Military Salute: Veteran Hoops All-Americans Serving With Distinct Honor
College basketball aficionados occasionally cite achievements they think never will be duplicated. On Veterans Day weekend, they should be reminded about truly incredible comebacks likely never to be matched. In 1946-47, Andy Phillip (Illinois) and Gerry Tucker (Oklahoma) returned to first-team All-American status after missing three seasons while serving in the U.S. military during World War II. Charles Black (Kansas) and Kenny Sailors (Wyoming) also returned to All-American acclaim after missing two seasons serving in similar capacities. Such significant sacrifice is an off-the-chart achievement worthy of praise in stark contrast to unpatriotic NFL players taking a National Anthem knee or sitting on their sorry butt such as league-leading TD catcher Mike Evans, NeverTrump crybaby protestors and the incoherent hunger striker/professional student at Missouri majoring in Extortion 101 two years ago despite enjoying the black privilege of one-percenter father/executive VP for Union Pacific Railroad earning nearly $8.4 million in compensation.
Amid veterans honor, the follow-the-pack press dwelled more on the cultural idiocy of boycott-threatening Mizzou football players and their "Black Mobs Matter" anarchy-supportive $4.1 million-a-year coach. But the diaper-donning dissidents and clueless cowering Democratic governor Jay Nixon flailing around again just like the Ferguson fiasco pale in comparison to the honor, dignity and courage exhibited by military veterans. Actually, many Mizzou football fans thought the sheep-like players' performance to date showed the "entitled" already had quit on the season before the witch hunters' hoop brethren also probably finish at the bottom of the SEC standings. What's next in "containing" this rank self-absorbed nonsense from amateur-hour "cry-bullies" annoyed how terrorism carnage in Paris diverted media attention? It's surprising the Tigers' social scholars in solidarity didn't boycott a game vs. BYU because the Cougars boast an honor code "discriminating" significantly more percentage-wise against African-Americans.
Infinitely more important, numerous truly honorable hoopers had their college playing careers interrupted by WWII; not sensitivity training. While much of the misguided media currently obsess with licking their wounds after the presidential campaign, even the toy department (sports) should be reminded about authentic American heroes and doing everything possible to implore bureaucrats to improve contemptible conditions at many Veterans hospitals. The press could focus on the following list of All-Americans - three each from Illinois, Kentucky and Notre Dame - who deserve to be honored, at least for a day amid the campus whining, after having their college careers interrupted in the mid-1940s while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces:
Air Force - Charles Black (Kansas) and Jack Parkinson (Kentucky).
Army - Don Barksdale (UCLA), Lew Beck (Oregon State), A.L. Bennett (Oklahoma A&M), Gale Bishop (Washington State), Vince Boryla (Notre Dame/Denver), Harry Boykoff (St. John's), Bob Brannum (Kentucky), Arnie Ferrin (Utah), Alex Groza (Kentucky), Ralph Hamilton (Indiana), Walt Kirk (Illinois), Allie Paine (Oklahoma), Don Rehfeldt (Wisconsin), Jack Smiley (Illinois), Odie Spears (Western Kentucky) and Gerry Tucker (Oklahoma).
Marine Corps - Aud Brindley (Dartmouth), John Hargis (Texas), Mickey Marty (Loras), Andy Phillip (Illinois), Gene Rock (southern California) and Kenny Sailors (Wyoming).
Navy - Bobby Cook (Wisconsin), Howie Dallmar (Stanford/Penn), Dick Dickey (North Carolina State), Bob Faught (Notre Dame), Harold Gensichen (Western Michigan), Wyndol Gray (Bowling Green State), Hal Haskins (Hamline), Leo Klier (Notre Dame), Dick McGuire (St. John's) and John Oldham (Western Kentucky).