"The Wonder Team" - San Diego State"s 1941 Basketball National Title
San Diego State's 2010-11 basketball season has deeply memorable.
The Aztecs emerged as a surprise national championship contender early in the season.
But is the program's greatest season? Perhaps not.
Eighty years have past since San Diego State's last men's college basketball national title.
That team was so exciting it garnered the nickname The Wonder Team by fans of the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament (the oldest college national championship).
The Aztecs were arguably the first Cinderella team in college basketball history.
While the NIT and NCAA tournaments were still in the early years of forming eight, and sixteen team tournament fields, the NAIB Tournament, founded by Emil Liston and Dr.
James Naismith in 1937, was a 32-team, nonstop week of thrilling college basketball.
In 1939 and 1940, San Diego State established a reputation for thrilling upsets and buzzer-beater victories.
Each year, the Aztecs advanced to the national championship game, only to finish as runners up.
But the charm finally came in San Diego State's third national title attempt.
The Kansas City Star's March 9, 1941, preview of the NAIB Tournament read: San Diego, the wonder team that pulled out victories in the final seconds of play last year, is making its third visit here, bringing back such favorites as "Milky" Phelps, the 1-handed push shot artist, [Andy] Echle and others.
Twice the Californians have reached the finals only to lose on both occasions.
'It may be our turn to win that title this year," wired Morris Gross, the San Diego coach.
"I'm bringing the greatest team we've ever had at San Diego.
" Phelps was All-American boy both on and off the court.
He was one of the most nimble guards in the nation.
While most basketball players were still shoving the ball at the basket with two hands, Phelps' leaping one-handed stroke was mesmerizing to basketball fans.
He worked at the campus malt shoppe and trained to become a military pilot.
At the 1941 NAIB Tournament, Phelps led the Aztecs through early rounds of the tournament and an upset of the West Texas "Giants," the tallest team in college basketball of the day.
By the end of the tournament, he was hobbling about on a sprained right knee so swollen it was hard to distinguish it from his thigh.
Despite his injury, Phelps gave everything he had to offer as San Diego State triumphantly battled Kentucky State for the national championship.
On March 16, 1941, the Kansas City Star reported: Climaxing a 3-year drive to the championship, the "miracle men" of San Diego, Calif.
, State last night captured the National Intercollegiate basketball title with a smashing finish that conquered the Thoroughbreds of Kentucky State College, 36 to 34, before 6,500 persons in the Auditorium.
Twice denied in the finals of this classic of the court, the California Aztecs built up a huge lead in the first half, lost it midway through the closing period and then, just as they have done on several other occasions, turned on a powerful drive to roar to victory.
The following year, the Aztecs returned without the graduated Phelps.
After an unsuccessful bid to defend their national championship, many fans who had grown to love the San Diego squad came together to create a special award.
They were granted permission by tournament organizers to present the Aztecs with a plaque to honor their "fighting spirit, outstanding play and sportsmanship," according to he March 12, 1942, Kansas City Times.
The story of San Diego State's Wonder Team is one of many chronicled in "National Title" The Unlikely Tale of the NAIB Tournament.
" The book demonstrates how the NAIB (now the NAIA) picked up on Dr.
Naismith's mission to use sports in a way that would benefit mankind.
It can be found at naibbook.
com or for download on most eBook readers.
The Aztecs emerged as a surprise national championship contender early in the season.
But is the program's greatest season? Perhaps not.
Eighty years have past since San Diego State's last men's college basketball national title.
That team was so exciting it garnered the nickname The Wonder Team by fans of the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament (the oldest college national championship).
The Aztecs were arguably the first Cinderella team in college basketball history.
While the NIT and NCAA tournaments were still in the early years of forming eight, and sixteen team tournament fields, the NAIB Tournament, founded by Emil Liston and Dr.
James Naismith in 1937, was a 32-team, nonstop week of thrilling college basketball.
In 1939 and 1940, San Diego State established a reputation for thrilling upsets and buzzer-beater victories.
Each year, the Aztecs advanced to the national championship game, only to finish as runners up.
But the charm finally came in San Diego State's third national title attempt.
The Kansas City Star's March 9, 1941, preview of the NAIB Tournament read: San Diego, the wonder team that pulled out victories in the final seconds of play last year, is making its third visit here, bringing back such favorites as "Milky" Phelps, the 1-handed push shot artist, [Andy] Echle and others.
Twice the Californians have reached the finals only to lose on both occasions.
'It may be our turn to win that title this year," wired Morris Gross, the San Diego coach.
"I'm bringing the greatest team we've ever had at San Diego.
" Phelps was All-American boy both on and off the court.
He was one of the most nimble guards in the nation.
While most basketball players were still shoving the ball at the basket with two hands, Phelps' leaping one-handed stroke was mesmerizing to basketball fans.
He worked at the campus malt shoppe and trained to become a military pilot.
At the 1941 NAIB Tournament, Phelps led the Aztecs through early rounds of the tournament and an upset of the West Texas "Giants," the tallest team in college basketball of the day.
By the end of the tournament, he was hobbling about on a sprained right knee so swollen it was hard to distinguish it from his thigh.
Despite his injury, Phelps gave everything he had to offer as San Diego State triumphantly battled Kentucky State for the national championship.
On March 16, 1941, the Kansas City Star reported: Climaxing a 3-year drive to the championship, the "miracle men" of San Diego, Calif.
, State last night captured the National Intercollegiate basketball title with a smashing finish that conquered the Thoroughbreds of Kentucky State College, 36 to 34, before 6,500 persons in the Auditorium.
Twice denied in the finals of this classic of the court, the California Aztecs built up a huge lead in the first half, lost it midway through the closing period and then, just as they have done on several other occasions, turned on a powerful drive to roar to victory.
The following year, the Aztecs returned without the graduated Phelps.
After an unsuccessful bid to defend their national championship, many fans who had grown to love the San Diego squad came together to create a special award.
They were granted permission by tournament organizers to present the Aztecs with a plaque to honor their "fighting spirit, outstanding play and sportsmanship," according to he March 12, 1942, Kansas City Times.
The story of San Diego State's Wonder Team is one of many chronicled in "National Title" The Unlikely Tale of the NAIB Tournament.
" The book demonstrates how the NAIB (now the NAIA) picked up on Dr.
Naismith's mission to use sports in a way that would benefit mankind.
It can be found at naibbook.
com or for download on most eBook readers.
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