In Praise of Loyola Lions of Yore

Your article praising the 22-game win record of the Loyola University basketball team (Times, Feb. 20) unwittingly derided the 1948-49 team. You mentioned that some of their wins were against Hamline, the Police Academy and 20th Century Fox.

You failed to mention that the two greatest victories in Loyola basketball were also scored by that team and that they were rated seventh in the polls used at that time. These victories were against North Carolina State (rated in the first three) on the NC court, and the fantastic victory over New York City College, the only team in history to win the NCAA and the NIT in the same year. The following year, several members of the CCNY went to jail for point shaving, and basketball was de-emphasized forever at that college.

This Loyola team of Billy Donovan, Joe Giola, Norman Glick, Johnny Arnt and Bill Wade would have returned intact for the ‘49-50 season except that the star center, Glick (6-9) was declared ineligible for having had a professional baseball tryout. This rule had been considered null and void even at this time, but Loyola itself declared him ineligible.

Just in passing, prior to the advent of professional basketball in Los Angeles, there were powerful semipro leagues in the U. S. consisting of ex-GIs and ex-college stars; 20th Century was one of them. Teams like the Phillip’s Oilers were powerhouses.

Thank you for the Loyola coverage.

DAVID J. DAZE

Glendale