Ex-BU great Levern Tart dead at 68

[tornado]

Old thread - resurrected...
Syracuse's Jim Boeheim remembers Bradley's Levern Tart from when Boeheim played in the Eastern League

"Levern "Jelly'' Tart had been a star at Bradley University and the MVP of the 1964 National Invitation Tournament.
Before coming into the Eastern League, Tart had averaged 23.5 points per game for the Oakland Oaks in the ABA.
Boeheim remembered playing against Tart and the Wilkes-Barre Barons.

"Levern Tart hit me so hard once and I almost didn't wake up,'' Boeheim said. "He was a strong (bleep)....."

http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2016/11/story_time_with_jim_boeheim_riding_down_i-81_playing_pro_basketball_for_100_a_ni.html

[capecod]

Levern Tart & Joe Strawder

Levern Tart 6'2 & Joe Strawder 6'8 were recruited in the same BU Frosh class of 1960-61

But the two Florida recruits never played a full season together until their senior season

On the Frosh team:

I seem to remember that Strawder didn't play in the annual Varsity-Frosh game - the Frosh got pounded 78-48...BU varsity had Chet Walker, Tim Robinson and Mack Herndon

The Papooses(as the BU Frosh were called) raced to a 7-1 record(losing only to the Cincinnati frosh on the road) with both Tart & Strawder.

Then Tart flunked off the team & Strawder & the remainder of the squad finished 11-4(losing to St Louis twice & Drake on the road)...that was the poorest showing of a BU Frosh team since '53

6'2 Tart actually out rebounded Strawder for the year (ave. 13+ RBs for Tart to 12+ for 6'8 Strawder

Soph yr on the varsity now
Strawder & Tart teamed with Walker(Herndon & Robinson were gone) to beat Cincinnati & were headed for the MVC championship...then Strawder got kicked out of school....BU lost to Cincinnat in the regular season rematch without Strawder & tied for the MVC championship...and lost again to Cincy in a neutral court playoff to determine who went to the NCAA tourney

Jr yr
Strawder was still ineligible for the first semester

When Joe came back, Tart flunked off the team...the two didn't play a single game together....luckily Mack Herndon came back after a year off & was the leading scorer that season

Sr yr
The only season that classmates Tart & Strawder played a full season together

Bradley won the NIT

[tornado]

Thanks capecod - love hearing your memories ....I didn't start following BU 'til Joe Allen's senior year.....so a lot of that history is new to me

[braves16]

http://remembertheaba.com/TributeMaterial/Tart.html