Edgar Malcolm Smallwood (June 4, 1937 – November 6, 2002) was an American

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player. He was known for his college career for Evansville College (now the University of Evansville), where he led the program to two NCAA College Division national championships. Smallwood also represented the United States in the

1963 Pan American Games The 1963 Pan American Games were held from April 20 to May 5, 1963, in São Paulo, Brazil. Host city selection For the first time, two cities submitted bids to host the 1963 Pan American Games that were recognized by the Pan American Sports O ...

where the team won the gold medal. Smallwood came to Evansville from Central High School in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

. A 6'4 power forward known for his jump shooting and rebounding prowess, Smallwood would prove to be a significant player for the Purple Aces. In his first varsity season in 1957–58, Smallwood led the team to the College Division Final Four for the first time in program history. While the Purple Aces fell to

Saint Michael's College Saint Michael's College (St. Mikes or Saint Michael's) is a private Roman Catholic college in Colchester, Vermont. Saint Michael's was founded in 1904 by the Society of Saint Edmund. It grants Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees i ...

in the semifinal, Smallwood scored a tournament high 41 points in the consolation game against Wheaton and earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors. The nest two seasons, Evansville returned to the Final Four, but on both occasions were able to capture the national championship. Smallwood repeated as MVP of the 1960 tournament as the Purple Aces defeated Chapman College for the title. In both of his final seasons Smallwood captured individual small college

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

honors. He finished his career with 1,898 points (23.1 per game) and 981 rebounds (11.9 per game), both of which were school records at the time. Following his college career, Smallwood was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks in the

1960 NBA draft The 1960 NBA draft was the 14th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 11, 1960, before the 1960–61 season. In this draft, eight NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball play ...

, but did not make the team. He then joined the Army and played for the Armed Forces team, which helped him secure a spot on the United States team for the

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

, Brazil. Once in Brazil, Smallwood's eligibility was questioned, but resolved once the Hawks confirmed that he had not been paid to play basketball. The team went 6–0 to win the gold medal with Smallwood's best game coming in the second round against

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, where he scored 14 points. After his time in the service, he settled in Evansville. Smallwood died in Evansville on November 6, 2002, at age 65. Smallwood's legacy as a player has led to his induction into the University of Evansville's Athletic Hall of Fame and the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2009, Evansville retired his #40 jersey.

References

External links

Profile @ sports-reference.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smallwood, Ed 1937 births 2002 deaths 1963 FIBA World Championship players American men's basketball players Basketball players at the 1963 Pan American Games Basketball players from Louisville, Kentucky Central High School (Louisville, Kentucky) alumni Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball players Medalists at the 1963 Pan American Games Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in basketball Power forwards (basketball) St. Louis Hawks draft picks