In 1967-68 St Johns went up to Niagra to play a team that had Calvin Murphy. Murphy was a scorer big time. St Johns was losing, I dont recall by how much but things were not looking very good in the second half and the game was slipping away when Carnesecca put in a kid named Jack Bettridge. Bettridge if my memory serves me correctly was out of Power Memorial and had played with Lew Alcindor (sorry as a person of the 60's I refuse to call him Jabbar). He was one year ahead of Alcindor and I think it had been hoped at the time that by recruiting him, it might serve as an extra inducement for Alcindor to come to st johns. From what I remember Bettridge had essentially become a bench player. So Carnesecca puts him into the game and suddenly he stops Murphy. It was like, hey where was he all game? Murphy falters and St Johns makes a fantastic comeback and wins the game (I think by a point or two) but Bettridge was the reason.
SJU Trivia
- Thread starter MainMan
- Start date
jerseyshorejohnny
Well-known member
Richie M. Jackson (St. Agnes High School, Rockville Centre, LI) once told me that he and Big Lew attended a game together with their father's at MSG when both of them were being recruited by St. John's.
Richie founded RMJ Securities (later sold to The Bank of NY), where a number SJU athletes found employment after graduation.
Also believe he was a past president of The Garden City Men's Club.
Richie founded RMJ Securities (later sold to The Bank of NY), where a number SJU athletes found employment after graduation.
Also believe he was a past president of The Garden City Men's Club.
Check out the CHSAA Hall of Fame on the link below. You will see some of the amazing elite of the Sports World past, and SJU representatives as well.
http://www.molloyhs.org/userfiles/00000005199/files/a part 1.pdf
BTW, does anyone remember Willie Lawrence out of Molloy, went to SJU? Had the ability to be one of the greatest basketball players ever, but lost focus and things didn't materialize.
http://www.molloyhs.org/userfiles/00000005199/files/a part 1.pdf
BTW, does anyone remember Willie Lawrence out of Molloy, went to SJU? Had the ability to be one of the greatest basketball players ever, but lost focus and things didn't materialize.
Billy Lawrence has always been something of a mystery to me. Very high rated player out of Molloy, goes down to NC but it doesn't work out . Comes back to SJU but my memory if correct tells me nothing much works out.
To get an offer to NC meant you were special.
To get an offer to NC meant you were special.
tom in salem
Well-known member
Name as many people on the bench as you can if your name is not The Summit:
Brian Mahoney, Billy Singleton, Terence Mullin ... and is that Sean Muto whose face is mostly hidden?
Jeff Allen between Singleton and coach.
Name as many people on the bench as you can if your name is not The Summit:
Brian Mahoney, Billy Singleton, Terence Mullin ... and is that Sean Muto whose face is mostly hidden?
Jeff Allen between Singleton and coach.
Thought he looked familiar, but the civies threw me. (I couldn't place him as coach, which he wasn't.) Believe Allen graduated after the '83-'84 season.
JackofVirginia
Active member
What game is this?
Bonus: Name two players in this photo....
National Championship game in '52. I know that much about our history. LOL
I believe the Kansas player is Dean Smith. Not sure about the players for the Johnnies.
The great Clyde Lovellette for Kansas -- very familiar face from the old NBA. (Boy, am I showing my years.) I know Bob Zowaluk was the star of the Johnnies, as well as the tallest, so I'm going with him as one of the Redmen.
I believe you are right. Remember listening to this game on radio.
What game is this?
Bonus: Name two players in this photo....
National Championship game in '52. I know that much about our history. LOL
I believe the Kansas player is Dean Smith. Not sure about the players for the Johnnies.
The great Clyde Lovellette for Kansas -- very familiar face from the old NBA. (Boy, am I showing my years.) I know Bob Zowaluk was the star of the Johnnies, as well as the tallest, so I'm going with him as one of the Redmen.
I believe you are right. Remember listening to this game on radio.
Yep, he was right.
Here is a write up of the game:
THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1952
1952: Matchless Jayhawkers subdue powerful St. John’s of Brooklyn
Pressing tactics fail to stop winners; Lovellette of KU named outstanding player of tournament; both Big Clyde and Guard Dean Kelley make All-Stars
Advertisement
Seattle, Wash. — Pressed viciously and roughly, but in command all the way, Kansas University steadily ground down battling and foul-happy St. John's of Brooklyn 80 to 63 here Wednesday night to win the 1952 basketball championship of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
All-American Center Clyde Lovellette of the Jayhawkers, named the tournament's outstanding player by the sportswriters and sportscasters covering the meet, led his powerful club with 33 points. In so doing he set every individual scoring record connected with the 14th annual world series of major college basketball.
It was the first time in the history of the Bix Six and Big Seven Conferences that a representative team has copped the national cage crown. For KU Coach Dr. Forrest C. (Phog) Allen, the venerable 66-year-old maples magician of Mt. Oread, it was an honor that so far had escaped him during his 42-year coaching career. To the lovable kinghawk of the Kaw has come just about every plaudit connected with sport.
Once before an Allen-coached quintet had been in th NCAA finals only to lose. That was the 1940 crew that lost to Indiana in Kansas City.
NCAA Champion Kansas now goes to Kansas City Saturday night to play Southwest (Springfield) Missouri State, NAIB champion, in the first round of the U.S. Olympic playoffs. The Hawkers were scheduled to catch a plane out of here at 8:30 Thursday morning (10:30 a.m. Lawrence time.) They were due in Kansas City about 8:30 (Kansas City time) Thursday night. The Jay itinerary calls for the home stop in Lawrence about 10 p.m.
A school record
The victory was the 26th in 28 1951-52 starts for the Kansas club and set a new school record for number of games won in a single season. The 1909 aggregation also coached by Phog Allen, had a season mark of 25-3. Oddly enough, the terrific current championship season record of the Hawks was mounted on two 13-game winning streaks and a two-game slump sandwiched in between.
Kansas opened the current campaign with 13 straight wins, then lost Jan. 26 to Kansas State, 81 to 64, and Oklahoma A&M Jan. 30. In a comeback the likes of which the wearers of the Red and Blue had never seen, the Allenmen battled through 13 more contests to annex the greatest prize of big school basketball.
Lovellette, as always, was a fountain of points for Kansas, but he got timely assistance from his hustling mates. Forward Bob Kenney, senior forward from Winfield, came back to near the form he had displayed before a strep throat put him to bed near the end of the season. The dashing blond scored 12 points and was a ball-snatching demon and valuable floor performer throughout.
Senior Forward Bill Lienhard of Newton who has been slowed down through part of this season, particularly since a mild attack of pneumonia after starting 18 games, came through tremendously in the clutch and cranked in 12 gold-plated money points. Lienhard was also good on the floor and off the backboard.
Leg still bothers
Junior Guard Charlie Hoag, who has been a major power to the Jays lately, had another good night and Junio Guard Dean Kelley of McCune played his always fine game. Hoag contributed nine points to the title cause and Kelley came up with seven. Senior Guard Bill Hougland, playing valiantly despite a painful and hard-to-heal charley-horse, drove home five counters and came down with important rebounds six times. Lovellette snared 17 backboard bounces, but the courageous Hougland was the runnerup in that department for KU.
Showing the way for St. John's was Senior Center Bob (Zeke) Zawoluk, the handsome and graceful Redman ace, with 20 points. However, nine of those counters came after Lovellette, who was guarding him, got four fouls with 4:20 to go in the third quarter and had to slack off. Zawoluk on several occasions scored at will.
Number two in the scoring column for St John's, which now goes to New York's Madison Square Garden Saturday to meet LaSalle, NIT winner, in the Olympic playoffs, was Forward Jack McMahon with 13 tallies. Guard Ron McGilvray, the brilliant Brooklyn school rebounder despite his 6-1 stature, canned eight. McGilvray took 10 rebounds to be runner-up to Lovellette in that department.
KU's second win
St. John's and Kansas met during the 1950-51 season in New York with Kansas winning 52 to 51 in the last 15 seconds. The loss gave the Tribe a 24-5 season mark. The Brooklynites, termed "vicious alley-cats" after the New York game and again Wednesday night by Coach Allen of KU, earned their way into the final game by beating the nation's No. 1 -- Kentucky -- and No. 2 -- Illinois -- teams.
Kansas beat Texas Christian, St. Louis, Santa Clara and then St. John's in tourney play to gain the national crown.
Lovellette, of course is now a fable. The individual NCAA tournament scoring records show nothing but his name. The Big Turkey of the Jayhawker nest has crammed home 795 points in 28 games this year for a fabulous 28.4 average. In three years he has made 1,888 tallies. In four tourney games he canned 141 tallies for a 35.3 average. Here are the NCAA records he now holds:
Most points one game, 44.
Most points four-game series, 141.
Most points three-game series (in tournament play), 108.
Most points two-game series, 75.
Most field goals, one game, 16.
Most field goals, series, 53.
Most free throws, one game, 12.
Most free throws, series, 35.
Kansas at no time trailed in the game, but was dirtied up at thimes by the questionable tactics of the Redmen, as the Jays rumbled systematically to a 41-27 intermission lead.
Clincher by Clyde
beast of the east
Active member
What game is this?
Bonus: Name two players in this photo....
National Championship game in '52. I know that much about our history. LOL
I believe the Kansas player is Dean Smith. Not sure about the players for the Johnnies.
The great Clyde Lovellette for Kansas -- very familiar face from the old NBA. (Boy, am I showing my years.) I know Bob Zowaluk was the star of the Johnnies, as well as the tallest, so I'm going with him as one of the Redmen.
I believe you are right. Remember listening to this game on radio.
Yep, he was right.
Here is a write up of the game:
THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1952
1952: Matchless Jayhawkers subdue powerful St. John’s of Brooklyn
Pressing tactics fail to stop winners; Lovellette of KU named outstanding player of tournament; both Big Clyde and Guard Dean Kelley make All-Stars
Advertisement
Seattle, Wash. — Pressed viciously and roughly, but in command all the way, Kansas University steadily ground down battling and foul-happy St. John's of Brooklyn 80 to 63 here Wednesday night to win the 1952 basketball championship of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
All-American Center Clyde Lovellette of the Jayhawkers, named the tournament's outstanding player by the sportswriters and sportscasters covering the meet, led his powerful club with 33 points. In so doing he set every individual scoring record connected with the 14th annual world series of major college basketball.
It was the first time in the history of the Bix Six and Big Seven Conferences that a representative team has copped the national cage crown. For KU Coach Dr. Forrest C. (Phog) Allen, the venerable 66-year-old maples magician of Mt. Oread, it was an honor that so far had escaped him during his 42-year coaching career. To the lovable kinghawk of the Kaw has come just about every plaudit connected with sport.
Once before an Allen-coached quintet had been in th NCAA finals only to lose. That was the 1940 crew that lost to Indiana in Kansas City.
NCAA Champion Kansas now goes to Kansas City Saturday night to play Southwest (Springfield) Missouri State, NAIB champion, in the first round of the U.S. Olympic playoffs. The Hawkers were scheduled to catch a plane out of here at 8:30 Thursday morning (10:30 a.m. Lawrence time.) They were due in Kansas City about 8:30 (Kansas City time) Thursday night. The Jay itinerary calls for the home stop in Lawrence about 10 p.m.
A school record
The victory was the 26th in 28 1951-52 starts for the Kansas club and set a new school record for number of games won in a single season. The 1909 aggregation also coached by Phog Allen, had a season mark of 25-3. Oddly enough, the terrific current championship season record of the Hawks was mounted on two 13-game winning streaks and a two-game slump sandwiched in between.
Kansas opened the current campaign with 13 straight wins, then lost Jan. 26 to Kansas State, 81 to 64, and Oklahoma A&M Jan. 30. In a comeback the likes of which the wearers of the Red and Blue had never seen, the Allenmen battled through 13 more contests to annex the greatest prize of big school basketball.
Lovellette, as always, was a fountain of points for Kansas, but he got timely assistance from his hustling mates. Forward Bob Kenney, senior forward from Winfield, came back to near the form he had displayed before a strep throat put him to bed near the end of the season. The dashing blond scored 12 points and was a ball-snatching demon and valuable floor performer throughout.
Senior Forward Bill Lienhard of Newton who has been slowed down through part of this season, particularly since a mild attack of pneumonia after starting 18 games, came through tremendously in the clutch and cranked in 12 gold-plated money points. Lienhard was also good on the floor and off the backboard.
Leg still bothers
Junior Guard Charlie Hoag, who has been a major power to the Jays lately, had another good night and Junio Guard Dean Kelley of McCune played his always fine game. Hoag contributed nine points to the title cause and Kelley came up with seven. Senior Guard Bill Hougland, playing valiantly despite a painful and hard-to-heal charley-horse, drove home five counters and came down with important rebounds six times. Lovellette snared 17 backboard bounces, but the courageous Hougland was the runnerup in that department for KU.
Showing the way for St. John's was Senior Center Bob (Zeke) Zawoluk, the handsome and graceful Redman ace, with 20 points. However, nine of those counters came after Lovellette, who was guarding him, got four fouls with 4:20 to go in the third quarter and had to slack off. Zawoluk on several occasions scored at will.
Number two in the scoring column for St John's, which now goes to New York's Madison Square Garden Saturday to meet LaSalle, NIT winner, in the Olympic playoffs, was Forward Jack McMahon with 13 tallies. Guard Ron McGilvray, the brilliant Brooklyn school rebounder despite his 6-1 stature, canned eight. McGilvray took 10 rebounds to be runner-up to Lovellette in that department.
KU's second win
St. John's and Kansas met during the 1950-51 season in New York with Kansas winning 52 to 51 in the last 15 seconds. The loss gave the Tribe a 24-5 season mark. The Brooklynites, termed "vicious alley-cats" after the New York game and again Wednesday night by Coach Allen of KU, earned their way into the final game by beating the nation's No. 1 -- Kentucky -- and No. 2 -- Illinois -- teams.
Kansas beat Texas Christian, St. Louis, Santa Clara and then St. John's in tourney play to gain the national crown.
Lovellette, of course is now a fable. The individual NCAA tournament scoring records show nothing but his name. The Big Turkey of the Jayhawker nest has crammed home 795 points in 28 games this year for a fabulous 28.4 average. In three years he has made 1,888 tallies. In four tourney games he canned 141 tallies for a 35.3 average. Here are the NCAA records he now holds:
Most points one game, 44.
Most points four-game series, 141.
Most points three-game series (in tournament play), 108.
Most points two-game series, 75.
Most field goals, one game, 16.
Most field goals, series, 53.
Most free throws, one game, 12.
Most free throws, series, 35.
Kansas at no time trailed in the game, but was dirtied up at thimes by the questionable tactics of the Redmen, as the Jays rumbled systematically to a 41-27 intermission lead.
Clincher by Clyde
Notice how the article states that the 1952 NCAA championship was college basketball's biggest prize. It's clear that by then, and maybe before then, that the NCAA championship was more important than an NIT championship. I've read many times though that even through the 50s, the NIT was bigger. I've always gotten the feeling that was largely propaganda put out by the likes of St. John's fans to place more importance on our historical success in the NIT in that era. The NIT was founded in 1938 by local sportswriters. The NCAA tournament began the following season. In 1940, stewardship of the NIT was taken over by five New York-area colleges: St. John's, Fordham, Wagner, Manhattan and NYU.
Playing a tournament in New York, at Madison Square Garden, represented a chance for teams to get media attention and looks from NBA scouts that they might not have gotten playing in the widespread locations of an NCAA tournament. As the NCAA added more automatic bids for conference champions, the NIT began to wane. TV exposure helped to kill the NIT, as it was no longer necessary to play at MSG in order to get national attention.
The NIT was the equal of the NCAA thru the early fifties. Many teams preferred coming to NY for a week. By the early fifties the NCAA ha d expanded from eight to twenty four which hurt the NIT and much more important the scandal in 1951 was an enormous blow to MSG and NY basketball.
I was too young to follow basketball in the forties but I know that MSG had three double headers a week and many full houses. Many weekly AP polls had three NY teams in the top ten. People were not as forgiven in those days and the guilty were treated as enemy no. ones. Teams avoided MSG and the NIT slipped enormously.
I was too young to follow basketball in the forties but I know that MSG had three double headers a week and many full houses. Many weekly AP polls had three NY teams in the top ten. People were not as forgiven in those days and the guilty were treated as enemy no. ones. Teams avoided MSG and the NIT slipped enormously.