This is Part II of The Shadow League's feature story on former Boston College basketball player Ernie Cobb. (Boston College, photo credit: bostonmagazine.com), Academically, it was a great school and my family could come and see me play, he said. But I was still worried. How much his positive life trajectory was propelled by it? The film also benefits from the fact that most of those involved agreed to speak on camera, including Sweeney, fellow accused BC players Ernie Cobb and Michael Bowie (who were completely vindicated), law enforcement officials and all the principals on the organized crime side of the story. Cmon, you can do it. She was a remarkable individual that helped me so much, in terms of establishing the study and work habits that allowed me to be successful in the classroom.. But changing his behaviors did not happen overnight. I hadnt seen Ernie for several years, Jack Hennessey, a psychologist at Boston College that had served as an informal academic advisor during Cobbs days as a student, told the New York Times in April of 1984. Convinced that Cobb was innocent after his mentee walked him through everything that had transpired, and certain that he was being used by the federal government to send more organized crime figures to prison, Alswanger began working the phones. I feel like I did all that fighting after I lost my dream of playing in the NBA, and it was all in vain. My character grew, along with my basketball skills. Where did this kid come from, said Alswanger. But as it turned out, the trial was simply one chapter of many in his life, and not the defining one. Between being bused to a school that I felt like didnt value me, and my dad leaving the house, my academics went downhill fast. He is a friend who has quietly built a considerable reputation within college basketball for honesty and tactical brilliance but who now is living the horror every coach dreads most -- a point . I dont know if the losses can ever be made upnot the losses me and my family and friends have suffered. The Draft Review (with Matthew Maurer) brings you a wealth of NBA draft history through its free resource of extensive statistics, biographies, articles, interviews and this live forum. Its gonna be no contest. But I know that its not really in vain, because I know the truth.. Things that happened to me and my siblings, it wasnt her fault. . They left, and that was that. A fitness fanatic who augmented his training by swimming and riding his bicycle very long distances, Cobb hopped on his ten-speed shortly after the indictment was announced and began pedaling. was favored to win a game by ten points, Kuhn had to make sure, if the game was in play with the mobsters and the bookies, that they won by less than ten in order for the gamblers to make money. I got to meet Calvin Murphy after the game because Mr. Alswanger knew him, said Cobb. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. She helped tutor me, and encouraged me through some rough spots. Ernest Cobb Special Education Cross Catagorical High School at Phoenix Union High School District Laveen, Arizona, United States 1 connection Sign up to receive The Shadow League Newsletter in your inbox. Weve had serious problems with all of the other kids but we never had a problem with Ernie. The final player involved in the fix, Rick Kuhn, is . Cobb internalized the subtle looks from his new teachers and administrators, the ones his young mind translated to mean, We dont want you here. He no longer felt encouraged in his new classroom environment, and sensed the sting of judgmental eyes when his hyper personality and wandering mind attracted the attention of adult authority figures. They had a beautiful campus and it was small enough to where I could function, and yet it was big enough that I could get the exposure I needed to fulfill my dreams.. Burkes gang had just successfully pulled off the Lufthansa airport heist at New Yorks JFK airport, where theyd stolen an estimated $5 million in cash and $875,000 in jewels, the largest cash robbery in America at the time. . 21, right in first row) were part of the . Just by being there, Id already reached success beyond my wildest dreams. He was naive at the time, believing that his exoneration would pave the way for apologies and acknowledgments of his innocence: from the NBA, the federal government and Boston College. I dont know. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. 1978, and March 1, 1979. And after they put my name out there, and after I admitted to taking that $1,000, they didnt have enough evidence to prosecute me. Whats going on? He graduated on time with a degree in sociology. UCONN brought in the Governor, judges, you name it., When the letters started coming in, I realized that I had a chance to go to college, said Cobb. It all seemed like a fairy tale, until he was indicted for allegedly fixing college basketball games for the mob. Did Uncle Neely Forget Which Side He Plays For? At 11:05 a.m., United States District Judge Leonard Wexler completed his instructions to the jury in the Federal Court Building in Brooklyn as Ernie Cobb awaited his judgment. . Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 8:19PM. The abbreviated version of events reads like this:the Perlas brought in a Pittsburgh hood named Paul Mazzei, who contacted his friend Henry Hill, an associate of New Yorks Lucchese crime family that had befriended him during a stretch in federal prison. I felt bad for my mom, he said. He made other African-American ballers feel like they could go there and really showcase what they could do on a national level. I was mesmerized.. We werent really checking for B.C. I moved on many, many years ago, and I think the worst thing you can do is blame others or even blame yourself because thats kinda like a poison that just stays with you. Read more atthe Shadow League. won by only two points and I had a lot of losing money down on this game. When he finished with his testimony, he made a beeline straight for the restroom. I really wanted to get to the bottom of it from a personal curiosity [standpoint], and then also knowing that this had to be a great story.. He really set the tone in terms of being a strong, dynamic, willful player that wondrous talents like John Bagley, Michael Adams and Dana Barros, all of whom went on to play ball in the NBA after their careers at B.C., followed. Im not angry at the school. So Id go up there all the time and get me one. Early on, before the season got underway, Cobb says that he was approached by a man from Pittsburgh named Rocco Perla, who hed seen hanging around campus with his teammate, senior forward Rick Kuhn. I would walk long distances, for miles, out into the suburbs in Greenwich. I cant read., When he told me that, we immediately got him a tutor, said Alswanger. He was this little guy who could score like crazy! And unfortunately, if you see a real-life situation that involves people like myself and others, then you say, Wow, thats the type of effect that whatever [the gangsters] do can have on others lives.. Location unknown)Boston College's Ernie Cobb pulls down a rebound off his own shot against Holy Cross's Leo Kane during a men's college basketball. But it wasnt a coincidence that one day, the F.B.I shows up asking me about gambling, and the next day Im no longer with the team. He told me to keep playing and working hard and that one day I might get another chance., When the story first broke in January of 1981, Cobb was in shock. It was the first time he saw the game as something that could improve his life, something that could take him places. I felt like, You put my name out there, so let me clear my name! When they investigated me, I told them straight up about the $1,000 that Rocco Perla had given me. After he interviewed him, he fell in love with him and told me, Hes innocent. Visser became the NFLs first female beat writer in 1976, when she was assigned by the paper to cover the New England Patriots. He had all of this ability, and he worked so hard, said Alswanger. But for many, there is a fierce bitterness that still lingers to this day. Jim Sweeney and Ernie Cobb) were brought to trial for point-shaving during the '78- '79 season. All of those guys walkedin his footsteps., He was the African-American guard in the modern era of B.C. Sweeney fessed up to taking $500 under duress and escaped prosecution. First Name. 109 Ernie Cobb, Boston University 129 Paul Poe, Louisiana College 148 Keith McDonald, Utah State 167 Milt Huggins, Southern Illinois 185 Paul Dawkins, Northern Illinois . Perla and Kuhn had gone to high school together and were good friends. I wanted my name cleared and it took a long time.. Of course, of course I was upset, but what could I do? Man, I would watch Jo Jo White, Dave Cowens and John Havlicek playing on television, on that same famous floor where Bill Russell and Bob Cousy and all of those great Celtics teams won all those championships, said Cobb. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. rick kuhn boston college now 19 3407 . Ernie Cobb was drafted by Utah Jazz, 6th round (1st pick, 109th overall), 1979 NBA Draft. The Boston College coaches practically lived in our gym. On Saturday morning, March 24, 1984, a tiny blurb in newspaper sports sections across the nation read: Ex-basketball star Ernie Cobb was acquitted Friday of taking part in a point-shaving scandal that rocked Boston College in 1978-1979, and tearfully asked for a fair shot to resurrect his chances at a pro career. And as black kids who loved ball in Boston, he represented something for us, giving the younger generation something to aspire toin terms of their basketball skillsbecause he was putting in some serious work.. I told him, you cant just be great on offense, you gotta play great defense as well.. Cobb was always a competitive kid. I was doing well academically and the dream of playing professional basketball was getting closer.. Its something that hes still waiting for, to this day. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Rocco Perla was sentenced to four and Kuhn was released after 28 months. His competitive desires were satisfied with all of the recreation activities that were offered. Here was this kid who had all the odds stacked against him, and he was so committed to being successful., His focus and work ethic was amazing, Alswanger continued. I was tremendously focused because I knew that I was going places., In my neighborhood, people didnt go to college, said Cobb. A failed minor league baseball player from Pittsburgh turned college basketball player in Boston. All rights reserved. Ernie Cobb. He loved being able to play ping pong, shoot pool and go swimming, but there was one place at the facility that he loved above all others: the gymnasium. Also wondered what became of Ernie Cobb. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Ernie Cobb. Thursday, March 22nd, 1984. Select the third team from the drop down menu. Obviously, I couldve done things differently, Sweeney said. But what was I going to do, take it to court?It was here that they began telling Perla we would have to have Cobb. On October 7, ESPN will air the latest installment of its acclaimed "30 For 30" series with a look back at the infamous Boston College basketball point shaving scandal from the 1978-79 season . It all seemed like a fairytale, until he was indicted for allegedly fixing college basketball games for the mob. The Globe, quoting an unnamed source in New York, said the three games in which point-shaving was alleged were a Feb.3 game against Fordham, a Feb. 6 game against St. Johns and a March 1 game in the ECAC Regional Playoffs against Connecticut. Boston College Guard and former Stamfod High School standout Ernie Cobb drives past St. John's Frank Alagia during a game in 1976. Jack McCluskey | Special to ESPNBoston.com, '30 For 30' tackles BC point-shaving scandal, Steve Addazio calls Tyler Murphy clincher vs. USC, Harvard's Zack Hodges gets his shot with Colts, Wesley Saunders helps Harvard recover to capture crucial Ivy win, Beanpot final, consolation moved to Feb. 23, Signing Day Notes: Fences going up for local programs, Boston College unveils 25-man recruit class, Northeastern knocks BC from Beanpot throne. He said, Ernies the only kid who listened, did everything he was supposed to do and never tried to run away. Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. They were touting me as the next sub-6-footer to have an impact in the NBA. But I didnt know if Id be able to handle the academics.. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. There was no getting around that. Fourteen hours later, I arrived in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.. But before he stepped foot on campus for his freshman year to chase a new set of goals, he was hesitant, apprehensive and somewhat scared. I was like, You gotta be kidding me! Jim Sweeney and Rick Kuhns names werent mentioned anywhere. I was having a lot of success, we were turning around the fortunes of the program and I was getting a lot of press in the Boston Globe and area newspapers. Detroit Mercys Antoine Davis Creeping Up On Pistol Pete Maravichs All-Time NCAA Scoring Mark, A Poor Mans Danny Ainge A Poor Mans Jeff Hornacek: Michael Cooper Torches JJ Redick, I Guard 1 Through 5 | Heats Bam Adebayo Believes He Is NBAs Best Defender And Has Been The Past Two Years. As a freshman, he played sparingly and averaged 4.5 points per game while the Eagles finished with a disappointing 9-17 overall record. rick kuhn boston college now. Cobb insisted on having his day in court, of clearing his name. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey. We had the basics of everything that we needed. The tone is set by black-and-white mug shots and film strips from surveillance of mobsters interspersed with BC team photos and action shots from newspaper coverage of the season. He was from Norwalk, not far from where I was from. The third-highest scorer in BC history with 1,760 points, he was a co-captain with Sweeney in 1978-79, when he averaged 21.3 points a game. So from then on I had a juvenile record. The film represented something of a white whale for executive producer and co-director Joe Lavine, who for years attempted and failed to get the project green-lighted before finally landing at ESPN. To this day, both Sweeney and Cobb admit taking money but say they didn't really participate. Hed averaged 21.3 points per game during the 1978-1979 season, leading the Eagles to a 21-8 record. His mother was doing her best to put bread on the table. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram will play outsized roles in how their respective teams close the season. He traveled throughout the world, getting paid to play the game that he loved. Please give him a chance. Couldnt people see how much he loved the game? Do you have a sports website? In practice, he was the lunatic who his teammates sucked their teeth and rolled their eyes at when he told the coaches that they needed to run more sprints after an exhausting practice. Weight: 238. The teachers lived in our same community and they had relationships with our parents outside of the school. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? I wanted to play ball, and in order to do that I had to maintain a C average. His mother, Hattie, worked as a domestic and struggled to provide for her four children. Hometown: , College: Boston College. Ernie Cobb played professional basketball in Israel for 17 years, where he learned to speak fluent Hebrew. would play a few games each year, Cobb was awash with emotions. The reasons for their failure may have been inherent to the whole project. But by the next summer, in 1980, he sparkled while playing for the New Jersey Nets during the pre-season. With having to work long hours, her children had a lot of free, unsupervised time on their hands, some of which was not utilized wisely. The combination thereof led to the downfall of a previously untouchable New York crime boss responsible for multiple murders and the largest cash heist in U.S. history, via cronies in Pittsburgh who ran a point-shaving scheme that paid a few players to keep scores within the spread at Boston College during the 1978-79 college basketball season. He just kept swishing them in, 30 or 35 points, I dont remember., Hill went on to say, And they (Kuhn and Sweeney) were still saying, We got to have Cobb. I realized that and so I passed the word through Tony (Perla), At all costs, talk to him. Next thing I heard Cobb was all set, but it was going to take another $2,500 for his share. He was determined to prove that he could do the work, which would enable him to further chase his athletic dreams. And now, here I was on that same floor, pumped sky high, giving my defender buckets! Henry Hill told prosecutors BC forward Rick Kuhn, shooting guard Ernie Cobb and point guard Jim Sweeney accepted money to purposely keep games closer than they may have otherwise been. He tried to subsist as a substitute teacher, and even caddied at the Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, the affluent suburbs where hed previously been arrested for stealing bikes as a kid. Couldnt people see how much he loved the game? I just had to be alone, Cobb told the reporters afterwards. 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