Hirsch, Jack

Hirsch was considered a skilled defender, and was the last Jew to start a Division I NCAA Championship game when he appeared for UCLA (University of California-Los Angeles) in its first championship season in 1964. Hirsch attended the school only after his father implored him to play for the Bruins. He averaged 12.5 points and 7.6 rebounds in 59 career games for UCLA.

Birth and Death Dates:
unknown

Career Highlights:
Hirsch was an important player for John Wooden at UCLA in the 1960s and helped lead the Bruins to the school's first NCAA tournament championship. Prior to playing the Bruins, Hirsch played at Van Nuys High School in Los Angeles and was named All-City in 1959 (he was also co-city player of the year). He then enrolled at Los Angeles Valley Junior College and set a Metropolitan Conference record with 368 points in 14 games.

Hirsch's first season at UCLA was in 1963 when he was named All-America honorable mention and helped lead the Bruins to a 20-7 record and a return to the NCAA tournament. The No. 15 (UPI) ranked Bruins faced Arizona State in the West Regional Semifinal and despite Hirsch's game-high 19 points (and 4 rebounds), UCLA lost the match, 93-79. In the Regional consolation game, he scored 6 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in the Bruins' 76-75 loss to San Francisco.

As a senior in 1964, Hirsch was a starter for the Bruins, who finished the regular season 30-0 and ranked No. 1 in both the AP and UPI polls. Hirsch averaged 14.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game at small forward and was again named All-America honorable mention. In the NCAA tournament, he scored 21 points in UCLA's 95-90 first round win over Seattle. UCLA then defeated San Francisco to qualify for the Final Four. In the National Semifinal, the Bruins defeated Kansas State 90-84 after being down 75-70 with a little over seven minutes remaining. Around that time the Bruin cheerleaders finally arrived on the scene -- their plane had been delayed due to bad weather -- and UCLA perked up, scoring 11 straight points in a 3 minute span to take control of the game.

In the 1964 NCAA championship game, UCLA faced the much taller No. 3 Duke Blue Devils (UCLA had no starter over 6'5"). The Bruins handled the Duke press, scored 16 points in two and a half incredible minutes and ran away with the title! Hirsch scored 13 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, and UCLA defeated Duke 98-83. After the game, coach Wooden told his players, "I am immensely proud of you. You're really the best. You've proved it. Now don't let it change you. You are champions and you must act like champions. You met some people going up to the top. You will meet the same people going down." The 1964 team is still considered one of the greatest college teams of all time and began John Wooden's successful run with great UCLA teams. The Bruins would win the National Championship 9 out of the next 11 years!

Origin:
California

Career Dates:
Hirsch played forward at UCLA from 1962-1964.

Physical description:
6'3"

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