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Ja Morant was the 2nd overall pick in the 2019 draft, but he is not the only former OVC player to be selected that high. Jim Baechtold was a 3-time All-OVC player at Eastern Kentucky before being taken 2nd overall by Baltimore in 1952. He spent several years in the NBA, then returned to his alma mater in 1957 as an assistant to Paul McBrayer before taking over as head coach in 1962. Jim passed away in 2011 but HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Jim’s son (also named Jim) about his fantastic father. Today is the 95th anniversary of Jim’s birth on December 9, 1927, so we take this time to remember his life/legacy.
Your dad was a 3-time All-OVC performer at Eastern Kentucky: how was he able to remain so consistent throughout his college career? I think 1 of the main reasons my father was able to maintain his consistency was his level of maturity. When he graduated from Moon Township High School (the same school that John Calipari attended!) he was only 6’ tall/180 pounds. Per the advice of his coach he enlisted in the Army for 2 years and was stationed in Japan during the post-WWII occupation from 1946-1948. Based upon dad’s athletic abilities he received detached service and literally spent most of his service playing basketball/football for the Army. During those 2 years he grew another 4-5” and bulked up to 220 pounds. He received a full football/basketball scholarship to Alabama but when he was traveling to college he stopped to visit friends at Eastern Kentucky. He ended up playing in a scrimmage against their varsity and was immediately offered a full scholarship from Coach Paul McBrayer. That essentially made him a 21-year old freshman who (along with several other veterans) were men playing against boys. In his freshman year he came off the bench against Western Kentucky and then started every game for the rest of his career. I would attribute his consistency to his work ethic…and his 37” vertical leap! Additionally, my father was 1 of the first true jump shooters. He also led his team in rebounding/scoring. Dad gave 110% in every game and was very quick, which earned him the nickname “Big Cat”. As a senior he received a standing ovation from the crowd at Western Kentucky.
He was also a 2-time All-American: did he realize at the time how prolific a player he was? That is a tough question to answer. Dad was quiet/fierce but I do know that he had complete confidence in his abilities. The Rochester Royals held a training camp on campus and he held his own against their pros. I think he knew that he could compete at the pro level and the Rochester coach/players spread the word out about his abilities.
In 1952 he was drafted 2nd overall by Baltimore (1 spot ahead of Dick Groat): did he see that as a validation of his college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? Dad never felt the need to be validated by anyone. I believe he viewed his draft status as a lifelong dream to play in the NBA and eventually have the opportunity to fulfill that dream by playing in Madison Square Garden.
In 1955 and 1956 he finished in the top-10 in the league in FT%: what was his secret for FT shooting, and do you feel that he was 1 of the best FT shooters in the league? Practice/consistency were his keys for good FT shooting: he shot at least 200/day. I do think that he was 1 of the better shooters in the league…but Bill Sharman of the Celtics shot close to 90%. Dad was always frustrated by the modern players who were unable to make a high % of their FTs.
In the early 1960s he served as head coach at his alma mater: why did he decide to take the job, and how did he like it? He came back to serve as an assistant under Coach McBrayer because he always wanted to coach and had a great deal of respect for McBrayer. Dad took over the head coaching job in the middle of the season after McBrayer unexpectedly resigned. He loved coaching but experienced a great deal of frustration that his team was often overlooked. For example, Kentucky refused to play them when Dad was a player/coach. Recruiting was also an issue: Dad recruited Dan Issel and came very close to signing Dave Cowens before ultimately losing out on him to Hugh Durham at Florida State. Dad also recruited the 1st African-American guys to play at the school.
In 1965 he won the conference title: where does that rank among the highlights of his career? The conference title was definitely a highlight. Dad was also proud of the fact that he was the only Eastern Kentucky coach to have a winning career record against Western Kentucky. He also beat Louisville in the very 1st game at Alumni Coliseum.
He was also named OVC COY that year: what made him such a great coach, and what did it mean to him to win such an outstanding honor? Dad was a great coach because he had the ability to adapt during a game and make the necessary adjustments to “turn the tide” in a game. He appreciated the honor of that award but was much prouder of his team: he was not much into individual accolades.
In the 1965 NCAA tourney Eddie Bodkin scored 21 PTS in a 47-PT loss to DePaul: was it as bad as it sounds? That game haunted my father to his dying day. The team came out flat and nothing went right. Bodkin was among my Dad’s favorite players and became a lifelong friend of our family.
After retiring from the sideline he spent several years as a professor in the Parks and Recreation Department: why did he decide to become a professor, and how did he enjoy it? Dad became a professor for several reasons. First, he wanted to raise a family and spend more time with my mother: they were married for almost 57 years! Second, Dad saw the “handwriting on the wall” about what it would take to recruit the best/most talented players. He was unwilling to sell his soul or commit violations to land the top recruits who began requesting “incentives” to sign.
Your dad passed away in 2011: when people look back on his career, how do you want him to be remembered the most? I would like my father to be remembered as a humble/fierce competitor who used his abilities to the fullest. He was a pioneer of the modern jump shot. As a matter of fact, Marv Albert was the president of his fan club at the Knicks! Both Marv (in his book) and David Stern made comments stating their admiration for his jump shot. I want my Dad to be remembered as an underrated player/coach who never gave up, a dedicated father/husband, and a man who was adored by the players he coached.
