Four out of five starters on the men’s basketball team were ruled academically ineligible, leaving only team captain Don Nelson–who would later go on to play and coach in the NBA. At the time, the Hawkeyes were ranked ninth in the country with a 12-3 record.

Did you know?

- After drastic lineup changes, the squad ended the season much better than expected, with an 18-6 record and second-place finish in the Big Ten.

- President John F. Kennedy addressed fears that the United States had a widening “missile gap” with Russia, saying that it was uncertain if one existed, but that “time has not been our friend.”

The Iowa City City Council decided to sell the parking lot next to the public library on Linn Street and seek private development to maximize tax revenue. The resulting project is now known as the Plaza Towers, a notable addition to Iowa City’s skyline.

Did you know?

- Iowa running back Fred Russell was the latest in a line of Hawkeye football players to compete on the Iowa track team during the off-season.

- Kelly Ripa became the permanent co-host of Live with Regis and Kelly.

- Cellular phone carriers still offered bag phones for a penny with new contracts.