Andrew Pace
The City College of New York (CCNY) men's basketball team was involved in a point-shaving scandal in 1951 that revealed widespread bribery and corruption in college basketball. The CCNY team, composed of Jewish and African American players, was found guilty of accepting money from gamblers to lose points or underperform. The scandal resulted in the arrest and prosecution of dozens of gamblers, players, and even members of organised crime. It also led to the resignation of New York City's mayor and police commissioner due to their involvement in bribery. The fallout from the scandal included the suspension of CCNY's basketball program, their ban from playing at Madison Square Garden, and a move from Division I to Division III. The scandal inspired multiple documentaries and books, including City Dump: The Story of the 1951 CCNY Basketball Scandal and Matthew Goodman's The City Game: Triumph, Scandal and a Legendary Basketball Team.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of scandal | 1951 |
| Team name | CCNY Beavers |
| Team composition | Jews and African Americans |
| Coach | Nat Holman |
| Assistant coach | Bobby Sand |
| Point shaving scandal | Players took bribes from gamblers and bookies to lose points or not play as well as expected |
| Matches involved | Three games during the 1949-50 season |
| Outcome | Banned from playing at Madison Square Garden, suspension of the basketball program, moved from Division I to Division III |
| Players implicated | Ed Roman, Irwin Dambrot, Norm Mager, Floyd Lane, Alvin Roth, Junius Kellogg |
| Film | City Dump: The Story of the 1951 CCNY Basketball Scandal |
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What You'll Learn
The 1951 CCNY point-shaving scandal
The CCNY team, composed of Jewish and African American players, was an unusual but successful roster for its time. They played their games at the world-famous Madison Square Garden, often drawing larger crowds than professional teams like the New York Knicks. However, in the 1948-1949 season and some regular-season games in 1949-1950, CCNY players began accepting money from gamblers to throw off points. This continued during their historic run to the NIT and NCAA tournament titles in 1950, where they became the only college team to achieve this double championship.
The point-shaving scandal was first exposed when two former Manhattan College players approached Junius Kellogg, a star player at Manhattan, to participate in point-shaving. Instead, Kellogg informed his coach, who notified the district attorney. Kellogg cooperated with the authorities, leading to the arrest of three CCNY players and exposing the wider scandal. Salvatore Sollazzo, a jeweler and gambler with a criminal record, was identified as the key money man behind the bribery.
The fallout from the scandal was significant. CCNY was banned from playing at Madison Square Garden and demoted from Division I to Division III. Many players' careers were ruined, and some served jail time. The scandal also revealed corruption within the New York City Police Department, leading to the resignation of the mayor, police commissioner, and multiple officers. The integrity of college basketball was threatened, and the sport underwent a period of reflection and reform.
The CCNY point-shaving scandal has been documented in various media, including the 1951 film "The Basketball Fix," Jay Neugeboren's 1966 novel "Big Man," and the 1998 HBO documentary "City Dump: The Story of the 1951 CCNY Basketball Scandal." These works explore the complex factors influencing the players' decisions and the broader impact of the scandal on college basketball and the wider community.
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Players influenced by corruption
In 1951, the CCNY basketball team was at the centre of a point-shaving and match-fixing scandal that revealed widespread bribery and corruption in college basketball. The CCNY team was found guilty, and the scandal led to the team being banned from playing at Madison Square Garden.
The scandal involved gamblers paying players to lose points or not play to their full potential. This practice of point-shaving was not new, and players were influenced by the promise of financial gain. In 1945, five Brooklyn College players were caught accepting $1000 each from gamblers, with the promise of an additional $2000 to throw their scheduled game.
Similarly, CCNY players were approached by gamblers and offered bribes. In 1944-45, City College of New York player Lenny Hassman, a reported "dumper", attempted to bribe star player Paul Schmones. Schmones reported the incident, and Hassman was removed from the team. However, no further action was taken, and the incident was not made public. During the same season, CCNY player William Levine was also approached by gamblers before a game.
The CCNY scandal involved at least seven colleges and universities, and thirty-five players were implicated, including some who had played professionally in the NBA. The players were interrogated and eventually confessed to shaving points in three games during the season.
The CCNY players were influenced by the opportunity to profit financially from point-shaving and match-fixing. They were also influenced by the intense competition and the presence of gamblers and bookmakers who were offering bribes.
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Head coach Nat Holman cleared of wrongdoing
In 1951, the CCNY basketball team was embroiled in a point-shaving scandal. The team was found guilty of accepting bribes from gamblers to lose points or underperform during games. This scandal sent shockwaves throughout college basketball and led to widespread revelations of bribery and corruption involving several colleges and universities in and around New York City.
While the CCNY basketball program suffered significant consequences, with the team being banned from playing at Madison Square Garden and the school being demoted from Division I to Division III, the head coach, Nat Holman, was cleared of any wrongdoing. Holman had been the coach during the team's historic run to win both the NCAA and NIT championships in 1950, the only team to achieve this feat. Despite the scandal, he remained the CCNY coach until 1959, and the school even named its arena after him—the Nat Holman Gymnasium.
Holman's involvement in the scandal was a subject of scrutiny, given his prominent role as the team's head coach. However, the investigation revealed no evidence implicating Holman in the point-shaving scheme. Manhattan District Attorney Frank Hogan, who led the prosecution, focused on the players and gamblers involved, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of thirty-five players, a disgraced NBA referee, and multiple members of organized crime.
The scandal had far-reaching consequences for the players involved, the college, and the sport of college basketball as a whole. It tarnished the reputation of the CCNY basketball program, and the team has never again appeared in either the NCAA or NIT tournaments. The players who participated in the scandal returned to school to earn their degrees, but their lives were forever marked by the scandal.
The CCNY point-shaving scandal also led to the discovery of widespread bribery and corruption within the New York City Police Department, resulting in the resignations of high-ranking officials, including Mayor William O'Dwyer and Police Commissioner William O'Brien. The scandal threatened the integrity of college basketball and sparked a broader conversation about the influence of gambling and corruption in sports.
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The team's multicultural background
The CCNY basketball team had a diverse roster, with Jewish and African-American players. This was unusual for the time, but it made sense given that the team was based in New York City, a diverse cultural hub. The team played their home games at Madison Square Garden, drawing large crowds of 18,000 screaming fans—a bigger draw than the New York Knicks.
The CCNY team was part of a broader basketball culture in New York City during the 1940s and early 1950s. Players from various colleges and universities, including CCNY, would work in the hotels of the Catskills during the summer. These players were often hired because of their basketball skills, and each hotel had its team, leading to intense competition. This environment provided an opportunity for gamblers to influence the games, offering players money to lose points or underperform, known as "point-shaving."
The point-shaving scandal that engulfed CCNY in 1951 revealed widespread bribery and corruption involving major colleges and universities in and around New York City. The scandal centred on New York City area colleges and universities: CCNY, Manhattan College, New York University, and Long Island University. It eventually spread westward to other institutions. The CCNY team, in particular, was implicated, and three players were arrested. The scandal had far-reaching consequences, threatening the integrity of college basketball and leading to the suspension of CCNY's basketball program and their ban from playing at Madison Square Garden.
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The suspension of the basketball program
The CCNY basketball program suffered a dramatic fall from glory in the 1951 point-shaving scandal. The CCNY Beavers had made history in 1950, becoming the only college basketball team to win both the NCAA and NIT championships in the same year. However, the program was soon implicated in a widespread bribery and match-fixing scandal that rocked college basketball.
The CCNY players were found guilty of accepting money from gamblers to lose points or underperform in certain matches during the 1948-49 and 1949-50 seasons. This practice, known as point-shaving, did not affect the outcome of games but compromised the integrity of the sport. The scandal first came to light when two former Manhattan College basketball players involved in cheating approached Junius Kellogg, a star player at Manhattan College. Kellogg reported the approach to his coach, who informed the district attorney. An investigation was launched, and Kellogg agreed to wear a wire, leading to the arrest of three CCNY players in February 1951.
The scandal sent shockwaves through college basketball and led to the suspension of the CCNY basketball program. The team was banned from playing at Madison Square Garden, and the school was demoted from Division I to Division III. The scandal also ended the careers of several promising players, including Irwin Dambrot, the team's captain and MVP of the 1950 NCAA Tournament, and Norm Mager, the team's top reserve. Dambrot ended his basketball career and became a dentist, while Mager joined the Baltimore Bullets but retired from basketball when the scandal broke, pursuing a career in business.
The CCNY point-shaving scandal also had wider implications, revealing corruption within the New York City Police Department and leading to the resignations of Mayor William O'Dwyer and Police Commissioner William O'Brien. The scandal threatened the very existence of college basketball and prompted a reckoning within the sport, with the NCAA taking steps to prevent similar incidents in the future. The story of the CCNY scandal has been chronicled in documentaries and books, serving as a cautionary tale of the dangers of corruption in sports.
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Frequently asked questions
In 1951, CCNY basketball was embroiled in a point-shaving scandal, where players were found to be taking money from gamblers to lose points or not play as well as expected. This led to the arrest of three team members and widespread bribery and corruption allegations involving major colleges and universities in and around New York City.
Point-shaving is when players are paid to lose points or underperform during a match, without affecting the overall outcome of the game.
CCNY was banned from playing at Madison Square Garden, and the basketball program was suspended. The school was moved from Division I to Division III, and the scandal tarnished the reputation of the players involved.
Yes, Irwin Dambrot, the team's captain and MVP of the 1950 NCAA tournament, was involved in a single point-shaving scheme. Ed Roman, CCNY's star forward, was also implicated, but he never spent the money he received.
Yes, in 1998, a documentary titled "City Dump: The Story of the 1951 CCNY Basketball Scandal" was released on HBO. The film premiered during March Madness and featured gameplay footage and interviews with players, broadcasters, and alumni.
