Revisiting an Old Issue: Northwestern’s Unrecognized 1931 Basketball National Title

Regular reader Mike D. brought to my attention a worthwhile issue I want to talk about today. I figure looking back a major positive is a probably a good idea in the wake of yesterday’s disappointment. Recently Northwestern’s athletic department added a number of banners recognizing the accomplishment of a number of teams to the Welsh-Ryan Arena rafters. Absent for those banners is the greatest accomplishment of a team that calls that building home. I’ve brought up this issue in the past, but for those that don’t know, NU was awarded the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Title for their 16-1 season in 1931. Admittedly the title was retroactively awarded when in 1939 a group of basketball experts at the Helms Foundation decided it was unjust that no titles were awarded for the first 38 years of the 20th century. But still the others schools who won titles through that manner celebrate their accomplishments. The list includes Big Ten member Purdue (who won the year after the ‘Cats in 1932), North Carolina, and as can be seen in the 1923 banner here the Kansas Jayhawks. When I think college basketball, I think Kansas and North Carolina. They are pretty much the bluest bloods of the sport. If a Helms Foundation National Title is good enough for them, it’s good enough for us.

I can’t understand why NU doesn’t want to acknowledge this great accomplishment and the great people who were part of it. Looking at the record of NU’s 1931 Head Coach Dutch Lonborg it quickly becomes clear he was one of the most respected basketball coaches of his era and his success at Northwestern was primarily the reason. Although he coached at three different schools (McPherson College, Washburn College, and NU), Lonborg recorded 73.3% of his career wins at NU. Aside from the National Title and Big Ten Title in 1931, Lonborg also led NU to the Big Ten Title in 1933 and second place finishes in 1932 and 1934. He is also Northwestern’s longest tenured head basketball coach coaching NU from the 1927-28 season until 1949-50.

NU’s 1931 Captain Joe Reiff was also a history making player. On a Wildcat team which featured a number of talented players, Reiff was the star. He picked up not only the MOP award from the Helms Foundation, but also was named a first team All-American. Reiff’s All-American award during that 1931 campaign was the first ever earned by a Wildcat. While earning that All-American award, Reiff led the Big Ten in scoring. Amazingly he was just a sophomore at the time.

In 1932 Reiff and the Wildcats finished second in the Big Ten to Helms Foundation National Champ Purdue. Reiff finished second in the league in scoring and was named a third-team All-American. That might have been something of a disappointment, as it was certainly a step back from that national title caliber team from the year before, but Reiff and Wildcats rebounded the next season to capture their second Big Ten Title. Again, Reiff led the Wildcats and the Big Ten in scoring. In fact, he set what was at the time a Big Ten record by scoring 168 points (14.0 PPG) in Big Ten play. Obviously, the offense flow of basketball was a little different in the early 1930s, but I say again that doesn’t change the significance of what was accomplishment. Reiff’s teammate Elmer Johnson finished second in the league in scoring. For his efforts, Reiff earned his second first team All-American honor in 1933 making him the first and second Wildcat All-American. Overall the Wildcats were 15-4 in that season. That Big Ten Title Reiff led the ‘Cats to in 1933 is also the last time Northwestern won a Big Ten Title in Basketball.

Why NU has chosen to ignore Lonborg and Reiff’s National Title is beyond me, but it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that given NU’s new emphasis on acknowledging history with the new Welsh-Ryan Arena banners, a great opportunity exists to finally acknowledge what those men and the best NU hoops squad ever accomplished.

The Gift NU's Athletic Department Should Give Basketball Fans...A National Title

Northwestern's Athletic Department Should Give Coach Lonborg's Team and NU's Fans a National Title as a Holiday Gift.

As it has come up again on Wildcat Report, I think this is a good time to remind NU's Athletic Department about the Wildcats winning the 1931 National Title in Men's Hoops. You can revisit my posts on this topic here: http://welsh-ryanramblings.blogspot.com/search?q=1931+Champs


As I noted on those posts, the bluest-bloods in College Basketball (Kansas and North Carolina) hang banners with their Helms Foundation National Titles. Purdue does the same thing. So my suggestion for a gift from NU's Athletic Department to the fans is to hang a banner for the Wildcats 1931 National Title in Welsh-Ryan. Nobody alive has seen NU win a title in men's basketball. Therefore, it would be a special event for all of NU's staff and fans. I know members of NU's athletic department check on this blog and I am asking for all NU fans for them to start whatever process is needed to make this happen today. The petition we started has been signed by 105 people and I suspect many more would get behind this idea if they knew NU's title existed. So NU Athletic Department, let's give the gift of a National Title to all the fans of NU basketball. I can't think of a good reason not to do so.

Also: Fans can give NU's Athletic Department (and really themselves) a gift by making a donation of Outback Bowl tickets. Lake the Posts has a post which give details here: http://www.laketheposts.com/2009/12/call-to-arms-cut-paste-this-link.html

The Shirt

No response yet from Northwestern in regards to my efforts to get the athletic department to recognize the Wildcats 1931 NCAA Basketball National Championship, but I’m not giving up. Based on an earlier discussion, I visited a website called http://www.bluecotton.com/ where you can custom design T-shirts. While there, I produced a 1931 National Champions shirt. Looking at the result, I have to admit I'm not be the greatest T-shirt designer, though, I don’t think I’m awful either. Nevertheless, I’d love for the folks at Let’s Tailgate to take a crack at a version. They'd would no doubt make a better product. Whatever the case, I’ll wear the shirt to NU’s first home football game on September 5th and you never know whose attention it might catch.

News and Notes: NU recuirting target Josh Gasser just picked up an offer from Maryland. This shows Gasser’s talent level, which is good. It is gives NU more competition for his services, which might be bad. In related news, blog Carmody Court offers up thoughts on NU’s need for a point guard.

Poll Results Thoughts

A new poll has been posted based on the increasing chatter both in the media and on-line regarding the Wrigley Field game. Before you vote, though, here are some thoughts on the last two polls at Welsh-Ryan Ramblings.

The poll conducted regarding NU’s 1931 Helms Foundation NCAA Basketball National Championship featured about 70% of NU fans supporting NU recognizing the title. The other 30% of voters were split nearly evenly between auguring NU shouldn’t recognize the title and not really caring since the event occurred in 1931. I think what this poll shows is that the majority of NU fans would be supportive should NU recognize the 1931 National Champions. Even those who said they were opposed probably wouldn’t vehemently protest an acknowledgement of the title in the media guide. I think they are more opposed to a banner raising ceremony which comes nearly 80 years late. If I’m missing the boat here please leave a message in the comment section.

The second poll conducted featured the question of what old “kind of” classic game fans might want to see rerun. Aside from discovering that this wasn’t a topic many were interested in (this poll got the lowest vote total in WRR history) it revealed the NU football game against Minnesota in 2007 does have some folks who’d like to take a second look. Personally, I’d love to get the chance to TiVo and watch all the NU wins which aired on the BTN in football and basketball during the 2007-08 school year as at the time I like many others did not have the BTN on my cable system.

News and Notes:
ESPN.com ranks NU Women's Basketball's Recruiting class number 20 in the nation: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/basketball/womens/news/story?id=4352878

NU Football Tickets Offer Hope for Acknowledgement of 1931 Championship

When I opened the FedEx envelope with my 2009 football tickets I became hopeful that Northwestern might actually be moving towards recognizing our 1931 NCAA Basketball Title. How is this the case? Well, as you can see below, this year’s tickets feature All-American players from NU’s past. From Otto Graham to Zach Strief, the Northwestern ticket office has decided to honor Wildcats of the past by putting them on the NU football season tickets. I take this as a positive step that the folks at Northwestern’s Athletic Department want to acknowledge the successes and achievements of past players and teams. Considering a National Championship is the highest point of achievement for any college sports team, I am optimistic Northwestern might soon start giving acknowledgement of the 1931 team’s accomplishments some serious consideration. I still encourage those who have not done so to sign the petition and to encourage others to do so as well. I hope that at some point this season the support from the NU community for acknowledgement of the past will lead to a banner honoring the 1931 title team.

The Records of '31

The quest to get Northwestern to recognize Coach Lonborg’s 1931 National Champions continues today with a post dedicated to the records set that season. I also want to say that as this weekend is historic for NU athletics with football coach Pat Fitzgerald getting inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame, there is no better time to think about the significance of all aspects NU’s athletic history. Fans as you gather with fellow NU fans in South Bend, or anywhere else, let them know about our forgotten National Champs and encourage them to sign the petition and help bring awareness to the efforts of Riel, Reiff, Lonborg, and the ‘Cats.

The first record the Wildcats set was most consecutive victories. NU won 12 straight games to start the season that year and 13 straight games if you include the last game from the year before. NU also set a record in 1931 for most consecutive road wins with 7 straight wins away from home. Overall, Northwestern won 16 games which is tied for the third most single-season wins in school history with the 2001-2002 Wildcats. NU’s winning percentage in 1931 is also a school record with a percentage of .941. Those are all significant achievements and when you factor in the Big Ten Title (NU’s first) and Joseph Reiff’s All-American honor (also NU’s first), 1931 becomes by far the most decorated and historically significant year in Northwestern basketball history. With this fact in mind I once again urge Jim Phillips and his staff at NU’s athletic department to recognize the National Championship awarded to the 1931 Wildcats by hanging a banner in Welsh-Ryan Arena. Finally, while some might say commemorating accomplishments almost 80 years old is silly as they are insignificant to today’s team. I say that history is never insignificant. As the banner is raised to the rafters, Wildcats fans would realize that Northwestern accomplished the ultimate goal in college basketball once before and will without a doubt do so again.

Other Members of the 1931 Championship Squad

Finding statistical data from 1931 has not been easy task, but I was able to learn a little more about the athletes who played alongside Joseph Reiff as the ‘Cats went 16-1 from the Biographical Dictionary of American Sports. Coach Dutch Lonborg’s team was characterized by large athletic players. The 6-3 Reiff at center was the primary scorer for the ‘Cats leading the team with 123 points in 12 league games. That average of just over 10 ppg was enough to lead the league in scoring. Alongside Reiff in the front court for the ‘Cats were forwards Robert McCarnes and Bert Riel. Both men were also known for their size and athletic skill. Riel served as the team captain. In the backcourt the Wildcats featured guards Frank Marshall and Arthur Smith. With that squad the Wildcats were able to beat Notre Dame twice (always a nice thing to do), the University of Alabama (which must have taken a long train trip), and Bradley University. The Wildcats also won 11 of the team’s 12 league games. Those wins, according to the Helms Foundation, were enough to rate the Wildcats National Champs. So, I again ask Northwestern’s Athletic Department to acknowledge that accomplishment and recognize the efforts of Riel, Reiff, and their teammates.


I want to thank wildcatreport.com poster streamsofwhiskey who is this thread posted pictures of the banner’s Kansas and North Carolina have for their Helms Foundation National Champs. Also, I want to think everyone who so far has voted in the poll or signed the petition. It is great to see some names I recognize from both my time at NU and my home town on the list. Now, let’s all encourage our follow alums and NU supports who have not signed to do so. 10,000 signatures might be a little to lofty of a goal, but I’d like to get 500 or 1,000 before I send it along to NU.

News and Notes: NU's ACC/Big Ten Challenge game vs NC State will be on ESPNU. Here's hoping that Comcast and ESPN finish their deal to get ESPNU onto Comcast systems by that time.

A Closer Look at 1931 Most Outstanding Player Joseph Reiff

Along with naming Northwestern the 1931 National Champions, the Helms Foundation also named 6 foot 3 inch Wildcat center Joseph Reiff the Most Outstanding Player for the 1931 season. On a Wildcat team which featured a number of talented players, Reiff was the star. He picked up not only the MOP award from the Helms Foundation, but also was named a first team All-American. Reiff’s All-American award during that 1931 campaign was the first ever earned by a Wildcat. While earning that All-American award, Reiff led the Big Ten in scoring. Amazingly he was just a sophomore at the time.

In 1932 Reiff and the Wildcats finished second in the Big Ten to Helms Foundation National Champ Purdue. Reiff finished second in the league in scoring and was named a third-team All-American. That might have been something of a disappointment, as it was certainly a step back from that national title caliber team from the year before, but Reiff and Wildcats rebounded the next season to capture their second Big Ten Title. Again, Reiff led the Wildcats and the Big Ten in scoring. In fact, he set what was at the time a Big Ten record by scoring 168 points (14.0 PPG) in Big Ten play. Obviously, the offense flow of basketball was a little different in the early 1930s, but I say again that doesn’t change the significance of what was accomplishment. Reiff’s teammate Elmer Johnson finished second in the league in scoring. For his efforts, Reiff earned his second first team All-American honor in 1933 making him the first and second Wildcat All-American. Overall the Wildcats were 15-4 in that season.

That Big Ten Title Reiff led the ‘Cats to in 1933 is also the last time Northwestern won a Big Ten Title in Basketball. In fact, Northwestern has only had 17 winning seasons since 1933, which as others have said, is a strong reason to positively promote the successes the program has had during its history. Reiff himself has earned recognition from the Helms Foundation Basketball Hall of Fame to which he was elected to in 1972. Northwestern also recognized Reiff by naming him a charter member of its athletic Hall of Fame in 1984. That hall of fame induction wasn’t Reiff’s only legacy at NU. His grandson Joe Reiff played football at Northwestern and helped lead the Wildcat defense which carried the Wildcats to the Rose Bowl in 1995 and the Citrus Bowl in 1996.

A Closer Look at Coach Dutch Lonborg

Coach Arthur "Dutch" Lonborg won 237 games at NU

Gardner, Illinois is located about an hour south of Chicago along I-55. I’ve stopped there more than a few times to visit a gas station as I’ve driven along I-55, but until recently I never knew Gardner was home to one of Northwestern’s most famous basketball coaches. Arthur “Dutch” Lonborg was raised in Gardner before moving on to attend the University of Kansas. At Kansas, Lonborg played for Coach Phog Allen. Any basketball fan will recognize that name as the arena named after Allen is now one of the most famous sites in college hoops. Lonborg would later make a major impact on KU himself as the school’s athletic director, he held the job from 1950-63, but his greatest coaching success came at Northwestern where he won 237 games and the 1931 Helms Foundation National Title.

Looking Lonborg’s record and career history, it quickly becomes clear he was one of the most respected basketball coaches of his era and his success at Northwestern was primarily the reason. Although he coached at three different schools (McPherson College, Washburn College, and NU), Lonborg recorded 73.3% of his career wins at NU. Aside from the National Title and Big Ten Title in 1931, Lonborg also led NU to the Big Ten Title in 1933 and second place finishes in 1932 and 1934. He is also Northwestern’s longest tenured head basketball coach coaching NU from the 1927-28 season until 1949-50.

Aside from coaching NU to those two Big Ten Titles, Lonborg also coached and helped develop three NU legends. The captain of Lonborg’s first team was Waldo Fisher, who not only played hoops, but was an end on NU’s first Big Ten Champion football team. Even more impressive, after finishing school, Fisher spent 50 years working at Northwestern. He retired in 1974 as an assistant athletic director and is honored today as NU’s half of the Waldo Fisher-Frank McGrath Award which goes to the MVP of Northwestern’s yearly matchup with DePaul. If the truest measure of a coach is the young men they develop, Lonborg did very well with Mr. Fisher, but he wasn’t the only key figure in Wildcat history coached by Dutch.

In 1938-39 another multi-sport star played for Lonborg. This time it was a football lineman by the name of Robert “Bob” Voigts. Voigts, of course, would go on to coach Northwestern’s football program to a Rose Bowl Victory a decade later.

Last, but certainly not least, Lonborg also coached a multi-sport All-American named Otto Graham. Graham captained a 1943-44 Wildcat team which went 12-7 overall and finished 4th in the Big Ten. That record was the best record NU posted in the decade of the 1940s and no doubt the combination of Lonborg’s coaching and All-American forward Graham’s athletic skill contributed to that success.

While at NU Lonborg served as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association in 1935. After leaving NU, Lonborg continued to be an active player in helping shape the world of college basketball as he became chairman of the NCAA Tournament Committee. Later on, he was an administrator for the 1960 U.S. Olympic team.

In 1990 Lonborg was elected to the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame. Now, I call on Northwestern to add to Dutch Lonborg’s legacy by hanging a banner in Welsh-Ryan Arena commemorating his 1931 Championship squad.

Sign 1931 Champs Petition

I’ve decided to dive head first into a quest to get Northwestern to acknowledge Coach Dutch Longborg’s 1931 Helms Foundation National Champs. I believe this is a significant accomplishment in Northwestern basketball history and believe the university should take the necessary steps to acknowledge the historic nature of that accomplishment. In that spirit I’ve started an on-line petition which I encourage everyone to sign at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1931champs/

Aside from the petition, I will in the next few days take a closer look at Coach Lonborg and pivot man Joseph Reiff who the Helms Foundation named 1931's Most Outstanding Player.