Back in the Day: March 1982
This week, the BA time machine touches down in March of 1982. It was a time of short shorts, big moustaches and strange goings-on at the score benches.
Grand Final Week Two: Saturday Night’s alright for Stormin’
The NBL had 14 teams and the Launceston Casino City Tigers were the defending League champions. That’s a story you’ll be told on another occasion. Let’s find out what else was happening at the time...
-Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser delivers what is billed as a “State of the Nation” address, warning the country that rising unemployment (up past the 7% mark), and fears of galloping inflation will lead to tough times ahead. The upcoming Federal Budget will provide for no new tax cuts and the unbending policy against raising wages will be maintained. The Government’s popularity is tested by a by-election for the seat of Lowe in Sydney’s inner west. The seat, held by former Liberal Party Prime Minister Sir William McMahon, is decisively won by Labor’s Michael Maher with a 7% swing. Within hours, senior Government figures are warning that an early general election could come at any time.
-Greece’s President Konstantinos Karamanlis visits Australia and receives rousing receptions from Australia’s Greek community. The visit is the first by a sitting Greek head of state since the restoration of democracy in 1974.
-Sir Talbot Duckmanton, the fourth General Manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, announces that he will step down after 17 years in the post. The newly appointed Chairman, Professor Leonie Kramer, registers her disappointment that the decision had been leaked to the media following a Board meeting.
-The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra moves into its new home at the Victorian Arts Centre. Conductors and players alike warmly approve of the new hall.
-Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Geoffrey Howe unveils a Budget designed to quell misgivings within Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet. The ‘spin’ is that the rebels, who are described as ‘wets’, have forced the Prime Minister to be a more conciliatory leader. Meanwhile, Argentinean forces prepare to invade South Georgia, a small windswept island in the South Atlantic Ocean.
-The ABSCAM scandal claims another victim as Senator Harrison ’Pete’ Williams (Democrat- New Jersey) is forced to resign after a motion to expel him from the Senate is put up for debate. He is the sixth member of either the House of Representatives or the Senate to be forced from office as a result of the FBI ‘sting’ operation.
-The most notable death is that of Lord Butler of Saffron Waldon, known as ‘Rab’. The Conservative politician served in three of the four major offices of state (Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary) but was never able to become Prime Minister.
-Fresh off a U.S. No.1 single with ‘Physical’, Olivia Newton-John is the guest of honour at the 24th Logie Awards ceremony, held in Melbourne. The TV adaptation of Nevil Shute’s A Town Like Alice grabs five awards, with the Gold Logie going home with Bert Newton for the third time in four years.
-Randwick becomes the club champions of Australian rugby union with a 22-13 victory over Brothers at Brisbane’s Ballymore ground.
-Ronnie Whelan scores two goals as Liverpool retain the English League Cup with a 3-1 win over Tottenham. Following the match, Spurs ‘fans’ went on a violent rampage, with one man hit by an axe, two others stabbed and 125 arrested.
-‘Centerfold’, ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ and ‘Tainted Love’ top the music charts.
In the world of Australian basketball:
-The Boomers’ draw for their tilt at the World Championship in Colombia is announced. The Boomers will face Brazil in their first match, followed by the Ivory Coast and a heavyweight tussle with the Soviet Union. A 13 team field allows for three groups of four, with the top two in each group progressing alongside the host nation (How useful to give Colombia a free pass to the second round!) The tournament would take place from August 15 to August 28.
-The Australian Basketball Federation (that is, us) attempts to renew interest in the Australian men’s championship by introducing a new system of deciding the winner. The series would now be held on a challenge basis, similar to that of the late and lamented Foxtel Cup. For example, based on the rankings from the 1981 championship, Tasmania (4th) could face New South Wales in a best of three series. Whichever team won that series would then go on to face South Australia (2nd) or Victoria (1st) for the right to be crowned National champion. Confusing, isn’t it?
-The ABF also names an Opals squad for a 4-test series against China to be held later in the month. Tests would be played in Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. There are three New South Wales members: Wendy Anderson of Illawarra along with Karen Dalton and Kerrie Stubbs of Bankstown.
But I know why you are here, so let’s get on with it...
5 NBL Games:
Saturday 13th March
1. West Adelaide Bearcats @Illawarra Hawks
Final score: West Adelaide 103-Illawarra 94 (OT).
An unnamed Hawks official predicted that this game would be ‘the most physical encounter of the year’ as these two teams had ‘a tradition of leaning on one another’.’Whoever wins’, the official said, ‘will know they’ve been in a ball game’. He was absolutely right. Illawarra’s Alonzo Weatherly scored 34 points despite needing 3 stiches to close a wound on his head while 1981 League MVP Michael Jones suffered a serious injury when he was hit with a nasty blow to the groin late in the game. The game included a sensational finish with West Adelaide’s Al Green missing a free-throw that would have iced the game for the Bearcats. Illawarra’s Jim Slacke drove the length of the floor and made the lay-up as time expired, with the scoreboard reading 86-85 in the Hawks’ favour. As the crowd stormed the floor, the referees went to the score bench and enquired as to the accuracy of the score. After a discussion that lasted five minutes, it was ruled that the scoreboard was in error and the actual score was 86-86, forcing the game into overtime. In the overtime period, Al Green took control and drove the Bearcats to victory. He would finish with 37 points, ably supported by Leroy Loggins with 20. For Illawarra, Alonzo Weatherly was the top-scorer with 34 points while Jim Slacke added 21.
2. St. Kilda Saints @ Perth Wildcats
Final score: St. Kilda 68-Perth 62
Having won their last three games at home, the Wildcats celebrated the opening of a new stand at their Perry Lakes lair, which raised the capacity to 1300. Perth’s first half was also outstanding and they entered the main break with a 13 point lead. The Saints, however, showed their championship qualities by shutting down their opponents in the second half, particularly on the boards. Despite missing Andy Blicavs and Danny Morseu through injury the Saints were able to squeak out the win and put themselves on the edge of the top four. Phil Smyth played a crucial role for St. Kilda, scoring 18 points with most of them coming in the second half.
3. Nunawading Spectres @ Newcastle Falcons
Final score: Newcastle 77-Nunawading 75.
‘Falcons Fever’ was alive and well this night as Newcastle handed their opponents their first loss of the season. New Falcons recruit Ian Davies top scored with 26 points, while import centre George Morrow had a fabulous game scoring 20 points and grabbing 23 rebounds. For Nunawading, Chuck Harmison paced the attack with 29 points and 15 rebounds. The game ended in dramatic style with 18 year old Newcastle rookie Michael Johnson hitting a six-metre jump shot as the buzzer sounded. Spectres coach Barry Barnes was so mad that he kicked the substitute bench before storming off the floor through the joyous Newcastle spectators.
Sunday 14th March
4. West Adelaide Bearcats @ Brisbane Bullets
Final score: West Adelaide 97-Brisbane 89
With the Bearcats’ second win of the weekend, no teams were now left undefeated. Again the game went down to the last five minutes before Al Green demonstrated his MVP credentials and put the Bullets to bed. He would finish with 33 points, supported again by Leroy Loggins who scored 28. The Bullets’ top scorers were Brian Banks with 34, Audie Matthews with 18 and Larry Sengstock with 15. The Bearcats now sat half a game out of first place.
5. Nunawading Spectres @ Bankstown Bruins
Final score: Nunawading 94- Bankstown 66.
Poor, poor Bankstown. They had lost their first five games of the season and now they had to face a Spectres line-up still fuming from the loss to Newcastle the evening before. Under-sized and over-matched, the Bruins fought it out to the end, but they were never really in the hunt. Chuck Harmison top-scored again for the Spectres with 17 with support from Alan Black (14) and Ron Lemons (13). Kelvin Henderson played a lone hand for the Bruins, scoring 27 points. Nunawading remained the top-ranked Victorian team in the competition and only a game out of first place.
Here’s the ladder at the end of the round:
NBL Ladder:
Top Four: The Others:
Brisbane - 6 and 1 St. Kilda - 5 and 4
West Adelaide - 6 and 2 Newcastle - 4 and 3
Nunawading - 5 and 1 Adelaide - 3 and 3
Coburg - 5 and 2 Geelong - 3 and 3
Sydney - 3 and 3
Perth - 3 and 4
Canberra - 3 and 5
Illawarra - 2 and 4
Bankstown - 0 and 6
Launceston - 0 and 7
We’ve been up, down and all around the landscape. Now it is time, sadly, to go. Next week, on ‘Back in the Day’ we will celebrate a great NBL/WNBL season. We’re just not sure how, yet...
This is another in a regular series of articles that will take note of the historic events of the modern era of Australian basketball (1979-today). If you have memories to share, or topics that should be discussed, send an email to Nicholas.Way@Basketball.net.au and put in the subject line ‘Back in the Day.’
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