At age 98, Jean Delores Schmidt is Loyola of Chicago’s oldest fan

At age 98, Jean Delores Schmidt is Loyola of Chicago’s oldest fan, but she had no problem rooting like everyone else while sitting in her wheelchair in the 64-62 thriller over Miami Plus she was brave enough to do her cheering from courtside as the Ramblers gained the Big Dance for the first time since 1985

By Arnie Leshin 

There was a fair offering of tight tests on the NCAA Men’s Tournament’s opening round Thursday, which made it tough to decide on which game to spotlight, but the little old lady seated in the area of the Loyola-Chicago bench made the decision for me.

Number one, she just happened to have been the school’s chaplain for about seven decades, and if that’s not enough, she hasn’t stopping cheering for the Ramblers.

So there she was, sitting in her wheelchair with a towel displaying the school’s colors of red and gold on her shoulders. All she was missing was a cheerleader outfit as Loyola-Chicago was invited to the Big Dance for the first time since 1985.

But I remember when these Ramblers, in 1963, won the school’s first national basketball championships, and so did she.

And following the 11th seeded Ramblers’ exciting 64-62 triumph over 6th seeded Miami on a long-range basket with 0:3 on the clock by senior Donte Ingram, the commentator for the television channel asked permission to speak with Miss Schmidt, the 98-year-old’s answer was, “Of course.”

Of course there aren’t many people at her advanced age who could just sit there, smile, and happily provide an interview. One example was when the interviewer asked if she remembered the 1963 team, and if it this team has an resemblance to it, she didn’t miss a beat, even when the Loyola players came over to give her a hug.

“Oh yes,” she said, “that was a wonderful team and so is this one. The ’63 team was also unselfish, also took care of the ball, and were also a terrific group of players and men, and I will never forget them.”

She was upbeat, answered other questions with no hesitation, even spoke of George Ireland, who coached the championship team and the program for 24 seasons. Even brought up the fact that Loyola lost in 1985 to Georgetown in the NCAA quarterfinals. Then she thanked the interviewer.

As for the 1963 team, I do remember that it well. It was like some other colleges that recruited heavily at that time from the New York area. All you needed was one of those men who could provide those players, the men who coached many of them, who knew them personally.

Two of those schools, then-Texas Western (now Texas El Paso) and Marquette, that won the NCAA title with New Yorkers in the lineup. From the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan they were star players who graced many lineups.

And Loyola-Chicago was one of them. Its best player was 6-foot-2 guard Jerry Harkness out of DeWitt Clinton in the Bronx. He averaged 21 points a game, had the smarts and the leadership. At 6-2 was starting forward Ron Miller from the Bronx’ Columbus High School.

The other starting guard was 5-10 John Egan from Bishop Lhlin High in Brooklyn, and he ran the show as the point guard. The size came from 6-7 Leslie Hunter and 6-6 Vic Rouse, both from Memphis who decided on the Ramblers together.

As for the reserves, well the five starters played every game, all 31 of a 29-2 season. But 6-4 forward Jim Reardon was first off the bench and he played high school ball at Archbishop Molloy in Queens. Then there was 6-1 guard Dan Connaughton out of Brooklyn’s Erasmus Hall, and he was the first reserve guard called in.

Ireland was eager to get these players, and he flew to NYC to meet up with Walter November from the Bronx. November was responsible for bringing in those city kids and he also connected with Hunter and Rouse, who were cousins and were sold on Loyola when November told them about the New York City players who were already recruited to the Chicago school.

From this, Ireland had a run-and-gun team, a stellar defender in Miller, a playmaker in Egan, a versatile athlete in All-City Harkness, and now the two that brought the height. In those days, 6-6 and 6-7 were considered tall.

They scored 100 or more points 10 times, they won 20 in a row before losing for the first time to Bowling Green, then they lost to Wichita before racing all the way to the NCAA final and dethroning two-time champion Cincinnati, 60-58, in overtime at LSU’s Freedom Hall. On the way to the finals, the Ramblers defeated Mississippi, Illinois and Duke.

Back then they were in the Horizon League. Now they represented the Missouri Valley Conference, which was once among the stellar leagues in the country.

And here they were, playing in the national tournament for the first time in 35 years, and Jean Delores Schmidt said she was happy to be able to be there in person to root for the team. She was invited to the Loyola locker room to lead the team in prayers before the game. She was responsible for this story.

She watched and cheered as the Ramblers made up seven points in the last two minutes, and followed by the celebration of the team and its fans.

Now they have an impressive 29-5 record and a berth in the next round on Saturday against 3rd seeded Tennessee.

The other close and exciting finishes were Rhode Island over Oklahoma, 68-63, in overtime; Houston over San Diego State by two points, Seton Hall over North Carolina State by 5, Gonzaga, a 4th seed, received a tough test from 13th seed North Carolina Greensboro in a 4-point win, and 5th seeded Kentucky challenged by 12th seed Davidson before prevailing by four.

But none of them highlighted opening day as Jean Delores Schmidt did.