players often compared welts in the shower after practice to see whose was the biggest.
"We thought Coach was crazy," Gervin says today.
Gervin, a four-time All-Star in the ABA and a ninetime All-Star in the NBA, became famous for his unorthodox scoring methods, particularly the finger roll
shots in the lane in which he released the ball with his
palm facing the basket. But he gives credit to "Indiana
fundamentals," as taught by Merriweather, for providing a foundation for his success.
"Indiana basketball is known throughout the country as being a fundamentally sound state," Gervin
said. "He just brought his knowledge to Michigan and
implemented it with the kids he taught.
"That work he put in with me helped stabilize my
basketball game. It gave me a balance. And with that
balance I was able to become more creative."
Merriweather also earned the respect of his students and their parents. His size and demeanor commanded respect, as did his fatherly nature. When four
girls wrote "Wash me" in the dust on his car, he had
them wash his car every Saturday for awhile. He often
had dinner at the homes of kids who caused trouble,
and received permission from their parents to assert
first show Aug. 30!
discipline.
Looking back, the educational career has been the
most rewarding.
"Nothing is more rewarding than someone coming
to you not knowing anything and leaving knowing a
lot," he said.
The addendum to the story is that Purdue returned
to the mean after Merriweather's class graduated.
Only one or two black players dotted its rosters in the
early 1960s, which was par for the course. It wasn't
until the late 1960s that as many as four black players
could be found again on a Purdue team. Still, Merriweather was among the pioneers who helped bring
change. When he and his fellow recruits left the university, a lot of people no doubt knew a lot more than
when they had entered. j
Mark Montieth is a veteran, award-winning sportswriter who has worked for newspapers in Marion, Ind.,
Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. He currently writes for
the Indiana Pacers' website and hosts "One on One"
on 1070 The Fan in Indianapolis. He is the author of
the 1988 book "Passion Play: A Season with the Purdue
Boilermakers and Coach Gene Keady."
Coming this fall to a
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near you!
Gold and Black LIVE
featuring the staff of GoldandBlack.com
Interactive live video-stream sports talk show — ask questions,
chat with other fans! Show will stream live on WLFI.com on selected Fridays during football
and basketball season.
For complete schedule, visit the college page on WLFI.com.
Trent Johnson, Agent
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