1949 Point Shaving Game Basketball Scorebook

[ramram]

Thought I'd share an interesting recent find. I picked up this Spalding Basketball scorebook recently. It has several college games from the NY area as well as a few Pro games. This book was apparently the official book used for those games. The Pro games were at Madison Square Garden and included the NY Knicks, Washington Caps, Rochester Royals and Minneapolis Lakers (with George Mikan). However, it also included some of the games from the 1949 NIT games at the Garden. The really interesting game, as it turns out, is the game between Kentucky and Loyola of Chicago. This is the game that Alex Groza, Ralph Beard and Dale Barnstable fixed with some bookies to shave points. Kentucky went on to lose this game and finished the season 29-2. Two years later when it came to light, Beard and Groza were arrested and also banned for life from the NBA, thus ending the careers of two of the greatest players of their era. Anyway, I thought it was pretty neat that this was the official scorebook that captured that infamous game.

Rob M.

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[sportscentury]

Hello. That is an interesting item. If you decide to part with it, would you please email me at gameusedequip2@hotmail.com? Thank you.

[David W]

How did you find that?

[Michael B]

Didn't I just see this listed on ebay a few weeks ago?

[sportscentury]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Didn't I just see this listed on ebay a few weeks ago?

Might you have a link or auction number? If it was on eBay, I missed it. I just searched completed auctions but did not see it. Thank you in advance.

[Michael B]

Sorry, I don't have a link. I recall seeing this item recently and I am pretty sure it was on ebay. I thought it was a bit overpriced as it was just a scorebook, but it isn't in my collecting realm, so others may disagree.

[sportscentury]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Sorry, I don't have a link. I recall seeing this item recently and I am pretty sure it was on ebay. I thought it was a bit overpriced as it was just a scorebook, but it isn't in my collecting realm, so others may disagree.

What was the eBay price?

[Michael B]

I do not recall, but I believe it was listed at over $500. The O/P could answer that.

[sportscentury]

Originally Posted by Michael B

I do not recall, but I believe it was listed at over $500. The O/P could answer that.

Thank you.

[Jewish-collector]

I also remember seeing it on ebay. Nice item, though.

[ramram]

I've also got a second companion scorebook. It has games from several of the other “fixers” from the scandals of 1951 (as well as other important teams). The teams in this scorebook include; Long Island Univ., Oklahoma A&M, NY Knicks, Phil. Warriors, CCNY, UCLA, St. Johns, NYU, Temple, Bowling Green, Rochester Royals, Brooklyn College, St. Louis Bombers & Western Kentucky – all played at Madison Square Gardens. I think these are the official scorebooks from those games. I'm just now reading the "Scandals of '51" book to learn more about it. I guess several of these teams were at the heart of the scandal and most of the fixed games took place at Madison Square Garden.

Rob M.