American Tournament Men's and Boys' Champions
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| In 1939, the Hearst’s morning paper in city, the ''Chicago Herald-Examiner,'' went out of business, and the ''Chicago American'' was renamed the ''Chicago Herald American,'' which continued to sponsor the American Tournament. Grand Terrace Collegians, an African American team, won the commercial class, while the King Kolts took the free lance, and Edgewater Presbyterians (which was actually the [[Frankie Harmon Demons]]) took the church division. | In 1939, the Hearst’s morning paper in city, the ''Chicago Herald-Examiner,'' went out of business, and the ''Chicago American'' was renamed the ''Chicago Herald American,'' which continued to sponsor the American Tournament. Grand Terrace Collegians, an African American team, won the commercial class, while the King Kolts took the free lance, and Edgewater Presbyterians (which was actually the [[Frankie Harmon Demons]]) took the church division. | ||
| - | [[Image:BasketballLuciana38.jpg|right|thumb|300px|'''Luciana Undertakers''' 1939 under 18 boys class champions]] | + | [[Image:LucianaUndertakers.jpg|right|frame|'''Luciana Undertakers''' 1939 under 18 boys class champions]] |
| In 1940, the Burton Dixie Company was the commercial class winner, while Richard J. Daley (a state senator 15 years before becoming mayor) sponsored the free-lance winner, the Senator Daley Hamburgs. The church winner was St. Sabina. By 1941, the original field of the American Tournament was down to 200 teams, which was winnowed down to 16 teams in the three categories of major, free lance, and lightweight. The major was won by Club 25 of Gary, Indiana, which defeated the Richey Graham Shyrons of Cicero, Illinois, 37-29. The free-lance was won by perennial power Acme Steel, which bested the DePaul Freshmen (which starred future pro star [[Dick Triptow]], 31-26, and the lightweight title went to the Boys' Brotherhood Republic, which beat the Dr. Deluxors, 33-27. | In 1940, the Burton Dixie Company was the commercial class winner, while Richard J. Daley (a state senator 15 years before becoming mayor) sponsored the free-lance winner, the Senator Daley Hamburgs. The church winner was St. Sabina. By 1941, the original field of the American Tournament was down to 200 teams, which was winnowed down to 16 teams in the three categories of major, free lance, and lightweight. The major was won by Club 25 of Gary, Indiana, which defeated the Richey Graham Shyrons of Cicero, Illinois, 37-29. The free-lance was won by perennial power Acme Steel, which bested the DePaul Freshmen (which starred future pro star [[Dick Triptow]], 31-26, and the lightweight title went to the Boys' Brotherhood Republic, which beat the Dr. Deluxors, 33-27. | ||
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| | 1938 || || Union League Boys Club || || | | 1938 || || Union League Boys Club || || | ||
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| - | | 1939 || || Lucania Undertakers || || | + | | 1939 || || [[Lucania Undertakers]] || || |
| |- | |- | ||
| | 1940 || || Pop Boys || || | | 1940 || || Pop Boys || || | ||
Revision as of 00:12, 22 April 2012
The American Tournament was a Chicago amateur basketball tournament of the 1930s and 1940s, sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst's afternoon paper, the Chicago American. It was not strictly an AAU tournament for most of its history, but it worked with the Central AAU in determining championships. The tournament was usually immediately followed by the Central AAU tournament, and there was often correlation between the two competitions. In several years, the American Tournament served to produce the qualifiers for the Central AAU tournament, and in 1942 and 1943 the American Tournament was merged with the Central AAU tournament.
The American Tournament began with hundreds of teams, which would have playoffs to determine the finalists in the first week of March. The finalists were divided into anywhere from three to nine classes, depending on the year, and to a historian a bit confusing.
Contents |
Chicago American Launches Tournament in 1932
The American Tournament was an outgrowth of the Central AAU tournament of 1931. Hearst's morning paper in the city, the Herald and Examiner, took over sponsorship that year of the Central AAU tournament, which had been in decline for some years. The 1930 tournament had involved 32 teams all in one class, heavyweight. In contrast the 1931 tournament was a stupendous affair, involving 658 teams in three classes--heavyweight, lightweight, and women. Hearst did not continue sponsorship of the Central AAU tourney, however, and instead it was moved to the afternoon sister paper, the Chicago American, and separated from the Central AAU. The Central AAU resumed its tournament a much more modest size.
The American Tournament would actually begin weeks earlier before the annual competition held at St. Philip Gymnasium on the west side. The field would begin with some 800 teams who in a winnowing down process of games would end up with a final field for a week of games in early March. The tournament in its first year had four men’s classes and only one class for women. The four men classes were—commercial, men, boys (under 17), and church. The commercial class was the top class and was won by the Andy Frain Ushers. The following year, 1933, the paper sponsored six classes for men—commercial, open, free-lance, men’s church, boys under 20, and boys under 17. The commercial, open, and free-lance champions, to cite the four men’s classes, were respectively Andy Frain Ushers (repeating their title win from the previous year), Rosenberg-Arveys, Bridgeport K of L, and Covenant Baptist. The Rosenberg-Arveys, led by two great players, Joseph Reiff and Robert Gruenig, went on to take second place in the national AAU tournment.
The following year the six classes were expanded by an award called the Challenge Trophy. The commercial, open, free-lance champions, and church champions of 1934 were respectively Warner Brothers Capitols, Wolfberg Blue Eagles, Chief Cleaners, and Mary Queen of Heaven. The Challenge Trophy pitted the year's previous Open winner, Rosenberg-Arveys (which were now competing as the Lifschultz Fast Freights against the new Open winner, Wolfberg Blue Eagles. The Lifschultz team, again led by Reiff and Gruenig, and prevailed 25-17, and was also awarded a trip to the national AAU tournament.
The 1935 tournament saw no more Challenge Trophy, and the open class replaced with the men’s major class. Winners in the commercial, major, free-lance, and church respectively were Cuneo Press, Olde Tymers, Klingens, and Roseland Mission. In the Central AAU tournament that followed, these four teams were paired for a quick two-game playoff. Olde Tymers beat Roseland Mission, and Cuneo Press beat the Klingen; and in the final Olde Tymers prevailed over the Cuneo Press.
In 1936, the winners were Acme Steel in the commercial class, Lucania Undertakers in the men’s major, Commune 79 in the free-lance, and Roseland Mission repeating in the church. The two classes for boys were tweaked that year, changing the boys under 17 class to the boys under 15 class. There were problems with overage players during the tournament, and the tournament officials decided not to continue such a young class the next year.
Number of Classes Reduced
In 1937, the American Tournament decreased the men’s field by one class, eliminating the men’s major class, leaving the leaving the free-lance class as the major class, which what it became. The boys’ classes were reduced to one class, boys under 18. The three men’s finalists were respectively Acme Steel repeating in the commercial class, 124th Field Artillery taking free-lance, and Queen of Angels taking church. In 1938 the three men’s class winners were respectively, Atlantic Commission, Tumavicks, and Holy Cross.
In 1939, the Hearst’s morning paper in city, the Chicago Herald-Examiner, went out of business, and the Chicago American was renamed the Chicago Herald American, which continued to sponsor the American Tournament. Grand Terrace Collegians, an African American team, won the commercial class, while the King Kolts took the free lance, and Edgewater Presbyterians (which was actually the Frankie Harmon Demons) took the church division.
In 1940, the Burton Dixie Company was the commercial class winner, while Richard J. Daley (a state senator 15 years before becoming mayor) sponsored the free-lance winner, the Senator Daley Hamburgs. The church winner was St. Sabina. By 1941, the original field of the American Tournament was down to 200 teams, which was winnowed down to 16 teams in the three categories of major, free lance, and lightweight. The major was won by Club 25 of Gary, Indiana, which defeated the Richey Graham Shyrons of Cicero, Illinois, 37-29. The free-lance was won by perennial power Acme Steel, which bested the DePaul Freshmen (which starred future pro star Dick Triptow, 31-26, and the lightweight title went to the Boys' Brotherhood Republic, which beat the Dr. Deluxors, 33-27.
Merger With Central AAU Tournament
In 1942 and 1943, the American Tournament and the Central AAU tournament were merged, with the Chicago Herald American serving as sponsor. The newspaper tournament committee limited the male classes to just men’s senior and boys’ intermediate. The intermediate was for boys under six feet tall and weighing less than 146 pounds. The respective champions for men and boys in 1942 were Division ‘Y’ Clippers and Hyde Park ‘Y’ Columbians; and the following year, respectively Division ‘Y’ Clippers again.
The tournament in 1944, and now conducted independently of the Central AAU. The Herald American created five classes—industrial (won by the American Gears), men’s senior (Match Corporation), military-church-fraternal (Coast Guard Cutters), intermediate boys (Vikings), and junior boys (Rheingold Kids). Match Corporation upset favorite Division 'Y' Clippers for the men's senior title, 30-29. Six teams from the American tournament then played against the northern Illinois and southern Illinois champions for the state title, and the right to go to the national AAU tournament. The state title was won by the Gears. The Gears, which was sponsored by American Gear company headed by Maurice White, went professional in the fall of 1944, joining the National Basketball League.
The last two tournaments, 1945 and 1946, saw much reduced coverage by the Herald American, but with resumption of Central AAU affiliation. The two adult classes were Industrial and Open, and the winner of the Open class goes on to compete in the AAU state tournament. But the old Central AAU tournament was no more, and this tournament was for the "Central AAU Metropolitan" championship. In 1945, Division Street YMCA returned to their championship ways, beating the East Chicago Buccaneers, 45-40, for the open title. Lyndahl Foundry, another team sponsored by Maurice White, beat Thordarson Electric, 47-35, for the Industrial title. The 1946 titles in the last American Tournament competition were Gits Molding Company in the Industrial class, Fort Sheridan Ramblers in the open class, and Sheil House in a new youth category, 135-pound class. The Fort Sheridan team was an Army team that featured two outstanding stars, Gene Melchiorre and Dan Pippan, that latter who would go on to play for the Peoria Cats.
American Tournament Men’s Champions, 1932-1946
| Year | Commercial/Industrial | Open/Major/Senior | Free-Lance | Church/Military-Church-Fraternal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Andy Frain Ushers | S.N.P.J. Pioneers | Cuyler Mission | ||
| 1933 | Andy Frain Ushers | Rosenberg-Arveys | Bridgeport K of L | Covenant Baptist | |
| 1934 | Warner Brothers Capitol | Wolfburg Blue Eagles | Chief Cleaners | Mary Queen of Heaven | |
| 1935 | Cuneo Press | Olde Tymers | Klingens | Roseland Mission | |
| 1936 | Acme Steel | Lucania Undertakers | Commune 79 | Roseland Mission | |
| 1937 | Acme Steel | -- | 124th Field Artillery | Queen of Angels | |
| 1938 | Atlantic Commission | -- | Tumavicks | Holy Cross | |
| 1939 | Grand Terrace Collegians | -- | King Kolts | Edgewater Presbyterian | |
| 1940 | Burton Dixie Company | -- | Senator Daley Hamburgs | St. Sabina | |
| 1941 | Club 25 (Gary, IN) | Acme Steel | |||
| 1942 | Division 'Y' Clippers | ||||
| 1943 | Division 'Y' Clippers | ||||
| 1944 | American Gears | Match Corporation | Coast Guard Cutters | ||
| 1945 | Lyndahl Foundry | Division 'Y' Clippers | |||
| 1946 | Gits Molding Company | Fort Sheridan Ramblers |
American Tournament Boys’ Champions, 1932-1946
| Year | Boys Under 20 | Boys Under 18 | Boys Under 17 | Boys Under 15 | Intermediate | Lightweight/Junior/135-Lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Gage Park Kids | |||||
| 1933 | Berwyn Pequots | McKinley Park | ||||
| 1934 | Norwell Bears | William Casket Pals | ||||
| 1935 | Southwest Bakery | University of Chicago Flashes | ||||
| 1936 | King Kolts | Pulaski Parks | ||||
| 1937 | Rabb Tailors | |||||
| 1938 | Union League Boys Club | |||||
| 1939 | Lucania Undertakers | |||||
| 1940 | Pop Boys | |||||
| 1941 | Boys' Brotherhood Republic | |||||
| 1942 | Hyde Park ‘Y’ Columbians | |||||
| 1943 | Max Straus J.P.I. Center | |||||
| 1944 | Vikings | Reingold Kids | ||||
| 1945 | Jugheads | Jugheads Midgets | ||||
| 1946 | Sheil House |
