LMU Hank Gathers 15 years later

[NJTank]

Today marks the 15th Anniversary of the death of Hank Gathers of Loyala Marymount who died during a WCC Tournament game.

The remainder of the tournament was cancelled. Loyola was awarded the conference's automatic bid. Throughout the NCAA tournament, Bo Kimble shot free throws left handed in tribute to his fallen mate. The short-handed but inspired Lions defeated heavily favored Michigan and advanced to the finals of the West Regional where they lost to UNLV.

What are your memories of this.

I remember pulling for the Lions all the way that year but knowing they would not beat UNLV who was just unstoppable taht year.

[pcgd]

If I remembre right...Bo Kimble didn't miss a single free throw either.

[CC97]

All I remember was being a very scared 7-year-old... that clip of him dunking, celebrating a dunk, then dying (which, as you can imagine, was played over and over) gave me nightmares for a few weeks.

[BB61]

They made a very big deal of it here, because both Gathers and Kimble were from Philly (as was their coach, Paul Westhead - I think), which is why they both went out West.

[sacker12]

All I remember was being a very scared 7-year-old... that clip of him dunking, celebrating a dunk, then dying (which, as you can imagine, was played over and over) gave me nightmares for a few weeks.

I know the feeling. I felt that way after Earnhardt died.

[scooter13]

I thought Kimble only shot his first free throw of the game left handed. Either way, I remember this quite vividly. And I too was pulling for LMU.

[WSU151]

I remember Geathers dying...what a horrific sight. I was pulling for Lions all the way through the tournament. Kimble was amazing. Heck, the whole team was amazing. I remember one game in the tournament when they scored 144 points (they had 70 by halftime) - that may have been the Michigan game.

[HatCityEnforcer]

I remember all of this vividly...(not to date myself, but I was a freshman in HS that year). Was just horrific to see one of the best players in the country throw one down and then collapse to the floor...

Naturally, I was rooting for LMU to go all the way like everyone else....

The one poignant memory I have of it was during the old North Atlantic Conference tourney when LaSalle was playing...their star player, Lionel Simmons, was good friends with both Kimble and Gathers...the sight of him breaking down on the bench after hearing of his friend's death was just awful..

[TruColor]

I can't believe that was 15 years ago...I had been following Hank a bit - I had my eye on him due to his NBA potential, although he was an undersized power forward. Not sure what kind of a career he would have had.

I remember seeing the replay on TV of him collapsing while I was at the bar during a break on a gig I was playing...

(does that make sense?)

[bhambruiser]

the thing that i will always remember is kimble shooting the free throws like him and then promptly beating Alabama in the tourney...we had a good team that year too.

[Survival79]

I thought Kimble only shot his first free throw of the game left handed.  Either way, I remember this quite vividly.  And I too was pulling for LMU.

You're right. Then and Now: Bo Kimble

Loyola Marymount guard shot first free throw of each 1990 NCAA tournament game left-handed to honor close friend and teammate Hank Gathers, who earlier that March had collapsed on the court and died of heart failure.

[ROCHitman]

My ninth grade basketball team remembers this vividly.

WE pulled for LMU, but living in A2, we were Michigan fans to the core and thought it was time the fairy tale ended.

[LMU]

Sorry for not posting in this thread sooner... just got back from the WCC Tourney in Santa Clara.

There was a huge section in the past week's Loyolan dedicated to Hank, with photo essays, interviews with sports columnists, teammates, and coaches, and even an editorial on how the program is cursed because they have yet to invite Hank's now 21 year old son to the campus, not for his uniform retirement nor his induction to the LMU Hall of Fame.

The Roar, our student fan group, hails Gathers at every game, chanting "This is Hank's House!" and using their fingers to sign "44."

Now the only question that remains is if the team can finally chase away the demons and return to prominance.

[CubsFanBudMan]

I was also in high school and it freaked me out to see that footage, too. I changed my number from 31 to 44 for a couple years after that.