MONDAY, APRIL 24, 1999

49er legacy

By Manuel Gamiz Jr.

On-line Forty-Niner

Since being founded in 1949, LBSU has enjoyed a rich and proud athletic legacy.

With a 3-14 record, the 1950-51 Long Beach State men's basketball team appeared to be a major disappointment. However, that team will be remembered for more than its win-loss record.

The team was the first varsity sport at LBSU, according to The Prospector of 1951, the school's yearbook.

Since then, 49er teams competing in 28 varsity sports have won almost 100 conference championships and made no fewer than 80 national post-season appearances, according to the 49er Athletic Association.

Along with the basketball team of 1950-51, the school had a golf team and a swimming team.

The swim team had a third-place finish at the All-California state swimming meet, while the golf team finished the season with a 4-4 record.

By 1954, a track and field, tennis and baseball teams had been added. The following year, football and cross country were introduced.

Women's sports hit the scene in 1957 with the addition of a tennis team. Over a decade later, a women's volleyball team and basketball team began competing.

Water polo, gymnastics and wrestling were added in 1958.

The men's water polo team won eight consecutive CCAA championships. The gymnastics squad won the CCAA title from 1959 to 1962.

The track team won the school's first NCAA championship under the leadership of coach Jack Rose in 1967.

The women's volleyball team won its first national championship in 1972 and 1973.

In the 1980s, the women's basketball team enjoyed great success, winning eight of 10 Western Collegiate Athletic Association titles in the decade.

The 1990s, after a legendary coaching career with the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Rams, George Allen came out of retirement to coach the LBSU football team in 1990.

However, everything changed when Allen died after suffering a heart attack Dec. 31, 1990.

The team ended the 1991 season with a 2-9 record and attendance averaged a mediocre 3, 893 fans. The following year, the football team was disbanded due to a lack of funds.

The men's volleyball team captured a national title in 1991.

In men's basketball, the stars were always out.

These stars included Utah Jazz forward Bryon Russell (1990-93), Seattle Supersonics guard James Cotton (1993-97) and all-time leading scorer for LBSU and New Jersey Nets guard Lucious Harris (1989-93).

The women's softball team won back to back titles in 1996 and 1997 under coach Pete Manarino.

Coach Dave Snow took his men's baseball team to the 1988 College World Series, which is the fourth time in his 10-year coaching career that he has accomplished that feat.

The 1998 season marked the end of an era for the men's water polo team, as coach Ken Lindgren stepped down after 24 seasons.

However, the story of the decade has been the success of the women's volleyball squad. The team won national championships in 1989 and 1993 under coach Brian Gimmillaro.

This year, the team became the only undefeated NCAA champion when it defeated Penn State in a grueling match.