Talk on the early history of the Xavier University men\u27s basketball program

Eiser, Tom

Ryckbost, Anne

Wester, William

English

Xavier University

Xavier University Exhibit Presentations on Xavier University history University Archives and Special Collections 11-6-2020 Earliest History of Xavier Men's Basketball William Wester Tom Eiser Anne Ryckbost Follow this and additional works at: https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/presentations Recommended Citation Wester, William; Eiser, Tom; and Ryckbost, Anne, "Earliest History of Xavier Men's Basketball" (2020). Presentations on Xavier University history. 13. https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/presentations/13 This Media is brought to you for free and open access by the University Archives and Special Collections at Exhibit. It has been accepted for inclusion in Presentations on Xavier University history by an authorized administrator of Exhibit. For more information, please contact exhibit@xavier.edu. Earliest History ofXavier Basket BallIt’s origins until we were 1-0 vs UCWilliam Wester ‘87This project and how it started• Saw upcoming plans for “100 years of Xavier basketball”• I looked at the early records in a MBB media guide• One game in 1919-20?• Other partial years?• Coaches Harry Gilligan and Joe Meyer?• Thorough examination of the Xavier archives and over800 Newspaper clippings as well as study of varioushistorical writings and academic theses later …It’s how I spent my COVID Summer Vacation2019-20 men’s basketball media guide• Games vs YMCAs?• FC = Fenwick club?• Just one game date?• U Dayton did notexist in 1919-20 ?1891Memorial Hall: five stories at 7th and Sycamore and a separationbetween the Academic (high school) and College DepartmentsInvention of basketball. Well told story of James Naismith with18 students and a peach basket. Much deeper story here.By 1895, the first 5 on 5 college basketball game (Chicago v Iowa)Origins of college basketball at Xavier1912-13 1913-14 1914-15“small size of the gymnasium proved tobe too great a handicap … a CollegeBasket Ball Team was organized but nogames were played.”Currently, earliest record of an external game with the St. Xavier All-CollegiansAthenaeum 1913-04-01 p75 Athenaeum 1914-04-01 p63Cincinnati Commercial Tribune 1915-03-11 p7Cincinnati Commercial Tribune 1914-12-27 p10References to teams being heavier andmore experienced suggest this summaryis about the high school team as juniorteams were classified by average weight.Currently, earliest record of the collegeteam playing (vs the high school team)Athenaeum 1916-04-01 p56Athenaeum 1916-02-01 p621915-16Overall record: 6-4Athenaeum 1916-04-01 p561915-16Jan 25 1894 - Feb 29 1992(age 98)Coach George Milton RoudebushCurrently, earliest known Xavier basketball coachGrew up in Newtonsville OH (12 mi E of Milford)Star four-sport athlete at Denison University ’15Often cited as the first to perfect the “forward pass”a year before famed Knute Rockne of Notre DamePlayed with Jim Thorpe of the Canton Bulldogswhen he was at Xavier. Plays were mailed to him to study when he took the train up for gamesAlso played minor league baseball for the CarolinasServed in the infantry in WWIReceived a law degree and practiced law for 73 yrsin Cleveland OHNewark Advocate 1992-03-11 p23Athenaeum 1917-03-01 p75Record: 4-2 vs college teams1916-17The schedule included six college teams with currently, the first known Xavier inter-collegiate match vs Moore’s Hill (to become the Univ. of Evansville). Athenaeum 1917-05-01 p9The Great War and Spanish flu pandemicThe S.A.T.C. students quarantined before Oct 1918, utilizedcloth masks to cover the nose and mouth (familiar?).With Armistice in Nov 1918, S.A.T.C disbanded but the 240who were never deployed were encouraged to finish schoolThe S.A.T.C. group added to the athletes and loyal alumsRecords are sparse for the 1917-18:A key hightlight was that there was extensive remodelingand a new St. Xavier gym was finally worthy of hosting gamesSimilarly, few records exist for 1918-19:St. Xavier joined a nine-team local league w/12 game scheduleAthenaeum 1918-11-01 p4Cincinnati Commercial Tribune 1918-08-29 p2 Athenaeum 1918-11-01 p3See: “When Our Boys Go Over There – Xavier and WWI”: www.exhibit.xavier.edu/presentations/12/Traditional first “season” – 1919-20Xavier 2019-20 men’s basketball media guide. First listed in1964-65 media guide (Jack Cherry)Dayton Daily News 18 Feb 1920 p11First game filled in an open date. St Mary Saints v St Xavier SaintsCincinnati Commercial Tribune 21 Feb 1920 p7Tough break as team captain Irv Hart “had an attack of the grip” (flu)Xavier basketball players during 1919-20 William J “Bill” “Slim” Bechtold ’23 - InsuranceJohn A Bien – GE Jet Plant Inspector / Realty brokerJames J. “Yabe” “Yabby” Cushing ‘23 (S.A.T.C) – Realty Firm Louis E. “Speed” Eberts ‘23 (S.A.T.C.) – Cinti. Milling Machine Exec.J Bernard Grause Jr ’22 – Cincinnati Soliciter’s officeWilliam I “Irv” “Red” Hart ’23 – lawyer (war crime trials)Michael A Hellenthal (law ‘22) – attorney Western & Southern lifeJohn A. “Noppy” Noppenberger (S.A.T.C) (Commerce) –(Coach and Xavier Ass’t Athletic Director / Notre Dame + Spalding + Peoria coach)George J “Shorty” Normile ’20  - public service, a founder of Cincy Knothole baseball        Leo E. Oberschmidt ‘18 (S.A.T.C) (law ‘21) – VP Trust Officer First National BankNewspaper records show at least four games:Jan 23   Home   W   55-26 Covington KCFeb 14  Home    L    22-26  St John’s (Toledo)Feb 20   Home   L    18-24  St Mary’s (Dayton)Mar 5    Away     L   14-21   St Mary’s (Dayton)St. Xavier College moves to AvondaleHinkle and Edgecliff (Alumni) HallsAthletics Council now headed byalumni rather than being student runCoach Harry Gilligan ‘12Xavierian News 15 Dec 1919 p7 Cincinnati Commercial Tribune 19 Feb 1920 p9Currently the strongest references to Gilligan being the coach of the 1919-20 team. Harry Gilligan was an active alum. He wrote letters from France in WWI. He served on the Athletics Council, lead fund raising efforts, was President of the Alumni Assoc. Served on the President’s Council.Awarded an honorary degree in 1963.Athenaeum 1914-10-01 p58The Gilligan family is one of the famed Cincinnatifamilies. A funeral home business from 1877.Son, John J Gilligan, Ohio governor 1971-75. Catholic Telegraph 28 Oct 1926 p45Coach Joseph A “Chief” Meyer• Cincinnati native• St Xavier High School grad• Notre Dame captain of basketball/baseball teams• Short stint playing professional baseball.• Registered architect (important later!)• Xavier football coach, basketball coach, baseballcoach, and athletics administrator 1920-1937• Coached at UC 1938-1944 (WWII)• Worked in real estate, President of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, and as a building inspector1924 Xaverian Yearbook1924 Xaverian Yearbookderived from poem: Grantland Rice, 1908, “Alumnus Football”Ohio Athletic Conference• Third oldest collegiate conference from 1902• 10 current NCAA Div III members / ~30 historical• Case Tech, Kenyon, Oberlin, Ohio State, Ohio Wesleyan, Western Reserve, Denison, Heidelberg, Wooster, Wittenberg, Cincinnati, Ohio, Miami, Mount Union, Akron, Baldwin Wallace, Ohio Northern, Hiram, Otterbein, Xavier, Muskingum, Marietta, Capital, Ashland, John Carrol, Kent State, Toledo, Bowling Green State, Wilmington, Wooster• Uniform playing rules derived from the Western Conference (Big 10), amateurism and allowable expenses, eligibility, sportsmanship, practice periods, officials, and the very limited/no recruiting• Despite the breadth of issues, the conference was mostly passive, and schools were to take care of their own house and have faculty representatives resolve issues between schools• Scheduling meetings took place but schools could schedule whomever the wished• Newspapers covered the conference, but noconference champion was conferred at this time Former and current (red) members of the OAChttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Athletic_ConferenceTeams of the early 1920s• Xavier OAC membership began in 1921• Helped move to a collegate schedule• Reports of difficulty getting opponents• Not described, but no games vs UC and Xavier did not join splinter Buckeye AA1921-22 Xaverian News Pictorial Issue – Basketball team photoCincinnati Post 11 Dec 1920 p8Documented games, conference record and home court:1920-21   3-7   (1-4), Memorial Hall1921-22   9-9   (1-3), Memorial Hall1922-23 14-5   (7-3), Memorial Hall1923-24 12-4   (7-1), Fenwick Club1924-25   6-7   (2-2), L.B. Harrison GymMike HellenthalCincinnati Post 23 Jan 1922 p11Cincinnati Post 18 Feb 1922 p8Enquirer 14 Mar 1924 p40Player “personalities”and continued alumniinvolvement Irv HartCincinnati Post 2 Mar 1923 p20Bricks and Mortar Period• Avondale Athletic  Club club house• Classrooms to Library Building to Recreation Hall• “Union House” (1928) or the “Red Building”• Alumni Science Hall (dedicated Nov 1920)• Classrooms and science laboratories• Hinkle Administration Building (Nov 1920)• Jesuit living quarters, dining, chapel• Corcoran Field (former Avon Field)• Concrete bleachers seat 5000 for 1922 season• Elet Hall (dormitory) (Sept 1924)• great importance to re-establish Xavieras a college beyond local Cincinnati• Library Building (1926)• Chapel for St. Xavier College and Bellarmine parish• Lodge Reading Room after Mary Lodge• To become the Schmidt Library Building • Plans to realize a gymnasium, to enhance Corcoran, and construct a Biology BuildingAthenaeum 1915-02-01 p29Xaverian News 1921-06-01 p15From Saints to Musketeers• Track student interest in athleticsthrough the Xavierian News etc.• Issues are discussed including• Athletics for all students or select few• Fan support and sportsmanship• Who can wear the “X” varsity letter• Xavierian News ran a contest to rename athletics teams in the Spring of 1925 but there was no satisfactory winner• Over the summer, former faculty and current board member, Rev Francis J Finn S.J. suggested Musketeers – a name adopted beginning with the Oct 3 1925 football game vs TransylvaniaXaverian News 8 Apr 1925 p2 Xaverian News 13 May 1925 p2 Xaverian News 7 Oct 1925 p2 One for All and All for One1925-26   10-8   (1-3), L.B. Harrison Gym3423 24WL (OT)WL (OT)WWLWWWLLWLWLLW1926 Musketeer yearbook p225A season of mixed results,Win some, lose some.Star center Bob King wasout for the season with abroken leg (football). JoeKelly G was injured and outthe last three gamesJan 20 vs “Y” Wildcats –Xavier “brought out thebest passing game …froze the ball for 9 minutes”Feb 5 Opening of athleticrelations vs Louisville was a victory! 38-18Jack “Jakie” Wiener G was captain and only senior1926 Musketeer yearbook p226The First Musketeer TeamsThe First Musketeer Teams1926-27   11-3   (0-0), Cincinnati Club GymWL (OT)WL (OT)WWLWWWLLWLWLLW1927 Musketeer yearbook p233A season with only one collegiate defeat … the return game vs Loyola.In the first game vs Loyola, Captain Joe Kelly hit a game winning shot.Notable victories include a 39-5 romp after an all-day trip to St. Louis.The Musketeers were victorious 35-28 over 15-1 Davis-Elkins (WV). 1927 Musketeer Yearbook p231-23526LWWL WWWWWLWWWWKELLY             40WILLIAMS + DAUGHERTYEarliest BB memberof Hall of FameCaptain Joe KellyThe Field House and the 1927-28 Season Xaverian News 24 Mar 1926 p2 Walter Seton Schmidt ‘05President, Athletics Council All photos from 1928 Musketeer yearbook pp193-223Coach Joe Meyer, who studied architecture, drove the inclusion of a removable three-layer floor system –unique at the time. Permanent seating for 5000 plus ability to add seats. Running track, multiple locker rooms, support for other sports including intramurals.All home games were at the new field houseThe team started with 8 straight wins: Centre, St Louis,Cedarville, Alumni, Loyola, Marshall x2, @St Viator. Theloss was @Loyola. Then there was the dedication game.The Dedication Game1928 Musketeer yearbook p195UC graciously agreed toextend their season and be a part of  the dedication game. Another story spoke of the mutual Xavier-UC connections outside of athletics. Cincinnati Post 26 Jan 1928 p8The odds were against St. Xavier College even with 9000+fans packed into the new field house. UC finished as champions of the Buckeye Athletic Assoc. Their main concern was Xavier’s speed. Bands from both schools playedand a short pregame dedication ceremony started things off.The game started in UC’s favor, up 6-1 early on. Xavier kept fighting and kept it close. Score at the half 14-11 in favor of UC. Five minutes into the second half, UC matched its largestlead 20-15. Coach Meyer had a plan – he had scouted UC and realized the large floor of the field house gave an advantage as UC did not play man-to-man defense. On more than one occasion, a Xavier player slipped in underneath to score the easy bunny. With the score, 25-23 in favor of Xavier, ChipCain took a pass wide open to extend the lead 27-23. Two UCfree throws made the score 27-25. Finally, another “sneak”and captain Andy McGrath made the easy one. Final: 29-25. Enquirer 8 Mar 1928 p1Cincinnati Post 5 Mar 1928 p6Final Thoughts• Amazing 14 year period 1914-15 through 1927-28 for Xavier basketball• From student-run athletics with teams playing local church and gym teams• To being 8-1 vs a regional collegiate schedule with a premier field house• During this time, St. Xavier College itself transformed• From a downtown campus shared with the high school and study focused on classics• To a new campus in Avondale with room to continue to grow with relevance to society• Athletics and basketball evolved• Strict role of amateurism• Unified rules as collegiate athletics emerged• The country likewise progressed• Despite the Great War and a global pandemic• Cities, businesses, new freedoms and a new lifestyle for many people• An expanded role for the United States in the world• As today, success has required the entirety of dedicated players, coaches, university leaders, student body, and loyal alumni and friends of Xavier

Earliest History of Xavier Men\u27s Basketball

https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&amp;context=presentations

Earliest History of Xavier Men\u27s Basketball

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Xavier University