[KansasGirl]

I am clueless (or maybe I was too young, maybe both). Please fill me in on what happened in the U.S. v. Soviet basketball game. Thanks.

[Howlin]

It will just ruin your day. We saw it live and it was UNBELIEVABLE.

I cannot even bring myself to describe it; maybe somebody else will.

[NittanyLion]

Please fill me in on what happened in the U.S. v. Soviet basketball game. Thanks.

The refs gave the Soviets 3 chances to shoot the game winning basket. Finally, on the 3rd try the USSR made the basket and won. The US team was so disgusted they never accepted the silver medal - even to this day.

[breakem]

May I add

OLYMPIC HISTORY

From 1936 until 1972, basketball was about who could beat the United States - and no one did, in seven attempts. Then came the famous game between the US and the Soviet Union and the case of a British official, a US protest and a vault load of medals that some say still remain in a Munich bank to this day.

The game had gone basket for basket both ways until in the dying seconds of the game Doug Collins sank two free throws to put the US ahead 50-49. There appeared to be a second left on the clock as the US began celebrating. After debating a technical issue, William Jones, a British Fiba official, ruled that the clock be set to 3 seconds remaining. The Russians made the most of it, Alexander Belov ploughing through the field to sink a basket on the buzzer; 51-50 to the Soviet Union. US protests fell on deaf ears and the Americans refused to collect their medals, which are believed still to be in a Munich bank vault.

[Colonel_Flagg]

I am clueless (or maybe I was too young, maybe both). Please fill me in on what happened in the U.S. v. Soviet basketball game. Thanks.

In 1972's gold medal basketball game, the Soviets were awarded two tries to inbound the ball with a few seconds remaining on the clock and the Americans leading by a point. Their first try failed but the referees put time back on the clock and allowed them another chance. This time they scored and were awarded the gold medal. The Americans boycotted the award ceremony in protest and never claimed their medals.

Working from memory here ..

[SoCal Pubbie]

Before the game in '72 the U.S. Olympic basketball team had never lost a game, much less not won the gold medal. The game aganist the USSR was played and ended not once, not twice, but three times until the Soviets made a length of the court inbound pass and made the winning goal. I believe Doug Collins was on that team, I'm pretty sure Tom McMillian was.

[Rebelbase]

USA/Soviet Basketball, 1972 Olympics

[carton253]

The Americans won a tough game in regulation. The Yugoslav referee said no, put three seconds on the clock and gave the Russians another chance to score. The Russians did not. The same referee put the same three seconds on the clock to give the Russians another chance to score. They either did it the 2nd time or the 3rd time (I was 12, but I do remember it) But the ref kept putting 3 seconds back on the clock until the Russians scored.

The Russians celebrated like crazy. The Americans were stunned. They refused the silver medal, and they are still in a vault.

It was the biggest ripoff in Olympic history.

[jackbill]

Please fill me in on what happened in the U.S. v. Soviet basketball game. Thanks.

The officials kept adding time to the clock until the Soviets got ahead - if I remember correctly.

And, as for that silver medal that's still in the bank vault, my former Congressman Tom McMillan - of the U. of MD - wanted the team to accept it. I haven't heard any of them have a nice thing to say about him since.

What what McMillan's party affiliation? Guess.

[Stand Watch Listen]

FYI...

Cold War on the Courts
U.S. and Russian basketball teams play the most controversial game in Olympic history