Ross McBurney

[Kung Wu]

'Bout time Ross McBurney got his own Shocker thread. Check out this article when he was STILL tearing it up on the national scene at 30 years of age:

Lawrence Journal-World - Mar 13, 1937

[Rlh04d]

#NeverForgetMcBurney

[Kung Wu]

Ok let's figure out what number he wore in this thread. @bunck: respectfully gives him the Jordan, while @Downtown Shocker Brown: starts a 50 rumor. Anyone else?

[ABC]

I am not quite good with this - he still owes my grandfather some money.

[Rlh04d]

Ok let's figure out what number he wore in this thread. @bunck: respectfully gives him the Jordan, while @Downtown Shocker Brown: starts a 50 rumor. Anyone else?

To be fair, I think bunck gave him XXIII. For some reason the idea of players back then using Roman numerals cracks me up.

[ShockTalk]

Through the 1928 season, the Helms Foundation was the only All-American Team recognized by college basketball. Starting in 1929, you had a Consensus All-American Team that was made up of a small group of "recognized" individual All-American teams of which Helms was a part of until 1949.

In other words, Ross McBurney was a "recognized" All-American, while Cleo Littleton was not. This is not to say Littleton should not have his number in the rafters, but if being an All-American is a prerequisite for the rafters, McBurney qualifies, maybe more than Littleton by that standard.

Also, of note, WSU considers Paul Miller an All-American (but not McBurney) as he is listed as such in the Fact Book having been on the 2006 Honorable Mention.

Of course, if there is no real "prerequisite" of All-American status, we all know who else should be up there. My guess is that there is no real written rules and as such, a selection committee can bend as it sees fit.

[shock]

2006*

[ShockTalk]

2006*

My, my!! With all our recent success, it seemed so long ago. :stupid: Thanks for your help. I need all I can get.

[Aargh]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_McBurney

McBurney was 6'5". In the 1920's that was probably the equivalent of a 7' guy today. In 1929, McBurney led WSU to a 3rd place finish in the AAU tourney. That was the only post-season tourney and included any team in the nation. There weren't any "pro" teams, so the equivalent of today's NBA teams were invited to the AAU tourney.

With that as the setup, WSU has one more F4 than we've been claiming. WSU was F4 in 1929.

McBurney went on to play with AAU teams after he graduated and won 3 NC's before he retired from basketball.

[WstateU]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_McBurney

McBurney was 6'5". In the 1920's that was probably the equivalent of a 7' guy today. In 1929, McBurney led WSU to a 3rd place finish in the AAU tourney. That was the only post-season tourney and included any team in the nation. There weren't any "pro" teams, so the equivalent of today's NBA teams were invited to the AAU tourney.

With that as the setup, WSU has one more F4 than we've been claiming. WSU was F4 in 1929.

McBurney went on to play with AAU teams after he graduated and won 3 NC's before he retired from basketball.

I say we hang 2 "F4" banners in November!

P.S. and another jersey!

[WINGdingBALLfling]

Interesting learning about the Henry Clothiers Basketball team!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry%27s_(clothiers)

[WSUwatcher]

I say we hang 2 "F4" banners in November!

P.S. and another jersey!

Sounds good to me, and kudos to bunck for assigning Big Ross a Roman numeral.

Seriously, when did players start wearing numbers in basketball? It was in the Twenties before baseball players had them; guys like Christy Mathewson (nicknamed the Big Six, but never on his jersey) played their whole careers without numbers. So unless we can see one in a photo, maybe McBurney never had one.

[im4wsu]

No numbers, but a picture My mom and dad ran around with Captain Barry Dunham and Harold Davis. Never saw them play, but once in a great while if I were outside shooting on the driveway, they would shoot a hoop on the way into the house.

http://cdm15942.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/ajaxhelper/?CISOROOT=p15942coll14&CISOPTR=58&action=2&DMSCALE =45&DMWIDTH=512&DMHEIGHT=478&DMX=0&DMY=0&DMTEXT=&D MROTATE=0

[WstateU]

No numbers, but a picture My mom and dad ran around with Captain Barry Dunham and Harold Davis. Never saw them play, but once in a great while if I were outside shooting on the driveway, they would shoot a hoop on the way into the house.

http://cdm15942.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/ajaxhelper/?CISOROOT=p15942coll14&CISOPTR=58&action=2&DMSCALE =45&DMWIDTH=512&DMHEIGHT=478&DMX=0&DMY=0&DMTEXT=&D MROTATE=0

Awesome find @im4wsu:! I think this is great story that needs to be told/shared. Now we need a local journalist (Paul or Bob) to run with it. 3 Final Fours,
"I'm lovin' it!" Thanks @Aargh:!

1929
1965
2013

Oh, Geo. 'Starbuck'; could it be? :)

Oh II, "Henry's Clothiers - National Basketball Champions 1930" (5 check marks = 5 WSU (WU) Players); heck, hang another banner. :)

[fastbow]

Even if we don't hang banners or anything (which we should, even if it's a single, combined date banner) why isn't there something in CKA commemorating WSU's pre-NCAA past? Tons of space in there for a cool wall display or something...