TO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS, GREETINGS:
WHEREAS, The year of 2002 marks the 50th Anniversary of the 1952 NCAA Championship won by University of Kansas' Men's Basketball Team; and
WHEREAS, KU finished the season with a 28-3 record; and
WHEREAS, The Big Seven Conference title and the conference pre-season tournament were both claimed by KU; and
WHEREAS, The Jayhawks defeated St. John's, 80-63, to win the 1952 NCAA National Championship, which was KU's first ever NCAA title; and
WHEREAS, Clyde Lovellette led the nation in scoring, earned First-Team All-America honors and was named the most valuable player in the NCAA Tournament; and
WHEREAS, KU went on to play in the United State's Olympic Playoffs, where it lost to Peoria in the finals; and
WHEREAS, Seven Jayhawks- Clyde Lovellette, Bill Hougland, Charlie Hoag, Bill Kennedy, Bill Lienhard, John Keller and Dean Kelley - combined with six players from Peoria to form the Olympic team at Helsinki in July. Kansas head Coach Phog Allen served as the assistant coach; and
WHEREAS, The United States swept through its Olympic competition, earning a gold medal in impressive fashion:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF KANSAS, do hereby proclaim the Year 2002, as
The 50th Anniversary of the First NCAA Championship won by the University of Kansas' Men's Basketball Team
in Kansas.
DONE At the
Capitol in Topeka
under the Great Seal of the
State this 15th day of
August, A.D. 2002