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I am very impressed with how the people at and from Bradley never seem to forget their heroes,
no matter how long ago they played.
no matter how long ago they played.
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Along these lines, and several talked about him after he did not make the BU All-Time team, but one could probably write a book on Ray Ramsey.
When he started at BU in the early 1940's he was very popular and a multi-sport star, but in basketball, his speed and shot selection (he used several innovative types of shots that most had not yet seen) earned him the nickname "Rocket" or "Rock It".
He, like many other young men, left to serve their country during WWII. When he returned to campus, he became a Little All-American (smaller schools) in football, and placed highly in national track and field meets.
On his senior night in a game against Colorado College, he hit a controversial game-winner that due to a mechanical failure with the game clock probably should not have counted. The next day, BU formally conceded the game, in an unprecedented and unrepeated act of sportsmanship.
He finished his career as the All-Time leading scorer, but would be overshadowed by giants within just a couple years of his graduation. He only ranks 43rd on the BU All-Time scoring list, but considering the gap in his career and his first two seasons took place in the kill-clock era of the early 1940's, his career to me is among the most remarkable.
Ramsey went on to a successful professional football career (predominantly with the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the Canadian Football League), and from time to time played both ways on the gridiron, though he earned his meal ticket money playing defensive back.
Of the many former BU players, he is often the most underrated and overlooked. -
squirrel, I have never met Ray Ramsey but have talked with people who knew him.
I am glad you have taken the time to bring up some things about Ray, as he was not only a great 3 or 4 sport athlete, but he was also reportedly one of the nicest humans ever to wear the Bradley Red and White.
As for your story on the Colorado game and reversal of the winning team, I ran across a game program from that nite with some notations added by the guy who was there and who had bought and used the program.
Those comments are in this thread, 7th post.
By the way, Ray Ramsey is one of the extremely few people who have officially played in the "MAJOR" leagues of both football and basketball.
I know of only two others who have. And he is also the very first Bradley athlete to have played professionally in any sport, let alone in two different ones.
He played for the Baltimore Bullets in 1949
and for the Chicago Cardinals (as well as other teams) in the NFL from 1948-1953.
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Just an add-on comment about Ray Ramsey -- BU great from the 1940's...
I just happened to pick up an autographed football card of Ray Ramsey -- one of the very few Bradley basketball players who ever played in the NFL.
But -- that's only a small part of the story....
as can be seen from some of the above comments..
Ray Ramsey was not only good enough to play BOTH major league basketball (NBA) and football (NFL), but he was actually also good enough that he was given offers to play professional baseball AND even offers to pursue a track career - but of course back then one couldn't have made a profession of it...so he was truly one of the BEST 4-sport athletes ever..
Ray was originally from Springfield, and died just about a year ago...here's a nice long story...
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T, what is the year and manufacturer of that Ramsey card?Originally posted by tornado View PostI just happened to pick up an autographed football card of Ray Ramsey -- one of the very few Bradley basketball players who ever played in the NFL.Bradley 72 - Illini 68 Final
???It??™s awful hard,??™??™ said Illini freshman guard D.J. Richardson, the former Central High School guard who played prep school ball a few miles from here and fought back tears outside the locker room. ???It??™s a hometown thing. It??™s bragging rights.??™Comment
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Can't get that site to come up. I would imagine it was about Dick Estergard who played in the 50's and was from Elgin I believe.Originally posted by BU1999 View PostWhat part of illegal don't you understand?Comment
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Ben-- I am glad you asked, since I am kinda thrilled about making this discovery...Originally posted by Beninator View Post
at least 15 years ago I started trying to collect the cards of every one of the old Bradley greats that played pro ball...but actually only a few existed..
Chet Walker had a few cards, so did Barney Cable, Shellie McMillon, Al Smith, Steve Kuberski, -- even a scare Italian issue of Joe Allen and some really rare Globetrotter cards of Bobby Joe Maosn...
and when I had just about every one of the ones that was known to exist, I started looking even for the unknown issues, foreign issues, etc...
I am certain that there is nobody who has a more thorough collection as I even have the team issued sets of cards and photo pocket schedules from as far back as the 1960's and every set the teamhas issued since...
(once they started to mass produce so many different variations by the late 1990's I stoped chasing them all down since the manufacturers are jerking you around with so many different variants now out there)
But -- the only manufacturer making football card issues back then was Bowman -- and they never included a Ray Ramsey card in any of their early 1950's sets..
BUT -- the card I acquired is a team issued photo card from (as best as I can tell) either 1951, 1952, or 1953 when he was with the Cardinals.
It had a photo of Ray in his uniform, his name and then his autograph in blue ink that still is quite sharp....so when I found the guy who had it I offered him $20 and he was happy since I doubt most people know of Ray outside the Bradley fan base!!
Are you a collector??Comment
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Arizona Republic had a list yesterday of the all time Cardinal leaders in interceptions. Ray was tied for 9th.What part of illegal don't you understand?Comment
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You gotta be kidding? -- he only played there 4 years and they only played 12 games/per year and Ray played in only 39 total Cardinals games.Comment
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Ramsey had 10 in his final year (1953) before losing his roster spot to Dick "Night Train" Lane and going to the CFL. Only 2 Cardinals have ever grabbed more in a season.Originally posted by tornado View Post
In 1951, he had 3 in one game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
He also remains the team record holder for most interception return yardage in a season, with 238 set in that 1953 season. Lane had 206 one year, while Antrel Rolle has come the closest with 231, in 2007.
Interception stats are on p. 17 of 32 in this PDF:
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