USA BASKETBALL HISTORY
USA MEN’S PAN AMERICAN GAMES TEAM 1959 RESULTS
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS • AUGUST 27-SEPTEMBER 7, 1959
Held in Chicago, the USA hosted the Pan American Games for the first time. Coach Fred Schaus (West Virginia) and his 14-member squad marched through the competition with a 6-0 record to capture the USA’s third consecutive Pan American Games gold. For the first time in Pan Am Games competition, the USA team was selected in the same manner as the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team. Two all-star teams, one of college players selected by a committee at the end of the NCAA Tournament, and a service squad chosen after the inter-service tournament, plus the first two teams in the National AAU Tournament, met in a three night round-robin tournament. The college all-stars topped the competition with a 3-0 record and were followed by the AAU Phillips 66ers (2-1), AAU Wichita Vickers (1-2) and the Armed Forces (0-3). The AAU teams had been further strengthened by the addition of players from other AAU teams that competed in the AAU tournament. From the tryout, five collegians, three U.S. Armed Forces and six AAU players were named to the roster. Schaus, who directed the College All-Stars, was named head coach. Led by then-standout collegians and future NBA legends Oscar Robertson and Jerry West, the closest any team came to the United States was 14 points when Brazil fell to the U.S. 93-79 in the final. Boasting a high-powered offense, the USA also featured a solid defense which limited four of its six opponents to under 58 points. The U.S. won six games by an average of 39.5 points. Opening against Canada, Robertson scored 21 points and West added 15 more in the 93-73 victory. A balanced offensive attack that saw 13 of 14 USA players score lifted the Americans past Puerto Rico 89-57. Cuba was no problem as the U.S., behind 19 points from Daniel Swartz, sailed to a 114-46 win, and El Salvador fell 101-42 to the USA as Burdette Haldorson led with 14 points. Mexico was next to fall as Jack Adams tossed in 15 points in the USA’s 101-57 win. In its closest encounter, a 93-79 victory, the U.S. broke open its contest with Brazil early, commanding a 11-4 lead after four minutes, a 27-11 advantage after 10 minutes and a 51-35 lead at halftime. Robertson led the U.S. with 29 points and played just three quarters, while George BonSalle added 19 points and West and Gary Thompson each scored 11.
1959 USA MEN’S PAN AMERICAN GAMES TEAM ROSTER
1959 USA RESULTS (6-0)
NAME
POS HGT WGT AGE COLLEGE
HOMETOWN
Canada
W, 93-73 W, 89-57 W, 114-46 W, 101-42 W, 101-57 W, 93-79
Puerto Rico
Jack Adams
G C C G G F
6-4 6-8 6-8 6-5 6-1 6-1 6-5 6-8 6-3 6-5 6-0 6-4
184 225 220 220 170 170 185 207 197 197 175 190 160 175
24 24 21 25 21 22 25 26 20 22 24 23 20
U.S. Armed Forces (E. Kentucky) Phillips 66ers (Illinois) Kansas State University Wichita Vickers (St. Louis) Phillips 66ers (Kentucky) University of Louisville Phillips 66ers (Colorado) U.S. Armed Forces (Colorado) Marshall University U.S. Armed Forces (Kentucky) Wichita Vickers (Morehead State) Chicago Jamaco Saints (Iowa St.) Cincinnati University
London, KY Chicago, IL Omaha, NE St. Louis, MO Huntington, WV New York, NY Austin, MN Wilmette, IL Indianapolis, IN Berea, KY Farmington, KY Owingsville, KY
George BonSalle Robert Boozer Richard Boushka William Evans Donald Goldstein Burdette Haldorson Robert Jeangerard Leo Byrd Oscar Robertson Adrian Smith Daniel Swartz Gary Thompson
Cuba
El Salvador
Mexico
Brazil
F F F F
FINAL STANDINGS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
United States (6-0) Puerto Rico (4-2)*
G
F
G G
5-10
Roland, IA
Brazil (4-2)* Mexico (4-2)* Canada (2-4)
Jerry West
6-3
West Virginia University
Cabin Creek, WV
HEAD COACH: Fred Schaus, West Virginia University ASSISTANT COACH: Warren Womble, Peoria Caterpillars MANAGER: William Dye, University of Washington
Cuba (1-5)
7.
El Salvador (0-6)
1959 USA MEN’S PAN AMERICAN GAMES TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS
NAME
G/S
FGM-A
PCT
FTM-A
PCT
REB
PTS
Robertson
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 4
38- 66 25- 59 22- 47 20- 43 19- 36 18- 47 20- 43 18- 38 12- 28 12- 17 10- 18 7- 17 4- 9 3- 20
.576 .424 .468 .465 .528 .383 .465 .474 .429 .706 .556 .412 .444 .150 .467 .317
23- 33 18- 26 17- 22 12- 15 13- 19 14- 20
.697 .692 .773 .800 .684 .700 .400 .778 .600 .875 .333 .750 .500 .333 .668 .616
99/ 16.5 68/ 11.3 61/ 10.2 52/ 8.7 51/ 8.5 50/ 8.3 46/ 7.7 43/ 7.2 33/ 6.6 31/ 6.2 23/ 4.6 17/ 4.3 10/ 2.5 7/ 1.8
West
Swartz
BonSalle Adams Haldorson Thompson Boushka Boozer
6- 15
7- 9
9- 15
Smith Evans
7- 8 3- 9 3- 4 2- 4 1- 3
Jeangerard Leo Byrd
Donald Goldstein4
USA OPP.
6 6
228-488 132-417
135-202 90-146
591/ 98.5 354/ 59.0
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