Being a world-class athlete and performing at the highest level of your chosen sport takes a degree of dedication, of sacrifice, that few of us can attain. The term “World Class” evokes images of sportsmen and women who strive to be the best no matter what it takes, no matter what limits have to be pushed, no matter what dangers are involved.
Eric Wilson “Hank” Gathers Jr was just such an athlete, and growing up in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Philadelphia, he understood that he had to find a way to escape his humble beginnings. Basketball was his calling and he dedicated himself to it, not only to better himself but to stay out of the neighborhood troubles. Growing up in the Raymond Rosen Projects was tough, getting out was a challenge that few managed to achieve.
Still, Gathers continued to follow his dreams, playing college basketball before being signed by Loyola Marymount University in 1987. He was named MVP in the 1987- 1988 season and in 1989 he was tipped to get the Player of the Year award as well as a possible NBA lottery pick. His dreams and his years of dedication were finally about to pay off.
But even the fittest athletes need to look after their health and follow doctors’ orders, up-and-coming basketball stars being no exception. In the case of Gathers, his condition went undetected until he collapsed on court in December 1989. A doctor’s diagnosis revealed that he suffered from an abnormal heartbeat, called ventricular tachycardia, that was exacerbated by strenuous exercise.
Fearing that his career might be over, Gathers was relieved when he was prescribed beta-blockers, and within a few weeks, he was back in the game.
There was no doubt that Hank Gathers, 6 feet 7 inches and 95kgs, was in the best shape of his life at 23 years old. He was ambitious, talented, and with the invulnerability of youth, soon came to believe that the medication was affecting his performance. He struggled over the following weeks to play his best games and decided something had to be done.
So, over the next few months, he unilaterally decided to lower the recommended daily dosage so he could get back to his playing at his best. And it seemingly worked. On February 3, 1990, he was back to his high-scoring best in a televised game against LSU (Louisiana State University).
After that, his team went on to win seven out of the next eight games which propelled them into the semi-finals.
His collapse on March 4, 1990, in the middle of the semifinals, caught everyone by surprise. It was so loud when his full weight slammed into the floor, that it brought the whole court to a sudden, deathly silence, and froze many of the players in place.
For a split second, nobody reacted, stunned, then players and the team physician rushed to his aid. He was conscious for a very brief moment, attempting to sit up, then his breathing stopped altogether and he was rushed to Daniel Freeman Hospital. Once there, the doctors tried their best to resuscitate him but in the end, Gathers was pronounced dead at 6.55 pm at the age of 23.
Many spectators at the time commented that the absolute silence in the gym at the moment of his collapse was something that they would never forget.