[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5367]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MEMPHIS STATE BASKETBALL PLAYER AND 
                           COACH, LARRY FINCH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 6, 2011

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and 
legacy of former Memphis State basketball player and men's basketball 
coach, Larry Finch. Coach Finch was born on February 16, 1951 in 
Memphis, Tennessee. He grew up in the historic Orange Mound 
neighborhood and attended Melrose High School. Unaware of the impact 
his life and love for basketball would have on the city of Memphis, 
Larry Finch would help ease race relations during a sharply divided era 
and go on to lead the Memphis State Tigers to the NCAA Tournament 
finals then coach the team to its greatest number of wins.
  Larry Finch joined the Memphis State Tigers in 1969. During a time of 
high racial upheaval in Memphis, he along with his teammate, Melrose 
graduate Ronnie Robinson, helped integrate the Tigers. Although he 
received much advice on schools to attend, he ultimately chose Memphis 
State because of his love and pride for his city. It was his love for 
both basketball and Memphis that united the city like never before. 
Blacks and whites came together, unconcerned about race, to cheer for 
the Tigers and for Larry Finch.
  During Finch's college career, the Tigers had a 63-21 record and 
either won or tied for two Missouri Valley Conference championships. In 
1972, Larry was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and 
was named All-America honorable mention by both the Associated Press 
and UPI. In his senior year, Larry Finch led his team to the 1973 NCAA 
Tournament championship game against the UCLA Bruins. He scored an 
impressive 29 points but the Tigers still fell to the Bruins, 87-66. 
It's reported that when asked why he helped UCLA lead Bill Walton off 
the court after sustaining an injury to his ankle, he replied with 
laughter, ``Because he was kicking our butt.'' Bill Walton later noted 
that it was Larry Finch alone among all players on the court that 
helped the star when he was in need of assistance.
  After helping lead his team to the 1973 finals, Larry's No. 21 jersey 
was retired. He was the Tiger's all-time leading scorer and currently 
ranks fourth with 1,869 points. The Tigers had never won an NCAA 
Tournament game before Larry Finch joined the team.
  Larry Finch was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers after graduating 
but instead decided to sign with the local American Basketball 
Association team, the Memphis Tams. From 1975 to 1979, Larry Finch was 
the assistant coach to his former coach Gene Bartow at the University 
of Alabama Birmingham and then the assistant coach at Memphis State 
from 1979 to 1986 before replacing Dana Kirk as head coach.
  Larry Finch served as the first African American head coach for the 
Memphis State Tigers from 1986 to 1997. He was responsible for 
recruiting and training Memphis greats such as Elliot Perry, Anfernee 
``Penny'' Hardaway, David Voughn and the late Lorenzen Wright. During 
his tenure, Coach Finch amassed seven 20+ win seasons. He took the 
Tigers to the NCAA Tournament six times with the 1991-1992 team led by 
Hardaway going to the Elite Eight. At the end of his coaching career, 
Larry Finch had a 220-130 coaching record and was named University of 
Memphis' ``all-time winningest coach,'' a title he still holds today. 
In 2000, the University of Memphis dedicated a world-class practice 
facility in his honor--the Larry O. Finch Center.
  Larry loved playing against Louisville as either a player or a coach. 
He was proud of besting the Louisville Cardinals 16 out of 27 times 
throughout his basketball career. His 1987 Metro Conference 
Championship win over Louisville in Freedom Hall was perhaps his most 
memorable meeting against Louisville. The Tigers won that game 75-52, 
beating the Cardinals for the third time. The Tigers ended that season 
26-8 and Finch was named Basketball Times Rookie Coach of the Year.
  Larry was loved by many in the Memphis community. After suffering 
from a stroke in 2002, those close to him created the Friends of Larry 
Finch Foundation to help cover medical expenses. In 2006, the 
Foundation released a tribute CD called ``Eye of the Tiger: A Tribute 
to Larry Finch.'' It featured songs by Memphis performers Al Green, The 
Bar-Kays, Gary Johns, John Kilzer and Al Kapone.
  Larry Finch passed away on April 2, 2011 at the young age of 60. He 
will be missed by many in Memphis including two of his closest friends, 
Leonard Draper and Randy Wade, the many players whose lives he touched 
and hundreds of fans across Memphis and the Nation. He is survived by 
his wife Vickie, his daughter Shanae Deon Finch and two sons, Larry 
Finch, Jr. and James Finch. He is also survived by his sister, Gloria 
Finch, and four brothers, Barry, Gary, Greg and Ronald Finch. Larry 
Finch was predeceased by two beloved younger sisters, Gail and 
Gwendolyn Finch. Larry was a great American and we are lucky he came 
this way for the people of Memphis and our Nation. His was a life well 
lived.

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