The "Big Dipper" Scores 100 Points Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. On March 2, 1962 Wilt accomplished the seemingly impossible feat of scoring 100 points in a game. Where was the game played?

Answer: Hershey Sports Arena

That forever memorable game was one of just three "home" games The Warriors would play at the Hershey Sports Arena that season. One of the reasons was that it had a seating capacity of approximately 8,000, whereas the Philadelphia Arena, their regular home court held just about 5,500. The Palestra which opened in 1927 in Philadelphia, is the home court for the University of Pennsylvania basketball team.

2. When Wilt hit the century mark that night whose record did he break, for the most points ever scored in an N.B.A. game?

Answer: His own

Wilt had previously scored a high of 78 (in a triple overtime game) that same season, in December 1961, breaking the then record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor (LA Lakers) a year earlier in November 1960 vs. New York Knicks. Joe Fulks also of the Warriors had his highest game total of 63 against the Indianapolis Jets in February 1949 and Laker star Jerry West torched the New Yorkers with 62 in January 1962.
Interesting fact: Wilt reached the 100 point mark with just 46 seconds remaining in the game.

3. To put Wilt's achievement into the bigger picture: The 100 point effort was just a part of an overall sensational 1961-62 season. What was Wilt's point per game average during that campaign?

Answer: 50.4

As incredible as it sounds he did indeed average over FIFTY points a game for the season - he scored 70 points or more 4 times and over 60 in 15 more games - he had 45 games with 50+ points! In addition he lead the league in rebounds per game that season with 25.7.

4. Who was the team that was unfortunate enough to be playing against him that fateful evening?

Answer: New York Knicks

It was the Knicks who got nicked. The final score was Philly 169, New York 147. (Imagine scoring 147 points and being blown out by 22!).
Rumor (that I just started) has it that only the offensive players took the court for New York that night, while "the defense rested".

5. While Wilt was doing his thing who was the second highest scoring member of the Philadelphia Warriors that night?

Answer: Al Attles

Al Attles went a perfect 8-8 from the floor and added 1 from the charity stripe for a total of 17 points. Both Tom Meschery and "Pitchin" Paul Arizin added 16, while Rodgers had 11.

6. To the nearest thousand how many spectators attended this game?

Answer: 4,000

The exact number of spectators was 4,124.
Since the game was not televised, the fans in the stands were the only witnesses to history.

7. An N.B.A. game is made up of four 12 minute quarters for a total of 48 minutes. One this night how many minutes of the 48 minute game did Chamberlain play?

Answer: 48

He went the distance, all 48 minutes. He must have been been pretty tuckered out because when the same teams went at it just two days later in Madison Square Garden they kept him below his season scoring average in "holding him" to a mere 52 points.

8. How many field goal attempts did Wilt toss up that evening? Choose from the following range, as I doubt even Wilt can remember the exact total:

Answer: 60-63

The big guy heaved up an almost unconscionable 63 shots, connecting on 36 of them for a 57.1 % conversion rate, many of them were "dipper dunks" and many were "putbacks" of teammates missed attempts, but any way you slice it, that's a lot of shots and a lot of buckets.

9. How many foul shots did he take during the game?

Answer: 32

Wilt's "Achilles Heel" always was an inability to convert from the foul line despite trying several different methods including the one he used that night, (shooting underhand a'la Rick Barry in later years). His career free throw percentage was a paltry 51.1, so it was a truly inexplicable performance as he converted 28 of them (87.5%) in the game.
And in the last few minutes of the game his teammates kept feeding him the ball as he closed in on 100 knowing The Knicks would foul him, expecting him to miss, but much to their surprise (and perhaps his as well), he kept converting them.

10. Who was the high scorer for the losing team that night scoring a measley, by comparison, 39 points?

Answer: Richie Guerin

The Knick were led in scoring that night by Richie Guerin's 39. Willie Naulls tossed in 31 and Cleveland Buckner added 33. Phil Jordan, the Knicks regular starting center missed the game due to "illness", which many described as nothing more than a hangover. Perhaps he was just sick at the thought of trying to cover Wilt?

Source: Author paulmallon

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

1961-62 season: "Wilt the Stilt" was one of the most prolific scorers in N.B.A. history, but in one game he did something that had never been done: he scored 100 points. What can you recall about that special, historical night?

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