1941: Basketball

This is a great game of clean sportsmanship, spell-binding action, enormous spectator interest and big figures. It is estimated that about 90,000,000 admissions were paid during 1941 by spectators at college, school and club games, including the spectacular post-season double-header extravaganzas by 'name' teams among sectional and conference title winners played in Madison Square Garden, New York, Kansas City, Chicago, Boston and elsewhere. Attendance records for Madison Square Garden were shattered when 247,023 fans witnessed the regularly scheduled double-headers, including 70,826 at the invitation tournament.

Among many sports authorities, general acknowledgment of superiority goes to Long Island University and Wisconsin. The Brooklyn Blackbirds and the Madison (Wis.) Badgers emerged on top of the heap in a season that aroused greater interest and drew larger 'gates' throughout the country. L. I. U. came from behind to conquer Ohio University, 56-42 in the final of the national invitation tournament at Madison Square Garden. Wisconsin, having annexed the Big Ten championship, went on to beat Washington State in the N. C. A. A. final at Kansas City.

To pick America's outstanding basketball player is difficult, yet sports writers agree that Frank Baumholtz of Ohio U. should be chosen because he came through with a sensational performance in the final of the Ohio-Long Island game, justifying the nomination. Ossie Schectman, of L. I. U., was the second choice. In the competitions in and around New York, the Seton Hall (N. J.) five scored 42 consecutive triumphs, with the great Bob Davies in the line-up. Yet this same team succumbed to L. I. U. by the wide score of 49-26.

The championship of the Pacific Coast went to Washington State, while Dartmouth romped off with the Eastern Intercollegiate League honors for the fourth year in a row. Duke succeeded North Carolina in the Southern conference, and Arkansas dethroned Rice in the Southwest. Wyoming is the new Rocky Mountain Big Seven leader. Tennessee captured the Southeastern Conference title, and Kansas and Iowa shared the Big Six crown. The National Y. M. C. A. title was won by the Division Street team of Chicago. The Eastern Athletic Club title was won by the Columbus Council K. of C. team.

The National A. A. U. title was taken in great style by the fast stepping Hollywood Twentieth Century quintet, defeating the San Francisco Olympic Club, after nosing out the defending champion, Phillips 66 Oilers of Oklahoma. Voted to the All-American basketball team were Angelo Luisetti, Frank Lubin, Carl Knowles and Ralph Grannini, of the Olympic Club, and Chet Carlisle, of Oakland, Cal., former University of California captain. The Metropolitan (N. Y.) A. A. U. title was taken by the fast Ahrbach A. A. team for the third year.