Ross Graham

HTML <h2><strong>No 16 ROSS GRAHAM</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>6 feet 5 inch </strong><strong>(195cm) </strong><strong>Forward/Centre</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>1960 Olympic Games</strong></h2>

HTML <p>The game in progress was part of the Australian South Eastern Basketball Conferencebeing played at North Sydney Boys High School. The quick guard from the Victorian Club team Church passed to his forward and then made a slicing cut off a post screen set by his teammate. The next thing the player knew was that he collided with an opposition player that he never saw coming. He was now flat on the floor and winded. He was wondering what happened. The opposition defender on the post screener simply stepped out and “bumped the cutter who was looking for a return pass from his forward. The opposition player was very strongly built and looked like he did not “take too many prisoners”. That player was Ross Graham of the Paratels club in Sydney, a tough as teak “big man” with real “pivot” skills.</p>

HTML <p>Ross Graham was born on the 13thof May 1936 in Stanmore, Sydney NSW.</p>

HTML <p>He started playing basketball in 1950 at Fort Street High School. He joined the Public Service in 1951 and in 1952 he was selected in the Under18 Public Services team to play in the NSW State Championships. After the State Championships he joined Newtown Police Citizens Boy’s Club (NPCBC). Although he started playing the game at a late stage his improvement was very rapid. His strength, height and aggression were a big asset in these early days of his career. Ross was influenced in his early career by NPCBC Coach Harry Burgess (future Assistant Coach of the 1956 Olympic team) and by 1956 Olympians Merv Moy, Bruce Flick and Ken Finch as well as Jack Feeney, Harry Beak and Sid Whiteoak all of whom played with the Newtown PCBC.</p>

HTML <p>Rosswas selected in the NSW Senior Men’s Squad in 1953 and was then selected to his first NSW State side and played his first game for NSW in 1959 at the Australian Championships in Adelaide. He was in good company as his team-mate at NPCBC Olympian Bruce Flick was also on the team as were future 1960 Olympians Colyn Whitehead and Terry Charlton from Newcastle. The team went on to lose the national final 76-64 to South Australia.</p>

HTML <p>Ross was considered a “big man” even though he was only 6’4” tall. He was a very strong and solidly built player and was a very good passer and “pivot”. </p>

HTML <p>In that period the centres were classed as pivots around which the offense was often run. He was also an excellent rebounder and a very physical player with a patented fake and dribble roll to the basket. </p>

HTML <p>Such was Ross’s play in his first ever national tournament that at the end of the tournament he was named to the Australian Team for the 1960 Rome Olympics. It was a meteoric rise!</p>

HTML <p>The 1960 Rome Australian Olympic Basketball Team consisted of six players from South Australia, three from NSW, two from Victoria and one from Western Australia. Ross and the players received communications from Coach Eric Erkins (who lived in South Australia) which contained instructions for shooting drills and individual preparation. </p>

HTML <p>The team was asked to come to Adelaide, SA three months prior to the Olympics. </p>

HTML <p>For many players this meant taking Leave-Without-Pay. Ross was one of the fortunate ones in that he got leave from the NSW Maritime Services Board to work at the Adelaide Brewing Company while he trained in Adelaide. </p>

HTML <p>In Adelaide he boarded with team-mates brothers John and Mal Heard.Ross remembers, “I was lucky I boarded with the Heard brothers and they taught me a lot about basketball.” </p>

HTML <p>In Adelaide Ross and the team worked during the day, trained at night and played in the Adelaide District competition. It was an exhausting preparation.</p>

HTML <p>Ross Graham departing Adelaide for the 1960 Rome Olympic Games (Courtesy of R. Graham)</p>

HTML <p>Ross had trained well and played good minutes in Adelaide during the Olympic Team’s preparation games. Unfortunately two weeks before departing for Italy he dislocated his shoulder and this severely set back his preparation and eventually court time in Italy.</p>

HTML <p>The Olympic Basketball Team travelled to Italy via Darwin and the Philippines in what was a long and arduous trip to the Rome Olympic Games.</p>

HTML <p>The Australian Team played in the Qualification Tournament in Bologna, Italy. They found the opposition tough and experienced and the rules interpretations confusing. The team got off to a slow start and were constantly called for fouls. At times the whole first five were fouled out of games. Ross enjoyed the experience which was a very valuable one for him and his future basketball.</p>

HTML <p>The Australian Team failed to reach the Olympic Finals in Rome. </p>

HTML <p>Ross summaries the team results, “We were dumbfounded by the European rules...the man with the ball was king...and the defence had to get out of their way...or as happened we had players fouling out every game.....the basket balls were not American they were leather panelled balls and were very slippery.”</p>

HTML <p>The team did go to Rome and enjoyed all aspects of the Olympic Games except for living in the Olympic Village (where they did have access).</p>

HTML <p>The players did not want to make excuses for their losses in Bologna. It was apparent that the players were not as strong or skilled as the Europeans and Australia still had a lot to learn internationally. Ross comments, “We copped a bit of stick back home in Australia for our performance but we had not had international experience since 1956 and in this tournament the European countries who could not get to Australia in 1956 were all there. Only four teams out of 24 would qualify for the Finals in Rome. It was a big task!”</p>

HTML <p>Ross and the team did enjoy the Olympics and watching athletes such as Herb Elliot win the 1500 metres and the USA basketball team win the Gold Medal. They also enjoyed the sea voyage home by boat on the RMS “Strathaird” with the 1960 West Indies cricket team that was also travelling to Australia.</p>

HTML <p>After the Rome Olympics, Ross continued an illustrious career playing for NSW for a number of years in the Australian Championships and winning NSW state titles with the Sydney Paratels Basketball Club. He played for NSW in 1959, 1960 and 1961, under the great coach Merv Emms and then in 1962 under the coaching of Charlie Ammit. He was not selected on the NSW team in 1963 due to injury and returned in 1964 under Coach Gordon Rintoul. That was his last year in the NSW side as he concentrated on work commitments and playing with the Sydney Paratels Club under Coach Bob Elphinston. </p>

HTML <p>The Paratels were one of the powerhouse teams in NSW for a number of years though their first and only State title was in 1954.</p>

HTML <p>Ross retired from basketball playing in 1966. He will be remembered as one of the tough men of basketball in NSW, but also as a player with excellent pivot moves and passing skills.</p>

HTML <p>Ross Graham (14) playing for NSW against a US College team</p>

HTML <p>(Courtesy of R. Graham)</p>

HTML <p>Ross Graham (14) playing for Paratelsagainst Melbourne Reno (Courtesy of R. Graham)</p>