HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 1907–08 IAAUS men's basketball season began in December 1907, progressed through the regular season, and concluded in March 1908.


Rule changes

* The position of inspector, a type of game official, was abolished. Previously, two inspectors — who had no decision-making powers — had worked each game as assistants to the referee, stationed at each end of the court and responsible for determining whether goals were scored in accordance with the rules, which they reported to the referee.


Season headlines

*
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
defeated
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
in the intercollegiate national championship series, two games to none. * The
Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association The Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA) was a college athletic conference and the second college conference formed upon its foundation on January 12, 1907.David A. Campaigne and John R. Thelin, "Big Twelve Conference", ...
began play, with six original members for basketball. * Wabash (24–0) went undefeated during the season. * Plagued by disagreements over playing rules and player eligibility, violent play, and teams failing to meet their obligation to play a complete league schedule on some occasions, the
Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League The Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League was an athletic conference for men's college basketball, beginning with the 1901–02 season and ending with the 1954–55 season. Its membership ranged from four to eight members; all of these te ...
(EIBL) collapsed after the season. For the next two seasons, its teams played as independents. After a reorganization, the EIBL resumed competition in the 1910–11 season. * In February 1943, the
Helms Athletic Foundation The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship. Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor, funding the foundation via his owner ...
retroactively selected
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
as its national champion for the 1907–08 season. * In 1995, the
Premo-Porretta Power Poll The Premo-Porretta Power Poll is a retroactive end-of-year ranking for American college basketball teams competing in the 1895–96 through the 1947–48 seasons. The Premo-Porretta Polls are intended to serve collectively as a source of informa ...
retroactively selected Wabash as its national champion for the 1907–08 season.


Conference membership changes


Regular season


Conferences


Conference winners


Conference standings


Independents

A total of 98 college teams played as major independents. Among independents that played at least 10 games, (24–0), (12–0), and Bucknell (12-0) were undefeated, and Wabash and (24–11) finished with the most wins.


Statistical leaders


Post-season

Arrangements were made in early March 1908, for
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, champion of the
Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League The Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League was an athletic conference for men's college basketball, beginning with the 1901–02 season and ending with the 1954–55 season. Its membership ranged from four to eight members; all of these te ...
, to meet the champion of the Western Conference in the post-season to determine the national champion. The postseason games were not organized by the IAAUS, so the resulting championship, while widely recognized at the time, is not an NCAA championship.
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
and
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
finished the regular season tied for first place in the Western Conference. Representatives of the schools agreed to stage a single game to break the tie and determine which team would play Penn for the national championship. Wisconsin won a coin flip for the right to host the game. Chicago defeated Wisconsin, 18–16, on March 12, in front of 1,800 spectators at the
Red Gym Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to Orange (colour), orange and opposite Violet (color), violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–750 nanometres. It is a primary color in the ...
in Madison. After the Maroons took a 9–7 halftime lead, the Badgers surged in front briefly in the second half, before Chicago seized control of the game. Senior captain
John Schommer John Joseph Schommer (January 29, 1884 – January 11, 1960) was an American multi-sport athlete in the 1900s. He is considered by some to be the first basketball superstar and one of the first great all-around athletes. The Chicago, Illinois nat ...
and junior Robert Harris tallied five points apiece, each scoring one basket and sinking three free throws, to lead the Maroons. Frederick Falls added four points, all on free throws, for Chicago. Biddy Rogers, Wiconsin's senior captain, scored six points, all from the charity stripe, to lead the Badgers, but he missed seven of his 13 attempts. Visiting Chicago fans stormed the court after the game and carried the Maroons players to the locker room. The best-of-three national championship series was scheduled to begin at the teams' on-campus gyms in Chicago on March 21, and in Philadelphia on March 25. If necessary, the third game was to be played on Columbia's home court in New York on March 28. The first ever postseason games to determine a national champion attracted interest across the United States, and basketball critics generally agreed that the teams were worthy representatives of the eastern and western parts of the country. Pennsylvania was expecting such a large crowd for the second game that the school considered expanding the seating capacity of Weightman Hall. A crowd of 1,800, thought to be the largest ever to attend a basketball tilt in the west, witnessed the first game of the intercollegiate national championship series at
Bartlett Gymnasium Bartlett Hall is a campus dining hall of the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. It was called Bartlett Gymnasium and served as an athletic facility before the remodeling in 2001. Construction Construction of the building took place bet ...
. With Pennsylvania leading, 12–10, in the first half, Frederick Falls passed the ball to John Schommer, who had his back to the basket about 20 feet behind him. Schomer, without turning around, lifted the ball over his head and shot the ball through the rim, tying the game. The score was deadlocked at 13 at halftime. With the Maroons trailing, 17–16, in the second half, Schommer scored two baskets from long-range, sparking a decisive 5–0 run. Chicago held the Quakers to just a free throw the rest of the way and held on for a 21–18 victory. Schommer finished with eight points, and Falls led the Maroons with 11 points but shot only 7 for 15 from the free-throw line.
Charles Keinath __NOTOC__ Charles "Kid" Keinath (November 13, 1886 – April 18, 1966) was an American college athlete who was a four-time All-American in basketball while at the University of Pennsylvania. He also won national championships in both basketball ( ...
shot 12 for 14 from the charity stripe and finished with a game-high 12 points for the Quakers. The largest crowd ever to attend a basketball game in the city of
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
witnessed a tight contest that neither team led by more than three points. Fierce guarding by Pat Page made it difficult for Quakers star Charles Keinath to get shots at the basket. Keinath committed 11 fouls in the game, mostly trying to escape Page. With the score tied at 15, Frederick Falls gave the Maroons a lead with a free throw. In the closing seconds, Keinath, who was visibly tired from being hounded by Page, missed a pair of free throws, and Chicago held on for a 16–15 victory and the national championship. Falls finished with a game-high 10 points, all from the free-throw line, to lead the Maroons. Keinath scored nine points for Pennsylvania.


Awards


Helms College Basketball All-Americans

The practice of selecting a Consensus
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
Team did not begin until the 1928–29 season. The
Helms Athletic Foundation The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship. Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor, funding the foundation via his owner ...
later retroactively selected a list of All-Americans for the 1907–08 season.The Association for Professional Basketball Research "NCAA All-American Teams, 1919–20 to 1998–99"
/ref>


Major player of the year awards

* Helms Player of the Year:
Charles Keinath __NOTOC__ Charles "Kid" Keinath (November 13, 1886 – April 18, 1966) was an American college athlete who was a four-time All-American in basketball while at the University of Pennsylvania. He also won national championships in both basketball ( ...
, Penn (retroactive selection in 1944)


Coaching changes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1907-08 IAAUS Men's Basketball Season