When Dr. Roy Chipman resigned his post as Pitt's head basketball coach in December 1985, Charles Smith was set to transfer. Chipman had recruited Smith to Pitt, and Smith did not like the idea of playing for a new coach.

The reason Smith stayed at Pitt, where he ultimately became the career scoring leader and one of the school's all-time great players, was Bill Baierl.

"He helped me through that time when I was debating whether to transfer," Smith said. "He helped guide me through that. All the problems I had with Paul Evans, he helped me through that. When I couldn't go home, he opened his door to me on holidays. He did things for me and for the school that no one knew about. He was always instrumental in my life."

When Baierl died of a heart attack in April at the age of 78, Smith decided to honor his friend and mentor by having an alumni basketball game at Pitt. The inaugural Bill Baierl Alumni Basketball Game will be Sunday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center between the women's and men's exhibition games.

Smith and Pitt coach Jamie Dixon are the co-hosts for the game. And they pulled out all the stops to make it a star-studded event. Among the former players expected to attend are Don Hennon, Jerome Lane, Clyde Vaughn and Curtis Aiken.

Many prominent coaches with Pitt connections are taking time out of their schedules to be there as well, including Memphis coach John Calipari, Xavier coach Sean Miller and Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen.

Smith and Dixon said it speaks volumes for Baierl that coaches such as Calipari, Miller and Rohrssen, who are preparing for the upcoming season, will fly to Pittsburgh for a few hours to take part in the game.

"He loved Pitt," Dixon said. "He always told me that Pitt was the reason for his success. He didn't know what he was going to do when he got out of the Army, and then Pitt gave him a scholarship. That's why he was so generous toward Pitt."

"The key phrase at his funeral was that he was a gentle giant," Smith said. "Everyone who was at the funeral, he impacted their lives. There was one guy I met who had just gotten married and had tried to buy a vehicle. He didn't have a lot of money. Bill helped him out with his credit, and he got a car. There are so many stories like that. He was so humble and so quiet. He touched so many lives in so many ways.

"The Petersen Events Center wouldn't be there if it wasn't for him. I just hope I don't get emotional when I talk about him on Sunday."

Baierl, a Pitt basketball player in the early 1950s, founded and was president of the Baierl Family of Dealerships, which employs more than 4,000 people in the area. He also was a big Pitt donor and gave large sums of money to the university, although he never wanted his contributions publicized.

The Baierl Basketball Center at the Petersen Events Center, which houses locker rooms, meeting rooms and training and practice facilities, was named in his honor.

Pitt has never had an alumni game, but Smith and Dixon said their intent is for it to be an annual event.

"We've got something to build it around," Dixon said. "We've had the success that will draw people back. But more than anything, it's always going to be a chance to thank Mr. Baierl for being a friend. I venture to say that's the reason why everyone who is coming back is coming back. It's a chance to say thank you for supporting us all those years."

Fans wanting to attend the game must have a ticket for the women's game or the men's game. Former players taking part in the alumni game will have an autograph session at halftime of the women's exhibition that begins at 1 p.m. The alumni game will follow after the completion of the women's game against the Ohio Legends. The men play IUP at 5 p.m.

"We thought there would be no better way to honor Bill than with an alumni game," Smith said. "It will be an opportunity for players from the different eras to reconnect. It's a time to reflect and honor and have a good time. I'm sure the Pete will be packed. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of old friends and having a good time."