Springfield College Digital Collections
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SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS RECORD GROUP NUMBER RG 178 Springfield College’s Edward S. Steitz Records, ca. 1951-1971 Written by Jeffrey Monseau 2017 Shelf space occupied 1.25 linear feet Number of boxes 3 boxes Abstract Edward S. Steitz was born on November 7th, 1920. After arriving at Springfield College in 1948, he was appointed as the head varsity basketball coach at Springfield College in 1956. His teams never had a losing season, and he ended with a of185-86 record. He served on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee from 1967 through his death in 1990. He can be credited for creating the three-point shot among many other rules. For this work and his passion for the game, Steitz was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983. Consisting of news articles, speeches, manuscripts, correspondence, and photographs, the materials in the collection reflect the influence he had on Basketball. This includes biographical information, materials on his nomination and induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, many articles on his basketball rules work, including his three point rules changes in 1986, some writings and speeches, and photographs of Steitz throughout his life, including images from the 1965 Springfield College basketball team World Tour. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ RG178 – Springfield College’s Edward S. Steitz Records Page 2 Archives and Special Collections Babson Library, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts INFORMATION ON USE OF THE COLLECTION TERMS OF ACCESS AND USE Unrestricted PREFERRED CITATION Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information (in addition to any other information required by the citation style being used): RG178 – The Springfield College Edward S. Steitz Records, box #, folder #, Archives and Special Collections, Springfield College, Springfield, Mass. HISTORY OF THE COLLECTION There was no formal acquisition of the materials for this collection. The collection is artificially created. Materials were received from different places at different times, but most of the materials appear to have come from two Springfield College Offices; the Office of Marketing and Communications and the Athletic Department Marketing Department. Collection arranged by Jeffrey Monseau, spring 2017 ARRANGEMENT Since this is an artificially created collection there is no original order. Materials, where appropriate, have been placed in chronological order, including dated newspapers, magazine articles, and some of the correspondence. RELATED MATERIALS In Archives and Special Collections, Springfield College, Springfield, Mass.: Archival Collections Digitized materials in collection Digital Collections – For all Digital Images of Photographs and Documents on Edward S. Steitz Springfield College Basketball Team Records RG174 – General Athletic Department Records Faculty Files Edward S. Steitz Papers (currently unprocessed) RG147 – Basketball Hall of Fame Records Basketball Hall of Fame: http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/ed-steitz/ Books and Pamphlets Steitz, Edward S. Illustrated Basketball Rules. 1st Ed. ed. Garden City, N.Y.: Dolphin Books, 1976. GV885.45 .S73 Southwest Conference Basketball Rules Interpretations Meeting, November 8, 1980. Directed by Edward S Steitz. Springfield College, 1980. VHS. GV885.55 .S68 1980 Southwest Conference Basketball Rules Interpretations Meeting, Fall 1983. Directed by Edward S Steitz. Springfield College, 1983. VHS. GV885.55 .S68 1983 Steitz, Edward S. Handbook for Athletic Administration. 19uu. GV347 .S845 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ RG178 – Springfield College’s Edward S. Steitz Records Page 3 Archives and Special Collections Babson Library, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts Steitz, Edward S. Springfield College Basketball Around the World. 1965. GV885.43.S67 S673 NCAA Basketball Rules Changes Meeting. Directed by Edward S Steitz. Springfield College, 198u. VHS. GV885.55 .N43 Steitz, Edward S. Fundamentals, Officiating, Interpretations and Scientific Techniques in Basketball. New Delhi: United States Information Service, 1972. GV885 .S74 Steitz, Edward S. The relationship of reaction time, speed, Sargent Jump, physical fitness and other variables to success in specific sports. Springfield College (Thesis),1963. GV436 .S74 Appleby, Andrew D. A study of the contributions to basketball by Dr. Edward S. Steitz. Springfield College (Thesis), 1986. GV884.S74 A665 Steitz, Edward S. Basketball, the Birthplace. Budapest, Hungary: IPV, 1981. Basketball Hall of Fame Building Records. Frost, Reuben B.; Steitz, Edward S. A Developmental Plan for Physical Education, Intramural Athletics and Intercollegiate Athletics in the State Colleges of Massachusetts. 1968. GV347 .F768 Neff, Charles B.; Steitz, Edward S. A study of physical fitness items against criteria composed of the combined PFI, army, and modified Harvard step-up scores. Springfield College (Thesis), 1948. GV436 .N32 SEARCH TERMS AND SUBJECTS The following terms represent persons, organizations, and topics documented in this collection: International Young Men's Christian Association College Springfield College Springfield College--Sports Springfield College--Sports--Men Springfield College--Sports--Women Springfield College--Basketball Springfield College--Basketball--Men Springfield College--Faculty Steitz, Edward S. Basketball Basketball--History Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield, Mass.) Basketball coaches Basketball--Rules National Association of Basketball Coaches of the United States Three Point Shot Coaches (Athletics) Athletic Directors _____________________________________________________________________________________________ RG178 – Springfield College’s Edward S. Steitz Records Page 4 Archives and Special Collections Babson Library, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Dr. Edward S. Steitz, widely recognized as the creator of the three-point shot in College Basketball, was very influential in the world of basketball during his career. He had many roles in basketball, beginning as the head basketball coach at Springfield College to being named to the Executive Board of the U.S Olympic Committee. In these roles, he left a legacy that can still be seen in the game of basketball today. Steitz was born on November 7th, 1920 in Beacon, New York. After graduating from Beacon High School, Steitz served as a member of the United States Army from 1942 to 1946. Steitz went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell which he followed with a Master of Education (1948) and a Doctor of Physical Education (1963) from Springfield College. In 1948, Steitz began his professional career at Springfield College as a faculty member. He was appointed as the head varsity basketball Coach in 1956. In the ten years that he coached, his teams never had a losing season, and he ended with a 185-86 record. In 1965, he took the Springfield College basketball team in an around-the-world tour for the United States State Department, posting a 25-0 won-lost record. As well as being the coach of Springfield College, Steitz served and the Director of Athletics at Springfield for 33 years before retiring in 1989. Steitz had a strong impact on the rules of the game. He served as the national secretary and editor of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee from 1967 through his death in 1990. He is perhaps best known as creating the three-point shot for collegiate basketball in 1986. He decided that, for the rule to work, that the shooter would need to be 19 feet 9 inches from the basket. He compiled statistics from 1980 onwards to support this rule change, claiming that 38% of the shots taken from the three-point distance would be hit. He was spot on when teams hit 38% of the three point shots attempted in the rule’s first year. Some of the other famous rules he helped enact were the reinstatement of the dunk shot in 1976, the elimination of the jump ball except at the start of the game in 1981, and the 45-second shot clock in 1985. For this work and his passion for game, Steitz was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983. Steitz continued his work in basketball, still serving as the national secretary and editor of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, until he unexpectedly died on May 21, 1990 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA. He was only 69, but had over 40 years of contributions to Springfield College and the game of basketball. Dick Vitale, one of the severest critics of the three-point shot as well as one of Steitz’s colleagues, remembers Steitz as a man who was “honest, had unquestionable integrity and a great love of the game of basketball.” _____________________________________________________________________________________________ RG178 – Springfield College’s Edward S. Steitz Records Page 5 Archives and Special Collections Babson Library, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts CHRONOLOGY (Highlights) November 7th, 1920 – Born in Beacon, New York 1942-1946 – Served as member of the Unites States Army 1943 – Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University 1948 – Master of Education Degree from Springfield College 1948 – Joined the Springfield College faculty 1950 – Appointed Assistant to the Director of the School of Physical Education