RAVEN’S ROOST
Benedictine College, Atchison
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It’s known simply as “The Old Gym.” But it’s one heck of a gym. And, oh, the stories it will tell. Located at the former St. Benedict’s College, nowBenedictine, the old gym was once the home for the Ravens under the late, legendary coach Ralph Nolan, who brought them to NAIA national championshipsback in 1954 and 1967.
JOE BRICKNER is the former men’s head basketball coach, and former player on the 1967 national champion team. After twenty-eight years with Southwestern Bell, he’s here for a second career. He described the atmosphere of games in here, with relish. First, look to the corners to see the entrance to the locker rooms. A black cast-iron spiral staircase took you down through a round hole in the floor to your locker room. Then, in the crowd, you began with two rows of chairs on the floor under the south basket filled with the Benedictine monks, whose order came here as early as 1855 and founded the college in 1860. On the opposite end was a stage, dubbed “the pit,” filled with wild and rowdy football players. In the south balcony, above the monks, they would occasionally bus in several inmates from the state penitentiary at Lansing. Talk about intimidating. Opposing players would begin to wilt even before they played. |
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When Ralph Nolan paced the sidelines, he was described as a “schmoozer”-- he knew everybody. His coaching style was a little unusual. He had a laid-back style, and didn’t say much during games, but he smoked on the sidelines while coaching, and constantly counted the change in his pocket. Once in awhile he would yell out, “In through there!” It was just something he said, and the players never really knew what he meant by that.
But Nolan had talent. Great Benedictine players include Chick Downing, an All-American who was drafted by the Knicks. Darryl Jones was a four-time All- American, narrowly missed chances to play for the Cincinnati Royals and San Diego Clippers, but instead played on a NAIA Pan-American all-star team.
Why use the Ravens for a mascot? Legend tells us that St. Benedict, when in the desert, was about to eat some poison. A raven took it away, then brought
some food to sustain him.
Today, Benedictine is sustained by a great tradition and history. And there, on the lookout over the Missouri River, you get the feeling this is appropriate for one of the oldest colleges in Kansas.
But Nolan had talent. Great Benedictine players include Chick Downing, an All-American who was drafted by the Knicks. Darryl Jones was a four-time All- American, narrowly missed chances to play for the Cincinnati Royals and San Diego Clippers, but instead played on a NAIA Pan-American all-star team.
Why use the Ravens for a mascot? Legend tells us that St. Benedict, when in the desert, was about to eat some poison. A raven took it away, then brought
some food to sustain him.
Today, Benedictine is sustained by a great tradition and history. And there, on the lookout over the Missouri River, you get the feeling this is appropriate for one of the oldest colleges in Kansas.
