Old Man Hoops

Its true what they say, age is only a number! Back in late November, Marlan 'Hawk' Haakenson suit...  More »

Its true what they say, age is only a number! Back in late November, Marlan 'Hawk' Haakenson suited up for his alma-mater in an exhibition game at andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/bismarck-ndandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Bismarckandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; State at the age of 72. It turns out, he's not the only man in his 70's with 'hoop dreams.' There's also Ken Mink in Harriman, Tennessee and Ray D'Alessio has his story. andamp;quot;BY HIS OWN ACCOUNT'S, KEN MINK WAS A PRETTY GOOD COLLEGE andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/basketballandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Basketballandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; PLAYER KEN MINK I had double-figure games probably 8 or 10 times and I scored 21-points in my opening game. THAT WAS IN 1956, MINK'S FRESHMAN SEASON AT LEE'S COLLEGE IN JACKSON, KENTUCKY. THAT SAME YEAR, SOMEONE DOUSED THE COACHE'S OFFICE AND SHOES WITH SHAVING CREAM. SCHOOL OFFICIAL'S andamp;quot;DIDN'Tandamp;quot; FIND THE PRANK FUNNY (KEN MINK ) President Landoff said that we had someone who said they saw you in that area or coming out of his office or something like that - and he said..your outta here...and I said, andamp;quot;Whatandamp;quot; I said I don't even own shaving cream, I don't even shave ya know..and he said..well I'm sorry your gonna have to leave, your off the team, your outta school. OVER A HALF-CENTURY LATER, THE NOW 73-YEAR OLD MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE AS WELL AS THE DESIRE TO SETTLE SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WHILE SHOOTING BASKET'S IN A NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY, MINK DECIDED TO GIVE COLLEGE BASKETBALL ANOTHER TRY. AFTER CONTACTING 8-SCHOOLS AND GETTING NO RESPONSE, HE WAS ABOUT TO GIVE UP HOPE WHEN THE PHONE RANG. IT WAS ROANE STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASKETBALL COACH RANDY NESBIT. Randy Nesbit (Roane State Head Basketball Coach) (ken mink tape #2) we can help somebody like ken reach a goal that he had, kinda give him some closure to something that's bugged him for years...no actually 53-years it's bugged him - ya know it's a way to give him closure. AT FIRST, TEAMMATES TREATED HIM WITH KID GLOVES BUT SOON AFTER, BECAME ONE OF THE GUYS. (:10) Keith Bauer we think it's hilarious having a 73-year old talk about some of the stuff like I would talk about with a teammate and some of the stufff that you know, most of the times around an elder you wouldn't talk about (:12) Renard Flowers he'll come with a little tacky undershirt on sometimes under his jersey and we'll catch him with his shorts pulled up..up to his stomach, ya know..trying to make them a little shorter, ya know Ken Mink They asked me if I could dunk one day and I said Yeah !! - a dunkin donut, that's the only thing I can dunk ya know. ON NOVEMBER 2ND, MINK BECAME THE OLDEST PLAYER TO EVER SCORE IN A COLLEGE GAME. HIS STORY HAS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS TALK SHOW APPEARANCES - AND THERE'S EVEN SOME DISCUSSION OF A POSSIBLE MOVIE. Ken Mink I've gotten hundreds of responses from hundreds of people from around the country and around the world actually from 6-different countries that have contacted me about ya know, I'm an inspiration for them and they are taking a new attitude toward aging because of that .andamp;quot; That was Ray D'Alessio reporting. Mink's had quite a life, he served his country in the andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/air-forceandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Air Forceandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; and worked as a newspaper editor.  « Less