College Basketball News of 1944

In 1944 Dick McGwire, basketball guard for St. John's University, became the first freshman to win the New York Basketball Writers Association Award for the Most Outstanding College Player in the metropolitan New York area.

Dick McGwire along with center Bob Gale of Cornell, forward Harry Leggart of New York University, and guard Walter Mercer of Fordham finished the season playing for Dartmouth, where they were sent to undergo military service as Navy Trainees stationed at Dartmouth in  Hanover, NH. The college program came under the war-time V-12 program.

1944 - St. John's, 18-5, under coach Joe Lapchick  went on to win the NIT Tourney. Dartmouth, 19-2, lost in the NCAA Championship Game to Utah. College Basketball History during World War II