Schwartz, Bill

William Schwartz

Schwartz was one of the most important players in LIU (Long Island University) basketball history, and a key player in the Blackbirds’ success in the mid-1930s. During Bill's career, LIU rose from a second-tier team to become one of the most powerful college basketball programs in the country. An All-Metropolitan performer, Schwartz helped LIU capture the school’s first mythical Eastern championship in 1935-36 with a 26-0 record.

During the team's undefeated 1935-36 season, LIU head coach Clair Bee praised Schwartz and said , "We had begun to outgrow the small college in the Met [New York Metropolitan] district long before 1933-34…Bill Schwartz...a senior, was chiefly responsible for our rise from the minors to the majors. He developed into a star overnight and was the nucleus around which that first big-time combination was built…"

Birth and Death Dates:
unknown

Career Highlights:
After a high school career at New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn, Schwartz began his collegiate playing days in 1932-33 as a freshman forward, joining sophomore center Archie Kameros on the LIU basketball team. At that time the Blackbirds were considered a decent, but not great, team in the New York Metropolitan area. They certainly were not on par with such perennial powerhouses as CCNY, St. John’s, and NYU. This reputation was reinforced at a charity basketball carnival held at Madison Square Garden during the 1932-33 season. At the six-game (12-team) event, LIU played St. Francis and lost, 19-10;s Schwartz scored two points in the game. That season, the Blackbirds were given little to no respect by other New York basketball programs, newspapers, or even fans. In fact, the New York Times did not list any LIU players in their final statistics rankings.

The level of talent at LIU distressed Clair Bee, head coach at the school, so he actively recruited some of the best players in the New York City area. In 1933-34, LIU added freshmen Jules Bender, Leo Merson, and Ben Kramer and became one of the best teams in the East. Although their competition left something to be desired, they won their first 20 games of the season. An excellent scorer, Schwartz – who played both guard and forward – scored in double-figures in eight of 10 games (including four in a row) in the middle of the season.

Despite their winning streak, many of the top teams in the East refused to play LIU because of their lenient academic standards and their inclusion of freshmen on the varsity. That changed mid-year when coach Bee (who also served as the school’s Athletic Director) adopted a three-year varsity rule and one-year residence rule, which effectively denied freshmen the ability to play varsity; the new system took effect the following season. While the change may have seemed trivial, it paved the way for the LIU squads to play better teams, gain respectability, and attract some of the best talent for years to come.

One of the better schools that was willing to play LIU was St. John’s University, which had consistently been among the best programs in the East. LIU entered the 1934 contest with their impressive winning streak, but were inexperienced, and St. John’s was heavily favored. The game was a tense and well-played battle, and with 35 seconds remaining in the game, Schwartz and St. John's sophomore forward, Rip Kaplinsky got into a fight that turned into a brawl between the teams.

After order was restored, St. John's won the close game, 33-28 (Schwartz scored four points). Despite the loss, LIU was praised in the newspapers and finally gained the respect that had eluded them despite so many victories. The New York Times stated, "…a new basketball power has been kicked upstairs, paradoxically enough, on the impetus of its setback of the season…St. John’s had to be perfect because a team that was merely good never would have beaten LIU…" The Blackbirds went on to finish the year with a record of 25-1. Schwartz scored 216 points, second on the team and third in the New York Metropolitan area (LIU had four of the top five scorers in New York City).

In 1934-35, LIU was so stocked with talent that Schwartz lost his starting position at the beginning of the season to Phil Rabinowitz, a flashy passer and scorer. The Blackbirds won their first five games of the season and looked to be even better than the 1934 squad. In the sixth game of the year, however, they were upset by Geneva College, 43-42. LIU quickly recovered, however, winning their next seven games before dropping their annual contest against St. John’s for the second consecutive year.

That year, LIU also played at Madison Square Garden in the first season of the famed doubleheaders; this was the first year the double-headers became a part of the permanent Garden schedule. The Blackbirds played Duquesne, one of the best teams in the country, with their 6’6” center Ed Kweller. Schwartz scored three points in the game, but LIU lost the match, 30-25. The Blackbirds won their final seven games of the season and finished 23-3, outscoring their opponents, 1401-634. Considered the hardest worker on a team of talented, tough players, Schwartz was seventh on the team with 106 points (27th in the Metropolitan area).

Schwartz’s senior season of 1936 saw LIU rise to top of the college basketball world. The previous year, their success had been slightly overshadowed by NYU, who went 19-1 and captured the National Championship. Although both teams began the 1935-36 season with long winning streaks, it was NYU that was expected to go unbeaten and was seen as the best team in the nation. Mid-season, however, NYU fell on hard times and lost four games while LIU kept their winning streak intact. By the end of the year, the Blackbirds were considered the top team in New York, as well as in the East.

A spot-starter at guard during much of the season, Schwartz helped the Blackbirds go 26-0 during his senior year. The team ran its winning streak to 33 games (going back to the 1934-35 season). Bill scored 146 points that year, good enough for 16th in the Metropolitan area, and was named to the All-Metropolitan All-Star team that played the AAU champ McPherson Oilers in an exhibition game following the regular season. The Oilers barely beat the collegians, 45-43, in a well-played contest.

Origin:
New York

Career Dates:
Schwartz played guard and forward at LIU from 1932-1936.

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