The motley crew next ensnared Boston Colleges leading scorer, Ernie Cobb. In this case, while the line may have opened, or at one time gone to two, because of the heavy betting on Holy Cross, the syndicate had to lay as many as seven points, and therefore lost their bet. Kuhn agreed to participate, and brought in his teammate Jim Sweeney.[1]. I was eating Rory Sparrow up, who went on to have a decent NBA career, in that camp. While Hill was being questioned, FBI agents inadvertently mentioned his frequent trips to Boston around the time of the Lufthansa heist. The scheme continued to work successfully in the December 23 game against UCLA. Hill was listed as a co-conspirator, but was not named as a defendant. Jimmy loved to beat bookmakers and Paulie liked to beat anybody., Hill flew to Boston in December 1978 for a meeting with the men involved. Boston College Accused of Point Shaving, was the big headline on the UPI wire. Heavy shelling in Kherson, Kharkiv destroys residences. They couldnt stop him. Also indicted in US District Court in Brooklyn, New York were: James Burke, a reputed organized crime leader, Anthony and Rocco Perla of Pittsburgh, and Paul Mazzei. At that point, I was looking forward to a trial, said Cobb. A few blocks from Boston College, the place that held so much meaning to him, where hed worked so hard to create his lifes purpose, the symbolism was inescapable when he found that he had a flat tire. The problem was Cobb. And as black kids who loved ball in Boston, he represented something for us, giving the younger generation something to aspire toin terms of their basketball skillsbecause he was putting in some serious work.. April 30 (UPI) -- Cuba has postponed its annual International Workers' Day parade for the third time in more than 60 years as fuel shortages hamstring the country. The centerpiece of today's hearing was the testimony of Kuhn, who was convicted in 1981 along with four gamblers for conspiracy to commit sports bribery and other crimes stemming from a point-shaving plot at Boston College during the 1978-79 season. And as some of his wagers were unsuccessful, the bookmakers became less suspicious and allowed him to stake more. Confirm your email address in the email you will receive shortly. They were just doing their jobs. Anyone can read what you share. The other vital parties were the bookmakers, and it was very much a plural, as Hill explained. ''Rather,'' Judge Bramwell said before imposing sentence, ''he emerges as a somewhat greedy individual. The Shadow League is a narrative company. Hill revealed his involvement in the point-shaving scheme, offering to relate the full story if federal officials would guarantee him full immunity and would agree to intercede on his behalf to convince state officials to drop the drug charges pending in state court. The conviction of former Boston College basketball player Richard Kuhn for his involvement in the point shaving scandal during the 1978-79 basketball season was upheld last Friday by a unanimous decision of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. Speaking in 2014, Cobb said: the ethical thing to do at 50 years old is different than what you would do at 16 or 20. They had Kuhn approach Ernie Cobb, the leading scorer on the team, but it has never been proven if Cobb agreed to cooperate. I just had to be alone, Cobb told the reporters afterwards. READ MORE:Best Massachusetts Sports Betting Promos Coming In March. A forward for Boston Colleges basketball team, he wasnt the strongest player and was more interested in partying. And who better than the teams top scorer, Ernie Cobb? It had to cost around $200,000 at the time to defend me.. Instead, they'd shave points to win against the spread. I never lied about that. Yes, all of our slot games have a free play mode where you can use demo credits to play the gam Burke was sentenced to twelve years' imprisonment. }Customer Service. Playing for the Mob: The Story of College Kids Breaking Bad Julie Walker has written, edited and designed words at five Michigan newspapers and websites. Burke was allegedly the ringleader behind the heist, then the largest to happen on U.S. soil, though he was never charged. Nothing in sports comes with a guarantee, though. It wasnt an absolute disaster but it was a cousin. His snitching stream began then, and during one conversation with law enforcement, he casually mentioned the Boston College scheme. We were looking good as a team and my goal was to be the best player I could possibly be. When he finished with his testimony, he made a beeline straight for the restroom. The scheme was hit or miss early on. There were times when the work got really hard, when I wanted to give up, when I had to stay up all night reading or studying or writing papers, and shed be right there pushing me, telling me, You cant give up! They were touting me as the next sub-6-footer to have an impact in the NBA. Hes innocent., When they indicted me, they wanted Peter Vario, the mobster, so they tried us together, said Cobb. RICK KUHN TELLS OF DEATH THREATS - The New York Times NEW YORK -- Former Boston College basketball player Rick Kuhn, jailed for his 1981 conviction in a point-shaving scandal, has asked for a reduction of his 10-year prison sentence. So I didnt even go on trial with Kuhn and the mobsters that put the whole thing in motion.. I have an incredible circle of supportive friends and have met some amazing people who have impacted my life in ways that I cant even begin to describe., Mr. The campus was so beautiful. Bets in this column are given in the format ", Winner is given as either Opp or BC and the margin of victory. white basketball player named Rick Kuhn, who has hopes of playing in the NBA. Rick Kuhn was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment yesterday for his part in a point-shaving scheme that was hatched during the 1978-79 season, when he played basketball for Boston College. Kuhn, Mazzei and Tony Perla were convicted and sentenced to 10 years. May 1 (UPI) -- Pope Francis has revealed that there is an ongoing peace mission involving the Vatican to secure an end to the war in Ukraine. May 1 (UPI) -- The 2-year-old daughter of Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett has drowned in the pool of their Florida family home, authorities said. You're going to get us killed, Sweeney recalled. As a freshman, he played sparingly and averaged 4.5 points per game while the Eagles finished with a disappointing 9-17 overall record. Enraged by their gambling loss, the Perla brothers, along with Mazzei, Burke, and Hill, decided to recruit additional Eagles players to enhance their control over the outcome of the games. Hill stated that, at the time, he and Burke were watching the game on television at Burke's home in Queens, and Burke put his foot through the television in anger at having lost $50,000 ($186,700 today). I loved it in Israel, the fans loved me and the people were so beautiful. And now, here I was on that same floor, pumped sky high, giving my defender buckets! You understand? When the evidence came up at the first trial, it didnt match up, but they still came after me a few years later. (Photo by Frank O'Brien/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) PURCHASE A LICENSE. First Republic seized by regulators and sold to JPMorgan. The drug dealer, Paul Mazzei, introduced the mobster, Henry Hill, to his friend, Tony Perla. In this case, while the spread was as high as 5, the syndicate was able to lay just 2 points, and therefore pushed when Holy Cross won by 2. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The conspiracy unraveled in 1980 after Hill was arrested by New York State authorities on drug trafficking charges and was subsequently implicated in the Lufthansa heist, which occurred while the point-shaving scheme was underway. In 1949/50, 33 players across seven teams shaved points. The very next day, the Nets cut me., When the F.B.I. The Perlas had a high school pal they thought might want to earn some extra dollars. My family has suffered. As such, its impossible to be certain which game was the first they attempted to fix. After Cobb was not charged, he thought he was finally past the sordid affair. These bookies could handle large bets and lay them off and spread the bets among a number of unsuspecting bookmakers around the country so as not to arouse suspicion. All Kuhn had to do was ensure that the Eagles fell short of the point spread in the games that they bet on. The Perla brothers were small-time gamblers who saw the upcoming 197879 Boston College Eagles basketball season as a perfect opportunity to earn a lot of money. They left, and that was that. He dreamed of walking away from Boston College at seasons end as one of the schools most revered sons before embarking on what he hoped would be an accomplished, financially rewarding career in the NBA. We get home, I open it up, and theres $1,000 in there.. Adding more legal operators to choose from also means bettors wont need to risk their money with illegal, and possibly dangerous, bookies. Kuhn's attorney, Gary Zimmerman, said his client recognized the seriousness of his crimes and that his stiff jail sentence 'was a stern warning to other college athletes.'. They reintroduced the original strategy, which proved successful for the February 3 Fordham game when Boston College, a ten-point favorite, won by seven points. Jim Sweeney: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com The conspirators chose the January 17, 1979, game against Connecticut to implement this plan. He says he took it under duress though, with Kuhn telling him he needed him to be involved, whether he liked it or not. Once the FBI arrested Hill the following year though, it all came out. 197879 Boston College Eagles basketball season, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, "Key figures in the BC point shaving scandal", "James (Jimmy the Gent) Burke, Gangster, 64, of 'Wiseguy' Fame", "Kuhn Gets 10-Year Sentence In BC Point-Shaving Case", "Guilt by Wikipedia: How Joe Streater Became Falsely Attached To The Boston College Point Shaving Scandal", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=197879_Boston_College_basketball_point-shaving_scandal&oldid=1150370795, This page was last edited on 17 April 2023, at 19:55. The Nets coaches were telling me, Coach, hes gonna be a great pro., I had a great camp with the Nets and was poised to make the team, said Cobb. When he arrived on campus in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, Cobbs internal mantra was, I gotta stay eligible. With those persistent affirmations dancing through his mind, he took his academic responsibilities seriously from day one. I dont know, but people are always going to speculate, he later said. Who was asking and how much they were paying probably influenced what Hill revealed each time. Can I play slot games for free? Also, maybe dont do business with mobsters? While the line may have been as low as 13 at some point, the syndicate had to lay 15, and therefore lost their bet when Rhode Island won by only 13. Sweeney spoke with a very nervous Kuhn afterward. Proponents argue that legal and regulated sports betting would actually reduce the chances of another BC scandal. [3] Kuhn was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment,[4] later reduced to 28 months. It was a tragedy that he never got another chance to play in the NBA., Kevin Loughery never gave me a firm reason why the Nets were letting me go, said Cobb. Edwin McDonald, who prosecuted the case for the Justice Department, said that he had recommended the incarceration of Mr. Kuhn but had not suggested any specific term. I don't question $1,000, give it to me.. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. You probably recognise that line of dialogue. The abbreviated version of events reads like this:the Perlas brought in a Pittsburgh hood named Paul Mazzei, who contacted his friend Henry Hill, an associate of New Yorks Lucchese crime family that had befriended him during a stretch in federal prison. NEW YORK -- Former Boston College basketball forward Richard Kuhn and four other people were indicted today on federal racketeering and bribery charges in a point shaving scheme, the FBI announced . Mr . Rick Kuhn Sentenced to 10 Years - The New York Times In one of Hills versions, that game inspired Cobbs recruitment. Of course, the damn players had a million excuses, Henry Hill wrote in Sports Illustrateds bombshell story, How I Put The Fix In, which was the magazines cover story on February 16th, 1981. I think you could poll a lot of people in the business and the Boston College scandal is off their radar. Holy Cross was favored to win and, consistent with the scheme, were bet on to win by a margin greater than the seven-point spread. Almost $6 million in cash and $875,000 in jewelry was stolen at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Dec. 11, 1978. For all I know, he told them I was in, that it would cost an extra $2,500 per game and he was trying to hustle the gangsters while pocketing the extra money. He was a murderer and a horrible human being. April 30 (UPI) -- One person is dead and five more are injured after a shooting early Sunday morning at a house party in Lawrence, Mass. He was furious. When he returned to the United States, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he became a Special Education teacher and high school basketball coach. We were all so excited for him. Today, Cobbs relationship with Boston College remains strained. All of Henry Hills and the Perla brothers information was coming from Rick Kuhn, and who knows what he was saying to them to cover his own skin., (Jim Sweeney, Photo Credit: tampabay.com), Kuhn and Sweeney got in over their heads, Cobb continued. Id led the pro league in scoring over there and signed a very nice contract. No source was given for this claim, with Streater's last appearance for the team occurring in the 197778 season, but this claim remained for more than five years, resulting in a number of media sites including Bleacher Report, ESPN and Yahoo News erroneously naming him as a point-shaver.[5]. The court papers said Kuhn of Swissvale, Pa., has agreed to testify against former teammate Ernie Cobb, 27, a basketball player from Stamford, Conn. Cobb has pleaded innocent to a charge of conspiring to commit sports bribery,a charge stemming from the point-shaving scandal. Judge Bramwell noted that no witness at the trial had suggested that Mr. Kuhn had been a reluctant participant in the scheme. I got through it on my own, and I didnt get whacked, is how Sweeney looks back on the matter now, which is probably the healthiest view to take. We werent really checking for B.C. (Rick Kuhn, Photo Credit: bostonglobe.com). He bet $35,000 on a game with Connecticut and it paid off. The FBI didnt have to prove the games were fixed, only that there was a conspiracy to manipulate the scores. He jumped in the air, as if soaring for a rebound, as cheers filled the courtroom. Red Auerbach coached the Celtics to nine NBA championships between 1957 and 1966, and knew all there is to know about basketball. Rocco and Tony Perla were giving money to Rick Kuhn. I called my buddy Frank Melzer, who was an attorney, said Alswanger. Shes worked on two sports desks, including at The Oakland Press and most recently at The Detroit News. I admitted to receiving that money, and spending it. Boston College's basketball team ended their 197879 season with a 229 record. Hill flew into Boston, at the behest of Jimmy Burke, late in 1978 to meet with Mazzei, the Perlas, Kuhn and Sweeney at the Logan Airport Hilton and ensure that everything was in place. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Many details of the scandal remain murky. Ernie, and anybody who truly knew him, who knew about his character and what type of young man he was, we were all heartbroken. Hill went into witness protection and died in 2012 of a heart attack. More regulations and laws results in more eyes scrutinizing each game. A former Boston College basketball player who has spent two years in prison for conspiring with professional gamblers to rig games told a Federal commission on crime yesterday about his role in the scandal and warned college athletes not to ''jeopardize their futures'' by succumbing to the temptations of ''big money.''. The ringleaders knew having just one player wouldnt ensure the desired outcome. However, Kuhn did receive ''several thousand dollars'' for his efforts, according to Edward A. McDonald, the attorney in charge of the Organized Crime Strike Force for the Eastern District of New York, which conducted the investigation in 1981. Over all, he said, the scheme failed. All Rights Reserved. A Cooperative Kuhn Has Life Threatened. RICK KUHN RECALLS POINT-SHAVING CASE - The New York Times Sent Weekly. He was the polar opposite of Kuhn, which made him perfect in Hills eyes. But as a drug-using gangster who feared for his life, its unsurprising that his recollections were inconsistent. | Due to his Irish heritage, Burke never received a formal induction into the Lucchese crime family of New York, but he operated as an associate. Enter Rick Kuhn, a senior forward for the Boston College basketball team during the 1978-79 season. Any recount of the BC points-shaving scandal should come with a free CharlieCard for a story with more twists and turns than the citys T system.