RPI Chet Walker, possibly the greatest talent ever to play for Bradley - https://sports.yahoo.com/bulls-hall-famer-chet-walker-004720504.html
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Bradley and NBA Hall of Famer Chet Walker passes away at age of 84
- Thread starter Da Coach
- Start date
Chet Walker still holds a number of records at Bradley. Here are his career stats - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/chet-walker-1.html
Chet's number 31 (which Joe Allen also wore) is one of Bradley's five retired numbers -
Chet's number 31 (which Joe Allen also wore) is one of Bradley's five retired numbers -
Great player for all the teams he played on, even for 6 seasons with the Bulls. He was trying to improve the players contracts and rights in a time when the owners had all the cards and refused to negotiate with the players. His teams always made the playoffs, and he likely could have played a couple of more years with the Bulls. Similar story to Curt Flood, who played for the St Louis Cardinals and tried to take on the owners, who basically had the legislators in Congress in their pockets and were immune to antitrust regulation.
It's sad that Chet was so bitter in his post-playing years. He voiced a lot of that bitterness in his book (Long Time Coming: A Black Athlete's Coming-Of-Age in America), but he also held personal grudges against Bradley, his former coach Joe Stowell, and others connected with Bradley, many of whom were very "generous" to Chet when he was at Bradley. Even after he was finally named to the basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 by the Veterans Committee, he took the opportunity to take shots at the NBA, the Chicago Bulls ownership, the HOF for not inducting him sooner, and others. - https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports...9/02/former-bu-great-chet-walker/41975128007/
He was invited to return to Bradley on multiple occasions such as the Bradley Team of the Century celebration during the 2003-04 season - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradl...ley_Basketball_Team_of_the_Century_(1903–2002)
...but Chet refused. I was told that when Chet was invited, he told Bradley AD Ken Kavanagh he had no interest in ever retuning to Bradley.
But surprisingly, Chet did return to Bradley one more time in 2013. Then-President Joanne Glasser coaxed Chet to return to be honored at the 2013 preseason Red-White Scrimmage for being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts the year before.
Sadly, there were only a few hundred fans at that preseason event. Chet was presented a plaque at center court at the beginning of the event, signed a few autographs, then left the building shortly after.
>> https://bradleybraves.com/news/2013/10/10/209259759.aspx
Unfortunately, I was too young and still several years away from my time at Bradley, so I never saw either Walker or Robertson play in college.
The only season they played against each other was the 1959-60 season. That was Chet Walker's sophomore season at Bradley (he did not play his freshman season, 1958-59, as freshmen were not eligible). And 1959-60 was Oscar Robinson's senior, and final, season at Cincinnati. Bradley faced Cincinnati twice in the 1959-60 season, splitting the two games.
1959-60 BU schedule/results- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/1959
Each team won on their home court. Bradley finished 27-2 overall, and 12-2 in the MVC. Cincinnati finished 28-2, 13-1 in the MVC.
Chet Walker lead Bradley that season with 21.8 ppg and 13.4 rpg. Robinson lead Cincinnati with 33.7 ppg and 14.1 rpg.
Cincinnati made it to the NCAA Final Four. They lost in the semifinal game but won the 3rd place game.
1960 NCAA Tournament- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_NCAA_University_Division_basketball_tournamen t#
Bradley was relegated to the NIT, as the NCAA only took one team from each conference. Bradley got a bye in the first round, then swept through the next 3 games, winning each game rather easily by double digits.
1960 NIT Tournament- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_National_Invitation_Tournament
1960 NIT Bracket & results- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_National_Invitation_Tournament#Bracket
Incidentally, Bradley also finished 2nd in the MVC, one game behind Cincinnati in the 1960-61 season, and they tied for the MVC title in 1961-62, but lost to Cincinnati in a playoff game held in Evansville. Chet Walker upped his scoring average each season (25.2 ppg his junior season, and 26.4 ppg his senior season), and was an All-American in both 1961 and 1962, but he never got to play in the NCAA Tournament.
Chet Walker's college stats (1959-1962) - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/chet-walker-1.html
Oscar Robinson's college stats (1957-1960)- https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/oscar-robertson-1.html
Scoretable2
New member
A bit more detail from 1959-60 game Cincinnati vs Bradley at Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse. Sold out crowd with students standing in line at 8 am for limited student section tickets. It was an afternoon game.
Oscar Robertson (Big O ) walked off the raised floor with his head down. It was his senior year, scored 46 points, and was 0 and 3 in Peoria. Chet Walker scored 28 points.
Oscar Robertson (Big O ) walked off the raised floor with his head down. It was his senior year, scored 46 points, and was 0 and 3 in Peoria. Chet Walker scored 28 points.
bradleyfan124
Active member
I did not go to the game but our family had it on the radio. I thought the game was at night. Didn't Bradley win by one point?I wish I could have a video of that game. We could hear the crowd rocking on the radio
Yes, the final score was Bradley 91 Cincinnati 90
I am not able to find a box score of the game. If anyone does, let us know.
Here is an interesting archive of an old newspaper article about the game - https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=tgf19600118-01.1.10&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN----------
It tells of a costly turnover by Oscar Robinson in the final seconds, followed by a pair of free throws by Mike Owens that gave Bradley a 91-88 lead. Robinson then scored at the final buzzer to make it 91-90, and Chuck Orsborn is quoted saying "We weren't going to get anywhere near him and give him a chance to draw a foul for a three-point play and a possible tie. I didn't care about those last two points, he can have them".
Here are screenshots of the article-
Tommy
Well-known member
Hand written box score can be found at the Journal Star at this link, but I can't read it very well myself.
https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports...est-college-basketball-game-ever/73063841007/
https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports...est-college-basketball-game-ever/73063841007/
That box score is the 1981 seven overtime game against Cincinnati, which Bradley lost 75-73.
It is not the January 16, 1960 game I was referring to when Bradley beat Cincinnati 91-90 with Chet Walker vs. Oscar Robinson.
That is still the longest game and most overtimes ever played in an NCAA game. And Donald Reese's 73 minutes played is still a record.
Here is a better look at that 7-overtime box score-
That box score is the 1981 seven overtime game against Cincinnati, which Bradley lost 75-73.
It is not the January 16, 1960 game I was referring to when Bradley beat Cincinnati 91-90 with Chet Walker vs. Oscar Robinson.
That is still the longest game and most overtimes ever played in an NCAA game. And Donald Reese's 73 minutes played is still a record.
Here is a better look at that 7-overtime box score-
this handwritten box score achieves one important thing
...up til now Donald Reese was said to have shared the all time NCAA record for most minutes played in a game...
BUT here we see that the other guy he shares the record with, Bobby Austin, played 72.9 minutes, while Reese played 73 minutes
so, Donald Reese should actually be in the record books alone.