Jimmy Rogers (basketball)

Jimmy Rogers (born c. 1950) is an American former professional basketball player. He and fellow American Curtis Carter, who signed with KR, have been credited for revolutionizing the Icelandic basketball scene after they became the first foreign born professional players in the Icelandic Basketball League in 1975.[1][2]

Jimmy Rogers
Personal information
Bornc. 1950
Thompson, Texas
NationalityAmerican
Listed height198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Listed weight90.5 kg (200 lb)
Career information
CollegeTexas Southern
PositionForward
Number15
Career history
1975–1976Ármann
Career highlights and awards

Early life

Rogers was born in Thompson, Texas and grew up in Houston with seven of his other siblings.[3]

Iceland

In September 1975, Rogers became the first foreign born professional basketball player in Iceland[4] when he signed a three-month contract with Ármann in preparations for their games against Honka Playboys in the FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup.[5]

His first games for Ármann where during the annual Reykjavík Basketball Tournament. Ármann finished second in the tournament, behind reigning national champions ÍR,[6] and Rogers led all players in scoring with 113 points in five games for an average of 22.6 points per game.[7]

On October 30, Rogers scored 24 points for Ármann in a disappointing 65-88 loss against the Honka Playboys in the first leg of the FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup.[8][9]

The first meeting between Rogers and Curtis Carter on December 16 was highly anticipated and did not disappoint.[10] It was a tightly played and ended with an 86-81 victory for Ármann. But with 54 seconds remaining in the game, with the score tied at 81-81, Carter got into a fight with Rogers and knocked him down.[11][12][13] The punch was caught on a picture and made the front page of Dagblaðið the day after,[14] as well as the headline in Þjóðviljinn "Jimmy won the duel - The Truck won the boxing".[15] Both players received a one-game suspension for the fight from the disciplinary court of the Icelandic Basketball Federation and where threatened with a six-game suspension for any future fights. The verdict was highly criticized, both for the short suspension[16] and for the threat of a longer suspension that only applied to them, as referees were worried that opposing players would try to harass them and goad into a fight.[17]

In the end, Rogers and Ármann came out on the top in the league after beating KR in the last game of the season, guaranteeing them the first place and the national championship. Rogers came second in the race for the scoring title, finishing with 365 points behind Carter's 451 points.[18]

On April 1, 1976, Ármann won Njarðvík, 98-89, in the Icelandic Cup finals behind Rogers 32 points.[19]

Rogers resigned with Ármann the following season,[20] He was again the leading scorer during the Reykjavík Basketball Tournament with 135 points[21] but Ármann again finished second in the standings, this time behind KR.[22]

He was granted a leave of absence from the club in middle of December, with Ármann undefeated in first place,[23] to return to the United States due to personal reasons.[24] In January 1977, Ármann announced that he would not return from United States and continue his career.[25]

Titles, awards and achievements

Titles

Achievements
  • Reykjavík Basketball Tournament scoring champion: 1975, 1976

References
  1. "Vallarstarfsmenn fyrstu meistararnir". Fréttablaðið (in Icelandic). 7 November 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  2. Stefán Kristjánsson (27 February 1988). "Bylting í körfunni". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  3. "Hver er Jimmy Rogers". Vísir (in Icelandic). 4 November 1976. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  4. "Ármenningar fá bandarískan risa". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 10 September 1975. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  5. "Ármenningar sömdu við einn svartan í nótt!". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). 10 September 1975. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  6. Kjartan L. Pálsson (27 October 1975). "Ármenningar áttu ekki svar við sóknarleik ÍR-inganna". Vísir (in Icelandic). pp. 12–13. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  7. "Roger stigahæstur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 28 October 1975. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  8. "Það var aldrei glæta hjá Ármanni í Evrópuleiknum!". Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). 31 October 1975. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  9. Kjartan L. Pálsson (31 October 1975). "Svartur "playboy" gerði draum ármenninga að engu". Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  10. Björn Blöndal (16 December 1975). "Blökkumannaslagur í Höllinni í kvöld". Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  11. "Trukkur KR-inga vildi hnefaleika í lokin". Alþýðublaðið (in Icelandic). 17 December 1975. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  12. "Blökkumennirnir létu hnefa semja sátt en Ármenningar sigruðu í leiknum 85 - 81". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 18 December 1975. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  13. "Blóðug slagsmál á milli blökkumannanna". Vísir (in Icelandic). 17 December 1975. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  14. "Risaslagur í Laugardalshöll". Dagblaðið. 17 December 1975. pp. 1, 12–13. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  15. "Jimmy vann einvígið — Trukkur hnefaleikana". Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). 18 December 1975. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  16. "Óánægja meðal körfuknattleiksmanna um dóm aganefndar KKÍ". Alþýðublaðið (in Icelandic). 9 January 1976. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  17. "Bannmálið dregur dilk á eftir sér". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 17 January 1976. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  18. Kjartan L. Pálsson (29 March 1976). "Ármann braut einveldi ÍR og KR!". Vísir (in Icelandic). p. "12". Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  19. "Bikarinn líka Ármanns". Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). 2 April 1976. p. 12. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  20. "Rogers kemur til Ármanns". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 15 September 1976. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  21. Björn Blöndal (28 October 1976). "Jón besta vítaskyttan". Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 12. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  22. Björn Blöndal (28 October 1976). "KR-ingar meistarar - en með fyrirvara!". Vísir (in Icelandic). pp. 12–13. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  23. "Ármann enn eina ósigraða liðið". Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). 14 December 1976. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  24. "Roger kemur aftur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 14 December 1976. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  25. "Símon kominn heim". Tíminn (in Icelandic). 15 January 1977. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
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