Hall of Fame
Every record Larry Witherspoon set in his career with the Tigers’ basketball program from 1971-74 was since broken but one mark stood as the oldest of any individual record in all sports at Towson.
Fifty years prior to his induction, on February 17, 1973 Spoon scored 51 points going 24 of 38 from the field in a 107-89 loss at American University. He was the first Tiger to score 50 or more points in a game. Spoon was the only Tiger scorer among the all-time single game top 10 at Towson who did not benefit from the three-point basket implemented in 1986.
A Baltimore native, Spoon was a first team All-Metro small forward at City College. Despite offers from Bucknell and Appalachian State, he chose Towson where he joined a slew of former City players including Chuck Blue, Mel Lamb, Steve Feldman and Joey Jay.
Spoon flourished at Towson, setting game, season and career scoring records. He was the third player in program history to reach 1,000 points, finishing with 1,546 points. He tallied all those points in just three years having played on the jayvee his freshman year per NCAA rules. In his junior year Spoon poured in a record 687 points. He was the 16th leading scorer in NCAA Division II. He led all college scorers in the state of Maryland, averaging 25.4 points per game. He was tough under the boards too. His 24 rebounds against rival University of Baltimore set the single game mark.
In 1974 he became the first Towson player to be taken in the NBA draft when the Philadelphia 76ers made him their first selection in the 10th round. The competition, however, was formidable.
““I lasted through training camp and then was let go,” Spoon recalled. “At that same time the ABA had folded and the 76ers acquired the rights to Julius Erving. I’m not saying I would have made it past Dr. J but in addition I was also competing for the same position as George McGinnis, Doug Collins, World B. Free and Joe Bryant (Kobe’s father). It was a numbers game.”
The 76ers were reluctant to give up on Spoon, suggesting he play overseas. “The coach, Gene Shue, offered me an opportunity to play abroad. He wanted me to go over there to play and then the 76ers would bring me back. I told him I couldn’t do that because I’d just gotten married, had my first child and I wanted to be a family man.”
Although his playing career had come to an end, Spoon stayed involved in the game. He helped to establish the outside basketball court at Greenmount Recreation Center. He initiated a fundamental skills basketball camp. Two of his students, a grandson Josh Selby (John Carroll, Kansas, Memphis Grizzlies) and a nephew, Will Barton (City/Memphis/Toronto Raptors) eventually moved on to enjoy NBA careers. He was also affiliated with a group called One Baltimore comprised of former high school, college and professional basketball players in the city who mentor youngsters.
