Basketball in Blackham

[Duggie35]

If it was '75 the dots weren't there yet as most of us were still in high school.
It may have been a few years later. It still rocked though. _

You must not have been in the original group of "Red Dots"! Bo Lamar played at U.S.L. from 1969-1973 and I can remember the "Red Dots" being present during a portion of that time period!

[reddot]

_ You must not have been in the original group of "Red Dots"! Bo Lamar played at U.S.L. from 1969-1973 and I can remember the "Red Dots" being present during a portion of that time period! _

The student section was rowdy for the Bo Lamar years but there were no red dots. That didn't come until the early 80s.

[reddot]

Most of us were in school for all of or parts of Andrew Toney's career but didn't crank the dots up until the the Warner, Allen and Brown years. Anyhow, those were all were good times.

[ULtimateCajun]

The post katrina games at Blackham were fun but I wouldn't want to play there again. Besides they have the ice in there now and after hockey they have wildcatters so I don't think that would work for bball. Plus Blackham is like that old apartment or house your buddies rented during college where everyone got drunk and partied. It's fun to visit but now that you have grown up and have a nice house, you don't really want to go back there. If that makes any kind of sense. haha

[Tiredof theBS]

_ I can only relate to you my experience with basketball in Blackham. A close friend of mine from my days at SLI, and the USAF, worked in the USL athletic department. One day he called during '75 basketball season and offered me his season tickets for the Lamar game. On entering Blackham I was astounded by the crowd size. It was filled to capacity and then some. The crowd was in a frenzy, and the Red Dots were having a ball. In all honesty I was concerned as to what could happen if trouble began between the Cajuns and the Cardinal fans. Nothing occurred, and if my old memory serves me correctly the Cajuns won.

My next game was for a McNeese game. Again, my old friend provided the tickets. The atmosphere was even more charged than the Lamar game. It was filled to capacity, there were people standing on the outside of each court end. Obviously the Fire Marshall looked the other way. The Cowboy fans had the Cajun students and Red Dots in a lather. The noise level was unbelievable, what with the bands playing (back then the visiting teams, who were able to do so, brought their pep bands), and the fans of both teams added mightily to the noise level. Again, I feared for me and my wife's safety. In fact, I recall telling her that if one fight broke out we were going to leave, and to do so with the utmost haste. Happily we stayed for the whole game. Again, I believe the Cajuns won.

In reality one had to be there to even have an idea of the support that Cajun fans gave to the basketball team. I had to wait until the following year to obtain season tickets, with the help of my friend. I do not recall one home game that Blackham was not filled to capacity, and the Fire Marshall tolerated the "few extra" fans that had to stand outside of the court ends.

Ever since those days I have been a season ticket holder, but it is just not the same. The largest crowd I have witnessed at the Dome was for the Georgia game, and even that didn't fill the facility. I don't know if we will ever see a repeat of the Blackham days. I sincerely hope so, but they better hurry up. I am getting up in age, and would like to see the glory days return! _

It's strange how the years change things. In 1975-76 we played Lamar after our home game against McNeese. We had just come off probation in the 73-74 and 74-75 seasons. I was at the Lamar game that season. It was the first conference game following probation where the Cajuns went over 100 points. They didn't break the century mark the rest of that season.

I would bet that your memories from the great Lamar game, followed by the exciting McNeese game were from Bobby Paschal's first season (78-79) when the game against Lamar was a close win followed by a loss in OT to McNeese in the last game of the season. I'll never forget that game. The McNeese team stood arm-in-arm at the other end of the floor when the Cajuns in-bounded the ball with the Cowboys up by 4 and about 5 seconds left in the game. They let the Cajuns go down the floor for an uncontested basket and McNeese won by a basket.

We finished 2nd in conference after losing the last three games of the season. Who won conference that year? Lamar! We would have won it had we not lost the last three games in a row. I think it was Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech and McNeese who beat us in the last three games that season.

Oh how I loved Blackham!!! Even the bad games were great!

[Frenchie35]

_ I can only relate to you my experience with basketball in Blackham. A close friend of mine from my days at SLI, and the USAF, worked in the USL athletic department. One day he called during '75 basketball season and offered me his season tickets for the Lamar game. On entering Blackham I was astounded by the crowd size. It was filled to capacity and then some. The crowd was in a frenzy, and the Red Dots were having a ball. In all honesty I was concerned as to what could happen if trouble began between the Cajuns and the Cardinal fans. Nothing occurred, and if my old memory serves me correctly the Cajuns won.

My next game was for a McNeese game. Again, my old friend provided the tickets. The atmosphere was even more charged than the Lamar game. It was filled to capacity, there were people standing on the outside of each court end. Obviously the Fire Marshall looked the other way. The Cowboy fans had the Cajun students and Red Dots in a lather. The noise level was unbelievable, what with the bands playing (back then the visiting teams, who were able to do so, brought their pep bands), and the fans of both teams added mightily to the noise level. Again, I feared for me and my wife's safety. In fact, I recall telling her that if one fight broke out we were going to leave, and to do so with the utmost haste. Happily we stayed for the whole game. Again, I believe the Cajuns won.

In reality one had to be there to even have an idea of the support that Cajun fans gave to the basketball team. I had to wait until the following year to obtain season tickets, with the help of my friend. I do not recall one home game that Blackham was not filled to capacity, and the Fire Marshall tolerated the "few extra" fans that had to stand outside of the court ends.

Ever since those days I have been a season ticket holder, but it is just not the same. The largest crowd I have witnessed at the Dome was for the Georgia game, and even that didn't fill the facility. I don't know if we will ever see a repeat of the Blackham days. I sincerely hope so, but they better hurry up. I am getting up in age, and would like to see the glory days return! _

Charlie I was at both of those games, Lamar and McNeese. If memory serves, I think Bo went up for a dunk aginst Lamar I believe, which was not allowed those days. Made the basket which was called off, called for a foul and walked off the court with five minutes left in the game and the crowd going wild. I think he scored in the forties that night. Maybe 45-46 points. Remember no three point shots in those days either.....Like they say..."What a night it was, it really was a night"......never again for us Charlie, but we will see.

My mind may be failing so someone may correct me in my memory of that day........

[CajunCharlie]

_ If it was '75 the dots weren't there yet as most of us were still in high school.
It may have been a few years later. It still rocked though. _

All I can remember was that there were a bunch of people/fellows/guys sitting on the side across from both benches. When they were announcing the lineup for the visiting team they held newspapers as though they were reading, and ignoring the visitors. When the announced line up was done they crumbled up the papers and flung them on the court.

I just took it to be the Red Dots. However, old age has a way of sometimes affecting me with a little dementia!!

[reddot]

_ All I can remember was that there were a bunch of people/fellows/guys sitting on the side across from both benches. When they were announcing the lineup for the visiting team they held newspapers as though they were reading, and ignoring the visitors. When the announced line up was done they crumbled up the papers and flung them on the court.

I just took it to be the Red Dots. However, old age has a way of sometimes affecting me with a little dementia!! _

Charlie
I also have trouble remembering specific years but mine was from beer consumtion during those years.
The newspaper deal was done in the early 80s as we borrowed that trick
from watching ESPN highlites. I think the we ripped off Wyoming.
As the Wyoming's PA announcer gave out the opposing team's lineup
the crowd would yell things like "Who cares!", "Big Deal!".You would act like
you were reading the paper then crumble the papers up and throw them in the air. I know this was the early 80s because ESPN first aired around then.

My older brother attended "USL" during the Winkler/ early BO years and then
had season tickets for Bo's last two years.
My first game was the LSU-NO / USL NCAA small college playoff game held in
Blackham. I was hooked after that game. I may have been 12 at the time.

[beaux66]

the only game I attended there was the LaTech USL game when Karl Malone was playing his Junior and last year. The place was rocking. Games must have been alot of fun there.

[reddot]

_ the only game I attended there was the LaTech USL game when Karl Malone was playing his Junior and last year. The place was rocking. Games must have been alot of fun there. _

That may have been the last regular season home game played in Blackham before
the Cajuns moved to the Cajundome. In the final game we played Florida at home in the NIT.
Yes, games were fun in Blackham with some great battles against Tech.

[RedBug58]

OK, OK........Can I play too??

I remember in the pre Bo Lamar days my Dad brought me to the games and I loved to watch "Elvin Ivory". At the time he was Mr. everything. He could handle the ball, rebound, was super fast and could shoot. We just don't seem to hear his name too much when we talk about the history in Blackham.

[Boomer]

_ the only game I attended there was the LaTech USL game when Karl Malone was playing his Junior and last year. The place was rocking. Games must have been alot of fun there. _

I think that was the crawfish game---When the srtarted a fun day when we cut out bball!!!!