The Holocaust and Basketball

Earlier in the year, Representative Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in the United States Congress, died. Upon hearing the news, I wanted to learn more about him. I found out that Rep. Lantos took over the seat held by Representative Leo Ryan. Rep. Ryan was murdered while investigating the Peoples Temple right before the Jonestown Massacre.

Taking place before I was born, I had never heard of the Jonestown Massacre, so I looked it up. A man named Jim Jones moved his cult, the Peoples Temple, to a town he founded called Jonestown in Guyana. Rep. Ryan traveled to investigate the cult. When it was time to go, some cult members wanted to leave Jonestown with the congressman. That eventually led to Ryan's murder and everyone in Jonestown was subsequently murdered or committed suicide.

Jim Jones had a son, Jim Jones Jr., who was not present during the mass murder-suicide. However, the son lost his wife and his child in the massacre. Jim Jones Jr. later remarried and had three children.

Last night I watched the West Coast Conference championship game between Gonzaga and San Diego. San Diego pulled off the upset and clinched a spot in the NCAA tournament. San Diego's Rob Jones, who scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, is the grandson of cult leader Jim Jones.

So, that is the link between the Holocaust and basketball... the Jonestown Massacre.