Fight You Johnnies!
SJU Print and Video Media
This page gives you a variety of SJU 75-79 media including links to The Record, Yearbooks and film/video/podcast links of football, basketball and other college life.
Link takes you to Vivarium which is an on-line digital host of many SJU and CSB archives.
At the bottom under Browse the Collection, click on the 1st line:
All CSB and SJU newspapers
1975-79 Records (and CSB publications) are on pages 11 and 12
St. John's vs Towson D3 FB Championship
The first time ABC sports broadcast nationally a Division 3 FB game was the 1976 D3 FB Championships between St. John's and Townson State. Quality of video is not so good but the action was awesome including a 28 point comeback and a game winning kick as time expires.
SJU Coach Jim Smith on
The 1978 - 79 BB Team
Here Jim gives some background to perhaps SJU's greatest basketball team from 1978-79.
SJU Coach Jim Smith on
The 1979 Mankato Game
This District Championship game against Mankato has been called the Minnesota's greatest college game.
The Johnnies came from 8 down to win in overtime and keep their 27 game winning streak alive.
SJU Coach Jim Smith on
Frank Wachlarowicz
Frank played all four years for Coach Smith and became the Johnnies All-Time leading scorer and rebounder
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(more Jim Smith videos below)
SJU J-Club honors
Frank Wachlarowicz
He still holds the school and conference record for most points (2,357) and rebounds (1,093) in a career. Point total was finally surpassed (2023) by St. Cloud State's Gage Davis.
Wachlarowicz also holds the school record for most points in a single season (640, as a senior in 1978-79) and most free throws in both a career (565) and season (162).
SJU J-Club honors
Jeff Norman
The Saint John's football program has won four national championships. But the 1976 Johnnies did it in the most dramatic fashion. After SJU jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the fourth quarter of that season's NCAA Division III national title game against Towson State (Md.), the Tigers scored four unanswered touchdowns to tie the score. The Johnnies got the ball back one last time and engineered a game-winning drive capped by a 19-yard field goal from quarterback Jeff Norman '78 - a 2021 Hall of Honor inductee - as time expired. Eight players earned All-MIAC honors on a team that finished unbeaten in conference play and 10-0-1 overall.
Ariel Tour of
Modern SJU
Drone footage of a beautiful campus.
St John's Yearbooks and many other publications online
Saint Johns University Basketball:
Building a Tradition of Team
Book by Jim Smith & Paul Bernabei
Saint John’s University basketball has enriched the lives of countless players, students, coaches, alumni and friends. Recently published Saint John’s University Basketball: Building a Tradition of Team is a celebration of the people who have made that happen. In addition to an overview of each season, the 265-page book, written/compiled by Coach Jim Smith and Paul Bernabei ’69, includes stories and articles about the impact SJU basketball has had on those who have been involved with Johnny basketball over 123 years. After paying expenses, proceeds from the book will be contributed to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience.
Johnnies' Basketball Podcast
Frank Wachlarowicz … John Patterson … Dan Smith … Ted Nowak … Pat McKenzie … Paul Wotta … and John Harvey … never before or since has a single class contributed to more on-court success than that of the class of '79. It’s the stuff of legends. Running the table in the conference all the way to 27-straight wins. Frank breaking the all-time scoring record during what has been hailed by those in attendance as one of the greatest college basketball games ever played … an overtime win over Mankato State to send the victorious Johnnies to the national tournament in Kansas City back-to-back years. And we’ll get there.
Just not today, because what makes the story so compelling about the seven players from the class of '79 who touched greatness goes well beyond what they achieved their final season together. So first, we get at a little of the origin story of one the most dominant teams in Minnesota basketball history as Dan Smith, Paul Wotta, Ted Nowak and Frank Wachlarowicz join Coach Smith alongside hosts Tom Connell and John Russett.
SJU Coach Jim Smith on
Jim Smith
More than just a Basketball coach, Jim Smith was an institution at SJU.
SJU Coach Jim Smith on
The Rat Pack
Some history and perspective on the Rat Pack from Coach Smith.
St. Patty's Day
in St. Joe
Enjoy some of SJU80 Tom Cayce's 8mm film, this is of a wild 1979 St. Patty's Day in St. Joseph.
St. John's Rugby Action
Enjoy some of Cayce's 8mm film, this is of wild Rugby action.
1st Ever Pinestock Music Fest
More of Cayce's 8mm film, this is 1st ever Pinestock in 1979.
Flynntown Party
Enjoy some of Cayce's 8mm film, this is a Flynntown Party.