Dolphins Didn’t Go in the Tank After Losing NCAA Title Game

The Jacksonville Dolphins lost to UCLA in the 1970 NCAA basketball final, but they’ve been winners ever since.

In a 20th-anniversary story on the team, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times listed the following occupations for the players: real estate sales, bank vice president, state trooper, computer engineer, insurance claims adjuster, conservation biologist, real estate developer, owner of pool enclosure company, president of health care company, cardiologist, dentist.

The claims adjuster is 7-foot-2 Artis Gilmore, who finally gave up basketball after playing in Italy last season.

The dentist is 5-10 Vaughn Wedeking, who said of the season, “It wasn’t the highlight of my life, but it was fun. I had as much fun playing intramural basketball in dental school.”

Add Jacksonville: Of the game against UCLA, which Jacksonville led, 22-13, behind an early outburst by Gilmore, the story said, “John Wooden, the UCLA coach, called time out. He had to do something. His star forward, 6-8 Sidney Wicks, playing behind Gilmore, couldn’t stop the 7-2 scoring machine--and worse, Wicks had drawn two quick fouls.

“Wooden moved Wicks in front of Gilmore and stationed 6-9 Steve Patterson behind him. Gilmore didn’t score a basket for the next 16 minutes. UCLA took a 37-36 lead with 1 1/2 minutes left in the half and never trailed again, defeating the Dolphins, 80-69.”

Trivia time: Who was the other 7-footer besides Gilmore on the 1969-70 Jacksonville team? (Answer below.)

It’s getting old: When Robert Gamez holed out from 176 yards on the 18th at the Bay Hill Invitational at Orlando, Fla., Sunday, it wasn’t the first time Greg Norman had been knocked off by a miracle shot. In the 1986 PGA Championship, Bob Tway beat him by holing out from a bunker on the 18th. In the 1987 Masters, Larry Mize beat him in a playoff by chipping in from out of the rough.

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: How tough is it to make the LPGA Hall of Fame? Pat Bradley is no cinch to make it, although she has won six major championships and is the first to earn $3 million on the LPGA Tour. You need 30 victories to make the Hall of Fame, and Bradley has 25. She’s 39.

Lee Trevino is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, but his record wouldn’t make it with the women. He has 27 PGA Tour victories.

Gary’s lament: From senior golfer Gary Player: “Time goes by, and people forget all those tournaments I’ve won. Only my wife and my dog remember.”

Receptive: Terry Boers of the Chicago Sun-Times, on his relationship with Don Zimmer: “I have no problem at all with the Cubs manager. I actually think for the most part he did a hell of a managing job last season. Besides, when I’m standing near him, my radio gets better reception.”

Zimmer has a metal plate in his head.

Trivia answer: Pembrook Burrows. He’s now the tallest state trooper in Florida.

Quotebook: Don DeVoe, announcing his resignation at the University of Florida after serving as interim basketball coach: “I’m a no-nonsense coach who took over a nonsense program.”