Kuhn was convicted for his role in the scheme and now lives in southwest Pennsylvania. I called my buddy Frank Melzer, who was an attorney, said Alswanger. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. 30 Years After His Exoneration, Former BC Hoops Star Ernie Cobb Is Still Fighting to Clear His Name Pt. I continue to feel like I have to defend myself, all these years later, even after the government tried their case against me and I was found innocent. He turned to me and said, Coach, Im glad youre sticking up for your kid. Whats going on? Tony and his brother Rocco were pals with Rick Kuhn. He worked hard in class. Shaved down, one could call the story simple: A few college hoops kids helped take down a deadly gangster. He said, these guys were irate. He recruited teammates Ernie Cobb and Jim Sweeney into the ring, after becoming connected with ex-convicts Paul Mazzei and Henry Hill. We werent really checking for B.C. Kuhn was sentenced to 10 years in prison, later reduced to 28 months. The fixing was over. I want to be disassociated from it as well. This is Part II of The Shadow League's feature story on former Boston College basketball player Ernie Cobb. The conspirators chose the January 17, 1979, game against Connecticut to implement this plan. You understand? And look what he did to the lives of those kids. He is appealing Mr. Kuhn's conviction, and the defendant will remain free on $50,000 bail pending the outcome of that appeal. By my junior year, it was show-time, said Cobb. After Cobb was not charged, he thought he was finally past the sordid affair. 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. I was eating Rory Sparrow up, who went on to have a decent NBA career, in that camp. After the four-week trial in 1981, Jimmy Burke was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Paul Mazzei and Tony Perla were sentenced to ten. Either way, the mob were unhappy that the plan hadnt worked. READ MORE:Best Massachusetts Sports Betting Promos Coming In March. In 1978, Rick Kuhn was in his final season at Boston College,amarginal player with little going for him. An obvious lesson here: Crime doesnt pay. Kuhn was convicted with four other men in November of taking part in the scheme in which six Boston College basketball games were fixed during the 1978-1979 season. Key figures in the BC point shaving scandal - The Boston Globe Live Betting. Former Boston College basketball player Rick Kuhn, jailed for - UPI You want to tell people what they want to hear, then you want to go away.. Boston College Accused of Point Shaving, was the big headline on the UPI wire. The Mobsters He is benched in his final year. Bookmakers, on seeing the heavy action, moved the line as high as twelve to discourage bets on the favorite (St. John's) and attract more bets on the underdog. Golden State Warriors Draymond Green Feels Former Teammate Harrison Barnes To This Day Dont Like Me For KD Coming Here. Hill went into witness protection and died in 2012 of a heart attack. Its gonna be no contest. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Ernie, dont lie to me, Alswanger instructed him. As he said regarding point shaving, the shit I was doing, that was going on in my life? Burke, through Hill, would front the money to pay the players, forwarding the money through Mazzei and the Perla brothers. Mizzougrad96, Aug 31, 2011. Kuhn and Hill say hes lying. 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. Record-breaking warmth will soon be a distant memory for residents along the West Coast, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. May 1 (UPI) -- First Republic Bank was sold Monday to JPMorgan Chase, as regulators seek to calm a turbulent banking sector that has now seen three U.S. banks fail in less than two months. The spread was for them to win by seven though, so the bet lost. When he first stepped on the hallowed parquet floor at the legendary Boston Garden, where B.C. He told me to keep playing and working hard and that one day I might get another chance., When the story first broke in January of 1981, Cobb was in shock. Ernie, and anybody who truly knew him, who knew about his character and what type of young man he was, we were all heartbroken. They kept saying that they liked the idea of just shaving points and not blowing the games." Rick Kuhn Sentenced to 10 Years - The New York Times On Friday morning, March 23rd, the jury came back with a unanimous innocent verdict for Ernie Cobb, exonerating him of all charges. Burke had Hill fly to Boston on November 16, 1978, to meet with Mazzei, Kuhn, Tony Perla, and any other member of the Eagles team interested in participating in their scheme. 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. And who better than the teams top scorer, Ernie Cobb? He traveled throughout the world, getting paid to play the game that he loved. But Kuhn was a player of limited ability, so he recruited his roommate and best friend, who also happened to be the most important player on the floor, the teams senior point guard, Jim Sweeney. I told him, I think were gonna blow them out, we look really good. was favored to win a game by ten points, Kuhn had to make sure, if the game was in play with the mobsters and the bookies, that they won by less than ten in order for the gamblers to make money. The players involved in the scandal were paid between 500-1000$ each game and were given the chance to double it betting on the games. First Republic seized by regulators and sold to JPMorgan. Kuhn's Conviction Upheld Unanimously - Boston College "I'd call Rick (Kuhn), I'd tell him the point spread on the Boston College game, and Rick would say if they'd have a chance or not." Fixing The Games Hill had no issue telling people what they wanted to hear, as was seen when he spoke to the FBI in order to save his own skin. It wasnt an absolute disaster but it was a cousin. Out of everything that happened, thats one thing that hurts me tremendously, Cobb said. Man City treble odds are in demand and Parimatch are offering new customers a price boost on it. In addition, they were given the opportunity to bet the money they were paid and double their winnings. The story read, in part, as follows: Ernie Cobb tossed in 1,760 points in a stellar basketball career at Boston College and only two other Eagles scored more. The ex-girlfriend of a former Boston College basketball player - UPI Its from Martin Scorseses GoodFellas, a film widely considered one of the best ever and among the greatest examples of the gangster genre. Kuhn said the gamblers did not keep their promise to pay him $2,500 for every game, some of which Boston College lost. Cobb was acquitted of any wrongdoing, despite Kuhn giving Cobb's girlfriend an allegedly unsolicited envelope with $1,000. Cobb says he received $1,000 in an envelope but said he didnt really know what it was for. Its very hard to detect. I didnt know what that was all about. In papers made public Monday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, Kuhn's attorney argued his client's sentence was 'excessive,' and should be reduced because Kuhn has been cooperating with prosecutors in the case. Yet its hard to believe it wouldve been had the bets won. While the season of points-shaving unfolded, an even bigger crime went down that year. I had a relentless type of game.. Other notable players selected in that draft included Sidney Moncrief, Bill Laimbeer, Bill Cartwright, Mark Eaton and Jim Paxson. I just had to be alone, Cobb told the reporters afterwards. Hill brought in his mentor, Jimmy Burke, to finance the operation and set up a network of bookies who could advance the financial potential of the scheme. Heading into his senior season in 1978-1979, as the team captain, Cobb was hoping that he could lead his team to the NCAA Tournament. display: none; I was forthright and honest with them. 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. Also, maybe dont do business with mobsters? I loved it in Israel, the fans loved me and the people were so beautiful. Gambling.com is tracking sport cancellations (and eventual resurgences) on an interactive map below. Sweeney was not charged. Hill was listed as a co-conspirator, but was not named as a defendant. In 1981, forward Rick Kuhn was convicted of conspiracy in a point shaving scheme in which he, guard Jim Sweeney, and possibly other members of the team attempted to manipulate the scores of some games on behalf of organized crime. | Knicks Win Their First Playoff Series In 10 Years But Can They Stay Back On Top In The Big Apple? He sold copy machines and paved driveways for an asphalt company, which was ironically the same job his father found when hed relocated from North Carolina to Connecticut some twenty years earlier. A mobster met a drug dealer in prison and their friendship continued after their release. The government presented telephone records showing evidence of extensive communications between the conspirators during the 197879 season and records provided by Western Union and various hotels which further corroborated government testimony. The other vital parties were the bookmakers, and it was very much a plural, as Hill explained. The syndicate was able to lay nine points when the game was first available to be bet, and therefore pushed. But in the first game the scheme was tested, against Providence College, Boston College won by nearly double the point spread. I was doing well academically and the dream of playing professional basketball was getting closer.. [ii] Holy Cross ultimately won by only two points, as Cobb scored eight points in the final minute to bring the Eagles close, and everyone involved lost a substantial amount of money. Whatever happened to Rick Kuhn? | Page 2 | SportsJournalists.com The NBA season tips off on Tuesday, October 18 and we've got some essential stats for you. SpaceX Falcon Heavy launches following aborted mission, delays. 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. He says he took it under duress though, with Kuhn telling him he needed him to be involved, whether he liked it or not. We had a good old time. It would also increase the likelihood of scandals like the BC one, they say. In the 1979 NBA Draft, Magic Johnson was the first overall pick of the Los Angeles Lakersafter leading Michigan State University to the National Championship over Larry Birds Indiana State team. Almost $6 million in cash and $875,000 in jewelry was stolen at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Dec. 11, 1978. The spread was +12 on Boston College, so as they won 86-83, Hill was in the money. Hill said in Wiseguy, Jimmy and I put a few bucks down; in Playing For The Mob, Tony Perla says New York were cut down for over $250,000.. BC was a big favourite, five or six points, and they won by one (78-77). "The kid wants to do business," said Tony. Help for Inmates Before, During and After Prison Ernie Cobb played professional basketball in Israel for 17 years, where he learned to speak fluent Hebrew. Sweeney allegedly only took one envelope with $500 but maintains he didnt really participate. I understand that they want to disassociate themselves from the scandal. The pair reunited once Hill was released in 1978, and Mazzei introduced him to his friend, Tony Perla. I was like, You gotta be kidding me! Jim Sweeney and Rick Kuhns names werent mentioned anywhere. The 197879 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal involved a scheme in which members of the American Mafia recruited and bribed several Boston College Eagles men's basketball players to ensure the team would not win by the required margin (not cover the point spread) or win by the required margin (cover the point spread), allowing gamblers in the know to place wagers against that team and win. They mentioned the $1,000 that Rocco Perla gave my girlfriend and I told them the truth. He stopped in my office with his bike with the flat tire and borrowed $20 to get it fixed and to get home. 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. I was shining at the camp. He was the polar opposite of Kuhn, which made him perfect in Hills eyes. The season was drawing to a close and the criminals were tired of a scam which didnt always pay off. They would also ensure protection for the enterprise in the event that the unsuspecting bookmakers, all of whom had toughs at their disposal to collect unpaid debts, discovered they were being swindled. His girlfriend, whom hed met during his first week on campus, was an upperclassman that knew how to navigate the schools academic landscape. 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. This has gone on for four years. #10. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. You gotta tell me the truth, because I gotta know how to go on this?. Especially those who, as far back as they can remember, always wanted to be a gangster. 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. Privacy and Cookies Policy The story of the infamous Boston College Basketball Point Shaving Case. Alswanger, my high school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he continued. When he was implicated in the scandal, I was shocked.. Hello I am making a movie on the scandal and my Director would like me to pursue the story as told by the players. As a freshman, he played sparingly and averaged 4.5 points per game while the Eagles finished with a disappointing 9-17 overall record. He recently earned his Masters Degree in Education and is currently considering pursuing a Ph.D. I feel like Ive led a remarkable life, he said. We were all so excited for him. . Betting big money on college basketball is very hard because very few bookies get into it seriously. I was so thankful, and was willing to work as hard as I possibly could, both in my studies, and in basketball, to be able to get the most I could out of the experience.. The trio worked together to pick games on Boston College's schedule where. Ultimately, nothing happened. BOSTON - FEBRUARY 14: Rick Kuhn (#50) during Boston College men's basketball's 1977-1978 season. But you might not know that the mobsters portrayed in the film were responsible for one of the biggest scandals in basketball history, and that it was this scam, rather than the numerous robberies and murders, which saw the most powerful Irish-American gangster of all time incarcerated for the rest of his days. Some had connections to various upper-level gambling circles and some were connected to the mob as we take a look back at one of the biggest betting scandals seen during the 1980's in America. Did it start out with a loss for the gamblers on Dec. 6, 1978, when Boston College handily beat Providence, 83-64? Was acquitted of sports bribery charges. won the gangsters some serious money by falling short of the spread. talked to the Nets, their head coach Kevin Loughery called him in and said, You know why I have to let you go, said Alswanger. If betting sites set the spread believing a team will by win seven points, the fixers bet against them and the corrupt team tries to win by six or fewer. When he told Alswanger about the indictment, his old high school coach spoke sternly with him, as he'd done sometwelveyears earlier when Cobb had just returned home fromthe juvenile detention facility. Perla and Kuhn had gone to high school together and were good friends. Sweeney and Kuhn were best friends at Boston College. College basketball's 30 biggest cheaters that tainted the game Former Boston College basketball forward Richard Kuhn and four - UPI At that point, I was looking forward to a trial, said Cobb. Cuba postpones International Workers' Day parade over fuel shortages. Visser became the NFLs first female beat writer in 1976, when she was assigned by the paper to cover the New England Patriots. Bets in this column are given in the format ", Winner is given as either Opp or BC and the margin of victory. Investigation Is Continuing. 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. She helped tutor me, and encouraged me through some rough spots. So the scam continued. 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. Rick Kuhn - College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Rick Kuhn, the former Boston College basketball player convicted with four other men last November of taking part in a point-shaving conspiracy, has told Federal authorities that he was threatened . The Providence game was played on December 6, 1978, and Boston College was favored to win by six to seven points. Said Hill, "He wanted me to fly up to Boston. The 80-minute documentary tells how BC forward Rick Kuhn conspired with two of his hoodlum friends from Pittsburgh to bet against the Eagles. ''A substantial argument can be offered,'' Judge Bramwell said, ''that a substantial term of incarceration imposed on this defendant will be recalled in the future by another college athlete who may be tempted to compromise his performance.''. A forward for Boston Colleges basketball team, he wasnt the strongest player and was more interested in partying. A grand jury indicted Burke, Mazzei, Kuhn, and the Perla brothers. That really happened. I hadnt seen Ernie for several years, Jack Hennessey, a psychologist at Boston College that had served as an informal academic advisor during Cobbs days as a student, told the New York Times in April of 1984. A federal jury in Brooklyn yesterday convicted former Boston College basketball player Rick Kuhn and four codefendants of conspiring to manipulate the scores of Boston College games. hoops that blazed a trail, Mills continued. Over all, he said, the scheme failed. The bookies began to smell a rat, and not just the one Hill himself would become 18 months later. Also involved were bookmakers across the East Coast. 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. They left, and that was that. In the summer of 1978, Rocco Perla and his older brother Anthony, back in Pittsburgh, were the ones who initially conceived the point-shaving scheme that would later rock the college basketball world. In another, he says the fixing began with a big win for the wise guys when Boston College, favored by 12 points, beat Harvard by just three, 86-83. The scheme thus ended on an unsuccessful note. FRANK O'BRIEN/GLOBE STAFF/FILE 1978 Win some, lose some Ernie Cobb now coaches the. Think of Ray Liottas character in Goodfellas. Picture him reporting to Robert DeNiros character in the film. Kuhn was released after serving 28 months, and rarely speaks about what happened. Rocco Perla received a four-year sentence and Rick Kuhn was sentenced to a ten-year bid as well, which was later reduced to 28 months. His snitching stream began then, and during one conversation with law enforcement, he casually mentioned the Boston College scheme. More regulations and laws results in more eyes scrutinizing each game. The campus was so beautiful. The February 6 game against St. John's was a "push" (winning back exact bets), as the syndicate neither won nor lost when St. John's prevailed 8576, the exact point spread (nine) the bookmakers had offered.[i]. I never lied about that. I dont know, but people are always going to speculate, he later said. She knew the terrain in terms of what I needed to be doing, said Cobb. Instead, they'd shave points to win against the spread. You realize that you cant play if you dont do this. He didn't want to be bothered with these kids anymore." Kuhn apologized to his family, fiancee and college, and vowed to counsel high school and college athletes about the dangers of gambling after he is freed from prison in December. https://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/06/sports/rick-kuhn-sentenced-to-10-years.html. After reading this I feel its the right story to add in to existing script. Judge Bramwell noted that no witness at the trial had suggested that Mr. Kuhn had been a reluctant participant in the scheme. 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. A Cooperative Kuhn Has Life Threatened. Theres no way you can tell if a referee or player is shaving points, absolutely no way, he once told Sports Illustrated. A fitness fanatic who augmented his training by swimming and riding his bicycle very long distances, Cobb hopped on his ten-speed shortly after the indictment was announced and began pedaling. | But for Bowie, it was too little, too late. Cleanly summarizing this story feels futile, but well try. Mr . GDC Media Limited. Loughery told me that I had the ability to play in the NBA. The initial informa tion came from Henry Hill, a Government informant in the Lufthansa case, who casually toldthe investigators that Mr. Burke had been inv olved in a collegebasketball point-shaving scheme. He made other African-American ballers feel like they could go there and really showcase what they could do on a national level.
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