Sitting in the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium one June night in 1960, a stocky, crew-cut man gloomily watched a lanky, 6-ft. 5-in. Negro walk up to collect his diploma. The spectator's name was Ed Jucker, and he had just been named Cincinnati's basketball coach. The Negro's name was Oscar Robertson, and he was the best college basketball player of his time. Graduating with "The Big O" were two other starters from a flashy squad that ranked No. 2 in the nation the season before. "I was sick," recalls Jucker. "Our tickets were...
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