Robert J. Calihan was an American basketball

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 and coach.

Calihan played for the University of Detroit Mercy

University of Detroit Mercy

University of Detroit Mercy is a private, Roman Catholic co-educational university in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of Mercy. Antoine M. Garibaldi is the president. With origins dating from 1877, it is the largest Roman Catholic university...

 from 1937 to 1940. He led his team in scoring during each of his three seasons and became the school's first All-America

All-America

An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...

n honoree in 1939. After graduating in 1940, he played professionally in the National Basketball League

National Basketball League (United States)

Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America  to form the National Basketball Association  in 1949.- League history :The...

 for the Detroit Eagles

Detroit Eagles

The Detroit Eagles were a professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. Managed by Dutch Dehnert, they played in the National Basketball League from 1939 to 1941, then became a barnstorming team...

, Chicago American Gears

Chicago American Gears

The Chicago American Gears were a National Basketball League team who played from 1944 to 1947.Led by George Mikan and Bobby McDermott, they defeated the Rochester Royals to win the 1947 NBL Championship....

, Syracuse Nationals

Syracuse Nationals

The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...

 and other teams. He became Detroit Mercy's basketball coach in 1948, and remained in that position until 1969. Over his coaching career, he posted a 360-237 record, leading his team to three NIT

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...

 berths and an appearance in the 1962 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

1962 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

-Mideast region:-Midwest region:-West region:-Final Four:-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....

. Detroit Mercy's Calihan Hall

Calihan Hall

Calihan Hall is an 8,295-seat multi-purpose arena in Detroit, Michigan. It is home to the University of Detroit Mercy Titans basketball te am. The arena opened in 1952. The building was dedicated on May 25, 1952 as the Memorial Building. The first basketball game was played on December 2 of that...

was named in his honor in 1977.