Jan. 14, 2011
PHILADELPHIA - The countdown to this year’s Hall of Athletes celebration on February 27, 2011 has begun! In commemoration of the Hall of Athletes’ 50th anniversary, La Salle Athletics will honor each of its members during halftime of the men’s basketball game against Massachusetts.
Leading up to the celebration, GoExplorers.com will take a look back at the accomplishments of the athletes and coaches by decade.
For more information about the Hall of Athletes gala celebration, please contact the Explorer Club at 215-951-1606 or explorerclub@lasalle.edu.
Today GoExplorers.com remembers athletes from the first half of the 1950s. Highlighting the group is swimmer Joe Verdeur, who graduated from La Salle in 1950 and went on to set 19 world records. The track squad had a successful decade, and took home the MAC title in 1952 and 1953.
The 1950s were also one of the greatest decades in men’s basketball history at La Salle. The Explorers made six postseason appearances, winning the NIT in 1952, the NCAA tournament in 1954 and making it to the NCAA championship game in 1955.
Robert McCann ’50 (basketball): Was an outstanding playmaking guard during the post-war years as the Explorers rose to national prominence. Described by his first La Salle coach (Charlie McGlone) as "the most complete basketball player both offensively and defensively." The team went 82-21 during his playing years and made NIT appearances in 1948 and 1950.
James P. Tuppeny ’50 (track): Was one of the greatest pole vaulters in La Salle history, holding school record for 14 years. He captained La Salle's first MAC track championship team in 1950, the first conference title ever won by an Explorer team. That year he also won his second consecutive individual conference pole vaulting crown and was named La Salle's Outstanding Senior Athlete. Tuppeny went on to become a long-time coordinator of the Penn Relays.
Lawrence Foust (basketball): He was a 6'9" center who helped vault the Explorers to the national stage. Froust was named to the All-City team all 4 years and led La Salle to its first NIT appearance in 1948. Selected Honorable Mention All- American in 1949, Froust finished with 1,464 career points. After La Salle, Froust played in the NBA for 12 seasons (Fort Wayne, Minneapolis, and St. Louis).
Joseph Verdeur ’50 (swimming): During his lifetime, he set 19 world records and 21 other records. Verdeur repeatedly broke his own USA and world records in the 200-yard and 200-meter breaststroke events. He participated in 1948 Olympics in London and won the 200-meter breaststroke with a new Olympic record time of 2:39.3. Verdeur was named Swimmer of the Year by Sport Magazine in 1948 and 1949 and was Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame. Legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice called him "the greatest swimmer of the first half century."
James Phelan ’51 (basketball): He was an outstanding playmaker who excelled in backcourt, playing from 1949-1951 and serving as captain on the Explorers' 1951 NIT squad. Later he was chosen as College Division Basketball Coach of the Year for guiding Mount St. Mary's to an NCAA title in 1962. He became the winningest active coach in NCAA in 1997 with 772 victories.
James W. Finegan ’51 (golf): He was ranked number one on the golf team during his entire playing career at La Salle and was co-captain in his junior and senior years. Fingegan also excelled in the classroom, graduating maxima cum laude and first in his class with a 4-year index of 3.98.
Charles Donnelly ’52 (basketball): The Explorers’ captain from 1951-52 was recognized as a formidable defensive guard. By winning the NIT in 1952, La Salle was able to participate in the 1952 Olympic Trials, where the Explorers lost to Kansas, who eventually represented the USA.
James V. Covello ’52 (baseball): Pitched in over half of La Salle's games over 3-year period, with an overall record of 25-5. Covello posted an 8-1 mark in 1951 while leading Explorers to MAC co-championship. As a senior, he captained the team and was named to MAC All-Star Team. After graduation, Covello signed a contract with New York Giants and pitched one year in the minor leagues.
James Webb ’52 (track): Starred at La Salle in track from 1950-52, serving as captain on the 1952 MAC champion team. Webb won the MAC High Jump competition for two straight years and was the IC4A indoor and outdoor champion in 1952. He set La Salle and Conference records in the high jump in 1952 and also excelled in broad jump as well. Webb participated in the 1952 Olympic trials and finished 6th.
NIT Champions ’52 (basketball): An unseeded La Salle basketball team entered the 1951-52 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and defeated Seton Hall 80-76 in its opener, playing one of the best games in the first 16 years of the NIT. After defeating the Pirates, La Salle beat St. John's and Duquesne before downing Dayton 75-64 in the championship game, finishing the season with a 25-7 record. Hall of Athletes alumni Tom Gola, '55; the late Norm Grekin, '53; (both voted co-MVPs); and captain/guard Buddy Donnelly, '52, were key players on the winning team. Other players in the victory over Dayton included Newt Jones, '52; Joe Gilson, '55; Jack French, '53; Eddie Altieri, '55; Billy Katheder, '58; Jim Warrington, '55; Dick Breen, '53; Tom McCormick, '58; Frank O'Hara, '54; and starters Jackie Moore, '53; and the late Fred Iehle, '53.
John “Jack” George ’53 (basketball and baseball): He was a versatile athlete who led the team in scoring during the 1950-1951 season (469 points) and helped the Explorers win the NIT that year. All-American catcher; led La Salle to MAC baseball title several months later, batting .449. George would play in the Philadelphia Athletics organization and also competed in NBA for 8 years (1953-1961) with the Philadelphia Warriors and N.Y. Knicks.
Thomas J. Conville ’53 (crew): Conville was one of the most outstanding oarsmen in Explorer history, rowing under Coach Tom ("Bear") Curran. He stroked La Salle boats to 13 victories in 15 races during his 3 varsity years (1951-1953), each of which was highlighted by the Dad Vail Championship, symbolic of small college rowing supremacy.
Norman Grekin ’53 (basketball): Helped lead La Salle to 1952 NIT championship and shared the tournament's MVP honors with Tom Gola. He scored 1,243 points during three varsity seasons and became the third Explorer to pass the 1,000 point mark.
NCAA Champions ’54 (basketball): Honoring the 30th anniversary of a significant Explorer victory in 1984, the Hall of Athletes inducted the entire 1954 team, the first in the Philadelphia area to ever attain ultimate NCAA basketball glory. The team members were: Frank S. Blatcher '56, Robert S. Maples '56, Francis R. O'Hara '54, Thomas J. Gola '55, Robert C. Ames '56, Charles W. Greenberg '56, Francis X. O'Malley '56, Manuel Gomez '56, John J. Yodsnukis '56, Charles A. Singley '56, and John R. Moosbrugger '54 (Manager), Ken Loeffler (Coach), William Bickley (Manager), and Mario Vetere (Trainer).
Joseph Walker ’54 (track): He led Explorers to the MAC championship in 1952, winning the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard dash. Walker also paced La Salle to a repeat of the MAC title in 1953 while capturing the 100-yard dash (10.1 seconds), the 220-yard dash (21.7 seconds) and the 440-yard run - 49.5 seconds.
Francis R. O’Hara Esq. ’54 (basketball): He was a guard on La Salle's 1952 NIT championship team and on the 1953 Explorer squad that reached the NIT quarterfinals. A 5' 9" standout playmaker and defensive star, he Co-captained the 1954 NCAA champion team. Later O’Hara served as the president of La Salle Alumni (1961-1962).
