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Bradley Hall of Famer Mike Chianakas passes

Da Coach

Da Coach

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Mike Chianakas, a terrific athlete who played basketball and football at Bradley in the late 1940's through 1950 has passed away.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/p...ichael-chianakas-mike&pid=196885096&fhid=2223

Mike was born in Pontiac, IL, and came to Bradley from Eureka HS where he won 16 athletic letters in basketball, football, baseball, and track. After a stint in the Navy during World War II, he attended Bradley from 1946-1950. He was a teammate of Squeaky Melchiorre and the others on the 1949-50 team that reached the NCAA and NIT National Championship games and brought Bradley great national fame. He was awarded10 athletic letters - 4 in track, 4 in basketball and 2 in football- in his BU career. After his Bradley career, Mike remained active in coaching and volunteer youth work as well as Little League for many years in the Peoria area.

Mike was inducted into the Bradley Hall of Fame in 1971-
https://bradleybraves.com/sports/2016/6/2/bradley-athletics-hall-of-fame-c-d.aspx

And he was also inducted into the Greater Peoria Sports HOF-
http://www.gpshof.com/Inductees.asp?WFBONBHMYHL9M28M9uDWJ=ZVOYQZAGCAA93Mv3933XN

Mike played before my time at Bradley, so if anyone can add some history or stories, please do so.
 
His brother and family lived across the street from us on N. Dechman Avenue, between E. Gift and E. Corrington. It was my father who told me that Mike Chianakas played basketball for Bradley. I do not recall Jim Chianakas ever saying anything. Maybe I was never around at the right time or the right place.

BTW, wasn't he involved in the 1951 point shaving scandal that got Squeaky banned from the NBA's predecessor?
 
Yes, he was one of 7 players from that 1949-50 team who were implicated in the scandal, and one of 3 who were ultimately indicted.
Chianakas, Melchiorre, and Mann plead guilty to misdemeanors and received suspended sentences for cooperating with police. Here is a summary from an earlier thread-
https://www.bradleyfans.com/forum/sp...596#post492596

The scandal was widespread and involved many schools, and centered around New York gamblers-
https://www.espn.com/classic/s/basketball_scandals_explosion.html
 
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