Racism, Fights, Brawls… Champions: A Retrospective on the First National Champions in Seton Hall History (1952-53)

The 23 January 1953 edition of The Setonian proudly proclaimed, “PIRATES BEST IN NATION,” as its headlining story. On 19 January, the Seton Hall basketball team was ranked #1 in the nation by the Associated Press poll for the first time in history. It marked a run of 7 weeks atop the national rankings; it was the only time the basketball team has ever spent as #1.

After “the Pirates [had] swept through their first 18 games unbeaten,” the team was rewarded by being “voted No. 1 in sweep of every major basketball poll.” A month later, the streak was extended to 27 victories. The 18 February 1953 edition of The Setonian declared, “BUCS CONTINUE RAMPAGE.”

Coach John “Honey” Russell was the one who “[guided] the destiny of the 1952-53 Seton Hall hardwood five.” The Pirates themselves were led by their top players: Richie Regan, Harry Brooks, and Walter Dukes. Their point guard was Richie Regan who was nicknamed “The Cat” for his quickness and guile as a playmaker. Brooks was their shooting guard, who was third on the team in points per game.

Their best player was Walter Dukes, a 7-foot All-American phenom who averaged 26 points per game and a staggering 22 rebounds per game. However, Dukes was not just any phenom – he was a black superstar in the pre-Brown v. Board of Education world. Dukes not only was the star of his basketball team, but he also dealt with racist taunts, extra-sharp elbows and unkind refs’ whistles.

As the team neared the end of its season, it embarked on a road trip where they would play both Dayton and Louisville. As The Setonian noted, “the Pirates beaten [these] quintets at South Orange earlier this year but [both teams] will undoubtedly offer a more serious challenge playing on their own ‘floor’.” A more serious challenge would end up being an understatement.

When the Pirates arrived in Dayton, Dukes was barred from spending the night at the hotel the team had booked. The hotel was a whites-only hotel. As a result, the team elected to spend the night on the team bus rather than stay in the racist hotel.  After an exhausting and uncomfortable night on the bus, the Pirates played a sloppy game and lose 65-71.

After a dispiriting upset at the hands of Dayton, the Pirates traveled to Louisville, Kentucky. While the Pirates had previously beaten them 77-66, it was an ugly victory marked by Louisville players spewing hate and trying to goad Dukes into a fight. Upon their arrival in Louisville, the Pirates are met with an intimidating mob of crazed Cardinals fans, alongside locals. The police, present at the scene, opted not to intervene, permitting the tension to escalate.

The Pirates knew they had to spend the night on the bus again. However, the mob never disperses. This night was even more exhausting and unnerving. The players were kept up all night by the crowd that surrounds them. All throughout the night, the mob pounded on the windows.

The game the following day was violent from the start. The atmosphere was one of hatred. As Richie Regan later said, “We were scared stiff; 7,500 vs. 12.” Life Magazine reported that the players “went after each other with elbows, body blocks and half nelsons” and things escalated after “a head-on collision left Dukes dazed and prostrate on the floor.” This was violent, more akin to a fight than a basketball game.

Whenever Dukes touched the ball, Louisville’s players guarded him rough. As Brooks recalled, at one point during the game, “Walter got the ball, and this guy (a Louisville forward) popped him in the jaw. Dukes went down, we lost the ball and Walter was called for walking.” Despite this, he still finished the game with a staggering 35 points.

When the buzzer sounded, Louisville had beaten Seton Hall, 73-67. Dukes was lining up for a traditional post-game handshake when boos and then racial slurs rained down on him. Out of nowhere, the first punch knocked him to his knees. Mayhem ensued. Fists everywhere. Blood-smeared jerseys. Players sprawled on the hardwood. Fans rushed onto the court in a rage. The postgame handshakes had escalated into a brawl involving players and fans. A Louisville player lunged at a Seton Hall player, and the Seton Hall player responded with a punch. In the mayhem, it was unclear who exactly started the brawl.

Three priests who had been traveling with Seton Hall rushed Dukes off the court, but the fighting continued. Seton Hall’s Mickey Hannon was clobbered in the back of his head and collapsed, out cold. The New York Times reported, “Several players were bruised and cut tonight in a fight that broke out [between] the University of Louisville and Seton Hall.” Harry Brooks “was taken to a hospital to see if stiches would be needed to close a gashed lip.” Brooks would end up needed 13 stitches. The Louisville police finally intervened to get Hannon and Brooks into the locker room and the team onto the train. One of the most shocking photos in NCAA Basketball history appeared in the 16 March 1953 edition of Life Magazine on page 118 where Hannon is shown unconscious on the hardwood floor.

In the aftermath of the game, The Setonian coverage of the road trip noticeably was missing any information about the brawl, as well as the Pirates brush with segregation. There was no mention of the highly publicized brawl nor Brooks’ stiches. The tyranny of Jim Crow was not mentioned as playing a factor. The newspaper even wrote, “Seton Hall offers no excuse for either game extending only the highest praise to the combined work of their conquerors.”

Their headline for their road trip recap read simply: “Dayton and Louisville Pull Upsets As Skein Ends at 27.” The Setonian wrote, “Although the pair of setbacks were viewed by all Setonia rooters with deep regret and considerable sadness, they did not come as a complete surprise.” The campus newspaper points to “the pressure and tension” which comes from an undefeated season. They believed the Pirates to be “a great team,” but argued “not great enough to win them all.” However, they took solace in the fact that “nobody else ever did that in one season” before.

The Setonian instead looked forward to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Specifically, the Pirates had one team they wanted to face: Louisville. However, they needed to defeat their first-round opponent to get to a theoretical matchup with Louisville in the second round. The Pirates barely survived their first game against Niagara. They won 79-74, but it is one of the sloppiest games they have played all season. Dukes fouled out with 8 minutes left in the game. They lucked out in their victory. But the Pirates were more upset that Louisville actually lost their first-round matchup and there would be no rematch.

The Pirates then blow out Manhattan 74-56 in the semifinal game and take down St. John’s 58-46 in the championship game. Walter leads the way. Regan hoists the NIT Championship Trophy and then hands it to Walter, the tournament MVP. Seton Hall finished 31-2 and remains the only New Jersey college basketball team that can lay claim to a national title. Walter Dukes pulled down 734 rebounds in the 1952-53 season, an NCAA D-1 record that still stands to this day.

In the shadow of a tumultuous season marred by racism, fights, and brawls, the 1952-53 Seton Hall basketball team emerged as more than just national champions. The adversities they faced on and off the court—ranging from segregationist policies to outright violence—underscore the profound impact sports can have in illuminating societal issues and fostering dialogue. Walter Dukes and his teammates’ resilience in the face of such hostility not only highlighted their athletic prowess but also their unwavering spirit.

In 2017, after the entire championship team was inducted in the Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Fame, The Setonian reflected on the squad: “The 1952-53 men’s basketball team went through it all. From dealing with racial taunts directed at All-American center Walter Dukes to a brawl at Louisville that left Mickey Hannon lying unconscious on the floor, it still managed to persevere and win an NIT Championship.”

Their journey, from unbeaten streaks to heartbreaking setbacks, and ultimately to claiming the national title, illustrates the power of sports. As Seton Hall’s first national champions, their legacy transcends the boundaries of the basketball court, reminding us of the role sports can play in challenging societal norms and paving the way for change.