GREENVILLE, SC - January 1, 1976
I'm reporting to you from New Year's Day in 1976, here in South Carolina where the Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team won the Poinsettia Classic 2 nights ago to capture their first tournament in school history.
The Scarlet Knights now have a record of 9 - 0.
This morning, Moss Klein ran an article in the Newark Star-Ledger indicating how the Rutgers' team doctor, dentist and trainer saved the undefeated season for the Scarlet Knights.
Coach Tom Young credited the trio of medical men with the team's latest victory, a slim 7 point win over Georgia Tech.
The day prior to the Georgia Tech game, reserve point guard Mike Conlin and back-up forward Abdel Anderson, both suffered broken noses in a 2 minute stretch of the 1st half of the game against The Citadel. Despite missing the 2 players for the 2nd half, Rutgers easily won the game.
But losing the players was a huge blow to the team’s prospects for the tournament finale against Georgia Tech. Conlin and Anderson are both essential players and the team only had 10 players available under new NCAA rules that limit the size of traveling squads. Reducing the team to 8 players without Conlin and Anderson would have put the Rutgers’ winning streak in jeopardy.
But within 24 hours, the medical team consisting of physician, Dr. Hyman Copleman, dentist, Dr. Joel Fertig and trainer, Andy Sivess, devised a way for Conlin and Anderson to get back onto the court.
This trio found a surgical supplies dealer in South Carolina named Bill Budd who is now their newest buddy. Mr. Budd helped them devise “handy-dandy nose guards,” according to Moss Klein.
Outfitted with these “protuberances,” Conlin and Anderson played valuable roles in defeating Georgia Tech for the tournament title. Conlin played 12 minutes backing up starting point guard Eddie Jordan, who struggled in the game. Anderson had 6 points and 6 rebounds off the bench in just 18 minutes.
Mike Conlin played so well that he earned a rare photo in the Newark Star-Ledger Obviously, this picture was taken prior to the nose injury:
Conlin and Anderson both exhibited great courage on the court. Conlin in particular demonstrated that in spite of losing his nose, as he knows it, he had not lost his nerve. Moss Klein reported this:
Rutgers’ coach Tom Young told Moss Klein that Conlin, Anderson and the medical trio were critical to the victory effort:
Rutgers will next take on Stetson University in Deland, Florida tomorrow night. Stetson is a formidable opponent. They were a top 20 team last year, and they are notoriously difficult to beat at home.
But now that Conlin and Anderson can play, Rutgers will at least be at full strength tomorrow night.
The Sports Time Traveler will be at the game at Stetson, both virtually and in real life!
You see, I was actually at the game at Stetson on January 2, 1976. I’m looking forward to the return trip and will be reporting to you in a couple of days.
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POSTSCRIPT
After I initially published this article, one of my subscribers, a retired dentist, Dr. Ron Elinoff, wrote to me that the dentist mentioned in the story from 50 years ago, Dr. Joel Fertig, is the first dentist to introduce mouthpieces to high school athletes. Dr. Fertig is now in the Rutgers University Athletics Hall of Fame for his contributions to the schools’ sports programs.
Dr. Fertig’s biggest single contribution may be his unlikely role in preserving the undefeated season in the 1975-76 season 50 years ago this week.
More Praise for the Medical Men
Several days after the Poinsettia Classic, when Rutgers finally returned home from their successful road trip, which concluded with a victory at Stetson, coach Tom Young was still talking about the incredible contributions of the medical team. This clipping is from the New Brunswick Home News on January 5, 1976:
The nose knows.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND HEATHER.