Shooting Star: The Bevo Francis Story

by Kyle Keiderling

Book Overview

In the history of college and professional basketball, only three men have ever scored 100 points in a game. One of those, Bevo Francis, turned the trick twice. Shooting Star is a fascinating... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1894963490
• ISBN13: 9781894963497
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Sportclassic Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Ohio "Hoosiers" at a tiny college

For fans of traditional basketball -- where the tradition means tiny uniforms, lousy floors, crowded gyms, transport by station wagon, and honing skills in a barn -- this is literally one for the record books. The college with 100 students took on the establishment and won the hearts of America's basketball fans and the general public through the person of one of the sports' most tragic figures. From scoring 116 points in fron of fewer than 200 people to playing to packed arenas from Boston to Kansas City, the ride was short, not always sweet, but memorable. 'Bevo' Francis earned his nickname from his father's taste for a regional soft drink -- Bevo -- and the name passed on to his son, once Little Bevo and, in time, just Bevo. Raised in the Appalachian hills of southern Ohio, Francis was so frail as a child he missed a lot of school time. By the time he arrived at this tiny college (although most people tghink Rio Grande College is along the river in Texas, it is in southeaster Ohio), Bevo would be a married, 21-year old freshman who still hadn't finished high school. A crafty, P.T. Barnum-like coach saw fame and fortune in building a team and a makeshift schedule around a true phenom, and Bevo rewarded his faith with a 116-point performance that season that earned national attention but also caused the NCAA to disown his performances against teams not from four-year colleges. There is some clear element of the country rube in Francis, but he comes across in this kind treatment as a bright but uneducated, malleable youth. The promotional coach turns out to be interested in showcasing Bevo's talent, at whatever the cost, running a barnstorming-like schedule against all comers. The good news is that the team generated a quarter of the school's operating budget from their appearences; the bad news is that the school turned on the team when it was clear that basketball brought a harsh media spotlight on a woefully underfunded school. You can't help but like and feel sorry for Bevo; it is almost easier to despise or at least think little of coach Newt Oliver. After a second successful but stormy season, Oliver urges Bevo to sign a terrible contract to play the oafish role to the Harlem Globetrotters, and a life of basketball and career are finsihed before Bevo would have normally finished college. Bevo Francis caught the nation's attention at a time when college basketball and Madison Square Garden were reeling from the point-shaving and betting scandals of the late 40's and early 50's. Like a shooting star, Francis shone brightly, but only for a very short time. He may have saved the sport and earned some kudos (and built Oliver's ego), but the NCAA, the Globetrotters, Newt Oliver, and Rio Grande treated Bevo poorly.

An important piece of history

Times may change, but some things stay the same -- sports have strong grip on the public. I had never heard of Bevo Francis before, and reading this story makes me wonder why. Truely a remarkable tale of a "superstar" who, along with talented teamates, took the country by storm. His story was covered nationwide, and record crowds gathered to see him. Bevo Francis was an extremely talented, unassuming, and honest person. His coach, New Oliver, was a promoting promoter who "sold" Francis. Although the team Oliver had assembled was good, they played for a tiny, unknown school - Rio Grande College. Oliver felt that fame would come to the team if ONE player scored a lot of points. Bevo had his "breakthru" game in Jan 1953. The national scoring mark was 87 points. Bevo had 61 points after 3 periods, when Oliver had the team pass up shots and feed Bevo, as well as foul the opponent as soon as they touched the ball to stop the clock. By the end of the game, Bevo had scored 116 points, and Rio Grande won the game 150-85. Suddenly, all Oliver's efforts to promote the team went from no response to nation-wide acclaim. In a similiar game a year later, he scored 113 points. Despite these two "contrived" scores, Bevo was a legitimate scorer and all-around skilled player. He averaged almost 50 points a game over two seasons. The second season was entirely road games against top flight competition that Oliver arranged to maximize the exposure of his team and to generate the most income.

Bevo was great, but so was his team

Bevo Francis, playing for tiny Rio Grande College in Southern Ohio, was indeed a shooting star. He averaged just under 50 points a game for two seasons and still holds the NCAA record for the most points scored in a college game (116). As would be expected, the team was built around Francis, and he made all the headlines, as well as the covers of the major sports magazines of the day. Unfortuately, his team did not receive the credit they deserved. In 1954, Rio Grande, with an enrollment of less than 200 students, played some of the nation's best teams: Villanova, Providence, Miami (Fla.), Arizona State, Wake Forest, and North Carolina State. In January of that year, I watched the Redmen beat Butler University in Indianapolis. Bevo, coming off several weeks of appendicitis attacks, scored 48 points. At the end of the game, the Indiana fans, who know their basketball, gave the entire Rio Grande team a standing ovation; something rarely seen in college play. Two years later, While in the Army, I had the privilge of playing on the same team as Roy Moses, a former Redmen. After listening to some of Roy's stories about touring the country with Bevo and the Redmen, I was hoping that someday somebody would write the definitive history of Rio Grande's two legendary seasons. Kyle Keiderling has done it, and it is an excellent book.

Fast-paced, insightful look at basketball as it was-not like it is

The Bevo Francis story gives readers a chance to appreciate a exciting time in basketball history. This thoughtful and well-researched account of one man's achievements on the court is an enjoyable experience even for those of us who don't particularly enjoy watching this sport. Astounding statistics aside, the exciting descriptions of key games in Bevo's career, keep the reader riveted. Excellent choice for anyone interested in the sport of basketball and an excellent choice for those who enjoy reading about the recent past. Bevo's "star" continues to shine brightly!

NOT JUST FOR SPORTS FANS

AN INTERESTING, EASY READ. WHILE FOLLOWING THE CAREER OF BEVO FRANCIS, THE AUTHOR PERMITS US TO VIEW THE DRAMATIC DIFFERENCES IN HUMAN VALUES AND NATURE. A HUMAN INTEREST STORY, TOTALLY RELEVANT IN TODAY'S WORLD. A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT.