Len Elmore Tweet / St. John's

[quote="jerseyshorejohnny" post=373514]https://twitter.com/LenElmore/status/1219737202219012097?s=20[/quote]

What could have been.......
 
Len Elmore wasn't a superstar, but he was a rock solid center in the pros and college. His brother went to my HS, and I think only played one year of HS basketball (I think he played football) despite his height. He disappeared after graduation, and was unaware until relatively recently that he had gone to Wichita State, done really well, but died of a mysterious heroin overdose (no one who knew him believed he used serious drugs at all).. They did a segment on him when Wichita State made the Final Four a few years ago.

Len Elmore was the next in line after Lew Alcindor at Power Memorial and was heralded becuase of the talent they produced - so perhaps was a little more gilded than he would have been if he was in a different lineage HS wise. Still a very good player, college and pros, solid citizen, bright guy who became and attorney and worked for the NBA as well before his announcing career. Not criticisms from me - he could have ended up the best center in our history.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=373758]Len Elmore wasn't a superstar, but he was a rock solid center in the pros and college. His brother went to my HS, and I think only played one year of HS basketball (I think he played football) despite his height. He disappeared after graduation, and was unaware until relatively recently that he had gone to Wichita State, done really well, but died of a mysterious heroin overdose (no one who knew him believed he used serious drugs at all).. They did a segment on him when Wichita State made the Final Four a few years ago.

Len Elmore was the next in line after Lew Alcindor at Power Memorial and was heralded becuase of the talent they produced - so perhaps was a little more gilded than he would have been if he was in a different lineage HS wise. Still a very good player, college and pros, solid citizen, bright guy who became and attorney and worked for the NBA as well before his announcing career. Not criticisms from me - he could have ended up the best center in our history.[/quote]

Agree. It also helped that Power had Len, Ed Searcy & Jap Trimble in starting lineup. Not shabby
 
Too bad Louie took John Kresse with him to the ABA. Elmore may have ended up at SJU, if Kresse was coach. It should be noted that Billy Paultz was already at the school and I think would have been one class ahead of Elmore.
 
[quote="Las Vegan" post=373820]Too bad Louie took John Kresse with him to the ABA. Elmore may have ended up at SJU, if Kresse was coach. It should be noted that Billy Paultz was already at the school and I think would have been one class ahead of Elmore.[/quote]

I thought both Louie and Paultzman both left SJU after 1970 season. Frank Mulzoff replacing Louie.
 
I think I remeber seeing Elmore, Searcy and Trimble play in the CHSAA tournament at Fordham Rose Hill gym against Billy Schaefer's team. That trio at Power was something to watch, great HS BB in NYC when NYC was KING.
 
I remember Ed Searcy at SJU. Guy could jump higher than anyone, but had no wind to run the court with any regularity.
 
Paultzman wrote: Agree. It also helped that Power had Len, Ed Searcy & Jap Trimble in starting lineup. Not shabby

I remember watching that Power team play LaSalle with the Norris (?) twins at Alumni Hall. Can't recall if it was the finals of the CHSAA tourney but I think it might have been.
 
[quote="Knight" post=373886]I remember Ed Searcy at SJU. Guy could jump higher than anyone, but had no wind to run the court with any regularity.[/quote]

Folklore had it that Searcy jumped so high and landed with such impact on the floor that he had to wear 6 pairs of socks to cushion the blow
 
[quote="MarkRedman" post=373888][quote="Knight" post=373886]I remember Ed Searcy at SJU. Guy could jump higher than anyone, but had no wind to run the court with any regularity.[/quote]

Folklore had it that Searcy jumped so high and landed with such impact on the floor that he had to wear 6 pairs of socks to cushion the blow[/quote]

Someone needs to tell Zion that story.
 
[quote="Knight" post=373826][quote="Las Vegan" post=373820]Too bad Louie took John Kresse with him to the ABA. Elmore may have ended up at SJU, if Kresse was coach. It should be noted that Billy Paultz was already at the school and I think would have been one class ahead of Elmore.[/quote]

I thought both Louie and Paultzman both left SJU after 1970 season. Frank Mulzoff replacing Louie.[/quote]

Knight, I'm not sure on the dates, but I believe Louie left after we lost to Marquette in the NIT championship game. Paultz sat out first year at SJU and played two years, and left for the ABA having a year of eligibility remaining. So, you are right. They left together, so even if Elmore was at SJU, they would not have played together.
Just would have been interesting to see how things would have unfolded if Kresse had become head coach, instead of Mulzoff.
 
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