Your Letters

Where’s Jerry?

I greatly enjoyed John Youngren’s article in the Fall 2007 issue of Continuum on a century of Ute basketball (“Living the Legacy,” Fall 2007)... .

However... I am writing because I think that Youngren made one very glaring omission in his listing of great players in Ute basketball history. How could he have left out Jerry Chambers? Chambers had a great career in Ute basketball and had an especially outstanding season in his senior year, 1965-66. In fact, he almost single-handedly led the Utes to the Final Four... .

H. Jarold Weatherford BA’63 MA’70 PhD’72
Statesboro, Georgia

Numbers Game

As much as I enjoyed the article about Utah basketball (“Living the Legacy”), I found it curious that Danny Vranes’ number was retired but not Tom Chambers’, considering that Chambers was the dominant scorer at Utah and went on to a distinguished pro career in the NBA. If there is any explanation for that, I’d like to hear it.

David Proctor BS’70 MS’81
Boise, Idaho

Editors’ response: Choosing whether to retire a jersey is an imperfect science. About 20 years ago, the U of U established a set of requirements: a four-year-career, first-team all-conference inclusion, being named a first-team All-American, being a member of a national team, and finishing among the school’s statistical leaders. But these guidelines have not always been followed. The decision to bestow this rare honor is a complicated one, in which many factors (and opinions) come into play. Inevitably, some stars are overlooked. Likewise, not all beloved favorites saw mention in our Fall 2007 Sidelines article. Utah basketball held a contest that autumn in which fans had the chance to vote for their favorite top players of all time, who would then be named to the Utah “All-Century Team.” A committee with extensive knowledge of the U basketball program put forth a slate of 34 contenders, and winners were announced and honored during Utah’s Feb. 16, 2008, contest against San Diego State at the Huntsman Center. To see the fan favorites and their achievements, click here.

We’re eager to hear from you. Please send letters to editor Jason Matthew Smith, jason.smith@ucomm.utah.edu, or to 201 Presidents Circle, Room 308, Salt Lake City, UT 84112.

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