I was deeply saddened to read about the sudden passing of Judson Wallace's father Charlie on Thursday at the age of 69. I got to know Mr. Wallace and his family better and better each season during the four years Judson was at Princeton and the friendship between the Wallaces and my parents developed independently to the point where they even came to my folks' home a couple times for brunch during Ivy basketball weekends.
Thinking about Charlie last night as this news sunk in I immediately recalled five unrelated memories:
1. The way he used to remind Judson "fingertips!" from the stands when #30 was at the free throw line. I fully admit I still mutter that word to myself when certain Tigers step up to the stripe in crucial situations.
2. Even in the cold Northeast winters there was something endearing about his insistence on wearing loafers with no socks wherever he went.
3. When I traveled to Atlanta to cover Georgetown in the 2007 Final Four, the Wallaces were adamant that Nicole and I stay at their home with them (despite the fact they were already hosting three of Judson's former teammates) or at least go out for a meal. While I felt uncomfortable accepting their first invitation and the subsequent onset of Passover made the latter offer impossible, I knew that their hospitality was genuine and that by being unable to swing either I had let them down. I was glad that we could reconnect at the Georgia Dome's open shoot-around like old times in Jadwin and beyond.
4. The Wallace family remains the only Princeton basketball parents to add me unsolicited to their annual Christmas card list. Each December it has been sweet to receive a new color picture of the four of them and put it with the other cards on our mantle.
5. A former Army officer, Charlie was convinced from the moment I became engaged that he had the authority to officiate a wedding ceremony between Nicole and I on a boat in the middle of Lake Carnegie. We were eventually married (on dry land) a year after the Wallaces' older son graduated from Princeton.
He was the good kind of character and he will be missed. My condolences to Beth, Stewart and Judson.
As mentioned in the article I linked above, a Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday in the main sanctuary of Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.
In lieu of flowers, a contribution to the Citadel School of Business Administration / Center for Financial Services Education has been requested by the family c/o Ron Green, The Citadel School of Business, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC 29409.
In other news the 14-Game Tournament offers a 2011-12 preseason primer and the Pottstown Mercury has more on Saturday night's Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony that Pete Carril attended.
It appears Kareem Maddox again performed quite well in a trio of Landstede Basketbal games at the John Murphy Challenge. Maddox and Brown alum Damon Huffman each had 14 points in yesterday's triumph over the Rhöndorf Dragons.
Judson Wallace made his FC Barcelona debut in an exhibition match versus Stanford University.
A freshman Fairfield recruit has decided to not attend the university.
About a year ago, right after he signed with Gran Canaria 2014, I exchanged emails with Judson Wallace '05 about his simple, hitch-free transfer leaving Italy for a squad off the coast of Spain.
One year later, Wallace and I again traded messages for an exclusive interview, this time following a prolonged saga that saw Wallace waiting to join Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona Regal as maneuvers were made behind the scenes to secure dual citizenship because Barca had already satisfied its quota of American-born players.
This odyssey ended two days ago and Wallace was formally announced as the newest member of the Lega ACB champions. Shortly thereafter I sent him nine questions to answer. His responses can be found after the jump.
It took longer than expected, but Judson Wallace has finally signed a two year deal with Lega ACB champions Regal FC Barcelona.
With Wallace under contract there are now six former Princeton players suiting up overseas. Want to keep track of all their professional careers in 2011-12? Everything you need is after the jump.
Will Venable has a good reason to cheer for the Chicago Bears this season. Above, Venable clears the bases with a triple on Sunday as San Diego ended their lengthy losing streak.
Georgetown slots in as number 39 in The Hoops Report's Top 68 Team Previews.
At the recommendation of Mitch Henderson, a British professional team has signed former Northwestern Wildcat Mike Capocci.
Sydney Johnson learned more about his new team during Fairfield's recent trip to Italy. Johnson is also the subject of a new piece up on Rivals.
The saga continues? Judson Wallace is trying to attain a Congolese passport so he can finalize his deal with Barcelona.
Video of a recent appearance by John Rogers on CNBC.
Will Venable was mired in a 1-17 slump before hitting a home run (video) to lead off yesterday's game versus Colorado. The Padres still dropped their ninth straight, 5-4.
Now it looks like Judson Wallace does have his new passport in order and can sign with Barcelona? I'm so confused, and Google Translate isn't helping matters.
A member of Georgetown's official delegation shares the truth about the Hoyas' brawl with Bayi Rockets.
The deadline is here and Judson Wallace appears to have been unable to attain an Albanian passport, which would have allowed him to sign with Regal FC Barcelona.
There's a piece on John Rogers in the new Money Magazine.
The Sports Bank slots Fairfield 68th in their countdown of the coming season's top 111 teams.
Blogging the Bracket has more on a stacked Legends Classic undercard.
Big Apple Buckets was compiling New York's best players from last season according to Value Add. Looking at offense only, Kareem Maddox came in fourth.
The site's master list of Princeton Tigers on Twitter has been updated and now includes 37 current and former players.
I hope everyone reading today has recovered from Hurricane Irene. Parts of central New Jersey were hit pretty hard but I know there are regions in far worse shape than this one.
Will Venable stayed hot with the bat and on the base path, 3-5 with a pair of stolen bases on Sunday (video), as San Diego finished a series sweep of Pittsburgh. Venable is hitting .355 in his last 10 games and is 6-11 at the plate (.545) in the previous three contests since missing time due to back spasms.
It appears Venable's Princeton teammate Judson Wallace may be signing with FC Barcelona. Somehow this involves an Albanian passport?
Summer league details aren't as easy to come by as everyone would like but here's a touch more on Ian Hummer and his final game at the Kenner League.
Will Barrett foul trouble and a depleted roster were factors that did in Stomp Off in the DelCo Pro-Am playoffs.
Trying to piece together how action finished up for T.J. Bray and Jimmy Sherburne at the Milwaukee Pro-Am, here's a box score for their penultimate game before the league's playoffs began. Bray and Sherburne didn't see the floor in RYCO's final "regular season" contest.
A Minnesota forward who had shown interest in Princeton verbally committed to Northwestern.
A more challenging schedule awaits Oregon State in 2011-12.
Mason Rocca will return to Armani Jeans Milano for 2011-12.
A destination for Judson Wallace next season is up in the air. It appears both Regal Barcelona and Unicaja Malaga are after the Gran Canaria forward's services.
The Kenner League starts at Georgetown today. Word has it Ian Hummer will be playing with The Tombs this summer. No details on a team for Ben Hazel.
The first 60 days on the job for Mitch Henderson have involved many photographs with an arm around different individuals.
Former Princeton player Doug Snyder received the the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Allentown School District.
I asked Noah Savage for an update on the marathon he was training for with Nick Lake. Savage finished in four hours and 48 minutes, running the entire time! You can see finish line videos and photographs here. Lake was about an hour ahead of him.
princetonbasketball.com was founded on April 28th, 1998 in an attempt to provide fans of the Princeton Tigers and Ivy League basketball with the best on-line source for up-to-date news and information. We have since expanded to launch a companion site, Georgetown Basketball News.
As these sites have continued to grow we have increased our coverage to include additional teams with Princeton connections - the Richmond Spiders, Denver Pioneers, Oregon State Beavers, Fairfield Stags and Mercer County Community College Vikings - plus former Tigers playing professional baseball and basketball all over the world. This site is not directly affiliated with the Friends of Princeton Basketball, Princeton University or the Princeton athletic department.
Sun. 11/10 vs. Florida A&M
Sat. 11/16 at Butler
Wed. 11/20 vs. Lafayette
Sat. 11/23 at Rice
Tue. 11/26 vs. George Mason
Sat. 11/30 at Bucknell
Sat. 12/7 vs. FDU
Wed. 12/11 at Rutgers
Sat. 12/14 at Penn State
Fri. 12/20 vs. Portland*
Sat. 12/21 vs. Pacific*
Tue. 12/31 vs. Kent State
Sat. 1/4 at Liberty
Sat. 1/11 at Penn
Sun. 1/26 vs. Kean
Fri. 1/31 at Harvard
Sat. 2/1 at Dartmouth
Fri. 2/7 vs. Columbia
Sat. 2/8 vs. Cornell
Fri. 2/14 at Brown
Sat. 2/15 at Yale
Fri. 2/21 vs. Dartmouth
Sat. 2/22 vs. Harvard
Fri. 2/28 vs. Yale
Sat. 3/1 vs. Brown
Fri. 3/7 at Cornell
Sat. 3/8 at Columbia
Tue. 3/11 vs. Penn
2,503 - B. Bradley, 1962-65
1,625 - I. Hummer, 2009-13
1,550 - D. Davis, 2008-12
1,546 - K. Mueller, 1987-91
1,451 - P. Campbell, 1959-62
1,441 - C. Robinson, 1979-83
1,428 - B. Earl, 1995-99
1,365 - B. Scrabis, 1985-89
1,321 - G. Petrie, 1967-70
1,292 - H. Haabestad, 1952-55
1,277 - G. Lewullis, 1995-99
1,239 - B. Taylor, 1970-72
1,207 - S. Goodrich 1994-98
1,133 - F. Sowinski, 1975-78
1,130 - R. Hielscher, 1991-95
1,122 - C. Thomforde, 1966-69
1,099 - T. Manakas, 1970-73
1,090 - J. Wallace, 2001-05
1,088 - C. Belz, 1956-59
1,079 - B. Hauptfuhrer, 1973-76
1,076 - B. Roma, 1976-79
1,071 - C. Mooney, 1990-94
1,064 - A. Hyland, Jr., 1960-63
1,062 - L. Brangan, 1957-60
1,057 - A. Hill, 1973-76
1,054 - D. Mavraides, 2007-11
1,044 - S. Johnson, 1993-1997
1,031 - J. Hummer, 1967-70
1,010 - W. Venable, 2001-05
