Ex-Canton South star Howard Jolliff to be inducted in Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame
Fifty years have passed since Howard Jolliff walked into NBA arenas big and small as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
It’s been longer than that since Jolliff led Ohio University and Canton South High School to memorable basketball seasons.
Those long ago memories — experiences he treasured and that shaped his life — are sure to come rushing back this weekend.
Jolliff, 74, will be inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
“My family is making more of a to-do of this than I am ... but I’m very honored and very humbled,” Jolliff said Thursday from his home in Perry Twp.
Jolliff — known perhaps as much for his work as the Canton South principal for 20 years — enters the Hall with quite the basketball story.
As a senior at Canton South, playing for the legendary Red Ash, he helped the Wildcats to an unbeaten regular season in 1955-56 by scoring 21.5 points per game.
“Every game was sold out and Red was an outstanding coach,” Jolliff said. “He was beyond his time. He ran a summer program. He developed kids all the way through. He was a very fundamental coach. ... We did a lot of rebounding drills and that helped me going through (college and the NBA).”
In college, Jolliff grew from 6-foot-4 to 6-7, but it was technique and quickness mixed with determination that helped him become a force on the glass.
“I could never get over 200 pounds in college,” he said. “But my quickness helped me in getting position.”
Jolliff averaged 12.7 rebounds his third year at Ohio then grabbed a school-record 18.7 rebounds a game the next year, 1959-60. He helped Ohio win its first Mid-American Conference title that season and then led the way to the Bobcats’ first-ever win in the NCAA Tournament — an upset of Notre Dame. He scored 29 points in that game. He followed up with 26 rebounds in a narrow loss against Georgia Tech.
But more than any wins or records, Jolliff remembers his Ohio coach, Jim Snyder.
“I was fortunate to play for Jim Snyder, just a tremendous human being,” Jolliff said. “He was very concerned that you get your degree and do something in life after basketball.”
Jolliff got his degree from Ohio, but not until after three seasons in the NBA with Los Angeles Lakers. They were still the Minneapolis Lakers when they drafted him in the seventh round, with the 50th pick overall, of the 1960 NBA Draft.
Oscar Robertson and Jerry West were the top two picks of that draft. Lenny Wilkens also went in the eight-pick first round.
“There were a lot of great players in that class,” Jolliff said. “But it was not a very large league then. And you had just 10 players on a team. It was completely different than what it is today.”
How different?
That 1960-61 Lakers became the first on the West Coast when the team relocated to play in L.A. that season. And with an average attendance of just more than 5,000 that season, it was a long way away from Showtime, Laker Girls and the Fabulous Forum.
“It was difficult because we were the only team west of the Mississippi,” Jolliff said. “And when we made trips back east, we played 15 games in 20 days. We were on the road a lot and it wasn’t an easy flight then. We’d be on prop planes a lot of times. To get cheaper flights, we’d leave late at night, get into the hotel at 8 or 9 in the morning and play later that day.
“But it was a really great experience for me. I’d never been on an airplane before. I’d never been to Boston or New York. I was just a local kid so I didn’t have the experience of doing some of those things until then.”
The Lakers were a rising team. Elgin Baylor and West led the way. Jolliff did his part in a backup role. The Lakers won two Western Division titles and reached two straight NBA Finals his last two years there.
But knee problems that began in high school continued to plague him.
“I’d have some type of knee surgery nearly every offseason,” Jolliff said. “It got to the point I was getting it drained every couple of days. I knew it was a matter of time.
“It was difficult (to retire). I enjoyed playing. But I knew I wanted to do other things and it was going to have to end.”
Jolliff became a teacher and coach. He coached basketball and golf at Ravenna and Jackson high schools, winning a state golf title in 1966 with the Ravens. He went on to become a principal for more than 20 years in Stark County, mostly at Canton South.
He retired a decade ago.
Golf is his athletic outlet these days, but Jolliff is ready to enjoy a weekend celebrating basketball.
“It’s been a long, long time ago that I played,” Jolliff said. “It’s a nice tribute and it’s nice to be remembered. ... And to be able to share this with my grandchildren, my family and close friends, that’s what makes it extra special.”
Reach Chris at 330-580-8345 or
chris.beaven@cantonrep.com
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