Veterans Day 2023

On this Veterans day, as I have done each year past, I would like to thank all those who have served our country, putting their lives on the line to do those tasks that need to be done. The Orange basketball team has had its share of veterans over the decades. And has been tradition at OrangeHoops, I would like to recognize those former basketball Orangemen who did serve. I acknowledge this is not a complete list; only those I know of (each year I add a few more). I imagine more Orangemen were in the service that I am omitting; if so, please post a recognition here! Also please feel free to recognize any other veterans in the comments.

In World War I, the following served:

Albert Ackley
Bradley Barnard
Ross Bibbens
Meyer Bloom
Jim Casey
Ed Cronauer
Charles Fasce
Russ Finsterwald
Loyal Greenman
Ken Harris
Ted Huntley
Bernie Kates
Ken Lavin
Nathan Malefski
Danny Martin
Harry Martin
Walter ‘Dutch’ Notman
Walter Peters
Elias Raff
Billy Rafter
Horace Ruffin
Courtland Sanney
Clifford Steele

In World War II, the following served:

Jim Ackerson
Earl Ackley
Lou Alkoff
John Baldwin (Balsavich)
John Balinsky
John Beaulieu
John Beck
Gene Berger
Milton 'Whitey' Bock
Leo Canale
Dick Casey
Larry Crandall
Wilbur Crisp
Dan DiPace
Les Dye
Bud Elford
Alton Elliott
John Emerich
Bill Estoff
Bob Felasco
Paul Ferris
Billy Gabor
Ed Glacken
Joe Glacken
Marc Guley
Mark Haller
LaVerne Hastings
Lew Hayman
Bill Hennemuth
Bill Hoeppel
Tom Huggins
George Jarvis
Ed Jontos
Walter Kiebach
Jim Konstanty
Christian Kouray
Stan Kruse (Kruszewski)

Phil Lipetz
Glenn Loucks
Guy Luciano
Saul Mariaschin
Bob Masterson
Paul McKee
Don McNaughton
Tom McTiernan
Francis Miller
Joe Minsavage
Andy Mogish
Roy Peters
Hank Piro
Paul Podbielski
Edward Pond
Robert Popp
Phil Rakov
Joe Rigan
John Schroeder
Bill Schubert
Bob Shaddock
Wilmeth Sidat-Singh
Red Stanton
Mike Stark
Chester Stearns
Bobby Stewart
Joe Sylvestri
Charles Taggart
Ray Tice
Joe Weber
Ray Willmott
Bill Wyrick

In Korea the following served:

Reaves Baysinger, Jr
John Beaulieu
Bernie Eischen
Paul McKee
Paul Podbielski
Fred Serley

Dick Suprunowicz

In Vietnam, the following served:

Reaves Baysinger, Jr
John Beaulieu
George Crofoot
Rick Dean
Sanford Salz

The following were veterans who served but were fortunate to miss a war era:

Vinnie Albanese
Art Barr
Mel Besdin
Rudy Cosentino
Roy Danforth
Ronnie Kilpatrick
George Koesters
Tom Jockle
Jack Malone
Frank Reddout
Eddie Rosen
Lou Stark
Chuck Steveskey

Five of the aforementioned players deserve special note, as they sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

Harry Martin was killed in 1923 when his plane crashed during takeoff at Kelley Field, Texas.  He was a Lieutenant and an Army Aviator.  Martin had served in the AEF in France in World War I.

Wilmeth Sidat-Singh was a member of the Tuskegee Airman, and was killed in a training accident when his plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1943.

Joe Minsavage was killed in World War II on June 19, 1943 when his ship was attacked and he was lost at sea.

Charles Taggart was a member of the US Navy serving aboard the USS Frederick C. Davis, and was killed when his ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat on April 24, 1945. Taggart and 115 crew members perished.

Gene Berger was killed in 1961 during flight maneuvers. He was a Commander in the U.S. Navy and a Naval aviator, and his plane would crash into the Pacific.

History of Syracuse First Year Head Coaches

 Adrian Autry becomes the eighth head coach for Syracuse's Men's basketball team. The first year has had different levels of success.

Prof. John A.R. Scott was the first head coach, with his first season 1903-1904.   Scott would go 11-8 his first year, winning his first two games.  Scott took over a team that was 1-8 the prior season, and he would go 64-54 in his career.

Ed Dollard would become the second SU coach in the 1911-1912 season.  Dollard would go an impressive 11-3 his first season, winning his first two games.  Dollard would have big wins over Colgate and Penn to end the season.  He took over a team that was 6-11 the previous year.  Dollard would go 152-58 in his 13 year career at Syracuse, including a Helms Foundation National Championship in 1917-18 season.

Lew Andreas

Lew Andreas became Syracuse's 3rd coach with the 1924-1925 season.  Andreas would have an impressive first year going 15-2, winning his first 11 games.  His first season had two big wins over Colgate.  He took over a team that was 8-10 the previous year.  Andreas would go 358-134 in his career, with two appearances in the NIT, and a Helms Foundation National Championship in 1925-1926 season behind Vic Hanson.

Marc Guley was Syracuse's 4th coach starting with the 1950-1951 season.  Guley would lead the team to the post season his first year going 19-9.  He would win his first three games.  He took over a team that was 18-9 the previous year.  His team beat #14 Toledo, and #6 Bradley on its way to winning the National Campus Tournament Championship.  Guley would go 136-192 in 12 years at Syracuse, with one NCAA Tournament and one National Campus Tournament.  His last season was the worst in Syracuse history with a 2-22 record.

Fred Lewis was Syracuse's 5th coach starting with the 1962-1963 season.  Lewis would go 8-13 his first season, a marked improvement over the 2-22 the previous year.  Lewis would win his first game before losing his second.   Lewis was 91-57 in his six years at Syracuse with 2 NIT and 1 NCAA appearance.

Roy Danforth was Syracuse's 6th coach starting with the 1968-1969 season.  Danforth would go 9-16 his first season, losing his first five games before beating Penn State 71-51.  He took over a team that was 11-14 the previous season.  Danforth would go 148-71 over 8 seasons, with 4 NCAA bids, 2 NIT bids, and a surprise Final Four in 1975.

Jim Boeheim was Syracuse's 7th head coach starting with the 1976-1977 season. Boeheim would go 26-4 his first season, and took the Orangemen to the 2nd round of the NCAA. He would win his first regular season game, before losing his second to West Virginia.  He took over a team that was 20-9 the previous season.  Boeheim would go 1116-441 in his 47 year career with the Orange, going to 35 NCAA tournaments, 7 NIT, 5 Final Four, and the 2003 National Championship.

Adrian Autry is Syracuse 8th and current coach starting with the 2023-2024 season. Autry's career is just beginning; he is already off to a good start at 2-0.