MEMORIES OF 50 YEARS AT THE PIT

UTEP AT NM LOBOS. I don’t have the date, but it was before the shot clock rule was enacted. Haskins’ team was dribbling the ball looking for an opening in the Lobo defense. They could not find one and the referee called a delay of game against UTEP. Haskins came out on to the court grabbing his throat with both hands. He was telling the officials that they were choking his team. The ref thought Haskins was going to choke him and he ejected Haskins from the game.

— Patrick

TWO FRIENDS and I bought scalper tickets in the parking lot of the Pit in order to attend the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship game in 1983. We saw one of the greatest college basketball games of all time in the Pit and the memory seared into my brain is of Jim Valvano running around the court looking for someone to hug after their most improbable victory.

— Jackie Kerby Moore

AS A RESIDENT of Abq since 1967 and a seasonticket holder since 1968 I have a lot of Pit memories.

… The event that uniquely involved me was the night in 2003/04(?) when I was designated as the 10-millionth person attending a Pit event. (I don’t know if it was just Lobo games or all paid events.)

As my wife and I followed two couples with whom we had come to the game, into the Pit, we were surrounded by Lobo Louie, Lobo Lucy, Henry Tafoya, I think, and a bevy of Chapparals. “You’re the 10 millionth fan,” someone cried. Someone else yelled, “You’re going to Disneyland.”

That didn’t happen, but I got some UNM caps and T-shirts that I shared with our friends, went on the floor at halftime and waved to the crowd (many of whom were no doubt asking, How did they know he was number 10 million?) and I was interviewed the next day by one of the TV stations. Also had my picture with Louie in the paper.

In sum, lots of great Pit memories over the years. I look forward to seeing all the published memories.

— Rob Easterling, Section Q

MY MOST MEMORABLE Pit story is this. While attending girls basketball games for years we enjoyed watching the girls come down the ramp greeting the fans as they pass by. Always looked to the ramp for our players. Were we amazed attending the rodeo one night to see our beloved ramp covered in dirt, bull pens set up in the back and huge bulls being chauffeured back and forth down the ramp. It was quite a transformation and saw the Pit in a new light.

— Marilyn

MY FAVORITE — mid 1990’s — my son (who passed away 10 years ago) and I were attending the Lobo Howl at the end of October that year, and were there to check out the UNM Lobo men’s basketball team. We had filled out the raffle tickets for a chance to win season tickets for two to the men’s basketball games that year. When it came time to call the winner, they called my son Ryan’s name! We were physically apart from each other at the Pit right at that moment, but I did everything in my power to find him, and let the raffle officials know that we were the WINNERS! My son Ryan and I enjoyed that season of basketball together, and it was one of the best things we ever got to enjoy as father and son while he was growing up.

— Gary Woodland

MARVIN JOHNSON’S 50 point game in 1978. The Journal sports headline the following day read “Cooper had his day but Johnson owned night, 50 points”! The Governor had declared the day Michael Cooper day in New Mexico but Coop was over shadowed by his fellow Senior co-captain. The soon to be fourth ranked Lobos needed the win over the highly regarded CSU Rams in order to clinch the WAC Championship. “Automatic” may have ended up with 65 points had there been a three point line back then.

As it was he went an astounding 21 of 27 from the field and 8 for 10 from the line as the Lobos cruised to the 111-88 victory. Making the feat even more impressive was the fact that most of Marvin’s shots were from between 19 and 20 feet from the hoop. The crowd was chanting MARVIN, MARVIN, MARVIN, as Johnson approached the 50-point mark which set the school and Pit record for points in a game which still stands today. Needless to say the regular season finale two days later was dubbed Marvin Johnson day in New Mexico by the Governor. This was very difficult for a lifetime Lobo fan such as myself as there were so many special moments that easily could have made my list.

— John in Los Lunas