Carl Cain facts for kids
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| No. 21 | |||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | August 2, 1934 Freeport, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Died | June 2, 2024 (aged 89) | ||||||||||
| High school | Freeport (Freeport, Illinois) | ||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| College | Iowa (1953–1956) | ||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1956 / Round: 2 | ||||||||||
| Selected by the Rochester Royals | |||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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Carl Cecil Cain (born August 2, 1934 – died June 2, 2024) was an American basketball player. He was famous for playing college basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Carl also won a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics with the United States national team. His jersey number was even retired by the University of Iowa! He is also in the Des Moines Register State of Iowa Sports Hall of Fame.
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Growing Up and Starting Basketball
Carl Cain was born in Freeport, Illinois, on August 2, 1934. When he was in high school, he played basketball with McKinley Davis. In 1951, they helped their team win the Illinois state high school championship.
Later, a coach named Bucky O'Connor wanted McKinley Davis to play for the Iowa Hawkeyes at the University of Iowa. Davis asked Carl to come with him. Coach O'Connor was happy about Carl joining the team too. Carl first planned to study political science in college.
Carl Cain's Basketball Career
The Fabulous Five Team
Carl Cain was part of a special group of players for the Iowa Hawkeyes. They were called the "Fabulous Five." This team made it to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament two years in a row. This happened during the 1955 and 1956 seasons. Only one other Iowa team has done this since then!
The other players in the Fabulous Five were Bill Logan, Bill Schoof, Bill Seaberg, and Sharm Scheuerman. In 2005, Carl Cain said that the Fabulous Five were not "exceptionally talented." But he added that they "came together at Iowa." He felt their skills matched the coaching they received. When that happened, they became "something special."
Any of the five players could be the star in a game. But Carl was chosen as the Most Valuable Player during their second and fourth years. In their third year, they were the first Iowa team to score an average of 80 points per game.
Big Games and Achievements
In 1955, the Hawkeyes played their first game to reach the Final Four. They lost 76–73 to the La Salle Explorers. In that game, Carl Cain scored 17 points and grabbed 24 rebounds.
In 1956, the Hawkeyes won 17 games in a row! This led them to play in the NCAA championship game against the San Francisco Dons. Carl scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds in that game.
Carl was also part of the 1956 U.S. Olympic team. He was on the same team as Bill Russell. Bill Russell had played for San Francisco in that earlier 1956 game. Carl did not play much during the Olympic gold-winning game.
During his college career at Iowa, Carl averaged 14.2 points and 14 rebounds. He played in 74 games. Carl was inducted into the Des Moines Register's Iowa Hall of Fame. He said he was "only a half-step above being ordinary." But the Des Moines Register said that people who saw him play knew he deserved the honor. They saw his great shooting, rebounding, and defense. Carl's No. 21 jersey was retired, along with the jerseys of the other four Fabulous Five players.
Life After Basketball
Back Problems and Retirement
After graduating from college, Carl Cain joined the Army. Sadly, he could not keep playing basketball after his military service. This was because of back problems. His back pain started during his training at Fort Leonard Wood. It also bothered him during practices for the 1956 Olympic basketball team.
His back tightened while he was tying his shoes before a 1956 Olympics game. This caused him to be sent to the hospital for most of the game. Carl did return to score one point with a free throw. Carl said that this game "was one of the highlights" of his sports career. But he also said it was "an overwhelmingly difficult experience." He called it "a great disappointment." Carl had a herniated disc in his back. This injury made him retire from basketball. He had an chance to play for the Rochester Royals in 1958 after leaving the Army, but he couldn't.
Later Life and Passing
After his basketball career ended, Carl Cain worked in different jobs. He worked on an assembly line for Douglas Aircraft. He was also a probation counselor and later a probation officer. Carl also worked for Equitable Life Assurance Society in Chicago. He worked for the Iowa-Des Moines National Bank and Iowa Power and Light Co.
Carl also helped raise money to build a new Hawkeye Sports Arena for his old school. Carl Cain passed away on June 2, 2024, at the age of 89.
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Carl Cain
See also
