George Ireland
Encyclopedia
George Ireland was an American
basketball
coach who led Loyola University Chicago
to the 1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
.
n basketball player at the University of Notre Dame
during the 1930s. His first coaching job was at Marmion Military Academy in Aurora, Illinois
, which he led to 262-87 record from 1936 to 1951. In 1951, he succeeded John Jordan
, a former teammate at Notre Dame, as head coach at Loyola University Chicago, and he remained at Loyola until 1975. Ireland encouraged full-court press and a high-speed style of play, and in 1961 he became the first coach of a major college program to use a lineup of five African American players. (This was particularly notable at the time, as some schools refused to play against a team with even one black player.)
and Les Hunter
, compiled a 23-2 regular season record and finished first in the country in scoring. They defeated Tennessee Tech
111-42 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament (still the largest margin of victory in an NCAA tournament game), and after victories over Mississippi State
, Illinois and Duke
, the Ramblers reached the finals, where they faced defending champion Cincinnati
. Loyola trailed Cincinnati by 15 points with 10 minutes left in the game, but the Ramblers rallied to force an overtime
session, winning the game 60-58 with a last-second tip-in by Vic Rouse. Loyola remains the only team in Illinois
to have won an NCAA Championship. The 1963 Loyola team also broke racial barriers by being the first NCAA Division I team to have four African American players in the everyday line-up.
, 1966
, and 1968
, although they never repeated the success of 1963. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ireland coached LaRue Martin
, who became the first overall pick of the 1972 NBA Draft
. However, Martin's NBA career lasted just four seasons, prompting analysts to call him one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Ireland left Loyola in 1975 with a 321-255 record, good for a .557 winning percentage. He later worked as a volunteer coach for mentally-handicapped children in Skokie, Illinois
. On September 14, 2001, he died at the age of 88 in Addison, Illinois
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
coach who led Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
to the 1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 9, 1963, and ended with the championship game on March 23 in Louisville,...
.
Background
Ireland was an All-AmericaAll-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 basketball player at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
during the 1930s. His first coaching job was at Marmion Military Academy in Aurora, Illinois
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
, which he led to 262-87 record from 1936 to 1951. In 1951, he succeeded John Jordan
John Jordan (basketball)
John Jordan was an American basketball player and coach, best known for coaching the University of Notre Dame's men's basketball team from 1951 to 1964....
, a former teammate at Notre Dame, as head coach at Loyola University Chicago, and he remained at Loyola until 1975. Ireland encouraged full-court press and a high-speed style of play, and in 1961 he became the first coach of a major college program to use a lineup of five African American players. (This was particularly notable at the time, as some schools refused to play against a team with even one black player.)
1963 Championship
The highlight of Ireland's coaching career occurred in 1963, when he guided the Loyola Ramblers to the national collegiate championship. Ireland's team, led by Jerry HarknessJerry Harkness
Jerald B. "Jerry" Harkness is an American former basketball player.Before playing in the professional leagues, the 6'3" Harkness was a star at DeWitt Clinton High School and Loyola University Chicago. At Loyola, he served as captain on the team that upset the University of Cincinnati to win the...
and Les Hunter
Les Hunter
For the Hollyoaks character, see Les HunterLeslie "Big Game" Hunter is a former professional basketball player. A 6'7" forward/center, Hunter attended Loyola University Chicago, who won the 1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship...
, compiled a 23-2 regular season record and finished first in the country in scoring. They defeated Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
111-42 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament (still the largest margin of victory in an NCAA tournament game), and after victories over Mississippi State
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
, Illinois and Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, the Ramblers reached the finals, where they faced defending champion Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
. Loyola trailed Cincinnati by 15 points with 10 minutes left in the game, but the Ramblers rallied to force an overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
session, winning the game 60-58 with a last-second tip-in by Vic Rouse. Loyola remains the only team in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to have won an NCAA Championship. The 1963 Loyola team also broke racial barriers by being the first NCAA Division I team to have four African American players in the everyday line-up.
Later career
Under Ireland, the Loyola Ramblers returned to the NCAA Tournament in 19641964 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1964 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 9, 1964, and ended with the championship game on March 21 in Kansas...
, 1966
1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 22 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 7, 1966, and ended with the championship game on March 19 in College Park, Maryland...
, and 1968
1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1968, and ended with the championship game on March 23 in Los Angeles, California...
, although they never repeated the success of 1963. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ireland coached LaRue Martin
LaRue Martin
LaRue Martin is a retired American professional basketball player. Martin was taken first overall by the National Basketball Association's Portland Trail Blazers in 1972, drafted ahead of future Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo and Julius Erving...
, who became the first overall pick of the 1972 NBA Draft
1972 NBA Draft
The 1972 NBA Draft was the 26th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 10, 1972 before the 1972–73 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
. However, Martin's NBA career lasted just four seasons, prompting analysts to call him one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Ireland left Loyola in 1975 with a 321-255 record, good for a .557 winning percentage. He later worked as a volunteer coach for mentally-handicapped children in Skokie, Illinois
Skokie, Illinois
Skokie is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Its name comes from a Native American word for "fire". A Chicago suburb, for many years Skokie promoted itself as "The World's Largest Village". Its population, per the 2000 census, was 63,348...
. On September 14, 2001, he died at the age of 88 in Addison, Illinois
Addison, Illinois
Addison is a village located west of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 35,914 at the 2000 census. The estimated population was 36,378 as of 2002.The Village of Addison lies on Salt Creek...
.