Ronnie Lester
- Thread starter Kurt Warner
- Start date
Ronnie always stayed thin. He's dying his hair though. Last time I saw him he had gray. The other night his hair was as jet black as Elvis.
i thought he looked pretty good for 60. i guess today we are not used to seeing thin people
He was always thin but what a player! I feel very lucky to have been able to watch him play.
Unfortunately Lester's career was ending about the same time I was really starting to get in to iowa bb
Back in the 70's, Lute would take the team on a pre-season tour of the state playing inter-squad games. In 1976 they played a game in Waterloo at Columbus High School (I attended West High). We were excited to see Sky King, Clay Hargrave and "Sweet William" Mayfield, but were blown away by our true freshman Ronnie Lester. His quickness and ball-handling was incredible, even at that young age. We knew right then that we had something special.
Ronnie and I are about the same age. My graduating year was 77 and also born in 59.I've never heard how Ronnie got into the class of 76. Either parents got him into school for the 63-64 school year at age 4 (and like 8 months ahead of eligibility for kindergarten that year) or he skipped a class or graduated a year early.
So, speaking for those of us born in 59 -- no, we're not used to seeing each other looking thin these days. Ronnie looked great. He'll be 61 on New Year's Day.
Ronnie still has intense eyes, but he is even thinner than last I saw him. He was one of the main reasons I became a Hawkeye fan. The comeback win over Georgetown to go to the Final Four and the welcome back in the middle of the night at the Fieldhouse is one of the greatest days in sports I have experienced.
I'm 51 and Lester is, still by far, my favorite Hawkeye.
I have a very similar story actually (I was born in Feb 1959, one month after Ronnie) except I’m rail thin like Ronnie. Nothing to be alarmed about per se. Some people just have that thin build.
I too occasionally wondered over the years how Ronnie was a 1976 grad. He should have been a1977 grad as you mention.
I too was at that nighttime welcome back gathering at the Fieldhouse as a kid, and it just incredible!!!
Me, my dad, and my younger brother were there. I'm glad that I got to actually be in the Fieldhouse. There was that and the Iowa/ISU dual in 1981 (I think). There was a blizzard. My mom was none to pleased about me, dad, and younger brother was down in Iowa City. It took us forever to get back home. After me and brother were in bed mom let loose on dad. Fun memories
22- Bill Seaberg, but I cannot remember which ones are which for Sharm Schuerman, Carl Cain, and Bill Logan. I believe there is one more from that 56 Final Four team also. Murray Weir might be #10.
I almost posted this exact same thing before I saw your post. I hope I look like that at his age. He still looks like he could ball.
I guess we are so obese as a society that someone in great shape now looks rail thin.
Sounds about right although I don't remember Stokes' number being retired. I won't cheat by looking them up, and then there's the problem with my old mind.
My favorite Hawkeye - bar none. I always tried to emulate his floater going to the basket and it always hit the back of the rim. Never was bright enough I guess to use the backboard! It's a shame he hurt his knee because it curtailed what would have been a great NBA career. Kudos to him for being a success in management.
What's the secret on staying thin at our age? If you feel too thin I can loan you 35 lbs. Actually I'd make it more of a gift, you can just keep the 35.
LOL, I’d take it! (And no secret I’m sorry to tell you, it’s all totally due to genetics I think.)
And, yes, I'm joking. Just random associations I have with those numbers.
I hear you. Born in 59 as well, and haven't been that thin since I was in middle school...
Ronnie was the best point guard I have ever seen play at Iowa. If he doesn't get hurt in that Final 4 game against Louisville, I believe our Hawks would have won it all in 1980.
Yup, I was there for that. I believe Lute's future son-in-law Cal Wulfsburg and Scott Thompson were there also.
We were fighting to land Zeke and the very idea of he and Ronnie in the same backcourt had me so excited. Of course Indiana won out, but Ronnie’s last season almost got Iowa the championship without him. The IF ONLYs seem to be an Iowa thing.
I was born a decade later in 1960! I was barely 5 when kindergarten started, and graduated in "the great '78". He must have turned 5 in January of his kindergarten year. or like you say skipped a year. Maybe Illinois had different rules on starting school?
It was my 1977 during my Sophomore year at Illinois, and I was doing the play by play for the Iowa game on campus radio. I was awestruck by the skill and basketball IQ exhibited by the 150 pound Freshman from Dunbar High. He was a revelation, and I firmly believe that had he not torn his ACL, Iowa would have won the 1980 NCAA title. He and Isaiah Thomas were the two best smallish point guards in my lifetime. Those of you who never saw Lester play live before his injury missed something that’s indescribable.
Last edited:
I'm 61 Ronnie was the best point guard I have ever seen. I will still say if Ronnie wouldn't of gotten hurt in the Louisville game Iowa would of been national champions.
I have several of Ronnie's games on videotape. One in particular, he vaulted Kelvin Ramsey who was trying to cut off the sideline. Ronnie was one of a kind.
I actually have practically every Iowa basketball and football win on videotape from 2/79 (Kevin Boyle's freshman year) until sometime in the Alford era. They also include all the coaches shows during that period. Going to have to make a decision about them one of these days.
I actually have practically every Iowa basketball and football win on videotape from 2/79 (Kevin Boyle's freshman year) until sometime in the Alford era. They also include all the coaches shows during that period. Going to have to make a decision about them one of these days.
Similar threads
