Ed Beisser
Encyclopedia
Edward J. "Ed" Beisser (May 9, 1919 – October 7, 2000) was an American standout basketball
player for Creighton University
in the early 1940s and was named a consensus NCAA First Team All-American
as a senior
in 1942–43. He was a three-time First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference
selection and was later named one of the MVC's "50 Greatest Players" in the conference's history.
Beisser attended North High School
in Des Moines, Iowa
. He had been a first team all-state center
and enrolled at Creighton
in the fall of 1939. Since college freshmen were not allowed to play varsity sports back then, he had to wait until his sophomore
year in 1940–41. In his three varsity seasons, Beisser was First Team All-MVC, won two outright conference championships (1941, 1943) and shared a co-MVC title with Oklahoma A&M in 1942, and capped his career with an All-American selection. In 1941
, Creighton participated in the third-ever NCAA Tournament
, but lost in the first round. In 1942
and 1943
, Beisser led the Bluejays to National Invitation Tournament
(NIT) appearances. They won the Third Place Game in 1942 over Toledo
, 48–46, but lost in the first round the following year to Washington & Jefferson, 43–42. Beisser was named to the All-Tournament Team in 1942.
After college, Beisser joined the Phillips Oilers in the Amateur Athletic Union
(AAU) and teamed with Bob Kurland
, a two-time NCAA champion and future Basketball Hall of Fame
r, to lead the Oilers to three straight national championships in 1946, 1947 and 1948. Phillips then defeated the University of Kentucky
in a 1948 Olympic Games
playoff match. As a result, Beisser was selected as an alternate for the United States men's national basketball team. He never played for them, however, and he stayed with the Phillips Petroleum Company throughout his later life while living in Bartlesville, Oklahoma
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player for Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
in the early 1940s and was named a consensus NCAA First Team All-American
1943 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 1943 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Helms Athletic Foundation, Converse, The Sporting News, and Pic...
as a senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
in 1942–43. He was a three-time First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
selection and was later named one of the MVC's "50 Greatest Players" in the conference's history.
Beisser attended North High School
North High School (Des Moines)
North High School, usually referred to simply as North, is a secondary school located in Des Moines, Iowa. It is one of five secondary schools under the district of the Des Moines Public Schools.The school's mascot is the Polar Bear.-Curriculum:...
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. He had been a first team all-state center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
and enrolled at Creighton
Creighton Bluejays men's basketball
The Creighton Bluejays basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007...
in the fall of 1939. Since college freshmen were not allowed to play varsity sports back then, he had to wait until his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
year in 1940–41. In his three varsity seasons, Beisser was First Team All-MVC, won two outright conference championships (1941, 1943) and shared a co-MVC title with Oklahoma A&M in 1942, and capped his career with an All-American selection. In 1941
1941 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page.-See also:* 1941 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
, Creighton participated in the third-ever NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, but lost in the first round. In 1942
1942 National Invitation Tournament
The 1942 National Invitation Tournament was the 1942 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 8 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
and 1943
1943 National Invitation Tournament
The 1943 National Invitation Tournament was the 1943 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 8 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
, Beisser led the Bluejays to National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
(NIT) appearances. They won the Third Place Game in 1942 over Toledo
Toledo Rockets men's basketball
The Toledo Rockets team is the basketball team that represent the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1980. Stan Joplin was released from his duties as...
, 48–46, but lost in the first round the following year to Washington & Jefferson, 43–42. Beisser was named to the All-Tournament Team in 1942.
After college, Beisser joined the Phillips Oilers in the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
(AAU) and teamed with Bob Kurland
Bob Kurland
Robert Albert "Bob" Kurland was a basketball center, who played for Henry Iba's Oklahoma A & M Aggies basketball team...
, a two-time NCAA champion and future Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
r, to lead the Oilers to three straight national championships in 1946, 1947 and 1948. Phillips then defeated the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in a 1948 Olympic Games
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
playoff match. As a result, Beisser was selected as an alternate for the United States men's national basketball team. He never played for them, however, and he stayed with the Phillips Petroleum Company throughout his later life while living in Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Bartlesville is a city in Osage and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 43,070 at the 2010 census. Bartlesville is located forty-seven miles north of Tulsa and very close to Oklahoma's northern border with Kansas. It is the county seat of Washington County, in...
.