Coaching the Turks
By Mike Prokopiak, '53 BSHP
I was a captain in the Air Force. In August of 1966 I was transferred to Cigli AFB in Turkey. I had no idea of what to expect, but knew it would be a unique, new experience. My family made the trip with me and we arrived in Izmir, Turkey, late on a hot, muggy night.
We were met by my supervisor, Major Weatherall, and a Turkish fellow named Arif Ozkurt. We were driven the 25 miles from the airport to the base where we were assigned to temporary quarters. We quickly became very good friends with Arif and have maintained that friendship for many years.
My assignment required me to provide morale and recreation in the area. We had dual base facilities with only enough manpower for a single base. I was required to provide services in Izmir for the NATO troops there and at Cigli AFB for the Air Force troops stationed there.
Arif helped us find quarters in Izmir in a beautiful home right on the coast of the Aegean Sea and the harbor of Izmir. It was convenient to all the places we would have to work in town while only about 20 miles from Cigli AFB. It was one of many ways Arif helped us while we were living in Turkey.
Arif was sports-minded and, after he found out more about my background in athletics, asked me if I would consider coaching his club basketball team, Altinordu, in the Turkish Basketball League. I had to see how it would affect my military duties and was worried about all the difficulties of coaching–language, customs, international rules, etc. The coaching would be at night, after my daily duties would normally be completed, so it seemed possible. He had to get permission from the club president, which he finally did, and I started coaching the team in the fall of 1966. Even though the members of the team were paid, I volunteered my time.
The team was very successful and garnered a 28-4 record. But, the people in charge of the team told me they no longer wanted an American coaching their team. I was surprised, but said it was OK with me since it would leave me with more time to be with my family.
Around that time, in March of 1967, Cigli AFB hosted the area basketball tournament for American Military in the region. In this area bases had very poor facilities for basketball, so I got permission from the city of Izmir to use their arena which could hold up to 5,000 spectators. As part of the agreement, admission would be free to anyone who wanted to attend. In addition, we agreed to select the best players from all the teams at the tournament to form an all-star team to play against Altinordu, the team I had been coaching.
Altinordu won the game against the all-stars 127-76. After the game, the Altinordu players came up to me and said they were showing me how much I had taught them in basketball. They were very proud of themselves and very thankful to me. I was just happy I had been able to do this for them.
After the season was over I continued with my Air Force duties. Then, in July of 1967, I received a letter from the Turkish Basketball Federation asking me to coach their National Basketball Team. I was dumbfounded by the request since my main duties and loyalties were with the Air Force. They were acting like it was a done deal.
I took some leave time and went to Istanbul where they brought in 25 of the best players from throughout the country. I had a week to select 12 players and get them ready as a team to play games on 23-27 July in Iran. Boy, my work was cut out for me with players I had never seen in Izmir. And I again had to deal with the problems of language, customs, and teaching skills.
After doing the best I could do, we left for Teheran, Iran, to play the games. It was the end of July and temperatures of 110 degrees greeted us as we got off the plane. Part of the day I went around trying to find salt tablets because of the heat. Later, we had to meet the Shah of Iran. There was a place that had a swimming pool and the players asked if they could go swimming. I told them to go for it and they could hardly believe it. They said this would never have happened with another coach. Then I was asked to plan the meals for the players while they were in Iran.
Before each game it was tradition for players from both teams to line up on the court and exchange gifts from their respective countries. The most common gifts were pins representing each country.
While there I was introduced to the Turkish Ambassador to Iran and the American Ambassador to Iran. After our first game, which we won, the Turkish Ambassador invited us to his residence for a party. I told the players they could go and have a good time. I don't know where it was, but it was a mansion up a long, winding road. The players were having a good time and started to sing Turkish songs in a group. As I watched them, I did some lip reading and joined in. After that, they thought I was great.
We won all of our games in Iran against teams from Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.
On our way back to Turkey we had a long layover in Beirut. The players went into town to buy things for their families and friends. I was told to turn in my passport, but didn't really want to since I had been told to always keep it. The airport at Beirut was under military control and a soldier wanted my passport. I said I wouldn't give it up and an officer came over and asked what was wrong. He then ordered the soldier to put a burp gun in my stomach. After that happened I gave it to him, told him to keep it and that I could swim back if I had to.
Some of the Turks were kidding with me and said they would tell them I was in the American Air Force. At that time they felt Americans in the Air Force flew planes in the six-day war over there. I told my friends to go ahead with that and they wouldn't have a coach any more.
After leaving Beirut, we landed in Adana, Turkey. Because they had gifts, the customs people gave them a hard time. They wanted me to declare the stuff because I was an American. I told them I wouldn't do it since I had just gone through hell and didn't want any more trouble. I just wanted to get back to Izmir and my family.
After getting back to work, my boss, Colonel Hirsch, said I wouldn't be going anywhere again. I told him I understood my orders and continued to do my job for the Air Force. I think my commanders were jealous because my name had been appearing in all the Turkish newspapers. I'm sure they were looking for a way to make general.