Players number from 1952

[scrapper]

Does anyone know how we can find out what a Bradley basketball player's number was
on a team in 1952?

[ser_solace]

No idea. Just checked bubraves.com myself and didn't find it.

I bet though if you just gave the university or the Bradley Athletics department a call, someone would be happy to help you. I'm sure they could send some student working there digging into old records or the archives.

[Beninator]

How about some old yearbooks? I am sure there are some alumni out there who may be able to help. What player are you looking for?

[Da Coach]

Does anyone know how we can find out what a Bradley basketball player's number was
on a team in 1952?

I have many old yearbooks, media guides, and programs going back to the late 40's and early 50's. So if I can't find the answer for you, there are other collectors of those old items that can.

Give us the specifics--
Which player are you interested in knowing about, and what year?

[PTownHawkeye]

What I'm interested in, and maybe scrapper too, is the numbers 1,2,3,4,5. When is the last time we've had those numbers on one team? Be fun to see them all in the game together, once in a while

Rick, that's a great question! I personally have no idea if BU has ever had that happen, but I can tell about another school where it did. When I was a student at Iowa back in 2002-2003, we SHOULD have had a starting lineup of

#1: SG Chaucey Leslie
#2: PG Jeff Horner
#3: OG Pierre Pierce
#4: SF Glen Worley
#5: C Jared Reiner

Unfortunately, #3 decided to commit a felony, admitted to it, and went to prison for 10 years...wait...no...I mean was suspended (yet redshirted) for the year, spoiling my "perfect" starting lineup.

[Da Coach]

I believe the NCAA had a rule in the 60's and 70's that all uniform numbers had to be 2 digits, and no numeral higher than a 5 could be used for either digit. It was to allow the officials to signal to the scorer's table which player committed a foul, and since they only had 5 fingers on each hand, the could not handle numerals higher than a 5. But eventually, they removed that rule.
Also, I recall seeing pictures from my programs and yearbooks from the 50's and earlier that teams Bradley played against often had players with single digit numbers, including 6, 7, 8, and 9. However, I am not in town, and don't have access to those old yearbooks, so I can't check specific numbers until tomorrow.

(But I do recall looking this subject up last year, and I will have to check this, but I believe I remember finding that Tyrone Cole-Scott may have been the first BU player to wear a uniform with just the single number 0, though someone else may have worn 00 before.
Several players have worn the number 1--Michael Stewart wore it, then Montana Heirman it in 2004-2005, and then Saihou Jassey wore it in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007.)

[scrapper]

I am looking for Lee O'Connell's number, I think he played from 1951-1954. He was on the
same team as Bob Carney.

Thanks for all your help !!!

[Da Coach]

scrapper, here is your answer-- Lee O'Connell wore #45.
From the 1951-52 Press Guide:

#45 Lee O'Connell-- A Freshman who entered Bradley last February, O'Connell is already one of the leaders in the fight for a starting position on Coach Forddy Anderson's varsity. The 6'2", 180-pound cager is one of the most brilliant cagers to come out of South Shore high school of Chicago and was a member of the All-Chicago area team during his last full prep campaign. An older brother -- Tommy -- is the first string quarterback for the University of Illinois' football team.

Other members of that '51-52 Varsity roster were--
21 Stan Albeck Jr.
51 Harvey Babetch Fr.
40 Charles Boston So.
33 Robert Carney So.
52 Richard Estergard So.
35 Richard Goelzer Jr.
10 John Hills Sr.
53 John Kent Fr.
41 Edward King So.
43 Zack Monroe Jr.
20 Robert Murphy So.
45 Lee O'Connell Fr.
31 Leroy Ott Jr.
39 Richard Peterson Fr.
22 Joseph Remelsberger Fr.
50 John Riley So.

[Da Coach]

Here is a little more from the 1952-53 Bradley Anaga Yearbook

Picture of #45 Lee O'Connell in action against Delaware--




1952-53 team picture. O'Connell is the fourth from the left in the middle row--

[MacabreMob]

(But I do recall looking this subject up last year, and I will have to check this, but I believe I remember finding that Tyrone Cole-Scott may have been the first BU player to wear a uniform with just the single number 0, though someone else may have worn 00 before.)

Didn't Baptiste wear 00? And what about the big guy (can't recall his name right now and can't look it up.... but he played for BU, then left and went pro overseas) that got in a fight against Villanova - wan't he 00?

[scrapper]

Here is a little more from the 1952-53 Bradley Anaga Yearbook

Picture of #45 Lee O'Connell in action against Delaware--




1952-53 team picture. O'Connell is the fourth from the left in the middle row--

Thank you so much for this information!! We are going to a 75th birthday party for Lee and we needed his number for a gift. I knew I could get this information from the great
"Bradley Fans". Thanks again !!

[MacabreMob]

Thank you so much for this information!! We are going to a 75th birthday party for Lee and we needed his number for a gift. I knew I could get this information from the great
"Bradley Fans". Thanks again !!

Good stuff Scrapper!

Give Lee a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY from BradleyFans.com.

I'm sure Mike Radigan can supply "The Cake".

[Da Coach]

James Baptist wore #44. It was Ben Coupet who I was trying to remember earlier, who wore #00 for his brief stay at Bradley.

[MacabreMob]

James Baptist wore #44. It was Ben Coupet who I was trying to remember earlier, who wore #00 for his brief stay at Bradley.

Yep - that's it. Ben Coupet. He got in the brawl with Villanova and then left Bradley early for the Euro League (right?).

[Da Coach]

That's right. Unfortunately, Ben wasn't so good at going to classes from what I heard. To further compound his problems, he thought he was NBA material, and dropped out of BU.