Dwight Eddleman
Encyclopedia
Thomas Dwight "Dike" Eddleman (December 27, 1922 – August 1, 2001) is generally considered the greatest athlete in the history of athletics at the University of Illinois
. Eddleman participated on the University's basketball
, track and field
, and football
teams between the years of 1947 and 1949. Eddleman earned a combined 11 varsity letter
s in his career at the University, during which he also became a member of the Sigma Chi
fraternity. Eddleman was born in Centralia, Illinois
, and attended Centralia High School. On October 24, 2008 Eddleman was named a Distinguished Alumni of Centralia High school. He, along with five others, including James Brady
, were the first to be named Distinguished Alumni. His wife, Teddy Eddleman, accepted his award.
Beginning in 1969, Eddleman served the University of Illinois as a fundraiser for the athletic department. In tribute to his years of service to the University's athletics, in 1993, the University of Illinois athlete of the year awards for both men and women were named in his honor. In 2002, the portion of Fourth Street in Champaign, Illinois
that runs along the east side of Memorial Stadium
between Peabody Drive and Kirby Street was designated Honorary Dike Eddleman Way (a street in his hometown of Centralia, Third Street, which runs past the old high school, is also designated Dike Eddleman Way).
In 1983, Eddleman was inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations
Hall of Fame
.
player, Eddleman is considered one of the finest players in the history of high school basketball in the state of Illinois. Eddleman played four years at Centralia High School, from 1939 to 1942. Eddleman led the Centralia Orphans to the 1942 Illinois state basketball championship, after finishing fourth in 1939 and third in 1941. In the 1942 title game, Eddleman single-handedly led a comeback as the Orphans were 13 points down with five minutes to go. As a junior and senior, Eddleman led the state in scoring with 969 and 834 points, respectively. His 969 points as a junior broke the previous state record of 751 points. During his high school career, Eddleman scored 2702 career points, which was at the time of his graduation from high school a state record for most points in a career. Eddleman was the first high school player in Illinois to average at least 20 points per game. In 2007, the Illinois High School Association
named Eddleman one of the 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament
.
At the University of Illinois, Eddleman played for coach Harry Combes
on the teams known as the "Whiz Kids". In 1949, Eddleman led the men's basketball team to the Big Ten
title, and an appearance in the NCAA Final Four. That year, he earned the Chicago Tribune's
Silver Basketball as the conference MVP
. He was named First-Team All-American in 1949, and Second-Team All-American in 1948. Eddleman was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 1948, and Second-Team All-Big Ten in 1949. Eddleman served as the team captain in 1949, and was named the team MVP that year. He was elected to the "Illini Men's Basketball All-Century Team" in 2004.
After leaving the University, Eddleman played professionally for four seasons in the National Basketball Association
. In 1950, Eddleman led the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in scoring as a rookie
. After playing one more season for the Blackhawks, Eddleman played two seasons for the Fort Wayne Pistons. Eddleman played in the NBA All-Star Game
in both 1951 and 1952. Over his NBA career, Eddleman scored 3221 points in 266 games, for a scoring average of 12.1 points per game.
titles. As a collegian, he won an NCAA high jump championship and competed in the high jump at the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
.
and the longest punt return.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. Eddleman participated on the University's 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...
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
teams between the years of 1947 and 1949. Eddleman earned a combined 11 varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s in his career at the University, during which he also became a member of the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
fraternity. Eddleman was born in Centralia, Illinois
Centralia, Illinois
Centralia is a town located in Marion, Washington, Clinton, and Jefferson Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 13,032 at the 2010 census. The town was founded because it was the point where the two original branches of the Illinois Central Railroad, built in 1853, converged....
, and attended Centralia High School. On October 24, 2008 Eddleman was named a Distinguished Alumni of Centralia High school. He, along with five others, including James Brady
James Brady
James Scott "Jim" Brady is a former Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary under U.S. President Ronald Reagan...
, were the first to be named Distinguished Alumni. His wife, Teddy Eddleman, accepted his award.
Beginning in 1969, Eddleman served the University of Illinois as a fundraiser for the athletic department. In tribute to his years of service to the University's athletics, in 1993, the University of Illinois athlete of the year awards for both men and women were named in his honor. In 2002, the portion of Fourth Street in Champaign, Illinois
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
that runs along the east side of Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Champaign)
thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...
between Peabody Drive and Kirby Street was designated Honorary Dike Eddleman Way (a street in his hometown of Centralia, Third Street, which runs past the old high school, is also designated Dike Eddleman Way).
In 1983, Eddleman was inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations
National Federation of State High School Associations
The National Federation of State High School Associations is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. Most high schools, whether public or private, belong to their state's high school association; in turn, each state association...
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
.
Basketball
As a high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
player, Eddleman is considered one of the finest players in the history of high school basketball in the state of Illinois. Eddleman played four years at Centralia High School, from 1939 to 1942. Eddleman led the Centralia Orphans to the 1942 Illinois state basketball championship, after finishing fourth in 1939 and third in 1941. In the 1942 title game, Eddleman single-handedly led a comeback as the Orphans were 13 points down with five minutes to go. As a junior and senior, Eddleman led the state in scoring with 969 and 834 points, respectively. His 969 points as a junior broke the previous state record of 751 points. During his high school career, Eddleman scored 2702 career points, which was at the time of his graduation from high school a state record for most points in a career. Eddleman was the first high school player in Illinois to average at least 20 points per game. In 2007, the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
named Eddleman one of the 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament
100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament
During the 2007 annual Illinois High School Association's boys basketball tournament, the "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament" was announced. This announcement was made during the centennial celebration of America’s Original March Madness....
.
At the University of Illinois, Eddleman played for coach Harry Combes
Harry Combes
Harry Combes , a native of Monticello, Illinois, served as head men's basketball coach at University of Illinois between 1947 and 1967....
on the teams known as the "Whiz Kids". In 1949, Eddleman led the men's basketball team to the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
title, and an appearance in the NCAA Final Four. That year, he earned the Chicago Tribune's
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
Silver Basketball as the conference MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. He was named First-Team All-American in 1949, and Second-Team All-American in 1948. Eddleman was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 1948, and Second-Team All-Big Ten in 1949. Eddleman served as the team captain in 1949, and was named the team MVP that year. He was elected to the "Illini Men's Basketball All-Century Team" in 2004.
After leaving the University, Eddleman played professionally for four seasons in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. In 1950, Eddleman led the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in scoring as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
. After playing one more season for the Blackhawks, Eddleman played two seasons for the Fort Wayne Pistons. Eddleman played in the NBA All-Star Game
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
in both 1951 and 1952. Over his NBA career, Eddleman scored 3221 points in 266 games, for a scoring average of 12.1 points per game.
Track and field
As a high school athlete, Eddleman won three Illinois state high jumpHigh jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
titles. As a collegian, he won an NCAA high jump championship and competed in the high jump at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Football
Eddleman participated in the 1947 Rose Bowl as a punter, and played a number of roles for the team in his career. As of the 2009 season, Eddleman maintains the Illinois team record for both the longest puntPunt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
and the longest punt return.