Editor’s note: Jim Heffernan’s tale was published in The Sporting News on March 14, 1962.
Pennsylvania’s HERSHEY If you’ve ever spoken with an NBA coach right after his team has suffered a devastating point-scoring orgie from Wilt Chamberlain, there’s a good chance that the unhappy man ended his sorry story with these words:
He’ll score a hundred one day.”
That was Friday, March 2, 1962, to be exact.
By hitting 100 points in a game, Chamberlain shattered all prior National Basketball Association single-game scoring records in the little town where they manufacture the renowned chocolate chocolates.
MORE: Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point performance: Five things you may not have known
The New York Knicks, who were also the “Patsy” the previous year when Elgin Baylor set a record with 71 points, were the victims of this “impossible” feat.
Chamberlain gave a very outstanding performance. Even the 7-1 Philadelphia Warrior star was unable to express in words how happy he was.
“Never Thought I’d Do It”
He said, “It’s like nothing that’s ever happened to me before.” Words, however, were not going to be able to conceal the eternal smile that adorned his face from the moment he rammed the 100th point through the net until he had to fight his way out of the Hershey Arena through a crowd of young fans.
No, I never truly believed I would,” Wilt said to a coroner. But then, I suppose, everyone else did. I saw it written a hundred times and heard it said. However, I wasn’t naive enough to express or even accept anything along such lines.”
Frank McGuire, the coach of Philadelphia, is among several who have been known to have predicted Wilt’s 100.
“Remember back in December when he got the 78 against Los Angeles?” stated McGuire. “He’ll score 100 points eventually, I told you guys (the reporters following the Warriors games).
Prognosis Issued in Fury
To be honest, I shouted that out of rage. I was upset with the officials for failing to get off Wilt’s back after the Lakers had been playing three and four men on him that evening.
Everybody knew he could score a hundred. But start considering what it would take to score that high. Why would it take you and me about 30 minutes to earn 100 points if we went to the gym alone?
But I had such a great thrill tonight. One of my teams’ first 100-point games is still fresh in my memory. This now. It’s nearly unreal. He is deserving of every accolade possible.
Furthermore, it’s a wonderful homage to his teammates, McGuire continued.
Frank, though, took a little while to praise the other Warriors. Wilt had completed it earlier.
In the most genuine of tones, Chamberlain stated, “It took a lot of effort for me, but the team had to put in just as much work.” If they hadn’t wanted it for me as badly as I did, it wouldn’t have been nearly able to do this.
“It is really essential to me because of this. Both the crowd and they wanted me to perform.”
The 10-year veteran Paul Arizin of the Warriors, who is ranked as the second-greatest scorer in NBA history, shook his head in shock.
“I never imagined that after I broke, I would witness it.”
