Sharon Versyp

[Purdue Mike]

I think the main problem with the Purdue Womens' BB program is the coach. I have met Coach Versyp several times at alumni events. She is a nice lady and I am sure she works her butt off. However in sports and in business, results matter 100%, not effort. I cannot stand to watch sloppy basketball (turnovers). She said one time that with her style of play, many turnovers are to be expected. Baloney!

Turnovers are loss opportunities to score. Bad defense will always lose games. Poor execution on offense is no excuse. These things are what coaches are to teach. Also, Versap has never been a great recruiter-this is the worse flaw of a coach. Thanks to Morgan Burke, I think we a stuck with Versyp for a while. Once again, She is a wonderful person but not a great coach.

 

[Bigohh]

I think the main problem with the Purdue Womens' BB program is the coach. I have met Coach Versyp several times at alumni events. She is a nice lady and I am sure she works her butt off. However in sports and in business, results matter 100%, not effort. I cannot stand to watch sloppy basketball (turnovers). She said one time that with her style of play, many turnovers are to be expected. Baloney!

Turnovers are loss opportunities to score. Bad defense will always lose games. Poor execution on offense is no excuse. These things are what coaches are to teach. Also, Versap has never been a great recruiter-this is the worse flaw of a coach. Thanks to Morgan Burke, I think we a stuck with Versyp for a while. Once again, She is a wonderful person but not a great coach.

She seems to me to be much like Ray Eddy who coached at Purdue for 15 years, was a nice guy, had some All Americans as well as other good players but reigned over 15 years of mediocrity.

 

[Purdue Mike]

I remember Ray Eddy. Terry Dishinger (sp?) played for him. Terry was my first Purdue BB player that I admired greatly. All-American and a great student (chemical engineering). He had a great college and NBA career. My dad said Eddy was a high school at Madison, IN and was only a fair coach. Eddy also coached Dave Schellhouse (another All American). I never met Terry but I got to meet Dave Schellhouse at Logansport High School in Logansport, IN. Both men are Purdue legends.

 

[destewart]

I remember Ray Eddy. Terry Dishinger (sp?) played for him. Terry was my first Purdue BB player that I admired greatly. All-American and a great student (chemical engineering). He had a great college and NBA career. My dad said Eddy was a high school at Madison, IN and was only a fair coach. Eddy also coached Dave Schellhouse (another All American). I never met Terry but I got to meet Dave Schellhouse at Logansport High School in Logansport, IN. Both men are Purdue legends.

 

[destewart]

You do know Ray Eddy was a teammate of John Wooden on some great Purdue teams coach by Piggy Lambert? You do know that Eddy won the 1950 state basketball championship over legendary Lafayette Jeff Coach Marion Crowley while completing a 27-1 season? He was hired by Red Mackey after that superb season. You do know that Eddy fielded a very some very good teams that included Lamar Lundy. Wilson “Jake” Eison, Harvey Austin, Purdue’s first African American All American and first 20 ppg scorer Willie Merriweather, a teammate of Oscar Robertson on Attucks’ great 1955 state title team? You do know that he hired the great Bob King, a superb recruiter and beloved Boilermaker coach, who landed Muncie Central great Ron Bonham who left after one day because of the ROTC requirement and no cars for freshmen rule. He also had Wesley Unseld, Charlie Scott and Howard Porter signed to Big Ten Letters of Intent but lost them when the National letters were signed. There is also the strong suggestion that Mackey influenced Eddy’s starting lineup and substitution patterns based on race. Perhaps now you know the rest of the story about Ray Eddy. Btw, John Wooden never won the Indiana state basketball championship.

 

[Bigohh]

I remember Ray Eddy. Terry Dishinger (sp?) played for him. Terry was my first Purdue BB player that I admired greatly. All-American and a great student (chemical engineering). He had a great college and NBA career. My dad said Eddy was a high school at Madison, IN and was only a fair coach. Eddy also coached Dave Schellhouse (another All American). I never met Terry but I got to meet Dave Schellhouse at Logansport High School in Logansport, IN. Both men are Purdue legends.

If you want to renew your Dave Schellhause connection, he has season tickets and can usually be found in the hallway at halftime. Usually the hallway to the ticket office and new expansion.

 

[Boilermakerdad]

You do know Ray Eddy was a teammate of John Wooden on some great Purdue teams coach by Piggy Lambert? You do know that Eddy won the 1950 state basketball championship over legendary Lafayette Jeff Coach Marion Crowley while completing a 27-1 season? He was hired by Red Mackey after that superb season. You do know that Eddy fielded a very some very good teams that included Lamar Lundy. Wilson “Jake” Eison, Harvey Austin, Purdue’s first African American All American and first 20 ppg scorer Willie Merriweather, a teammate of Oscar Robertson on Attucks’ great 1955 state title team? You do know that he hired the great Bob King, a superb recruiter and beloved Boilermaker coach, who landed Muncie Central great Ron Bonham who left after one day because of the ROTC requirement and no cars for freshmen rule. He also had Wesley Unseld, Charlie Scott and Howard Porter signed to Big Ten Letters of Intent but lost them when the National letters were signed. There is also the strong suggestion that Mackey influenced Eddy’s starting lineup and substitution patterns based on race. Perhaps now you know the rest of the story about Ray Eddy. Btw, John Wooden never won the Indiana state basketball championship.

I was at Purdue during the Ray Eddy, Jake Eison, Willie Merriweather, Harvey Austin, Lamar Lundy, and Terry Dischinger years. I also worked with Harvey Austin one summer and he told me that the Harlem Globetrotters tried to sign him, but he failed the physical due to a heart ailment. Harvey had some of the most unbelievable moves on a basketball court of anyone that I have ever seen.

What upset me most with Coach Eddy was that, clearly our best 3 players were black, but he would only play 2 of them at the same time. Only later did I find out that, allegedly, the Big10 had an unwritten agreement among the coaches that no team would play more than 2 blacks at the same time. Maybe Des has some information on that.

I also remember seeing Jake Eison's High School team destroy all of the competition in the Lafayette HS Semi Finals, then get beat handily by Oscar Robinson and Willie Merriweather's Crispus Attucks team. BTW, when I was at Purdue, there was a rumor that Oscar Robinson was on campus for one day, before Cincinnati lured him away with a new convertible car for his girl friend. Don't know if there's any truth to that, but the NCAA wasn't as strict with such matters back then.

 

[Bigohh]

You do know Ray Eddy was a teammate of John Wooden on some great Purdue teams coach by Piggy Lambert? You do know that Eddy won the 1950 state basketball championship over legendary Lafayette Jeff Coach Marion Crowley while completing a 27-1 season? He was hired by Red Mackey after that superb season. You do know that Eddy fielded a very some very good teams that included Lamar Lundy. Wilson “Jake” Eison, Harvey Austin, Purdue’s first African American All American and first 20 ppg scorer Willie Merriweather, a teammate of Oscar Robertson on Attucks’ great 1955 state title team? You do know that he hired the great Bob King, a superb recruiter and beloved Boilermaker coach, who landed Muncie Central great Ron Bonham who left after one day because of the ROTC requirement and no cars for freshmen rule. He also had Wesley Unseld, Charlie Scott and Howard Porter signed to Big Ten Letters of Intent but lost them when the National letters were signed. There is also the strong suggestion that Mackey influenced Eddy’s starting lineup and substitution patterns based on race. Perhaps now you know the rest of the story about Ray Eddy. Btw, John Wooden never won the Indiana state basketball championship.

I am almost sure I saw more than two black players on the court at the same time back in the 50's. Weren't Eison, Austin, Merriweather, and Lundy all on the same team back then? Seems to me that was what was so frustrating was that they did not play well together even though individually they looked great.

 

[destewart]

I am almost sure I saw more than two black players on the court at the same time back in the 50's. Weren't Eison, Austin, Merriweather, and Lundy all on the same team back then? Seems to me that was what was so frustrating was that they did not play well together even though individually they looked great.

Lundy played 1954-55 to 1956-57. Eison, Merriweather and Austin played 1956-57 to 1958-59. Bob Ferhrman and Bill Grieve started along with The trio of AA stars , Charlie Lyons also on team
Those three years.

 

[destewart]

I was at Purdue during the Ray Eddy, Jake Eison, Willie Merriweather, Harvey Austin, Lamar Lundy, and Terry Dischinger years. I also worked with Harvey Austin one summer and he told me that the Harlem Globetrotters tried to sign him, but he failed the physical due to a heart ailment. Harvey had some of the most unbelievable moves on a basketball court of anyone that I have ever seen.

What upset me most with Coach Eddy was that, clearly our best 3 players were black, but he would only play 2 of them at the same time. Only later did I find out that, allegedly, the Big10 had an unwritten agreement among the coaches that no team would play more than 2 blacks at the same time. Maybe Des has some information on that.

I also remember seeing Jake Eison's High School team destroy all of the competition in the Lafayette HS Semi Finals, then get beat handily by Oscar Robinson and Willie Merriweather's Crispus Attucks team. BTW, when I was at Purdue, there was a rumor that Oscar Robinson was on campus for one day, before Cincinnati lured him away with a new convertible car for his girl friend. Don't know if there's any truth to that, but the NCAA wasn't as strict with such matters back then.

Not a Big Ten agreement. If in fact it existed it appeared to be a Purdue agreement. In Dischinger’s first season of 1959-60 Purdue did not have an AA player who saw significant PT. In 1960-61 Phil Dawkins became a starter.

 

[Bigohh]

Lundy played 1954-55 to 1956-57. Eison, Merriweather and Austin played 1956-57 to 1958-59. Bob Ferhrman and Bill Grieve started along with The trio of AA stars , Charlie Lyons also on team
Those three years.

So you are confirming my memory that only playing 2 AA's at a time is BS?

 

[destewart]

So you are confirming my memory that only playing 2 AA's at a time is BS?

Three yes, but they never played four.

 

[Gesysp]

Well this discussion is the most interesting thread on the women’s forum for the last 12 years!

 

[DavidBoiler]

She seems to me to be much like Ray Eddy who coached at Purdue for 15 years, was a nice guy, had some All Americans as well as other good players but reigned over 15 years of mediocrity.

Ray Eddy... was not alive during those years so that's interesting observation

 

[DavidBoiler]

And all of the home games while Ray Eddy was the HC were at the Field House.. where the bleachers collapsed one year and several people were injured if I remember the stories correctly. I remember attending one or 2 games at the Field House and got Bob Griese's autograph at halftime of one of them.. but it was a totally different experience than watching a game in Mackey.

 

[DavidBoiler]

She seems to me to be much like Ray Eddy who coached at Purdue for 15 years, was a nice guy, had some All Americans as well as other good players but reigned over 15 years of mediocrity.

Has Versyp coached any all-americans? Versyp would be so lucky to have recruited the talent that Ray Eddy recruited... Apples and oranges

 

[destewart]

And all of the home games while Ray Eddy was the HC were at the Field House.. where the bleachers collapsed one year and several people were injured if I remember the stories correctly. I remember attending one or 2 games at the Field House and got Bob Griese's autograph at halftime of one of them.. but it was a totally different experience than watching a game in Mackey.

Ray Eddy was not HC (or anywhere near WL) when the bleachers collapsed in 1947.
https://purdue.rivals.com/news/a-look-back-tragedy-strikes-purdue

 

[DavidBoiler]

Ray Eddy was not HC (or anywhere near WL) when the bleachers collapsed in 1947.
https://purdue.rivals.com/news/a-look-back-tragedy-strikes-purdue

thanks I just remember reading a story of the bleachers collapsing at The Fieldhouse and it being a huge tragedy...don't remember saying that Ray was the coach when that happened just that bleachers collapsed at that venue at one point and it being a totally different game watching experience than Mackey is.

 

[destewart]

thanks I just remember reading a story of the bleachers collapsing at The Fieldhouse and it being a huge tragedy...don't remember saying that Ray was the coach when that happened just that bleachers collapsed at that venue at one point and it being a totally different game watching experience than Mackey is.

Yes, field house views were quite horizontal and Mackey is quite vertical. Bonus points for naming perhaps the last living participant from that 1947 game?

 

[Owlbird]

Berberian

 

[Owlbird]

You do know Ray Eddy was a teammate of John Wooden on some great Purdue teams coach by Piggy Lambert? You do know that Eddy won the 1950 state basketball championship over legendary Lafayette Jeff Coach Marion Crowley while completing a 27-1 season? He was hired by Red Mackey after that superb season. You do know that Eddy fielded a very some very good teams that included Lamar Lundy. Wilson “Jake” Eison, Harvey Austin, Purdue’s first African American All American and first 20 ppg scorer Willie Merriweather, a teammate of Oscar Robertson on Attucks’ great 1955 state title team? You do know that he hired the great Bob King, a superb recruiter and beloved Boilermaker coach, who landed Muncie Central great Ron Bonham who left after one day because of the ROTC requirement and no cars for freshmen rule. He also had Wesley Unseld, Charlie Scott and Howard Porter signed to Big Ten Letters of Intent but lost them when the National letters were signed. There is also the strong suggestion that Mackey influenced Eddy’s starting lineup and substitution patterns based on race. Perhaps now you know the rest of the story about Ray Eddy. Btw, John Wooden never won the Indiana state basketball championship.

Ray after winning the state at Madison in 1950(also runner up in 1949) was hired by Kokomo.He never coached a game for them and in a round of musical chairs he came to Purdue,Mel Taube to Carleton College and Joe Platt to Kokomo.I believe Joe Platt(who won a state with Ligon,Hughes,Scott,Cox,Eisert,etc) later on was replaced by Carl McNulty.I believe Crawley was followed by Joe Heath.My old coach(Cliff Wells) went to Tulane and of course Everett Case(Frankfort) was the father of the ACC coach at NC State-NC hired Frank McGuire as a result.

 

[Boilermakerdad]

Berberian

As I remember, Bill Berberian played with Carl McNulty and Maury Lorenz. Maury Lorenz had the highest arching, two handed set shot that I had ever seen, but he was surprisingly a good shooter. BTW, during the night of the bleacher collapse, we could hear sirens at home, East of Lafayette, from the injured being taken to the hospital. My Dad and I were listening to the game on the radio (didn't have TV yet) so we knew what was happening.

 

[jindy]

As I remember, Bill Berberian played with Carl McNulty and Maury Lorenz. Maury Lorenz had the highest arching, two handed set shot that I had ever seen, but he was surprisingly a good shooter. BTW, during the night of the bleacher collapse, we could hear sirens at home, East of Lafayette, from the injured being taken to the hospital. My Dad and I were listening to the game on the radio (didn't have TV yet) so we knew what was happening.

Speaking of McNulty, he passed away today at the age of 89. He seemed to be a genuinely good guy who greatly enjoyed his high school coaching career, especially at Kokomo. He spent quite awhile with the Kats during a strong period for the North Central Conference. It's amazing how many of those NCC schools have(had) huge gymnasiums yet routinely filled them on game nights.

 

[Owlbird]

Lorenz was a frosh or soph for Madison in 1950-McNulty was a Washington Twp grad in 1949-Berberian last year at Purdue was 48-49. Carl was a great fast pitch softball pitcher{In tne Indiana Softball Hall of Fame)I watched him pitch many times for Logansport Quality Ice Cream.It's been 70 years plus but I can still name the 9 starters on that team plus the Shamrocks,the Springers and the Girls team.In 1943 I saw Ted Williams and John Pesky play at Riverside Park in Logansport for The Bunker Hill Naval Airforce Team.Ah the memories of youth(40's&50s).In 1947 I became a soda jerk,obtained an extern permit at 16,entered Purdue Pharmacy school after high school-and being an idiot opened an independent Pharmacy at age 70 in 2003.My wife runs the business and I sit at home because of bad peepers.
OWLBIRD RPh

 

[mathboy]

I think the main problem with the Purdue Womens' BB program is the coach. I have met Coach Versyp several times at alumni events. She is a nice lady and I am sure she works her butt off. However in sports and in business, results matter 100%, not effort. I cannot stand to watch sloppy basketball (turnovers). She said one time that with her style of play, many turnovers are to be expected. Baloney!

Turnovers are loss opportunities to score. Bad defense will always lose games. Poor execution on offense is no excuse. These things are what coaches are to teach. Also, Versap has never been a great recruiter-this is the worse flaw of a coach. Thanks to Morgan Burke, I think we a stuck with Versyp for a while. Once again, She is a wonderful person but not a great coach.

100% agree with this well stated opinion. Time for a change in our coaching staff.

This current team has talent and strong skills, yet does not function as a team when on the court. They look like they just met the day before the game and decided to play together. I see poor development, and poor coordination. Change please!

 

[illiniboiler]

Agree on coaching change because the program is stuck. But there are no guarantees a change will help as the window to the top echelon in WBB is really narrow. Switching coaches could cost us two top recruits we have coming in. But if we got the right coach that all would change from recruiting to the kind of coaching that wins games because superior coaching will always rise to the top. I disliked Knight as much as any coach I ever heard of because I think he was an awful human, but Knight would win wherever he went because he knew personnel and how to coach them. We need one of those kinds of coaches sans personality.

 

[doubleyous]

Not a Big Ten agreement. If in fact it existed it appeared to be a Purdue agreement. In Dischinger’s first season of 1959-60 Purdue did not have an AA player who saw significant PT. In 1960-61 Phil Dawkins became a starter.

Agree - NOT a B10 agreement. Indiana U. started 3 AA's in the late 50's, as an example.

 

[Bigohh]

Agree - NOT a B10 agreement. Indiana U. started 3 AA's in the late 50's, as an example.

and as mentioned here previously, Purdue played at least 3 at a time in the mid 50's with the potential for 4 which I thought I saw playing together back then.