Don Burness
Encyclopedia
Donald S. Burness was an All-American
basketball player at Stanford University
.
in high school at Lowell High School
in San Francisco
. He switched to playing forward when he was recruited to Stanford
along with his Lowell teammate, 6 in 3 in (1.91 m) Bill Cowden
. The team's average height of 6 in 4 in (1.93 m), tall for the time, earned them the nickname "The Tall Redwoods."
In his senior year of 1942, Burness helped Stanford to a 28–4 record, and he was named a second-team All-American
for the season. In the postseason, the Indians beat Oregon State
to advance to the western regional of 1942 NCAA men's basketball championship
. During the Oregon State series, Burness injured his ankle and did not play in the regional semifinals and finals, but Stanford advanced to the final without him. In the final game, Burness started the game, but could not continue due to his ankle injury. Jim Pollard, another key starter for the Indians, was also sidelined due to the flu. Despite missing two key starters, Stanford prevailed over Dartmouth, 53–38, to win its only NCAA men's basketball title to date.
. He was named to the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame in 1960.
NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
basketball player at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
College career
Burness, who was 6 in 3 in (1.91 m), played centerCenter (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
in high school at Lowell High School
Lowell High School (San Francisco)
Lowell High School is a public magnet school in San Francisco, California. The school opened in 1856 as the Union Grammar School and attained its current name in 1896. Lowell moved to its current location in the Merced Manor neighborhood in 1962....
in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. He switched to playing forward when he was recruited to Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
along with his Lowell teammate, 6 in 3 in (1.91 m) Bill Cowden
Bill Cowden
William "Bill" Cowden was an American basketball player.A guard from Lowell High School in San Francisco, California, Cowden played collegiately for Stanford University with his Lowell teammate, Don Burness...
. The team's average height of 6 in 4 in (1.93 m), tall for the time, earned them the nickname "The Tall Redwoods."
In his senior year of 1942, Burness helped Stanford to a 28–4 record, and he was named a second-team All-American
NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
for the season. In the postseason, the Indians beat Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers men's basketball
The Oregon State Beavers men's basketball program, established in 1901, is the intercollegiate men's basketball program of the Oregon State University Beavers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference. The team is coached by Craig...
to advance to the western regional of 1942 NCAA men's basketball championship
1942 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page.*...
. During the Oregon State series, Burness injured his ankle and did not play in the regional semifinals and finals, but Stanford advanced to the final without him. In the final game, Burness started the game, but could not continue due to his ankle injury. Jim Pollard, another key starter for the Indians, was also sidelined due to the flu. Despite missing two key starters, Stanford prevailed over Dartmouth, 53–38, to win its only NCAA men's basketball title to date.
After college
Following his college career, Burness played for the Oakland Bittners of the Amateur Athletic UnionAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
. He was named to the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame in 1960.