I assumed we are talking about the Alvin Franklin that played basketball at UH for PSJ.
But there is another person (also named “Alvin Franklin”) that took some job in the UH atletics dept a few years ago.
Which one passed?
When I asked Terry if he had heard the news, he said he had received an e-mail from Alvin about the the ceremony just two days ago but then realized it was from the Senior Associate AD and not the Alvin he knew.
Still hoping.
Gary Bender did the PxP and Billy Packer was the Analyst.
Yes,…right… Packer during the game.
I suppose Vitale comes to mind also (to me) because leading up to the tourney, he kept warning that UH was playing a freshman at point.
I think Vitale was talking on, I think ESPN, and said that UH wouldn’t advance to the Final Four with a freshman point guard. And said it again on several of the sports shows he was part of. He may have done one of the regional games, but since I was at the games, I didn’t see it.
To me, there was nothing more exciting than following the team from the SWC tourney, then the sub-regional, then the regional, and then the final four. I think I used up most of my vacation days going to the basketball games. The group I went with was Jim and Nancy Gamage, Willie and Marsha Burns, Bud and Margie Hayden. Of course Billie Schneider and her friend Hattie were always there.
I went to all those tourneys for the first Final Four in New Orleans. The next one in Albuquerque I could only go to the first 3 because The Final was on Monday and I had to be in Charleston, WV on business. The last of those three, I was working on the north slope of Alaska and could only be here for the two sites before the final four because I had to be back on the slope for a compressor start up. My then wife went to every one of them for all three final fours. They had great court side seats.
I got all nostalgic writing that. The Gamages, Burns, and Bud Hayden have all passed. I haven’t talked to Margie Hayden since the pandemic and I don’t know if she is still with us. I haven’t seen or heard from Billie in years.
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FYI - Just now talked with my Cougar Pride contact, and confirmed Alvin Franklin the PSJ basketball player is not the Alvin Franklin Kris Gardner reported.
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Appreciate you checking, just seemed weird that it was not being reported elsewhere.
Great news!
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Reporting deaths is something you don’t want to mess up. Kris obviously had good information, but others are probably waiting on an official word from the school or family at that point.
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Duarte is now reporting it this morning.
Dang, was hoping it was a mistake of some kind. One of my favs, very nice guy. Way too young.
Coogs Assoc AD – Kelly Marchbanks confirms it was Alvin Franklin from PSJ era. Sad news.
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RIP
I apologize as my CP contact was not informed this morning when I called. Very sad news as Alvin was a great COOG and was making strides to improve Cougar Pride.
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Alvin Franklin was a very talented player who played very well in the 1982 and 1983 NCAA
Tournaments.
Didn’t he own a carpet store? Being a small businessman can be very stressful.
Somewhat surprised he did not make it in the NBA. I thought he had the talent.
Did he play in Europe?
He will be missed.
I know being a UH fan for over 50 years I will not forget him.
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RIP- Prayers go out to his family.
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I wear the warmup top Alvin gave me to most every game.
RIP
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FYI - Horrible rumor now debunked. We were at the BB perfect attendance event Saturday, and Alvin Franklin was there. We talked with him before he spoke to the attendees. He is well and still a COOG with Cougar Pride. His profile is still on CP website. If he indeed had passed, surely CP would have deleted his profile. Current photo from his CP profile.
