By: Wichita State
The late Robert Elmore is the 29th men's basketball player or coach to be inducted in the Pizza Hut Shocker Sports Hall of Fame.
A three-time All-Valley First Team selection (1975, '76, '77), Elmore was one of only five Shockers to be named first-team three times. He was also the Valley's Newcomer-of-the-Year in 1974-75, and was named the Wichita Eagle MVP three times. Elmore was the ninth Shocker to reach 1,000 career points with 1,186, and was the first Shocker to reach more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
“I'm extraordinarily proud,” older brother and basketball great Len Elmore said. “I'm elated that his accomplishments as a Shocker will be recognized. I know it was sad about the way he passed, but I'm glad people finally know the difference between his demise and his contributions to WSU basketball. By saying that, the way he passed away is not what his character was or how he should be thought of.”
Laverne Smith, Robert and Len's younger sister, was also elated to hear that he would be inducted.
“I feel that Robert being inducted into the Pizza Hut Shocker Sports Hall of Fame was long overdue,” Laverne said. “I am so happy that he is finally being recognized for his talents and contributions to the Shockers.”
Both Len and Laverne had similar thoughts on what Robert wanted to be known for after his WSU career was over.
“I believe he wanted to be known as a hard worker and a team player,” Len said. “He accomplished a lot and was humble about it. Robert wanted to blend in and be a part of something bigger than himself.”
“He wanted to be known for his basketball talent,” Laverne said. “He was a team player and an all-around good guy, but he wanted to do his best at everything he did. Robert loved the game of basketball. He wanted to be remembered for the player he was and the team player he was as well.”
Out of the three Elmore siblings, Len had the most basketball experience. He was a three-time all-ACC Player of the Year at the University of Maryland, an All-American in 1974, and played professional basketball for ten seasons—two in the ABA and his last eight in the NBA. However, when Len and Robert played each other on the court, Len knew who got the better of their battles.
“He was a counselor in a basketball camp one time while I was still at Maryland,” Len said. “We put together a lot of college players and camp counselors. There were a number of all-conference players that we brought together. A lot of times, he would get the better of me because he was stronger, although I was more experienced. There were times I said to myself, 'I'm glad he wasn't in our league' because of how strong he was. I hadn't seen him in a year and a half and although he was strong, he was still a roly-poly. When he got in the weight room, he became huge.”
According to Laverne and Len, Robert was motivated to play basketball at a high level for a variety of reasons.
“Growing up with two brothers, they were always involved in playing sports,” Laverne said. “Robert's tall stature made it easy for him to excel in basketball. He was always on the court. While in high school he ate, drank and breathed basketball.
“Robert went to school, cared for his dog Champ that he loved, took care of his little sister (me) and played basketball. Having an older brother that also excelled in the sport was another motivating factor. He worked hard at being a great player, as seen by his stats in college. Robert was a wonderful big brother and a loving person with a gentle soul.”
“We all were taught by our parents that if you go after something, then shoot for the stars,” Len said. “Robert was motivated by my success. I was an All-American and a first round pick in the NBA. I'm sure that was something he was motivated by. More importantly, he really loved his teammates and loved being around them.”
While there were many memories that Laverne and Len had of Robert, each had a memory that stood out from the rest.
“On Sunday nights when we were all younger, we watched Disney and a Sunday night movie as a family,” Len said. “I remember watching the Miracle Worker while Robert was an adolescent. At the end, with all the turmoil and drama that occurred with Helen Keller and Andy Sullivan, when Keller finally spoke, he constantly cried. Despite being a big kid, he had tenderness to him that he never lost.”
“My fondest memory of Robert was all the times he came to my aide as my protector,” Laverne said. “He was my confidante and my best friend.
Robert was my gentle giant! Due to him passing at a young age, most of my memories came from my early childhood.
“One time in particular when I was being bullied at school, he came to my aide. Robert spoke to the bullies very nicely. He explained why bullying was not acceptable and if they continued to do so, they would have to answer to him. He made me feel so special and loved. I never had any problems with being bullied again. As a matter of fact, I actually became friends with the children that were bullying me.”
Elmore held the single-season rebounding mark in total (441) rebounds and was second in season average (15.8) at the end of his career. He is still second in single-season blocks with 69 in 1976-77, is still second in rebounding average to Xavier McDaniel, and in rebounding total to Terry Benton. His 25 rebounds at New Mexico State were fifth best when he also had 21 points (11th Shocker to have 20-plus in each category).
