Former Bradley Hall of Famer Al Smith- dead at 75

[Da Coach]

A sad and disturbing story regarding former Bradley and ABA player Al Smith.
This story is on a number of local news stations in Sarasota, Florida-
Palmer Ranch SWAT standoff ended in apparent suicide
https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/12/2...arent-suicide/ ;

Shooting suspect found dead during Sarasota standoff
https://www.wfla.com/news/sarasota-c...-standoff/amp/ ;

[Da Coach]

Al Smith was a graduate of Manual High School in 1965. He played varsity basketball at Bradley from 1966-1968, then left school and spent 2 years in the military. He returned and played his final season at Bradley in 1970-71.

He was a terrific player and averaged 16.7 ppg as a sophomore, 17.9 ppg as a junior, and 18.9 ppg his final season.
Here are Al Smith's college career stats-
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb...l-smith-4.html ;

He was also a great baseball player and was drafted by the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox.
He was also drafted by the Denver Rockets of the old ABA (prior to the merger with the NBA) and because they offered Al more money, he signed with them. He played 3 seasons with the Denver Rockets, and 2 with the Utah Stars. He averaged 9.8 ppg over his 5 year career, and lead the ABA in assists in 1973-74 with 8.1 assists per game.
ABA stats- https://www.basketball-reference.com...smithal01.html

[Da Coach]

Dave Eminian has an article in the online PJ Star website about the tragic death of former Bradley Hall of Famer Al Smith.
Unfortunately, it requires a subscription to read-

https://twitter.com/bradleyhoops/status/1606234423988453379

[Bradley3342]

Tragic story about Al. Went to games at the Fieldhouse with my dad when I was young and he was probably my favorite player on that team. Great athlete

[Da Coach]

There are many lifelong Peorians who say that Al was the greatest high school athlete to ever come out of Peoria. He excelled at every sport, and probably could have played pro baseball as well as basketball.

[capecod]

There are many lifelong Peorians who say that Al was the greatest high school athlete to ever come out of Peoria. He excelled at every sport, and probably could have played pro baseball as well as basketball.

linked below (hopefully) is a chapter of Taylor Bell's book on Illinois HS basketball -about Al Smith

Of note - Al Smith, in addition to leading Manual to the State Championship in baseball & being a star All State basketball player, was All State in football/and as Taylor Bell notes -had football scholarship offers to Notre Dame and Southern Cal

Smith picked Bradley (and basketball) over MLB Chicago White Sox & college football at any of a number of major powers

https://books.google.com/books?id=tC2tOKqd3bQC&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=al+smith+manual+high+school+Glory+days+Illinois+legends+of+high+school+basketball&source=bl&ots=Kfb3T41e5s&sig=mspN78PksxUcBUg-_wxKb8NcoT0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwin4PeMhq_eAhWhmOAKHejgCuUQ6AEwAHoECAAQAQ#v=onepage&q=al%20smith%20manual%20high%20school%20Glory%20days%20Illinois%20legends%20of%20high%20school%20basketball&f=false

[Da Coach]

From that link, scroll up one page to the start of the chapter about Al Smith.
That book also has chapters on a couple other Bradley greats who hailed from Illinois- Bobby Joe Mason and Steve Kuberski. Scroll up to the index.
Plus, there are chapters on a lot of other great Illinois basketball stars.
Thanks for posting.

[wily coyote]

There are many lifelong Peorians who say that Al was the greatest high school athlete to ever come out of Peoria. He excelled at every sport, and probably could have played pro baseball as well as basketball.

DC put me in that group. He was two years younger than me but I've been around the game since 1959 and Al was the best I've seen in this town. I have been very fortunate to see or officiate all of the good ones in the tri county area in the 60;s,thru 2010 and Al was in my opinion the best.

[64NIT]

Al Smith and Joe Allen must be putting on a clinic in basketball heaven, right now, just like they did at BU.