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Carl Widseth, a star for the Tennessee Vols in the mid-1950s, was a rare talent. He averaged 22 points in six games against Kentucky.

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Here one second and - Poof! - gone the next.

It was no wonder they called Carl Widseth "The Spook."

The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder's quick feet allowed him to slither and dart between defenders like few Tennessee basketball fans have seen. He and Bernard King, who ruled the court at UT 20 years after Widseth played his last game as a Vol, were of similar builds, talents and quickness. The main difference was that King was three-to-four inches taller.

Widseth died Dec. 26 at Minneapolis after a lengthy illness. He was 73.

But what memories he left as a skinny pivotman for the Vols 1952-56 in the dim lights of Alumni Memorial Gym.

Lots of visiting defenses probably would swear that Widseth had the power to disappear as he slashed between defenders, sometimes pulling up quickly to sink one of his smooth and remarkable hook shots.

Retired Knoxville Journal sportswriter and sports editor Ben Byrd and Henry "Hank" Bertelkamp, who was a senior forward during Widseth's freshman season at UT, have seen lots of Tennessee basketball for more than half a century and they agree that Widseth was among the best.

That's saying a lot when you mention King, Ernie Grunfeld, Allan Houston, Paul "Lefty" Walther, A.W. Davis, Ron Widby, Tony White and Chris Lofton.

"Carl was the best back-to-the basket player that Tennessee's ever had ... to this day," Byrd said. "He was the ultimate low-post guy - 6-4 and skinny as a rail. But his footwork was just fantastic. ... If there as an inch of room he'd find it and just slither between people when defenses ganged up on him."

As a shooter, Byrd said Widseth was an artist.

"He just had a perfect long hook shot - a long, smooth sweeper and he was accurate with it," Byrd said. "He'd use the backboard, and at times would just kiss some of his shots in."

Widseth, he said, had an air of sarcasm and was quick to use it when he wasn't happy.

"Carl would carry on a constant war with the officials," Byrd said. "They were his enemies."

And some of his sarcasm was aimed at them.

Byrd said when the rule that a player who was called for a foul was required to raise his hand to help the official scorer properly identify him, Widseth took exception.

"Spook would raise his arm high over his head with his middle finger extended," Byrd said with a laugh. "Emmett (Lowery, UT coach) didn't notice for awhile, but once he did he made Carl quit using the gesture."

Weight training wasn't part of conditioning in those days and Widseth didn't work especially hard, Byrd said.

"But once the whistle blew Carl went after it full speed," Byrd said. "He played against some of the best the SEC ever saw -Cliff Hagen and Frank Ramsey of Kentucky and Bob Pettit of LSU to name a few. He gave away 5 or 6 inches to most of those guys.

"I would put him on the same level with King, Grunfeld, A.W. (Davis), Houston and Walther," Byrd said. "Widseth never made All-America, but he should have."

His teammate and roommate Ed Wiener did make All-America and Widseth was first team All-SEC his junior and senior years.

"Carl and Ed were great talents," Byrd said. "Emmett made them room together because none of the other guys could stand them. But on the floor together, they did a lot of pick-and-roll stuff that team's couldn't defend. If the 1955 team had a big man to bang the boards, that team could've won SEC championship,"

Byrd said the mark of a good player is the ability to get to the foul line. Widseth had that ability and got there often. He holds UT record for attempted free throws - 848 in 88 games. Allan Houston ranks No. 2 with 767 in 128 games - 40 more than Widseth played. Widseth sank 288 in 24 games his senior season and 225 in 21 games as a sophomore. He scored 47 points at Auburn in 1956 and 17 were foul shots.

He wasn't a bad foul shooter, making 621 in four seasons.

"When Carl scored 32 against Kentucky, Hagen was hurt," Byrd recalled. "They (Kentucky) put Ramsey in to defend Spook. Neither could stop the other from scoring. I think Ramsey scored 33 or 34. What a great offensive show."

Widseth averaged 22 points in six games against Rupp's teams.

"The night he got 47 against Auburn was probably the best any Tennessee player ever played," Byrd said. "He beat Auburn virtually by himself, and Auburn had a great team. Nobody had ever come close to scoring that many points in a game for UT before that.

"Lowery always said Spook was best player he ever recruited."

Bertelkamp, said Widseth's presence as a freshman in 1952-53 helped the Vols have a respectable season.

"Without him, we wouldn't have been very competitive," Bertelkamp said.

"Carl was a delightful person, was funny and just added so much to our team - had great moves," Bertelkamp said. "He had a rather sad life after basketball. He competed hard. I have nothing but good memories."

Bertelkamp, whose son Bert played for UT in the late 1970s, said, "If UT had a team of its 10 best, Carl would certainly be on it."

Roland Julian may be reached at julian@knews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.