Hank Gathers was a college basketball star who played for Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He was a dominant force on the court, leading the nation in scoring and rebounding as a junior. He was also a charismatic and beloved person, who inspired his teammates, coaches, and fans with his passion, humor, and kindness. But on March 4, 1990, his life was cut short in a shocking and heartbreaking way. He collapsed on the court during a game and died of sudden cardiac arrest. His death stunned the sports world and left a lasting legacy of grief and admiration.
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What Happened to Hank Gathers?
On March 4, 1990, Loyola Marymount was playing against the University of Portland in the West Coast Conference tournament. In the first half, Gathers caught an alley-oop pass from his friend and teammate Bo Kimble and slammed it home with authority. As he ran back to the defensive end, he suddenly fell to the floor, clutching his chest. He briefly regained consciousness and tried to get up, but then collapsed again. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was only 23 years old.
According to ESPN, Gathers had collapsed on the court earlier in his senior season, during a game against UC Santa Barbara on December 9, 1989. He was diagnosed with an abnormal heartbeat and prescribed a beta blocker medication called Inderal. However, he felt that the drug affected his performance and reduced his dosage without consulting his doctors. He also skipped some of his follow-up tests and appointments.
An autopsy revealed that Gathers suffered from a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which causes the heart muscle to thicken and impair its function. HCM is a genetic disorder that affects about one in 500 people and is a common cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.
How Did the Basketball World React to Hank Gathers’ Death?
Gathers’ death sent shockwaves throughout the basketball world and beyond. He was widely regarded as one of the best players in college basketball and a potential NBA star. He had led Loyola Marymount to national prominence with their high-octane offense that averaged over 120 points per game. He had also overcome poverty and adversity in his childhood in Philadelphia, where he grew up with his mother and five siblings.
His teammates, coaches, family, friends, and fans were devastated by his loss. They held vigils, memorials, and tributes for him. They wore patches with his number 44 on their jerseys. They dedicated their games and seasons to him. They honored him with speeches, songs, poems, and stories.
One of the most touching gestures came from Bo Kimble, who was Gathers’ best friend since high school. Kimble decided to shoot his first free throw of every game left-handed, as a tribute to Gathers, who had switched to shooting free throws left-handed to improve his accuracy. Kimble made all 21 of his left-handed free throws in the NCAA tournament, where Loyola Marymount made an improbable run to the Elite Eight as an 11th seed.
Why Is Hank Gathers’ Death Still Remembered Today?
Hank Gathers’ death is still remembered today as one of the most tragic events in sports history. It is also a reminder of the risks and challenges that young athletes face when dealing with heart conditions.
According to Forbes, thousands of young athletes die every year from sudden cardiac arrest, often without any warning signs or symptoms. Many of them have undiagnosed or untreated heart problems that could have been detected or prevented with proper screening and care.
There have been efforts to raise awareness and improve prevention of sudden cardiac death in young athletes since Gathers’ death. For example, there are programs that provide free or low-cost heart screenings for student-athletes, such as the Hank Gathers Memorial Foundation or Play for Prevention. There are also guidelines and protocols for emergency response and resuscitation for cardiac arrest victims on athletic fields or courts.
However, there are still challenges and controversies regarding the best practices for screening and treating young athletes with heart conditions. There are debates over the cost-effectiveness, accuracy, availability, and ethical implications of different methods of testing and intervention.
Hank Gathers’ death also serves as a source of inspiration and motivation for many people who admire his legacy as a basketball player and a human being. His story has been told in documentaries, books, articles, podcasts, and songs. His name has been immortalized in awards, scholarships, statues, murals, banners, and halls of fame.
Hank Gathers was more than just a basketball player. He was a leader, a friend, a brother, a son, and a hero. He touched many lives with his talent, personality, and spirit. He left behind a legacy of excellence, courage, and love. He will never be forgotten.