Wes Bialosuknia passing?

[Near Nyack]

Wes was all that is written here and more. A highly intelligent low key person, he handled his notoriety with class and modesty.

His shooting was truly spectacular, taking picks off the top of the foul circle and swishing them with incredible consistency. From the field or on the foul line he demonstrated a touch second to no one. He was impossible to beat in any shooting contests of "out" or "21". His scoring average would be near or over 40 if there was a 3 point line when he played, and that is why he was drafted and signed by the ABA who had that in their game from their inception.

The games mentioned in this thread will not ever be forgotten by those who saw them. Rutgers with LLoyd and Valvano was the best headliner at the Field House ever. Two of the top three (Lew Alcindor) scores in the nation facing one another in a shootout.

Wes was a real gentleman and a great credit to the University.

 

[UConnLen]

UConnLen you have the wrong Spider. The Spider on Wes' team was Dan "Spider" Hesford. Ursry played in the mid '80's.

You're right!!!!! That's the right Spider! Lots of names to remember last 50 years!

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

Sad to hear one of my hero's of UCONN in the 60's has passed. I so remember his play. Yes, thinking if the 3 point line was in play then, Wes would be averaging well over 30+ a game. Wes, Penders, Toby, Holowaty, Big Ed Slomcinski, (from Naugatuck), Bob Haines, Ritter, Hesford, and others. Uconn was the terror of Yankee Conference in those days. RIP Wes.

 

[Palatine]

Wes was a UConn legend. His name was magic in the early 60's.

He is one of the reasons it sets my jaw when people say UConn was nothing before Calhoun showed up. Wes and Kimbal enjoyed much, much success and were heralded by the state. RIP Wes.

 

[mcs333]

UCONN was good during Wes/Kimball era. They went to the elite 8 in 1964. Beating Bill Bradley and Princeton in the S16. Back then I believe only 32 teams went to the tour.

 

[bertieboy]

I saw the play I am about to describe 2 or 3 times. Toby Kimball jumped center at the start of the game facing our basket. Wes lined up on our side of the court. When the ball went up Wes cut to the basket and Kimball batted him the ball. A fast break lay up off the center jump ball to start the game.

We couldn't do this too frequently, though. Once the other coaches caught on to it they planed their defense for it.

 

[rw005]

RIP.

 

[HooHusky]

My freshman year at UConn was Wes' senior year, and I didn't miss a game at the FH. What a player! May he RIP - he will always be remember by many of us baby boomers who grew up on UConn basketball.

Loved listening to George Erlich (sp?) and his radio partner broadcast each game over TIC.

Brings back memories of listening (yes, listening!) to a game over the radio. In the early sixties, pre-ESPN, I would "channel surf" the radio, and pick up hoops games from all over the East Coast. Listening to KDKA from Pittsburg, Willey Sumerset at Duquense, WBT from Charlotte and great ACC games with Billy Cunningham at UNC and Art Heyman at Duke. Depending on the "weather", could sometimes pickup games from Indiana and Ohio. So much for the transistor radio. It was my connection to the world of college basketball.

Maybe saw two UConn games on TV prior to 1969, so it was radio that brought the game to the public back then.

Wes was a LEGEND back then, a truly great college basketball player, and with Toby K., they were great!

I will always have great memories of the "Poughkeepsie Popper."

 

[JWILLDADDY101]

UCONN was good during Wes/Kimball era. They went to the elite 8 in 1964. Beating Bill Bradley and Princeton in the S16. Back then I believe only 32 teams went to the tour.

Only 16 back then.

 

[sparky]

R.I.P. Wes. He was my favorite player on UConn along with Toby. So young, so sad. One heck of a shooter.

 

[Kitaman]

Great Husky, and Greater Man!

RIP

 

[mauconnfan]

How many remember the "traveling all star" team Wes played on which played vs semi-pro teams? I was real young but saw a couple games I believe Holowaty and Wrubala were also on the team as well as others who I can not remember!

 

[uconnric]

RIP Wes. Still have yet to see a prettier jump shot by a UConn player.

 

[hthusky74]

Was texted by my sister in law saying that she heard that Wes passed from a battle with cancer. Haven't been able to see anything online or anywhere so if anyone can confirm that would be nice. But either way here are my thoughts on Wes.


I have seen plenty of jokes in passing about him through the years and it always bothered me. I grew up playing baseball with his son and through my baseball career from little league to summer leagues Wes helped coach along with my own father. At the time all I knew was he was some former Uconn great for years far before my time. What I do remember of Wes was that he instilled a confidence in me that not every coach in my sports playing career gave me. I have trouble remembering if it was one moment or many. But as I get older I still can see him sitting on the ball bucket keeping score. I remember a man who saw a kid with talent and a kid who was unsure how to reach his potential. Wes gave me that little bit of confidence a young kid needs to get that hit and be the best he can be. Nobody is perfect and as I became a little older I heard how he had his battles with his own demons. But for every negative comment or story I have heard I still see that coach/man who told me me that I could do it and that he believes in me.

Here is his obituary. I found it to be a nice gesture that his family are asking that donations be made to the Dee Rowe Endowed Scholarship Fund at UConn.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ha...=wesley-j-bialosuknia&pid=167706087&fhid=4085

 

[cohenzone]

UCONN was good during Wes/Kimball era. They went to the elite 8 in 1964. Beating Bill Bradley and Princeton in the S16. Back then I believe only 32 teams went to the tour.

The year they beat Princeton was when Wes was on the freshman team, so he didn't play in that game. The next year, when the team had Wes, Toby, Dan Hesford, Tom Penders, Ron Ritter and company, the team went 23-2 aduring the regular season and I'm pretty sure the 2 losses were in a row with Wes and Toby both injured for one of the games and the other one (don't recall which) not back to the other. One of the losses was to the despised Holy Cross whom we stomped in the other game - we played them twice a year back then. The year they beat Princeton, where Dom Perno stole the ball from Bradley to seal the game, the team was good but not great. They showed the game on a big screen at Jorgensen - TV was a big treat back then, and the students estimated at 1-2 thou, went nuts afterwards, marching on President Babbidge's house (best Pres UConn ever had) who handled the crowd great. UConn went on to play - hate to say it - Duke, in the Regionals and got crushed by 50 or so.

The next year, with Wes and Toby, the team got a crap draw in the NCAA's having to play the higher ranked St. Joe's on their home court at the Palestra in round one. They lost. St. Joe's was led by guard Matt Goukas who was unusual for a guard then at 6'6" and talented. Wes had a hard time shooting over him. In that game, Kimball set a crazy rebounding record (maybe still stands?) for an NCAA tournament, at something like 29. One of the Philly paper headlines the next day was about Kimball even though the Huskies lost.

A little more history. I can't remember if it was Wes' junior or senior year. The NIT then was almost as big as the NCAA, especially with the small NCAA field and only one bid per league, the team being the regular season champ, or for the few leagues then,. like the ACC, that held a post season league tournament, the tourney champ. The Yankee Conference was not a league with an automatic bid. So UConn that particular year, didn't get invited but was invited to the NIT. UConn turned down the bid and the interested students pretty much rioted. The explanation by the old AD, J.O. Christian, was that UConn owed its allegiance to the NCAA (ironic, isn't it), and was not swayed when it was pointed out to him that the NCAA was snubbing UConn (some things don't change) and that every team in the NIT field were NCAA members.

 

[bertieboy]

I made a mistake in my earlier post about the Uconn-Rutgers game and the big shoot out between Wes and Bobby Lloyd. I said that they both scored 42 points but that was not the case. Wes scored 40 and Lloyd scored 39. This game was played on 2/23/67. My apologies to the previous poster who said that Wes had out scored Lloyd. He did!

 

[UConn77]

Very sad news indeed. I first became a Husky basketball fan in 1964 listening to George Ehrlich do the play by play. Wes was a sophomore that year and he and Toby Kimball led the Huskies into the NCAA tourny where they lost to St. Joes and Matt Guokas. I watched every UConn game that was on TV after that and I was hooked. Wes was an amazing shooter and imagine if he had been able to play as a freshman. Just very sad news for this UConn grad and lifelong Husky fan.

 

[uconnfan68]

RIP.

Great Letter-to-the-Editor in the Courant this morning. One man's memory of meeting Wes. Got schooled in a 1-on-1.
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/letters/hcrs-17255--20131025,0,7629670.story

 

[Chief00]

I went to his wake this afternoon, real nice family. His son looks so much like Wes did at a younger age. Great slides of Wes enjoying the great outdoors, particularly out West. He had some UConn BB ring on. I had kind of forgotten how he got decent elevation on his picture perfect jump shot. His body had such great balance when shooting. Unassuming in a word characterized Wes.

 

[maurbia44]

this thread ended up with #44 replies!!

 

[David 76]

Thanks Wes.

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

The year they beat Princeton was when Wes was on the freshman team, so he didn't play in that game. The next year, when the team had Wes, Toby, Dan Hesford, Tom Penders, Ron Ritter and company, the team went 23-2 aduring the regular season and I'm pretty sure the 2 losses were in a row with Wes and Toby both injured for one of the games and the other one (don't recall which) not back to the other. One of the losses was to the despised Holy Cross whom we stomped in the other game - we played them twice a year back then. The year they beat Princeton, where Dom Perno stole the ball from Bradley to seal the game, the team was good but not great. They showed the game on a big screen at Jorgensen - TV was a big treat back then, and the students estimated at 1-2 thou, went nuts afterwards, marching on President Babbidge's house (best Pres UConn ever had) who handled the crowd great. UConn went on to play - hate to say it - Duke, in the Regionals and got crushed by 50 or so.

The next year, with Wes and Toby, the team got a crap draw in the NCAA's having to play the higher ranked St. Joe's on their home court at the Palestra in round one. They lost. St. Joe's was led by guard Matt Goukas who was unusual for a guard then at 6'6" and talented. Wes had a hard time shooting over him. In that game, Kimball set a crazy rebounding record (maybe still stands?) for an NCAA tournament, at something like 29. One of the Philly paper headlines the next day was about Kimball even though the Huskies lost.

A little more history. I can't remember if it was Wes' junior or senior year. The NIT then was almost as big as the NCAA, especially with the small NCAA field and only one bid per league, the team being the regular season champ, or for the few leagues then,. like the ACC, that held a post season league tournament, the tourney champ. The Yankee Conference was not a league with an automatic bid. So UConn that particular year, didn't get invited but was invited to the NIT. UConn turned down the bid and the interested students pretty much rioted. The explanation by the old AD, J.O. Christian, was that UConn owed its allegiance to the NCAA (ironic, isn't it), and was not swayed when it was pointed out to him that the NCAA was snubbing UConn (some things don't change) and that every team in the NIT field were NCAA members.

WOW, a lot of your recollections are like mine. Your recollections about the 23-2 are almost spot on. The one loss they had was in a holiday tourney up in upstate NY. I believe it was the Kodak tourney. Uconn, Cornell, Virginia, and someone else, who's name escaped me. Wes and Toby were both out. Wes had an arch injury and Toby pulled a muscle in his chest. The reports initially thought Toby was having a "heart attack". The Huskies did win the first game but were beaten in the second game (championship) by Virginia. You are right about getting a raw deal that year by having to play St. Josephs in Philly @ the Palestra. Your comment about the Yankee conference not getting a bid is wrong. The winner of the Yankee Conference did get a bid to the NCAA. The year you are talking about. I think is the 66-67 season. Uconn and URI finished the season tied, and there was a 1 game playoff to be held @ the field house, with the winner getting the bid to the NCAA's. Dan Hesford was the captain. URI upset UC. You were right about J.O turning down the NIT. It was said that THAT pretty much drove, then coach, Fred Shabel away from Uconn. A lot of people forget that Shabel did a great job @ Uconn. If he had stayed who knows what Uconn's program would have been like. After Shabel left, Assistant coach Burr Carlson took over and after that Dee Rowe.

 

[Palatine]

It think the title of this thread is ironic.

I saw Wes play a number of games in the old field house (and the odd UConn game that actually made it to TV). He was a exciting player to watch and could really light up the scoreboard. But I rarely remember Wes passing.

 

[cohenzone]

WOW, a lot of your recollections are like mine. Your recollections about the 23-2 are almost spot on. The one loss they had was in a holiday tourney up in upstate NY. I believe it was the Kodak tourney. Uconn, Cornell, Virginia, and someone else, who's name escaped me. Wes and Toby were both out. Wes had an arch injury and Toby pulled a muscle in his chest. The reports initially thought Toby was having a "heart attack". The Huskies did win the first game but were beaten in the second game (championship) by Virginia. You are right about getting a raw deal that year by having to play St. Josephs in Philly @ the Palestra. Your comment about the Yankee conference not getting a bid is wrong. The winner of the Yankee Conference did get a bid to the NCAA. The year you are talking about. I think is the 66-67 season. Uconn and URI finished the season tied, and there was a 1 game playoff to be held @ the field house, with the winner getting the bid to the NCAA's. Dan Hesford was the captain. URI upset UC. You were right about J.O turning down the NIT. It was said that THAT pretty much drove, then coach, Fred Shabel away from Uconn. A lot of people forget that Shabel did a great job @ Uconn. If he had stayed who knows what Uconn's program would have been like. After Shabel left, Assistant coach Burr Carlson took over and after that Dee Rowe.

Burr Carlson, the Paul Pasqualoni of his day. Nice man, set the program back.