Friday, June 5, 2015

Quick: Where is...

...the University of Rio Grande? Texas? Hah. Try Ohio.

Next question: How do you pronounce "Rio Grande"? Wrong again! According to Wikipedia, it's "Rye-O Grand" so that it rhymes with "Ohio." (The town was, however, named after the river on the border with Mexico. Don't ask.)

Where am I getting all this? A guy named Bevo Francis, who held the record for most points scored, 113, in a college basketball game until 2012, died at age 82.

Apparently, this guy had a healthy ego. From his obit in the Times:

“It was one of those nights that I could have probably drop-kicked one and it would have gone in,” he told The Boston Globe in 2002.

On another occasion Francis scored even more against a two-year institution:

Francis scored 116 points in January 1953 during a home game against Ashland Junior College from Kentucky. He was helped by his teammates, who gave up free shots to feed him the ball, leading to a 150-85 victory. His outpouring came without the benefit of the 3-point line or the shot clock of today’s game.

“With today’s rules, I probably could have scored 135 in a game,” he said in an ESPN biography.

See what I mean about his ego?

The 1953-54 season was Francis’ last. He said he was leaving Rio Grande to support his wife and son. 

Wow. He gave up the game he loved for his family.

The university said he had been expelled for absences and academic reasons.

One last thing; you're probably wondering where he got the name "Bevo." Was that a distinguished old Ohio family name or something?

Clarence Francis was born on Sept. 4, 1932, in Hammondsville, Ohio. His nickname, Bevo, came from his father’s favorite brand of near beer.

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