January 10, 2003
Texas A&M will honor its five basketball All-Americans at halftime of Saturday's Big 12 Conference opener against Oklahoma State as part of the annual former players' reunion. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Reed Arena.
The four surviving All-Americans are scheduled to attend: Walter Davis (1951), Carroll Broussard (1961 and 1962), Bennie Lenox (1963) and John Beasley (1966). A&M's first All-American, Jewell McDowell (1950), is deceased.
A reception for all former A&M basketball players will be immediately after the game in the Reed Arena practice gym. Interested former players can call the A&M basketball office at 979-845-4531 for more information.
Davis (Nederland, Texas) was named the top two-sport track athlete in history by USA Track & Field several years ago. He earned third-team All-America honors in 1951 after leading the Aggies to their first Southwest Conference title in 28 years and their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Davis went on win the gold medal and set the world record in the high jump in 1952, then played five seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Philadelphia Warriors and the St. Louis Hawks.
Broussard (Port Arthur, Texas) is A&M's only two-time All-American, earning first-team honors in 1961 and second-team honors in 1962. Broussard led the SWC in scoring in 1961 and was named the conference's player of the year. He was drafted by the NCA's Chicago Zephyrs in 1962. Broussard's career scoring average of 19.2 points still ranks second in school history and in 1963, set set a school record by making all 17 of his free throw attempts against Arkansas.
Lenox (League City, Texas) scored a SWC record 53 points against Wyoming in 1963 and led the Aggies to the 1964 NCAA Tournament and the SWC championship. He was named SWC player of the year in 1963 after leading the team in scoring with a 25.1 average, earning second-team All-America honors. At one point in his career, he made a school-record 37 consecutive free throws.
Beasley (Kildare, Texas) earned first-team All-America honors in 1966 after being named SWC player of the year in 1965 and 1966. He led the conference in scoring with averages of 28.2 in 1965 and 30.6 in 1966, which remain the top two seasons in school history. He set the school mark for season rebounding with an 11.9 average in 1966 and also owns A&M records for career scoring average at 21.8 and career rebounding average at 10.8.
Beasley played seven seasons in the American Basketball Association, earning MVP honors in the 1969 ABA All-Star Game. He played with the Dallas Chaparrals from 1967-70, the Texas Chaparrals from 1970-71 and the Utah Stars from 1971-74.
McDowell (Amarillo, Texas) earned honorable mention All-America honors in 1950 and helped A&M to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 1951. He twice led the Aggies in scoring and was picked in the 1952 NBA draft by the Rochester Royals.
Player Year Selected Hometown Current Hometown Jewell McDowell 1950 Amarillo Deceased Walter "Buddy" Davis 1951 Nederland Lufkin Carroll Broussard 1961, 1962 Port Arthur Kerrville Bennie Lenox 1963 League City Bertram John Beasley 1966 Kildare Malakoff