A short history of LSU basketball before Brown...

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by tigger1, Feb 20, 2004.

  1. tigger1

    tigger1 Founding Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2003
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    8
    Before Coach Brown came to LSU, LSU had only won 20 games or more a year 4 times(1916-17, 1952-53, 1953-54, 1969-70). LSU's best years were around the time World War I under Dr. Stroud, Edmonds, Bocock and Gormley in those 9 years LSU was 117-26 81.8% (16 games a year) and it would take another 11 years and averaging 19 games a year for LSU to win the next 117 at a 52.1% winning rate.
    At that time at the end of the 1933 season LSU had an overall record of 248-141 63.7%. Harry Rabenhorst was LSU coach going into the next few years, but the 1933-34 and the 1934-35 teams at that time were LSU's best in its history. LSU had a starting five that could play with anyone at that time the two years LSU went 27-5 combined and won the 1934-35 National Championship and LSU first SEC championship. This would be the end of the Glory years at LSU until Bob Petit.
    LSU over the next 16 went 184-140 56.7% with a few good teams around World War II that won 18 twice and 17 once, while averaging 20.25 games a year. Harry Rabenhorst coached all but the three years he served in WW II.
    The next three years were the Bob Petit years and LSU went 59-15 79.7% while making the final four one year and winning the SEC championship twice(LSU didn't play Kentucky both of those years).
    An All time LSU team at this time would look like this:
    C Bob Petit
    F Frank Brian
    F Buddy Blair
    G Joe Dean
    G Sparky Wade
    LSU's All Americans up to that time were:
    Sparky Wade
    Bob Petit
    LSU overall record at this time was 518-301 63.2% and Bob Petits last year was the last year LSU had a winning record other than the 13-11 1961-62 team until Pete Mavavich's Soph. year.
    Over the next 13 years LSU went 110-212 34.1% while averaging
    24.7 games a year. During this time LSU was coached by Rabenhorst (3 years), Jay McCreary (the same coach who lost to the famous Hossier movie team in the simis, 8 years), Frank Truitt for 1 year and Press Maravich first year. LSU's overall record at the time of Pete's frist year was 628-513 55.0%.
    During Petes' three years LSU was 49- 35 58.3% and won 22 games and made the NIT (LSU first post season since Petit) in 1969-70 season. In that Nit tournament LSU lost its last game to Bob Knight's Army team. Press's last two years LSU went 24-28 46.1%. The only change to the LSU all time team would be Pete for Dean or Wade(5'7")
    So in the long history of LSU basketball up to the time Coach Brown came here, LSU was 691-576 54.5%.
    LSU had been to the NCAA twice with a 2-4 record, the Nit once with a 2-2 record.
    LSU had won the SEC Championship three times.
    LSU won one National Championship, this was before the NCAA had its tourament.
    LSU had won:
    22 games twice in one season
    20 games twice in one season
    19 games twice in one season
    18 games twice in one season
    17 games twice in one season

    :lsug:
     
  2. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2002
    Messages:
    45,195
    Likes Received:
    8,733
    Good research, Tigger. I buy your argument.
     
  3. Chipeace

    Chipeace Country Roads Tiger

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2002
    Messages:
    2,128
    Likes Received:
    868
    I also agree. Dale did a fine job. He was not perfect. We should honor him.
     
  4. Thorny

    Thorny Founding Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2003
    Messages:
    577
    Likes Received:
    37
    1935 National Title

    Does anyone have more detailed info on the 35 National Title team. If the NCAA didn't have a tourny, how did we win the NC? Was it a poll? Was it the NIT? Does the NCAA recognize it or is it like football where there really is no NCAA champion? I have always wondered about it, but have been unable to find details from a distance.

    I bet the old Gym-Armory would have been a great place to watch a game.

    GEAUX TIGERS
    Statman--Bengal Brass Tuba 87-89
     
  5. tigger1

    tigger1 Founding Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2003
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    8
    1935

    In the 1934-35 LSU went 13-1 in the regular season and was the SEC champions, having only lost to Rice 56-47.
    LSU starting five were:
    Buddy Blair
    Lloyd Lindsey (Shongaloo)
    Jack Harris
    Ben Journeay
    Sparky Wade

    Wade made All American that year. Blair was outstanding at forward.
    At the end of the season the American Legion Bowl was played vs Pittsburgh in Atlantic City New Jersey. The American Legion got the champion from the South and the champion from the North to play a one game winner takes all for the National Championship.
    At this point it most be remember before there was a SEC, Big East, ACC, Big 10 etc, just a few short years(3 years or so) before LSU and Pitt both played in a bigger leauge that covered much of the southwest and southest in LSU case and almost all the North and northeast in Pitts case.
    LSU was down at half and came back to win the game 41-37, with the win LSU ened its season 14-1.
    The rest of the 34-35 team were:
    Wally Wells
    Arnold Bryan
    Nolan Miller
    Dennis F. Burge
    W. D. Leathers
    W. W. Boehannan
    This was Harry Rabenhorst best team at that time.
    Sparky Wade is a earlier version of Maravich, he could for his time dribble and do tricks with the ball few at that time could do, he like Maravich was ahead of his time.
    If you need more info, Pete Finney's book on LSU basketball has a good write on this team and game.
     
  6. bayareatiger

    bayareatiger If it's too loud YOU'RE TOO OLD

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2002
    Messages:
    5,448
    Likes Received:
    509
    The consensus is that he was a good, albiet sometimes strange man.

    I met Dale only once, one week after his hiring while at a LSU track meet. He was the same guy we are all familiar with. I was impressed that he would take the time to talk hoops for 15-20 minutes with a 15 year old kid (me). No one else even knew who he was but I recognized him from pictures I had seen of him...

    He was a phenominal recruiter, but Dale wasn't very much an X's & O's kind of guy...

    ...I just want to ask 1 question of Dale - why did we stop feeding the ball in the post to Nikita Wilson in '87 when we lost to Bobby Knight and the Hoosiers in the regional final?

    Nikita was UNSTOPPABLE that game, for cryin' out loud!!!

    I STILL FEEL THE PAIN OF THAT ONE......
     
  7. bayareatiger

    bayareatiger If it's too loud YOU'RE TOO OLD

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2002
    Messages:
    5,448
    Likes Received:
    509
    Re: 1935 National Title

    I have played hoops there and the seats were very high off the floor...like everybody in the place had "balcony seats"...because when they played there I don't think they had seats on the floor...

    You're right though - it IS a cool place...

    I wonder...do they still let people go in there to play?
     
  8. HatcherTiger

    HatcherTiger Freedom Isn't Free

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2002
    Messages:
    9,878
    Likes Received:
    736
    The freak ! (not Dale, the defense !)
     
  9. Thorny

    Thorny Founding Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2003
    Messages:
    577
    Likes Received:
    37
    Gym-Armory

    Wasn't the entire buiding renovated for the Academic Center for Athletes? I gather the old court doesn't exist anymore, though I may be wrong. With the new fitness center behind Sorority Row, there isn't much need for that gym. It's a shame, but that's progress.

    We did have a rocking tuba sectional there for the basketball band once, though.

    GEAUX TIGERS
    Statman, 87-89 Bengal Brass Tuba
     

Share This Page