65 years ago today-Bradley beats St Johns in the NIT semis

[capecod]

3/16/1950

Bradley beat St John's in a NIT semi-final game in front of 18,000+ at Madison Square Garden 83-72

A disappointed crowd was hoping for an all New York City final between St John's and CCNY...but the Braves were too much for the local team.

At the beginning of the tourney the owners of MSG had hoped for at least an All NY State final(for ticket sale purposes)-but Bradley took care of that too having beaten Syracuse in the first round 78-66

The Garden owners need not have worried. The Bradley contests were all played in front of sold out crowds

http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19500317.2.75

The Braves would lose to CCNY two nights later in the Championship(finishing NIT runner-up)-then head off to the NCAA tourney in Kansas City

The Braves beat Kansas in the opener of the NCAA(two nights after the NIT championship game) in Kansas City. Then beat UCLA and Baylor to find themselves back in MSG for the NCAA championship game(once again vs CCNY).

The Braves had a chance for a win in the rematch, but a late 'no-call' on a potential go ahead shot/drive by Gene Melchiorre(my dad said Gene was clearly fouled) sealed a loss for the Braves

The Braves finished 2nd in both the NIT and the NCAA

[Da Coach]

I have heard from several other "old timers" who saw the game and said that it should have been a foul. Here is a description of the play, with quotes from Paul Unruh-

https://books.google.com/books?id=n0XnwcbNmPsC&pg=PA126&lpg=PA126&dq=melchiorre+bradley+foul+ncaa+ccny&source=bl&ots=KVk2DyO68l&sig=RB9kMH5MxP2VkUAwCTeVyMWrGxc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EfkGVbyRFcTBggTcj4KgCQ&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=melchiorre%20bradley%20foul%20ncaa%20ccny&f=false

There is apparently film of the play, too. If anyone knows where it could be found, let us know.

Here is a great article about Gene Melchiorre from the NY Times last year-

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/27/sports/basketball/gene-squeaky-melchiorre-holds-unique-nba-draft-distinction.html?_r=0

And many more Google links about the "foul"-

https://www.google.com/search?num=100&safe=off&q=melchiorre+bradley+foul+ncaa&oq=melchiorre+bradley+foul+ncaa&gs_l=serp.12...226083.226503.0.228218.3.3.0.0.0.0.272.340.1j0j1.2.0.msedr...0...1c.1.62.serp..3.0.0.8Gl6KUUKSyw

[tornado]

"WAS SQUEAKY FOULED?"

was the top Madison Square Garden moment in history

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=204846788

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-04-05/sports/9201310699_1_memphis-state-college-basketball-utah-state/2

[Chico]

They showed the play over and over at the Madison theater. He was clearly fouled. Squeaky was my hero. He also played baseball for Bradley. One of biggest childhood thrills was going up to him after a baseball game and asking him "Squeaky were you fouled"? He put his arm around me and as we kept walking he said "yes son, I think I was".

[Vent]

They showed the play over and over at the Madison theater. He was clearly fouled. Squeaky was my hero. He also played baseball for Bradley. One of biggest childhood thrills was going up to him after a baseball game and asking him "Squeaky were you fouled"? He put his arm around me and as we kept walking he said "yes son, I think I was".

That's cool. I believe Squeaky's uniform should be retired and he should be put into the Bradley Hall of Fame while he is still alive. He's paid his debt and was a great player. Unfortunately there are probably too many "do gooders" that won't let it happen.

[TNel]

That's cool. I believe Squeaky's uniform should be retired and he should be put into the Bradley Hall of Fame while he is still alive. He's paid his debt and was a great player. Unfortunately there are probably too many "do gooders" that won't let it happen.

Amen to honoring Squeaky. My boyhood hero also. He was THE major factor in putting BU basketball on the map. I remember standing in a long line at the Madison to watch the newsreel. To this day, I think he was fouled and BU got the shaft.