John Schommer
Inducted:
1959
Player Stats
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Born
January 29, 1884
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died
January 11, 1960
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Position:
Center
College:
University of Chicago
John Joseph Schommer was one of the first great basketball stars of the early 20th century and one of the outstanding all-around athletes of the pre-NBA era. Known as “Mr. Everything,” he excelled in basketball, football, baseball, and track at the University of Chicago, earning 12 varsity letters across four sports. As a basketball player, Schommer led Chicago to three consecutive Western Conference championships from 1907 to 1909 and became one of the first nationally recognized basketball stars.
He was also a four-time All-American and led the conference in scoring during his championship seasons. One of his most famous moments was when he made an 80-foot field goal which helped lift Chicago over University of Pennsylvania in the final game of the 1907–08 regular season, winning them the championship. He was one of the first four players inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959.
Schommer's Awards and Honors
- National player of the year (1909)
- 4× Consensus All-American (1906–1909)
- 3× First-team all-Western Conference (1907–1909)
- 3× Helms national champion (1907–1909)
- Helms Foundation Player of the Year (1909)
- Earned 12 varsity letters across four sports at the University of Chicago
- Made an extraordinary 80-foot field goal against Pennsylvania
NBA Teams
Chicago Maroons (1905–1909)
NBA Stats
College Career:
4 seasons
Game Played:
54
Win:
47
Lose:
7
National titles:
3 (1907-1909)