5 Hall of Famers?!?

[brucekaupa]

I think the trivia question at the game last night said there were 5 Gopher alumi in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Who are they?

I know McHale and Kundla. Who else?

Or did I hear the question wrong?

 

[BleedGopher]

I believe those are our only two basketball HOFers, but there are at least three other former Gopher basketball players that are in HOFs of different sports: Dave Winfield, Charlie Sanders and Bud Grant.

Former Gopher basketball player, Tony Dungy, will likely be added to that list one day.

Go Gophers!!

 

[brucekaupa]

That's what I figured the question meant.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Dudes, the Ignitor, Paul Molitor!

 

[tjgopher]

Dudes, the Ignitor, Paul Molitor!

Molitor didn't play basketball at the U. Winfield, Sanders, Grant, and Dungy did. Thus, the question, which former basketball players were Hall of Famers.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Sorry tj, I screwed that up.

 

[tjgopher]

Sorry tj, I screwed that up.

No need to apologize Ray. I was just trying to clarify. And, I loved Molli as a player. Fun to watch!

 

[rccola889]

I believe those are our only two basketball HOFers, but there are at least three other former Gopher basketball players that are in HOFs of different sports: Dave Winfield, Charlie Sanders and Bud Grant.

Former Gopher basketball player, Tony Dungy, will likely be added to that list one day.

Go Gophers!!

I could have sworn the question was NBA Hall of Fame, but I could be wrong

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

I could have sworn the question was NBA Hall of Fame, but I could be wrong

Mikkelson, Pollard, Mikan, Kundla, McHale? I'm most likely sticking my foot in my mouth again on this one. If that's possible on a computer.

 

[brucekaupa]

Pollard played for Stanford.
Mikkelsen: Attended Hamline, but got a Masters from the U.
Mikan: Attended DePaul. Larry went to the U, but isn't in the Hall.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

brucekaupa, I'm officially shutting up on this thread. I figured I would throw the Gopher connection out and add the Lakers blah, blah, blah, The trivia got the best of me.

 

[BleedGopher]

GopherSports.com actually does list 5 basketball HOFers with U of M ties.

George Keogan, John Kundla, Kevin McHale, Jim Pollard and Fred Zollner.

http://www.gophersports.com//pdf4/353605.pdf?ATCLID=1291424&SPSID=38817&SPID=3302&DB_OEM_ID=8400

We obviously know the merits of Kundla and McHale.

I had to look up Keogan and Zollner and verify Pollard's background. Keogan attended the U in the early 1910s era, may have played on the freshman team and then started coaching local HS ball, all the while still attending the U. He had a very successful career as the HC at Notre Dame and that is why he is in the HOF. He never played on the Gopher varsity team, but did gradate from the U so he is "one of us."

http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/george-e-keogan

Zollner also attended the U and graduated from there but did not play basketball. He was a business man and was instrumental in the management side of the early days of professional basketball:

http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/fred-zollner

Pollard played at Stanford and I can't find any ties to the U, though he obviously had a great career with the Lakers. Maybe he attended grad school at some point, but I can't verify that anywhere.

Go Gophers!!