Charles “Lefty” Driesel was a legendary basketball coach at the University of Maryland, drawing statewide interest in, and acclaim for a sport that needed a spark. He ignited a flame that swept Marylanders under his spell.
His death nearly 2-1/2 weeks ago at age 92 inspired memories of the 1970s and 1980s, a time when Driesel’s personality dominated the court and drove his teams to success. During his 17 years at Maryland, his teams won 348 games.
He was a colorful figure. When his team was on the floor in Cole Field House, so was he. He seemed bigger than life. He galvanized the students and alumni. He energized Terp fans throughout the state.
Until Driesell came along, I rarely paid attention to UM teams, except maybe the lacrosse program. That changed when, armed with a Southern drawl and down-home manner, Driesell arrived in College Park, developed winning teams and packed the basketball emporium.
He was a master tactician and motivator. He was a taskmaster. His recruiting style charmed—and persuaded—families to send their sons to Maryland’s flagship university.
When he arrived in College Park, Maryland had endured three consecutive losing seasons. He changed the calculus. Excitement became commonplace. So did victories.
His teams, comprising stars like Len Elmore, Buck Williams and Tom McMillen, won consistently. However, they never won a national title. Top teams like the University of North Carolina, coached by the legendary Dean Smith, typically overmatched the aggressive Terps.
The unfortunate demise of Driesell’s career in College Park came quickly after the cocaine-induced death in 1986 of Len Bias, a superstar drafted number one by the Boston Celtics. The chancellor of the University of Maryland had already become concerned about the academic performance of Driesell’s hoopsters. Chancellor John Slaughter pressured the charismatic coach to resign.
An era ended with a sad thump. The celebrated coach left the house and disappointed fans.
Driesell eventually coached successfully at James Madison University and Georgia State. However, he had lost the stage that captivated fans for 17 years at the now-defunct Cole Field House.
His enticing showmanship would emerge as he would enter the court to the strains of “Hail to the Chief,” holding both hands up, with two fingers extended with the V for victory sign. It became an unforgettable memory.
Players like Elmore, who went on to Harvard Law School after playing in the NBA, and McMillen, who too played in the NBA, was a Rhodes Scholar and a congressperson, revered their hard-driving coach. They understood his will to win, to eschew mediocrity and support his athletes.
Driesell was not a tragic figure. He fell victim to a drug scourge that killed a bright star. Also, academic expectations had changed. For the better.
He deserved more acclaim, which came his way late in life.
In 2018, at the age of eighty-six, he finally gained entry to the renowned Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. His former players advocated for his well-deserved and long-overdue selection.
The Len Bias shadow, though still real and regrettable, had diminished, though not forgotten.
As noted, Lefty Driesell awakened non-University of Maryland alumni to the thrill of watching Atlantic Coast Conference basketball at its best. The athletes were in many cases future NBA standouts. Guided by a first-rate coach and mentor, the Terps became a fearsome team.
Lefty became a legend. He brought the Terps to new heights.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. After 44 years in Easton, Howard and his wife, Liz, moved in November 2020 to Annapolis, where they live with Toby, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel who has no regal bearing, just a mellow, enticing disposition.
Thomas Elliott HIll says
Howard—What a great piece on a wonderful man. It is unfortunate that he was blamed for Len Bias’s actions. I have often thought Lefty was the best recruiter of his era. I love your thoughts on him. Thank you for taking the time to write them!