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Gene Melchiorre
Eugene "Squeaky" Melchiorre (August 10, 1927 – September 27, 2019) was an American basketball player. A point guard, he was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets and was the first overall pick in the 1951 NBA draft. Melchiorre never played an NBA game due to his lifetime ban from the league for point shaving when he was a college player.
He was the fifth of six children born in Highland Park, Illinois, to a gardener who moved his family there from Joliet in 1936. Though short in stature and having pigeon toes, Melchiorre excelled in nearly ever sport he tried. He was a starting wingback on the Highland Park football team, a basketball player, a baseball player, a tennis player and, in his later years, a golfer. After joining the Army, Melchiorre joined the basketball team at Fort Sheridan, known as the Ramblers, that won 58 out of 63 games during his two-year tour (1945–47).
After playing in the U.S. Army together, Melchiorre and Bill Mann had become close friends and were recruited together by numerous colleges. They decided to attend Bradley University together, with their tuition being covered by the. GI Bill.
Melchiorre played guard for Bradley in the 1947–48 to 1950–51 seasons. Standing only 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m)and weighing 175 pounds (79 kg), he was famous for his passing abilities and his ability to score. During his tenure, Bradley won 119 games while losing only 22. He participated in both the NIT and NCAA tournament in 1950, in which Bradley lost to CCNY in the championship game of each tournament.
In 1947–1948, playing for Coach Alfred J. Robertson, Melchiorre was Bradley's 2nd leading scorer as a freshman (9.8 points, 3.7 assists), as the Braves finished 28–3.
As a sophomore, Melchiorre averaged 11.8 points under Coach Forddy Anderson as Bradley finished 27–8.
In 1949–1950, Bradley was 32–5, with Melchiorre averaging 11.9 points.
The Braves lost in the Final of the 1950 NCAA basketball tournament 71–68 to City College of New York, as Melchiorre led all scorers with 16 points. In the Final, Melchiorre's basket put the Braves up by one with 30 seconds remaining. Bradley then got the ball back, with a chance to go up three (before the three point shot was in effect), but Melchiorre's breakaway layup was blocked by Irwin Dambrot. Dambrot then passed downcourt to Norm Mager, who hit the game-winning shot for the CCNY. Of the final play, "He definitely fouled me.' Melchiorre said. "There's no question about it, we should have won."
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Gene Melchiorre
Eugene "Squeaky" Melchiorre (August 10, 1927 – September 27, 2019) was an American basketball player. A point guard, he was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets and was the first overall pick in the 1951 NBA draft. Melchiorre never played an NBA game due to his lifetime ban from the league for point shaving when he was a college player.
He was the fifth of six children born in Highland Park, Illinois, to a gardener who moved his family there from Joliet in 1936. Though short in stature and having pigeon toes, Melchiorre excelled in nearly ever sport he tried. He was a starting wingback on the Highland Park football team, a basketball player, a baseball player, a tennis player and, in his later years, a golfer. After joining the Army, Melchiorre joined the basketball team at Fort Sheridan, known as the Ramblers, that won 58 out of 63 games during his two-year tour (1945–47).
After playing in the U.S. Army together, Melchiorre and Bill Mann had become close friends and were recruited together by numerous colleges. They decided to attend Bradley University together, with their tuition being covered by the. GI Bill.
Melchiorre played guard for Bradley in the 1947–48 to 1950–51 seasons. Standing only 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m)and weighing 175 pounds (79 kg), he was famous for his passing abilities and his ability to score. During his tenure, Bradley won 119 games while losing only 22. He participated in both the NIT and NCAA tournament in 1950, in which Bradley lost to CCNY in the championship game of each tournament.
In 1947–1948, playing for Coach Alfred J. Robertson, Melchiorre was Bradley's 2nd leading scorer as a freshman (9.8 points, 3.7 assists), as the Braves finished 28–3.
As a sophomore, Melchiorre averaged 11.8 points under Coach Forddy Anderson as Bradley finished 27–8.
In 1949–1950, Bradley was 32–5, with Melchiorre averaging 11.9 points.
The Braves lost in the Final of the 1950 NCAA basketball tournament 71–68 to City College of New York, as Melchiorre led all scorers with 16 points. In the Final, Melchiorre's basket put the Braves up by one with 30 seconds remaining. Bradley then got the ball back, with a chance to go up three (before the three point shot was in effect), but Melchiorre's breakaway layup was blocked by Irwin Dambrot. Dambrot then passed downcourt to Norm Mager, who hit the game-winning shot for the CCNY. Of the final play, "He definitely fouled me.' Melchiorre said. "There's no question about it, we should have won."