Author: Ryan Graff|Caroline Chang
It was the autumn of 1944, which, for those living on Occidental’s campus and throughout southern California, meant only continued sunshine and a refreshing breeze in the air. However, the conditions worldwide were quite possibly as far as could be from tranquil and ideal.
While World War II raged overseas, things domestically, and especially those at Occidental, showed no signs of letting the outside world affect them. Remsen Bird, who served as the college’s president from 1921-1946, was greatly responsible for the school’s growth and prosperity during his tenure.
When Bird took the helm, Occidental had recently undergone a successful move from Highland Park to its current Eagle Rock location in 1914. Bird helped the new campus thrive during the aftermath of WWI and even in the face of the Great Depression that swept the nation in the 1930s and early 1940s.
And though World War II (WWII) had been raging in Europe for nearly half a decade, America’s war effort had just begun to hit full stride. Many young men, including some of Occidental’s own in conjunction with President Bird, felt the call of duty ringing louder than ever before.
In Bird’s era, Occidental furthered its reputation as an institution of academic excellence. Moreover, its ties to its Presbyterian roots still remained somewhat intact, making the college shade just a tad to the conservative side of the political spectrum.
Hence, the U.S. Navy viewed Occidental as the perfect place to send its developing officers, who were expected to hold themselves to a high academic standard while simultaneously serving their country.
Under Bird’s tutelage, the college began its own sect of the V-12 Program, a training program designed to supplement the force of commissioned Naval officers during WWII. A group of officers from other universities came to Occidental to join several students who were already enrolled in the college at the time, forming a unique V-12 Program of 53 of the nation’s finest.
Little did they know, the men of the V-12 Program would go beyond fighting for the mutual cause of WWII and forever bond over their efforts on the hardwood.
Fostered by Dean Ben Cully, the training officers found solace in basketball, the first sport established at Occidental during this time. Dean Culley, a highly influential figure for the men, officiated games against teams like current SCIAC teams Redlands and Caltech, as well as Pepperdine, University of Southern California (USC) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
About 14 men would come out for the team at a time. The players consisted of some men from the Navy, some from the Marines and one civilian who was disabled—overall an eclectic group of individuals. Despite differences in ability and experience among individuals, the basketball team became one of the most inspiring cohorts for their school.
Students, faculty and staff at Occidental could all credit the comforting sense of unity they felt to the basketball team. Though the outside world faced the constant turmoil of war, going to a basketball game was the one thing that brought together people of all backgrounds, even if it was only for a couple hours. It just may have been the start of Occidental’s famed diversity.
Sports roots here in Eagle Rock dig way deeper than most realize. The 1944 basketball team is a demonstration of how a simple game played on a hardwood court had the ability to instill sentiments of uniformity in a time of uncertainty. Perhaps it is prudent for Occidental, in yet another time of national uncertainty, to start believing in the power of a team to bring everything together again.
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