70th Anniversary of CCNY Grand Slam in 1950 NIT and NCAA Tournaments
By Aspasia Celia Tsampas
The following article is featured in the January 2020 special edition of The Campus, The Beaverbeat.
Seventy years ago, under the leadership of Nat Holman, thenamesake for the City College gymnasium, the 1949-50 men’s basketball teambecame the first and only team to win both the National Invitation Tournament (NIT)and NCAA Tournament in the same year. This anniversary is celebrated by thepublication of “The City Game: Triumph, Scandal, and a Legendary BasketballTeam” by John Goodman, about the events of this momentous occasion and more.
While the CCNY Beavers had an impressive 17-5 record thatregular season, no one expected the team to triumph in the NIT, the principaltournament at the time. Out of the twelve teams chosen to participate, CityCollege was the second to last pick. The team was comprised of only Jewish andAfrican-American players, making it the most diverse team at the time. Goodmanstates, “In becoming the only team in history to win the NIT and NCAAchampionships in a single year, the Beavers carried a college's — and a city's— brightest hopes, of racial harmony, social mobility, and the triumph of theunderdog."
It was this unexpected victory at the NIT Championshipsagainst top-ranked Bradley University that spurred an invitation to the NCAATournament. Again, in the final showdown, the Beavers faced Bradley University.City College won the tournament, 71-68, and became the first and only GrandSlam in the history of college basketball.
This double win sent shock across the nation. Coach NatHolman even appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show after the win. However, not allthe shock was good. This win was not without controversy. After the games, itwas revealed that players had taken money from gamblers in the point-shavingscandals during the regular seasons game that year. While it was concluded thatno foul play had occurred during the post-season tournaments, the scandalcertainly put a damper on City College’s achievements.
After the historic and unexpected win, the NCAA Committeechanged the rules of participation, preventing teams from playing in both theNIT and NCAA Tournaments. Subsequently, City College became the first and lastdouble champions.
On November 22nd, 2019, City College hosted theInaugural Basketball Tip-Off Banquet, welcoming the new season andcommemorating the 70th anniversary of this momentous championship.At the event, the 1949-50 squad was honored, including Floyd Layne of the classof 1957, the last living member of the team, who received a standing ovationbefore sharing his memories from that season.
