What has happened to the big men in college and pro basketball?

That’s a question a good friend of mine often ponders about the college and pro basketball game. In the college game, we saw a revival with Purdue’s Zach Edey and UConn’s Donovan Clingan in their season showings and championship game showdown.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic has certainly established himself as a centerpiece for a possible rejuvenation.

If you grew up in the 1950s through the 80s, you know the obvious lane lumbers as well, and may recall some of those who may have slipped our mind.

In this week’s version of my Yesterday column – reminiscing about sports and pop culture in the 1950s, 60s. 70s, 80s and sometimes before and beyond – I’ll take a look at some of basketball’s and other sports’ famous “big men,” and related items.

Also, do you remember Morris Stroud? What was “The Big Meal,” and “The Towering Inferno?” Finally, who was Cal McLish and what is his real name?

The Show Class

... As far a big men in the NBA, you can go back to Minneapolis Lakers’ star George Mikan, who was among the pioneers who made an impact.

Beyond Mikan, you had the 60s and 70s cast of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Wes Unseld, Nate Thurmond, Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Bob McAdoo, Dave Cowens, Bob Lainer, Elvin Hayes (yes, a power forward, too) and Artis Gilmore are some that come to mind that were considered in an “elite” group.

I’ll have to add David Robinson, Dikembe Mutombo, Moses Malone, Robert Parish, and Hakeem Olajuwon from the 80s in the above class.

The Working Group

... There were numerous centers who didn’t receive all the headlines, but they were a presence down low. Among those were Walt Bellamy, Clifford Ray, Tom Boerwinkle, Leroy Ellis, Luther Rackley, Walt Wesley, Nate Bowman, Hank Finkel,

LaRue Martin, Jack Sikma, Sam Lacy, Elmore Smith, Luke Jackson, Mel Counts, Darrell Imhoff, Caldwell Jones, Otto Moore, Alvin Adams, Dennis Awtry, Connie Dierking, Neal Walk, Bob Rule, Mark McNamara, Marc Eaton, Manute Bol, and Swen Nater.

The Other Guys

... The ABA had its share of recognized “big” men in their time.

Some of the more notable were Dan Issel, Zelmo Beaty, Bill “The Big Whopper” Paultz, Marvin Barnes, Marvin “The Human Eraser” Webster, Roger Brown, and Mel Daniels were among my early recollections.

Too Tall

... From the early 70s until present, there have been a group of football players who probably could have held their own on a basketball court.

If you are a product of the 70s, you certainly recall 6-9 Ed “Too Tall” Jones, who made a splash as the top overall pick from 1974. Jones had a productive career until 1989.

Also in the mix were ex-Eagle 6-8 Harold Carmichael, who quickly became a fan favorite from the 1971 draft. In addition to Carmichael from the 70s, how many of you remember ex-Chiefs tight end 6-10 Morris Stroud, who was a third-round pick in the 1969 draft. As a kid, Stroud was a guy you wanted to watch with his height.

There also was 6-9 Dan McGwire, brother of Mark McGwire, who had a brief stint as a Seahawks quarterback.

You would have to be a diehard Raiders’ fan to remember Richard Sligh, who was 7-0 and was a 10th-round pick in 1967. Sligh played six games before he was selected by Cincinnati in the 1968 expansion draft. However, Sligh was cut before the season, and never made it back.

To this day, he remains the game’s tallest player.

Big Units

... Over the past 50 years, the tallest MLB players I can remember are the “Big Unit,” 6-10 Randy Johnson, and 6-11 Jon Rauch. At 6-7, Frank Howard was novelty for his height and his overall size.

In the 70s, and 80s, 6-6 Ron Reed apparently was the tallest among the Phillies’ ranks. There also was 6-6 Wayne Twitchell and Carlton Loewer.

You also have to look at 6-7 Ryan Minor, an Orioles’ third baseman who also was Sixers’ 1996 second-round pick. Along with Minor, the Sixers also drafted 6-9 Mark Hendrickson, who played a season with the Sixers and later pitched for the Orioles.

I feel like I am missing some tall Phillies. Please let me know.

Big Burgers

... In 1967, McDonald’s debuted “The Big Mac,” but many may forget that the “Whopper,” came out on the market in 1957.

McDonald’s unraveled its “Big Meal” in 1971, which was a Big Mac, fries, and a drink. It was a precursor to the supersize or value meals offered today.

Bob’s Big Boy also offered the Big Boy hamburger, which fell in suit with the others.

On the Screen and On The Radio

... We all know the Tom Hanks’ classic film, “Big,” which is one of numerous films with the word “Big” in its title. Or there is the 1983 hit, “The Big Chill,” which has been viewed by most of us.

On the Radio, you can go back to the 60s for “Big Girls Don’t Cry” from The Four Seasons in 1963, to Rare Earth’s lost classic “Hey Big Brother” in 1971, and Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big Stuff” in 1966. (anyone recall those two?).

There also was Billy Joel’s “Big Shot” in 1979, and Peter Gabriel’s “Big Time” in 1983.

More Movies

... Granted, I am not a movie buff, and my wife and I rarely watch or attend them.

But staying on the “big” theme, what happened to the “big” movies of the 60s and 70s? Movies back them kept your attention with literally non-stop action, instead of all of the subplots and love interests.

Some of my all-time favorites are “The Poseidon Adventure,” “The Graduate,” “The Towering Inferno,” “Airport,” “Psycho,” “To Kill A Mockingbird,” and all of the James Bond/Clint Eastwood flicks for starters.

Wrestling Wrap

... Periodically, I’ll look back at a WWF (or WWE) wrestler from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s who we may remember from our past.

Do you remember “Big” John Studd? Making his debut in 1976, Studd was 6-10 and weighed 364 pounds. He had some classic bouts with Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan, two others who easily can be classified as “big” wrestlers.

Studd, whose real name was John Minton and was from Butler, Pa., was trained by Killer Kowalski, and they formed the masked tag team, The Executioners, who won the tag-team championship in 1976.

He left the new WWE and moved onto the Mid-Atlantic region. Studd retired in 1993 after he collapsed during a match with the Honkey Tonk Man.

In 1995, Studd passed away from complications of liver cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 47.

Readers Write

... More Name Games

Hi Jeff!

Don’t forget the “Wheeze Kids” (‘83 Phillies). They had six players on the roster who were 35 years or older. They were Joe Morgan, Tug McGraw, Steve Carlton, Pete Rose, Tony Perez, and Ron Reed. The last three were over 40!

The Phillies had their fair share of players with interesting names, such as Joe Lefebvre (pronounced “La Faye”) (OF) 1983-86, Hall of Famer Napoleon Lajoie (INF) (1896-1900), and Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma (Cal) McLish, a Phillies pitcher from 1962-64 (yes, that is his full, first name).

Does anybody remember pro wrestler Victor Rivera? I would watch him on TV from Philadelphia. Buddy Wagner would be the ring announcer and Vinnie McMahon, Jr., would do the play-by-play.

Richard Ochs

Walnutport

By the Number

Jeff, one of the most famous if not the most famous Phillies number is 14. It was retired for Jim Bunning and also worn by notables Del Ennis and Pete Rose.

Bruce Charles

Whitehall

Memory Lane

... Each week, I’ll look back at a former player, coach, manager, or media personality from our yesterday.

Do you remember the “Big Piece?” It was Ryan Howard, who placed for the Phils from 2004 through 2016, and hit 382 homers with 1,194 RBIs and a .358 average.

Final thoughts

.... A celebratory bouquet to “big” boss man Emmett McCall and his future wife Ann, who both decided to tie the knot.

Also, speedy recovery bouquets to former “big” boss man Ed Hedes, who continues to recover from a stroke.

Feedback ... Your thoughts, comments, and ideas are always welcomed at tnsports@tnonline.com