Bear Down Jim
Jim and Sandy Hambacher sat in the stands at Staples Center on Wednesday observing.
Arizona was practicing for their Thursday game against Xavier, and fans were allowed to come watch them the day before.
Jim Hambacher would never turn down that kind of opportunity to watch his favorite team. Never has, never will.
Last week, Hambacher watched Arizona’s open practice in Portland, and was there as the Wildcats won against Texas Southern, and then Ohio State.
Now comes Xavier, and he’ll be there too.
Should Arizona win, Hambacher will come back Saturday.
He’ll go where the Wildcats go. Always has, always will.
He was in San Diego and Anaheim last year, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles the year before.
He was also there in 1985, in Albuquerque, the first time Lute Olson ever brought the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament, that season losing in the first round, as a 10-seed, to Alabama.
Oh, and he’s been to every game since then. Every single game. Well, besides one — he missed the 1988 Final Four in Kansas City. But that’s it.
“I’m serious,” said Hambacher, who worked for Texas Instruments in Tucson. “I haven’t missed an NCAA game since 1988. Doesn’t matter where, doesn’t matter when.”
The fandom started back when Hambacher was a kid, and even before that. His parents went to games at Bear Down Gym — where Arizona played before McKale Center was built — in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
“We grew up watching basketball,” he said.
Added Sandy, his wife: “He’s lucky to be one of the few at the last game at Bear Down, and the first at McKale.”
He’ll be back next year, too, wherever the team goes. You can count on it.
“We’ve been going a long time,” Hambacher said.
