker (along with high school teammate Gene Elstun) followed his dream and accepted a scholarship at Mount Oread. Although KU had won the NCAA championship in 1952 and finished runner-up in ‘53, Parker said he never envisioned playing for a national title.

This all changed when a 7-footer from Philadelphia named Wilton Chamberlain arrived on campus in 1955 and became eligible for varsity competition for the 1956-57 season.

“After we got to KU and got Wilt, we thought we could probably win every game we played, which we almost did,” said Parker, a 6-foot point guard and three-year starter. “We had some good players before Wilt came, but he made all the difference in the world.”

Indeed, he did.

A fiery leader and “savage little battler,” Parker played his sophomore and junior seasons on teams that finished fifth in the Big Seven. He entered his senior campaign as co-captain and relishing the opportunity of teaming with Chamberlain. With players like Maurice King, Elstun and Ron Loneski added to the mix, KU seemed invincible.

“Every game we played in Allen Fieldhouse was sold to capacity,” Parker said recently from his home in Kansas City. “They had standing room only. I don’t know how many they crammed in there, but I think somebody said one game they got about 18,000. Those home games were quite a scene. We never lost a game in Allen Fieldhouse.”

Kansas lost just two games all season (total of four points) before entering the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional in Dallas, Texas. After beating host school SMU in overtime (73-65), the Jayhawks breezed past Oklahoma City to advance to the Final Four in Kansas City. KU’s victories came in a violent environment in the segregated South.  

“They didn’t like Wilt or Maurice King (KU’s two African-American players),” Parker said. “They threw coins and food on the floor. The athletic director (SMU) had to come out and tell the crowd if anything else hit the floor, he was going to forfeit the game for KU. ...The fans were terrible. They cussed and spit on everybody. It was terrible the way they treated Wilt and Maurice. I’d never been around anything like that, and of course, neither had they. They kind of broke the barrier, I think. From then on, I think things got better between blacks and the people in the South.”

After the Jayhawks beat defending NCAA champion San Francisco in the Final Four, Chamberlain, Parker and company were primed for their title match with North Carolina. Parker can still vividly recall practically each segment of the game, especially the last few seconds of regulation.

“Still to this day, they called a foul on Maurice at the end of the game and I don’t think he fouled anybody,” Parker said. “They shot and I got the rebound, and the official blew his whistle and called a foul on Maurice King. He wasn't even close to anybody. I have never been able to understand that.”

North Carolina, which made a free throw to send the game into overtime, eventually won the championship (54-53) in three OT’s.

“It was a terrible way to lose the national championship,” Parker said. “I don’t feel like we lost it. I feel like we got it stolen from us.”

Parker, who admits the game haunted him for many years, moved on with his life. After getting married and receiving a business administration degree in 1957, he played five games for the new Kansas City team in the N.I.B.A. Parker then spent two years in the Army before entering the oil business in Hutchinson. In 1963, he changed professions and became involved in the restaurant industry as owner of Taco Grande. Parker was responsible for 10 franchises in central and western Kansas.

“It kept you busy and occupied, and I made a little money,” Parker said.

About two years ago, Parker was forced to retire due to multiple sclerosis (he was first diagnosed with MS in 1960). 

“It just got progressively worse,” he said. “Now, I can’t walk. When you can’t walk, you need a lot of help.”

The former Jayhawk sharp-shooter finds comfort reliving his days on the Hill. Despite the bitter loss to North Carolina over 40 years ago, Parker looks back with great pride knowing the 1956-57 KU squad is generally regarded as one of the top 25 teams to ever play college basketball and told American Heritage that “our regional title in the segregated South did more for the game than any national championship has ever done.”

“I’m glad I had some small role in challenging the inequities of the day,” Parker said. “And I’m honored to have been associated with some of the bravest men ever to don a basketball uniform.” 

A Closer Look at John Parker:

Years at KU: 1953-57

Career Notables: Co-Captain on 1956-57 Final Four Team...Second on team in field goal percentage in 1957 (45.5 percent)...career-high 21 points vs. K-State on March 6, 1956...Lettered in track (javelin) three years.

Family: Parker has five children and eight grandkids.

Education: 1957, B.S. Business Administration.

Since Leaving KU: Parker spent two years in the Army before moving to Hutchinson and working in the oil business. In 1963, he changed professions and worked in the restaurant industry as owner of Taco Grande until retiring two years ago.

Currently: Parker is retired and lives in Kansas City.

Hobbies: Watching sports on television...Ex golfer.

Favorite Memories:  Wilt Chamberlain’s varsity debut against Northwestern on Dec. 3, 1956. “I thought that was probably the best game (school record 52 points) he played.” ... Inaugurating Allen Fieldhouse on  March 1, 1955 against K-State. “We won the game. K-State was favored to win. Dedicating Allen Fieldhouse, that was quite a deal. At the time, it was the biggest fieldhouse in the United States.”

On the Jayhawks Today: “I’m really proud of Roy (Williams) because he’s carrying on the Kansas tradition. He’s got a great team this year, a team I think could make the Final Four.”