Work Samples 2009-10 LIU Brooklyn Basketball Media Guide | Page 64

Record Book
1928
Herbert Raubenheimer inherited a dilapidated church gym, a student body of about 200 students and a handful of athletes when he became the ?rst director of athletics when Long Island University opened its doors in 1927. When Raubenheimer resigned, an article in the Brooklyn Times on April 30, 1931, carried the headline, “Herbert Raubenheimer, Unaided, Put L.I.U. on Sports Map.” He began the basketball program in 1928 and single-handedly turned LIU into a athletics power with a non-stop routine of scheduling, out?tting, coaching and publicizing LIU’s ?ve varsity squads, spearheading attention-getting events and ultimately attracting outstanding coaches and athletes.

1935-37 1933
Jimmy Gladden becomes the ?rst African-American to play basketball on the campus.
Beginning with a 43-29 win over Catholic during the 1934-35 season, LIU began a 43-game win streak that lasted into the 1936-37 season. The Blackbirds posted an unbeaten season in 1935-36 going 25-0 and won the ?rst seven games of the next year. The streak still stands today as the sixth longest in NCAA history.

1942 1947
Former All-American Ossie Schectman is credited with scoring the ?rst basket in NBA history while playing for the New York Knicks against the Toronto Huskies. Schechtman played for LIU from 193841 and won two NIT titles.

World War II
Simon Lobello, the leading scorer on LIU’s 1941 NIT Championship squad, is killed in action during World War II.

Larry Doby begins his collegiate career on a basketball scholarship at LIU. Doby later became the ?rst AfricanAmerican to play baseball in the American League in 1947.

1951-57
No basketball team, due to New York City point-shaving scandals.

1957-58
After a six-year hiatus, the LIU basketball program is reinstated and goes 12-6. LIU wins its ?rst two home games to extend its home court win streak to 142 games. The streak dated back to a win over Mount St. Mary’s during the 1934-35 season before ending with a 59-49 loss to Wittenberg.

1967
Former head coach Clair Bee is inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Bee led the Blackbirds to a pair of NIT titles and posted a 412-87 record in 21 seasons. His .826 winning percentage ranks as the highest in NCAA history.

Barnett Shulman (left) and Ron Zawacki celebrate a win during the 1968-69 season.

2009-10 Long Island University Basketball

Operation Rebound

1968 NIT
Led by All-Americans Luther Green and Larry Newbold, the Blackbirds become the No. 1 ranked small college team in the country by the Associated Press. LIU won its ?rst 20 games en route to a 22-2 record and a trip to the quarter?nals of the NIT, before falling, 62-60, to Notre Dame.

Following a six-year hiatus, the LIU men’s basketball program returned to action in 1957 through a program dubbed, “Operation Rebound.” The revitalization was carried out by Buck Lai, who was serving as director of athletics, as well as the school’s head baseball and basketball coach at that time. LIU and several other New York City schools were involved in a point-shaving scandal that rocked the basketball scene in the metropolitan area. The entire LIU athletics program was dropped during the six-year recovery period before Lai led the Blackbirds back into action for the 1957-58 campaign. Lai’s efforts earned him induction into the inaugural LIU Athletics Hall of Fame class in 2000.

Larry Newbold (left) earned All-America honors in 1968 under the direction of head coach Roy Rubin, helping LIU advance to the NIT. Long Island Blackbirds • 2009-10 Basketball • www.liuathletics.com

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