Oldest living past Bradley Basketball player?

[tornado]

A lot of the Bradley greats from the "Golden Era" have passed...
I suspect anyone who played Bradley basketball BEFORE WWII might no longer be around as they'd have to be 95 and older...

And a lot of the guys who played in the first couple seasons after the war also were older, as they had deferred their college experience to fight for our nation.

And - let me first say that before these old guys from the 1940's are all gone - I'd like to see them honored at a home game.


Anyway - who is the oldest living Bradley Brave basketball player?

I don't know who all we have left from that era...but Paul Unruh is still around and he attends most of the home games with his family. Paul would be 87 or 88.
Squeaky, however, is one of those guys who spent time in the military and thus was older - and I know Squeaky is a year or so older than Unruh.

But here's the oldest living past Brave I know...
Bobby Garber from Metamora - who is 90 - played and starred in two sports (basketball, baseball) at Bradley from 1945-49.
Bobby's family are also well known in sports circles - son Steve was head women's coach at ICC and daughter Jen was assistant women's coach at Bradley and now head coach at Quincy University.


We have now missed on honoring one old guy- Nelson Schierbeck, played in 1945 after several years fighting in the military - and who I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with as he used to come to BU games & events until quite recently...
Nelson just passed last fall. - LINK

Time to honor as many of these older guys as we can before we lose our opportunity.

[Da Coach]

Possibly the oldest living former Bradley player, and coach, is Charles Orsborn. He was a member of Bradley's Famous Five of the late 1930's. He played for Bradley from 1936-1939, and was an assistant coach from 1947-1956, and Head Coach from 1956-1965.
He is now 97 years old and lives in Naples, Florida. I hear he recently attended a basketball game at Florida Gulf Coast.

Joe Stowell, who is 88, would probably know a lot about the guys of his era, and which might still be alive. He was a teammate of Melchiorre, Mann, and Unruh. Joe and several of the players who played with Joe are still living. Joe played from 1947-1950.

As many might know, after Joe was taken off the radio broadcasts by administration, he became persona non grata on the Bradley campus, and stopped attending games. I hear that Joe is still in pretty good health, and now that the administration has undergone a complete change, I'd expect to see him attend some games this coming year.


Here is a scanned image of a team photo from the 1948-49 team media guide

[tornado]

nice find - yes- Chuck Orsborn is still living in Naples, FL at the age of 97

http://www.naplesnews.com/sports/mens-basketball-former-bradley-player-coach-ad

[tornado]

I found this....

from the PROMISES of AD Chris Reynolds:
"Reynolds did not disappoint by outlining his plans toward rejuvenating the
fan base and honoring the traditions surrounding Bradley basketball.

Reynolds promised to honor past Bradley student-athletes and teams during
halftime of men’s basketball games. Reynolds also urged past players to
come back “home” so they can help today’s student-athletes appreciate the
opportunity they have to play at Bradley.

Reynolds also said since such a large crowd means people like to eat,
Bradley will return its annual spaghetti supper to the ITOO Hall on
Farmington Road this September.

“It’s important we get everyone we can involved in what we’re doing,”

http://www.1470wmbd.com/bradley-basketball-luncheon-draws-1200/

[Da Coach]

I have learned that there are plans to have some kind of recognition of the 1985-86 MVC championship and NCAA team which we will be celebrating a 30-year anniversary, the 1995-96 MVC championship and NCAA team which will be celebrating a 20 year anniversary, and the 2005-06 Sweet 16 team which will be celebrating a 10 year anniversary.

I don't know exactly what kind of events will happen, but it would be great to get some of those players back for a game and honored!

[Buesch N Chips]

Mike Chianakas is still alive, I'm pretty sure.

[tornado]

Possibly the oldest living former Bradley player, and coach, is Charles Orsborn. He was a member of Bradley's Famous Five of the late 1930's. He played for Bradley from 1936-1939, and was an assistant coach from 1947-1956, and Head Coach from 1956-1965.
He is now 97 years old and lives in Naples, Florida. I hear he recently attended a basketball game at Florida Gulf Coast....

Chuck Orsborn just passed away at 99 years of age

[Vent]

In my opinion, the best basketball coach in Bradley history. His teams were almost always rated in the Top 10 or Top 20 of both polls at that time, the AP and UPI. I remember Ozzie saying, "if you can't play half court defense you can't play full court defense". His teams scored more points and had better shooting percentages than teams do now with a shot clock and 3 point field goal.

[bradleyfan124]

Chuck Orsborn was a legend. Thank you Coach for everything you contributed to basketball. You added to a lifetime memories for me

[bradleyfan124]

I am surprised there is not more dialogue about Chuck Orsborn. He made Bradley basketball what it is today

[Vent]

Most people on this board are probably too young to remember him. Ozzie forgot more about coaching than most coaches know. His offense was explosive and his defense was smothering. Classic full court zone presses with traps everywhere. It was beautiful to watch his defenses force offenses into traps. You could sit and pick his brain and he would make the game so simple. He could come off as crabby and tough. He was a no nonsense coach. He had a major impact as to the type of coaches people like Joe Stowell, Chuck Buescher, Chuck Westendorf, Steve Doty and others turned out to be. He was so respected nationally that high school coaches would call him from all over the country telling him about a good prospect. If Ozzie knew the coach, often times he would offer the player a scholarship without seeing the player play.

When I think of the caliber of Bradley basketball and the level of talent compared to now, all I can say is..."thanks Ozzie, you've given me a lot of memories. May you Rest In Peace".

[bradleyfan124]

Most people on this board are probably too young to remember him. Ozzie forgot more about coaching than most coaches know. His offense was explosive and his defense was smothering. Classic full court zone presses with traps everywhere. It was beautiful to watch his defenses force offenses into traps. You could sit and pick his brain and he would make the game so simple. He could come off as crabby and tough. He was a no nonsense coach. He had a major impact as to the type of coaches people like Joe Stowell, Chuck Buescher, Chuck Westendorf, Steve Doty and others turned out to be. He was so respected nationally that high school coaches would call him from all over the country telling him about a good prospect. If Ozzie knew the coach, often times he would offer the player a scholarship without seeing the player play.

When I think of the caliber of Bradley basketball and the level of talent compared to now, all I can say is..."thanks Ozzie, you've given me a lot of memories. May you Rest In Peace".

Amen!! You said it better than I could.

[tornado]

had he chosen to keep coaching who knows where we'd be - maybe in the realm that Cincy or Louisville went --
but Ozzie had a heart for all sports and went into the AD job...
No knock against Joe Stowell - but Joe couldn't keep up with the recruiting needs by the late 60's

Ozzie was a humble man from a bygone era...a military hero, great family man, unselfish in every way... never interested in the limelight or the glory for himself.
With his coaching skills, he could take 5 guys off the street and probably field a decent MVC team, but he also gave the young black kids the chance at Bradley that so many other schools denied them.

[Vent]

No question about that. He got Strawder and Tart, both played pro ball, and not in Europe, in the NBA and ABA, from the state of Florida when Florida and Florida State wouldn't let them in school because they were black. He was one of the pioneers in the NCAA when it came to breaking the awful color barrier. Some great players played for Ozzie or recruited by him. Mack Herndon, Tim Robinson, Alph Saunders, Bobby Joe Mason, Mike Owens, Chet Walker, Joe Strawder, Levern Tart, Eddie Jackson, Joe Allen, Joe Billy McDade and so many more.

[capecod]

Chuck Osborn vs Bob Vanatta

The book "Bradley U -Victory, Honor, Glory' correctly points out that Chuck Osborn, after 7 years as a BU assistant coach, felt subbed when he didn't get promoted to the Bradley Head Basketball coaching position in 1954.

Osborn had coached the BU Frosh team for 6 season (+ the JV for another = 7 seasons) leading up to Bradley HC Forddy Anderson leaving for Michigan St.

By rights Osborn thought he'd get promoted when Forddy left for MSU. Instead the BU administration brought in Bob Vanatta from West Point as the new varsity coach.

From the book:

"Though Ozzie never let it affect his work, the snub rankled the overlooked coach...."

The first game that Vanatta coached at Bradley (1954-55 season) was an exhibition vs the Chuck Osborn coached Bradley Frosh(known affectionately as the Papooses)

Osborn's Papooses (led by Barney Cable & Shellie McMillon) upset the BU varsity & Vanatta 82-80

This was the only time in the long history of the traditional Varsity-Frosh season openers that the Frosh actually won that game!

The following season Vanatta cancelled the contest. This also is the only time during the long history of those games that the game was cancelled. Perhaps Vanatta wanted no part of another match up with Osborn.....

After those two years Vanatta left for Memphis St & finally Osborn got the head coaching job at his Alma Mater-after 9 yrs as a BU assistant.

In the final game of Osborn's first season as Bradley head coach- he faced guess who.......Bob Vanatta & Memphis St is the NIT Championship game.

Osborn won that contest over Vanatta too-bringing home the first of 3 NIT championships that Bradley would win under his coaching tenure(BU also finished 2nd another year)

RIP Coach